themirandatragedy

Hey writers, I was a regular in this forum a couple of years ago. I don't know what got into me tonight and decided to check how things are going on in here. THIS FORUM WAS MY BIBLE. And I'm so glad to see it's still running and helping writers all over. I'm currently in my second year Indiana University's MFA playwriting program. Some of you were asking on more info about it: I think there are two main things that make this program worth it. 1. The Money. IU gives you full tuition plus a very generous stipend (16K-ish a year) in exchange for an assistantship. 2. The Opportunities of Production Because the program accepts only one writer a year, they are not only able to fully fund them, but also guarantee a MainStage production on the playwright's second and third years (I'm actually on a break from doing re-writes to my second year script which will get cast in two weeks, start rehearsals in February and go up in April). I'd truly recommend looking into applying here. The program is ran by Ruth McKee. Hope you all get your deadlines in! Keep writing! Miranda

That's great! No, he didn't have a play at the lab, but he lives in Valdez and got to attend

Longwalktonever, No, but a friend was! Was your play read at the Play Labs. What's the name of your play?

Indiana University Bloomington. I had to choose between them and Ohio, and yes, it was a very hard thing to do. But I'm happy with my decision. Glad to see you chose USC, longwalk! I've heard really good things about that program.

teethwax, Where did you decide to go?

Got into San Francisco State's MFA program. Gotta say no, but it's nice to know I got in.

Hey guys, I got wait listed both at Arizona State (#1 alternate on the list) and Ohio (in the running with 4 other four writers). I got offered a spot at Indiana, which I'm totally stoked about! I'm strongly leaning to giving Indiana a HELL YEAH! soon, especially since I'm not the 'waiting' type of person and they were my first choice too. So it shouldn't be too hard of a decision. This forum has been so helpful through this application process and I'm hoping everybody gets in somewhere and keeps working in their writing. This has been three years in the making so I'm really excited I finally get to start working towards that MFA I've always wanted. Thanks a lot guys, Miranda

Wow tjack, congratulations! Iowa has always been a dream school for me. You're gonna do great there!

Congrats, remains! Good luck at CMU!

Rejection from Columbia.

Yale rejection. Oh well...

Remains, I'm also at SETC, just got in right now. What exactly are you gonna be doing here? Are you writing anything for the Ten Minute Short Plays competition? We should meet up and talk!

Up to last year my plays always returned to the themes of family and and estranged relationships. I found however that although the plays worked (at least I hope they did), I was too caught up in the past, and my characters were afraid to move on (as was I) into new things. I have forced myself to try something completely new with the new play I'm writing. It's period (which scares the shit out of me) and I have to do a lot of research in order to give it historic accuracy. It's definitely been a slower process than just imagining characters and putting them onstage with no background whatsoever, but it has taught me to love it and cherish it even more. When I look back at my past plays I see lots of beats in them were based on my experiences growing up in a somewhat broken home, and that's okay to draw from for a playwright, but only to a point. I'm excited about expanding my horizons and trying new things, and I'm just now realizing how self-fulfilling and enjoyable writing is for me again when I'm not writing about my own past.

Congrats, teethwax. Wow. You're gonna do great.

My personal favorite is: "if you're not an experienced actor, take the advice of your 3-show-experienced friend, NO MATTER HOW BAD IT SOUNDS."

Good luck with Northwestern, teethwax. The Chicago theatre scene is exquisitely delicious. I'd love to live in that city. And yes J.B. is incredible. Agreed.

Got the NYU e-mail too. You guys are really giving me a lot of plays to read this semester. On my previous post I meant 'The Clean House' by Sarah Ruhl, not the clean 'room.' Lurkinglucy, Albee's seascape is one of my favorites too. It was actually the first play I ever directed, and I loved it. Eccentric dreamer, I agree Beverly's monologue at the beginning of August OC is great, but I feel once he's gone-and we're stuck with his grieving family- that the action never excited me or surprised me. There were no characters I could truly identify with, and I could see the ending by miles. But that's just me. It also didn't help that I came to it with such high expectations. That was kind of unfair from my part. A few plays you've mentioned and that are also in my A list: Dinner With Friends, A Doll's House, Rabbit Hole, Streetcar... What is you guys' favorite Arthur Miller play? I feel I often find myself undecided when answering this question...

Okay since we're all naming more than one. I feel compelled to add the ones that are up there for me Red by John Logan reasons to be pretty by Neil LaBute M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang Three Tall Women by Albee Time Stands Still by Margulies Long Day's Journey into Night by O'Neill The Clean Room by Sarah Ruhl anything Ibsen or Strindberg I don't know why but didn't enjoy August:Osage County as much as I thought I would.

My all time favorite would have to Albee's 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' I recently read 'Marat/Sade' by Weiss and it was eye opening.

Captain, This is what I can put together from my timeline of past Brown rejections. I have gotten them mid-february, but then a friend who also applied with me two years ago didn't get his interview e-mail until the last week of the month. So I don't know. I don't know if it's standard, but if there's one school who would have a large enough pool of applicants that they can send a few rejections first and then interviews later, it would be Brown.

I sometimes feel like freaking out, but then I remember all the work is done. The applications are turned in, so there's nothing more I can do. It's completely out of my hands, and the selection process is to a point subjective. I'm guessing we'll be hearing from Brown soon (this is my third year applying there), rejections go out mid-february, and interview requests a little later. Indiana has interview requests early March, and acceptance offers early April. Iowa sends rejection letters early March.

Congrats teethwax. Northwestern looks like a great program. Hope everything goes well in the interview! I have finished all my applications except Ohio. Is anybody else applying there? I don't know why they have such a late deadline, but it works for me. It gives me a little more time to buff up my application. My chosen schools this year were: NYU Juilliard Yale Columbia San Francisco State Indiana Bloomington Arizona State Where did the rest of you applied to?

Misssaharai, Indiana-Bloomington has a great program, and a very generous stipend. I made it to the final interview last year but unfortunately was not chosen. Hoping to apply there again. My list this year is NYU, Juilliard, Yale, Columbia, Arizona State, Ohio, Indiana, and SFSU. Good luck with your other schools!

MonkeyKing, thanks for the advice. I certainly am not considering this year a throwaway year, they really are too expensive to be throwing them away. I just meant I wouldn't take the GRE this year because most of the schools I'm interested in getting in to don't require it. I know some schools do (San Diego is one of them), but fortunately most of the others do not. And I agree, even to those that do require it, it seems like they really don't care too much about them.

Hey guys, The thread will come to life eventually once deadlines get closer. Tjack, I'm applying to some of the same schools you have on your list. Deadlines are: Brown: December 15 / Iowa: January 15 / Ohio: March 15 / Indiana Bloomington: February 1st. I also don't wanna take the GRE so I'm only applying to those that don't require it. This is my second year applying, last time I applied to three and got to the final Interview with Indiana but didn't make it. Teethwax, your list looks pretty intimidating. Good luck! Shockingnew, those that got into a program probably will not be checking this forum again, but there are always new people coming in and sharing info so keep checking in.