You’re already making work. You’re ready for the next step. You want collaborators, mentors, and the space to take risks. The Sarah Lawrence MFA in Theatre & Performance is designed for artists in motion.
Applications Now Open for Fall 2026
Deadline: January 6, 2026
Apply to the Theatre graduate program today»
Request More Information»
Why Choose the MFA in Theatre and Performance at SLC?
- Collaborate in New York City: Create work in monthly Performance Labs, with residencies at La MaMa and fieldwork with leading cultural voices.
- Go Interdisciplinary: Shape your own path across acting, directing, design, media, dance, music, playwriting, and civic engagement.
- Work in Community: Join a cohort of emerging artists who value care, experimentation, and accountability.
- Expand Your Network: Faculty and guest artists are active in the field today, connecting your studies directly to professional practice.
What You’ll Do In The SLC Graduate Theatre Program
- Devise performances every semester in Performance Lab.
- Build your Embodied Thesis, a project that merges performance, writing, and practice.
- Collaborate with undergrads, grads, and visiting artists across disciplines.
- Connect with New York internships, residencies, and festivals just minutes away.
More Information on the MFA in Theatre and Performance in New York:
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Official Website –>
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Program Website–>
Core Values
Interdisciplinary. Collaborative. Rigorous research. Joy.
We cultivate performance that is inclusive, collaborative, and bold. We support artists who bring their own histories and urgencies into the room to make work that matters.
- Caden Manson (Director of the Theatre Program; Artistic Director of Big Art Group; internationally touring multimedia director and media artist)
- David Neumann (Artist Director of Advanced Beginner Group, Obie Winning, Tony Nominated, Works in Film, Theatre, and Dance)
- Jian Jung (Obie Winning Scenic Designer)
- Modesto Flako Jimenez (Obie Winning, Guggenheim Fellow, Artistic Director of Oye Group, Director, Writer, Actor)
- Lisa Clair (Artistic Director of Lisa Clair Group, Writer, Actor, Singer, Clown)
- Ariel Seibert (Member of Fake Friends, Dramaturg of Pulitzer-Nominated play, working across experimental, off-Broadway, New Works, and new Media)
- Lorrel Manning (Actor and Director in Film and Theater)
- Ethan Philbrick (Curator at the Poetry Project, Performance Maker, and Performance Studies Scholar)
- 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
How to Apply
- Submit portfolio, CV, and statement of purpose.
- Provide two recommendations.
- Interviews conducted in February/March 2026.
- Application deadline: January 6, 2026.
Who It’s For
This MFA is for artists ready to:
- Push their practice forward.
- Find collaborators across disciplines.
- Connect their art to larger cultural and political conversations.
- Shape the future of theatre and performance.
Applications Now Open for Fall 2026
Deadline: January 6, 2026
Apply to the Theatre graduate program today»
Request More Information»
