Hello Hello!
I will be heading to URTAs in Chicago this year. I did URTAs for Acting in 2010 and had a great experience (and 5 acceptances.) Weirdly, most of my top choices are not taking part in URTA, but I decided to pay the one $110 fee instead of paying each school's fee.
My top choices are: Iowa, UT Austin, Yale
Also applying to: Carnegie Mellon, UC San Diego, York/Canadian Stage
Maybe: Brown, Arizona State, Cal Arts, UC Irvine
I want programs that focus on developing new work (plays and devising), collaboration with music/dance departments, ability to learn/work with multimedia and programs that will not require me to go into much debt. Hence why my top 3 choices.
I visited Iowa in October and met with Alan MacVey (head of the whole department) and saw a show that their students made with visiting collaborators Q Brothers from Chicago. A rap/music/dance version of Julius Ceasar which was not only crazy energy, but SMART lyrics with clever (not stupid) humor. Plus, you can work with the MFA Playwrights Workshop (arguably the top in the country) every semester if you wish.
@KillerWingfield Having already done my MA in the UK and a close friend who did the East 15 MFA Directing course, I can give you some insight if you'd like? Let me know and we can email. Just know that you will not be able to stay in the UK after graduation unless you get married. I was the last graduating class to have the Post-Study Visa option. That visa is now gone as well as most other visas. My friend who did the E15 course cannot recommend it to anyone...
Very excited/nervous. I've only ever applied to a few schools before (Yale, Virginia Tech, Brooklyn College) gotten interviews but this year with where I am in my life, I feel very confident in what I want and hope that might help.
