THEA-MFA - Theatre

Program Website

The M.F.A. acting program balances the development of the actors unique skills with the acquisition of technique. The program seeks to train actors of integrity, capable of artistic excellence in a variety of venues. The acting studios form the programs spine.

First-year studio focuses on the actors self, identifying habitual performance behaviors and reshaping the instrument to respond more organically and efficiently to psychophysical stimuli. Second-year studio emphasizes heightened language, working both with classical authors as well as with contemporary playwrights like McCraney, Parks, and Rivera.

The third year addresses the remaining and unique needs of each class and augments students skills with classes in professional development, voice-over, and on-camera acting. Comprehensive training in movement, voice, speech and textual analysis augments and enriches every term of the studio process. Third-year students film a digital showcase as well as scenes for professional reels. Additional professional outreach is provided by annual professional auditions, in which casting directors, agents and artistic directors from regional and summer theatres audition students in the graduate program. Internships, both formal and informal, with professional theatres in Dallas provide students with significant opportunities for professional growth.

The M.F.A. entertainment design program is committed to the philosophy of supporting the development of artists who will passionately embrace the interpretation of words into visual imagery. The program emphasizes the process of artistic collaboration, especially with directors; the pursuit of artistic skills, including drawing, painting and drafting, necessary for communication; the development of critical thought and the ability to articulate ideas; and the acquisition of professional standards that prepare the student for a meaningful and productive life in the theatre.

Training in design is based on a balance of classroom work and fully realized productions. The first year of study includes extensive classroom projects and the development of foundational artistic and collaborative skills, culminating in the design of the playwrights New Visions, New Voices festival. All students acquire comprehensive skills in scenery, costume and lighting design. The second year will focus on the student as a theatre designer, drawing upon prestigious programs of excellence in the Meadows School of the Arts and including designing in the Theatre Division season. During the third and master year, the student prepares for the professional world with opportunities to exercise collaborative, artistic and management skills not only in the Theatre Division, but also at professional venues that include, but are not limited to, the Dallas Theater Center and the Shakespeare Festival of Dallas.