Recommended Schooling for Someone Who Wants to be a Professional Critic

If you want to be a theatre critic you might want to major in English and minor in theatre

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With the exception of Michael Feingold of the Voice, none of the major New York critics have any training whatsoever in theatre or journalism. They all just sorta fell into theatre criticism (which explains why none of them know what the hell they're talking about most of the time). Brantley has an English degree from Swathmore and was a movie critic for Elle Magazine, before being hired as a theatre critic for the Times (he has zero background or training in journalism, theatre, music or dance). Kissell of the Daily News was a movie critic for Women's Wear Daily. Most of the others were working in some other capacity at a publication and somehow got assigned to write a review or two when the main critic was away.

Not sure how one sets out to be a drama critic (I don't think any of the current theatre critics planned or even wanted this career -- it just sorta happened), other than perhaps writing reviews of shows freelance and then submitting them to publications that at least occasionally cover theatre. There are very few openings and less and less space is devoted to theatre coverage, industry-wide (even at the Times), but you can certainly try.

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Updated On: 3/20/06 at 11:51 AM

I have a background in theatre, but no English degree. I guess I can always just send off my portfolio to the papers and see what happens.

There are also schools with programs in arts journalism -- mostly graduate programs, though.

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MFA in critical journalism.

But why spend $100,000+ on those degrees when no major critic has any of those degrees and apparently no major publication requires or cares about them?

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that's just what is in the University of Texas graduate, undergraduate catalog when i looked up under profession "Theatre Critic"

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(run away -- trust me -- run away)

They'd probably get paid more.

Peter Filichia offered me this advice several years ago: if you want to write about theatre, just start doing it. Wherever you are, for whatever publication you can. If you live in a small town, talk to local papers about freelancing. The pay is pathetic, but it's a foot in the door somewhere, and you'll develop a portfolio. When you've got a good number of reviews and preview pieces behind you, talk to the next tier paper in your area. Over time you wil likely fill a niche, and if you're great at it you may just find full-time work in it. If not, you've lost almost nothing. You've attended hundreds of performces, mostly for free, and had the opportunity to examine them in depth. And who among us wouldn't do that anyway?

i think you should start a blog if you really want to communicate with people and practice the craft of theater criticism. i learned how to write a review from dr. felicia hardison londre, a great dramaturge and theater historian. however, as it has been some years since i was a student of hers i've found that my taste in theater criticism has been shaped primarily by the poor quality found in publications all around me. i know precisely what i DON'T want to read!
i am a fan of our own Margo Channing and know quite a few people who read him regularly. so -- just do it! and shop yourself around. don't be surprised to see yourself plagiarized either. a certain husband and wife team are regular pilferers on the net.


a great book on dramaturgy and criticism

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Updated On: 3/21/06 at 03:40 PM

There's a college major for theater criticism.