Collaborate, Create, and Innovate: MFA Program In Performance and Theatre – Applications Now Open at Sarah Lawrence College (NY, USA)

A 2 Year MFA in Theater/Performance 30 Minutes from NYC
Deadline: January 1, 2025
Apply to the Theatre graduate program today

The Master of Fine Arts in Theatre at Sarah Lawrence College supports students through research and practice to develop their unique artistic voice and robust creative practice to engage with the contemporary field. Under the guidance of faculty and thesis advisors who are working artists, curators, and organizers, the program offers an advanced study of theatre and performance that is interdisciplinary, collaborative, expansive, and rigorous.

Academic Program
Like the College, the Graduate Program in Theatre emphasizes an individualized learning process. Each student’s course of study is unique and is created in consultation with the program director and faculty in response to the student’s background, interests, strengths, and artistic training requirements.

Students may apply for fall entry to the Master of Fine Arts in Theatre program. Applicants must have received a Bachelor of Arts or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required for admission.

More Information:
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The application deadline is January 1, 2025
Apply to the Theatre graduate program today»
Request More Information»

Interdisciplinary – The program emphasizes theatre and performance-making as an integrative process.
Collaborative – Students work closely in classes, conferences, and productions with the faculty, guest artists, their graduate cohort, and the undergraduate theatre community.
Expansive – We emphasize the development of original work, grounded in a study of historical and contemporary forms and in expansive articulations of performance frameworks.
Rigorous – Embodiment, process, and feedback and reflection are at the core of graduate curricular work.

Program Overview

• The program emphasizes theatre and performance making as an integrative practice. Each student develops a study program that draws from courses in acting, Alexander Technique, improvisation, creation of original work, design, directing, acting, contemporary performance, history/survey, movement, playwriting, solo performance, and puppetry speech, voice, and civic engagement.
• Each student’s course of study is unique. Students spend several days during registration week in one-on-one interviews with the faculty to decide which “components” they will take. The program uses the term “components” instead of “courses” because it is possible, and encouraged, to take a component from the Music or Dance performing arts programs.
• Graduate students work closely in classes, conferences, and productions with faculty, fellow graduate students, and the Sarah Lawrence undergraduate theatre community.
• Graduate curricular work is augmented by a practicum in which students learn by doing. Multiple production frameworks offer graduate students a wide range of opportunities, including season productions, guest art residencies, downstage season, and independent student groups.
• The Theatre and Civic Engagement program provides students with teaching placements with community partners.
• Students participate in internships or fieldwork in New York City theatres and theatre organizations.

Deadline: January 1, 2025
Apply to the Theatre graduate program today»
Request More Information»

Faculty

A caring and generous faculty support your creative practice and growth. Some of the faculty include:

• Caden Manson (Director of the Theatre Program BA/MFA)
• David Neumann
• Lorrel Manning
• Jian Jung
• Modesto Flako Jimenez
• Lisa Clair
• Ariel Seibert
• Itziar Barrio
• Ethan Philbrick
• See a full list of faculty»

Monthly Guests

Each month, the program invites nationally and internationally recognized artists to mentor and lead workshops during Performance Lab classes. Some of the past guests have included:

• Kaneza Schall
• Okwui Okpokwasili
• Emily Johnson
• Rachel Chavkin
• Jennifer Kidwell
• Tina Satter
• Jaamil Olawale Kosoko
• Ping Chong
• Mimi Lien
• Jibz Cameron (Dynasty Handbag)
• Steve Cosson/The Civilians
• Lear deBessonet
• Lisa Kron
• Kristin Marting
• Holly Hughes
• Maiko Kikuchi 
• Carlos Soto
• Alice Yuan Zhang
• Noel Allain – Artistic Director Bushwick Starr

The application deadline is January 1, 2025

Apply to the Theatre graduate program online»
Request More Information»

Program Outline

For an MFA in Theatre, students will earn a total of 48 course credits (24 in the first year and 24 in the second). Students are accepted on a full-time basis; exceptions are made only in extraordinary circumstances.

In addition to the required components below, students choose components according to their interests and needs. The goal is to create an interdisciplinary course of study that builds on current skill sets and explores aspects of theatre and performance that are new to them.

Graduate students participate in one or more practicum activities per year. Students take at least one analytical class per year during the graduate program (history, theory, survey, dramaturgy, etc.).

Required courses in the M.F.A. program:

• Performance Research (Year 1)
• Performance Studio (Year 1)
• Performance Lab (Year 1 & 2)
• Embodied Thesis (Year 2)
• Written Thesis (Year 2)
• Practicum (Year 1 & 2)

Take a look at our course offerings for 2024/2025

Other than these required courses, students chose paths according to their interests and needs. The goal is to create an interdisciplinary course of study that builds on current skill sets and explores theater and performance aspects that are new to them.

Graduate students participate in one or more practicum activities per year. These may include season productions, guest art residencies, downstage season, independent student groups, or internships. Students take one analytical class per year during the graduate program (history, theory, survey, dramaturgy, etc.).

Apply Today

Students may apply for fall entry to the Master of Fine Arts in Theatre program. Applicants must have received a Bachelor of Arts or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required for admission.

The application deadline is January 1, 2025

Apply to the Theatre graduate program online»
Request More Information»

More Information:
Podcast –>
Official Website –>
Instagram–>
Facebook–>
Program Website–>

Image: David Neumann (Faculty) & Marcella Murray (Alumna and Faculty) Photo: Maria Baranova