Why does every actor in a play seem to come from NYU MFA or Yale or Juillliard?- Page 2
Why does every actor in a play seem to come from NYU MFA or Yale or Juillliard?
#25Why does every actor in a play seem to come from NYU MFA or Yale or Juillli
Posted: 4/26/12 at 11:22amTo my knowledge, there are no musical theatre performance MFA programs.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#26Why does every actor in a play seem to come from NYU MFA or Yale or Juillli
Posted: 4/26/12 at 11:42amI only know of two: San Diego State University and University of Central Florida. There are several schools that have an MA or MM with a Musical Theatre concentration.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#27Why does every actor in a play seem to come from NYU MFA or Yale or Juillli
Posted: 4/26/12 at 11:50amAh. I have to say, I can't recall ever seeing an actor in a musical with an MFA from either of those schools. It's rare that you see any with an MFA in a musical. Though several actors in Once do, from NYU and Yale.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#28Why does every actor in a play seem to come from NYU MFA or Yale or Juillli
Posted: 4/26/12 at 12:43pm
I'm pretty sure Steve Kazee has an MFA in Acting, not musical theatre, from NYU. Just like Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Bryce Pinkham both have Yale MFAs in Acting.
NYU-Steinhardt has an MM with a concentration in MT.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Updated On: 4/26/12 at 12:43 PM
Blactor
Understudy Joined: 8/11/11
#29Why does every actor in a play seem to come from NYU MFA or Yale or Juillli
Posted: 4/26/12 at 12:51pm
I have an MFA in Acting from one of the elite institutions named by the OP. I also have many friends who are in or have graduated from those other two institutions. I believe I can provide a little insight.
As others have stated, and rightly so, this career is a crapshoot and going to one of these programs is far, far, FAR from a guarantee of success.
As far as schools having "connections", I think that is oversimplifying the issue.
However, there IS an advantage upon graduation, as more top shelf casting directors and talent representatives will come to your showcase, or will have seen you in plays during your time at school. A big part of that is simply location, with regard to NYU and Juilliard. It also has to do with the reputations of the schools.
Also, certain theatres like the Public and Williamstown hold auditions to cull their ensembles from programs like NYU/Yale/The Yard, so certain opportunities exist for these students that wouldn't exist for people NOT enrolled in those programs, which can lead to connections that are valuable down the road.
However, these advantages only go so far. It should also be noted again that there are many, many extraordinary performers who did not attend these programs, and have done well for themselves. Additionally, as I said before, I have many friends from many of these programs, and they are like countless other broke actors trying to make careers for themselves.
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