MFA Admissions

The Department of Drama offers the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree in five areas of specialization: Acting, Scenic Design, Lighting Design, Technical Direction and Costume Design/ Technology. Every three years, the Department of Drama recruits a new group of graduate students to train together.  Applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2008 through Spring 2011 cycle.

Admission to the program is based on audition or design portfolio and supporting documents (see Admission Requirements below). The successful candidate must show promise of artistic growth and achievement within the M.F.A. program.

Admissions Information
The next MFA class will be recruited and matriculate in 2008. Interested applicants must audition/ interview at one of the following locations:

New York City URTA Auditions, January 26-30, 2008
Chicago URTA Auditions, February 2-8, 2008
University of Virginia Department of Drama, February 9, 2008 for Costume Design & Technology
University of Virginia Department of Drama, February 16, 2008 for Acting, Scenic Design, Lighting Design and Technical Direction

For more information about the University Resident Theatre Association- National Unified Auditions (URTA), please visit www.URTA.com. To schedule a local audition/ interview for February 16, 2008, please contact us at drama@virginia.edu or 434-924-3326.

Admission and Requirements
All applicants desiring admission must have successfully completed an undergraduate degree program and must formally apply to the University of Virginia's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.  Applications must include:

1. Resume
2. Personal Statement
3. Three letters of reference from working theatre professionals, at least one should be from a teacher in one's undergraduate major
4. General Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores. A combined score of 1,000 or higher on the verbal and quantitative portions is desirable. (U.Va. school code is 5820)
5. Application Fee is $60.00, payable to the University of Virginia

Application Deadline is February 20, 2008.

M.F.A. students are admitted only within the five specific areas of specialization (Acting, Scenic Design, Lighting Design, Technical Direction, and Costume Design/Technology) . Qualifying production projects are required in each of the first two years of the program. In the third year a thesis project or production is completed along with appropriate documentation.

Financial Aid and Responsibilities
All graduate students in the Department of Drama serve as Graduate Teaching Assistants and receive full tuition remission, a stipend (currently $17,000 per academic year) and a U.Va. Health Insurance voucher.

As part of this program, all students will be expected to work an equivalent of 20 hours per week each semester. Actors will be assigned in the following areas: teaching, assistant to faculty, publicity and promotion, or assistant business manager. Designers will be offered assistantships as technicians in the respective shops producing the main season with opportunities each term to assist area professors. Opportunities to teach may be available on an individual basis.

Interview/Audition Procedures
Actors:
A Statement of Goals: A three page essay stating your motivation for this training, your career objectives and your artistic values. Please include this with your graduate school application.

M.F.A. acting candidates should be prepared to perform two contrasting pieces (one contemporary, one classical). Each selection should be no longer than two minutes. The audition should reveal vocal/physical range, command of language, and ability to create a character. The auditor may ask for improvisation or adjustment of audition pieces. The audition will be accompanied by an interview. Bring a picture and résumé.

Designers and Technical Directors:
Portfolio expectations for scenic, costume, lighting, and technical direction graduate students: We are as interested in process as in product. Please include rough sketches or schematics as well as finished ones. Original work is required. Scenic and Costume design portfolios may contain work in theatre technology, including examples of scene painting, costume construction, patterning/ draping, props, millinery, and masks. Where possible please include photographs of both the design process and its execution on stage. Feel free to show other examples of visual art.

Costume Designers: Include costume sketches, swatches, dressing lists, and research.
Scenic Designers: Include set sketches, ground plans, elevations, and scenic story boards.
Lighting Designers: Include lighting storyboards, sketches, research, magic sheets and light plots.
Technical Production: Include technical drawings, shift plots, and construction schedules.

For all applicants—please include color photographs of executed designs.

Online and downloadable applications are available here.