Playwriting MFAs

[jam2011]

I just received an email informing me I was accepted into the MFA in Playwriting Program at Texas Tech University! No word on funding yet, but I am crossing my fingers!

11 more schools to go!

[Flyrail]

Decaf,

I got an interview email from New School yesterday. That was the only one I've heard from. I hope this doesn't mean anything. Also, is there anybody who still reads this thread that has been through the call-back for New School? I'd love to have some idea of what I'm getting myself into for this interview. UTA, Brown, Columbia, Yale, UCSD are my others. Any word on those from anyone?

Edited February 24, 2012 by Flyrail

[MonkeyKing]

I interviewed at UCSD and UT Austin T&D last week. I got a really great vibe from UCSD. Naomi Iizuka might be the nicest person in the world.

[Flyrail]

Nice, congrats. I got pooched by one of my professors in college who said he would write a rec, and then totally fell off the world. I didn't actually get my final rec in for a lot of these schools until three weeks ago. I'm guessing the lack of interview at UCSD and UTA is a harbinger of a skinny envelope. Alas! Sorry, a playwriting forum I feel like I have to spruce up the language a bit.

[themirandatragedy]

waiting on WUSTL, Brown and Indiana Bloomington. Anyone heard anything on these schools?

[janesays]

I applied to Indiana and haven't heard from them either. I'm still waiting on UCSD,

Hunter and USC.

This is my second year applying, and I'm wondering if any of you have applied multiple

years in a row. It's very disheartening to apply and hear nothing. Is it worth applying

year after year?

I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong, or if my writing samples just aren't up to par

yet. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Flyrail]

First rejection today... Brown.

Que the sad trumpets.

[themirandatragedy]

Janesays,

Rejection from Brown (same boat here Flyrail). Still waiting on WUSTL and Indiana.

This is my second year too. I know it's dissapointing but dont be discouraged. I also wonder what I'm doing wrong but then I remember that I truly believe in my piece and in my accomplishments listed in my application.

Good luck with UCSD, that's a very good program I wish I had applied to. I guess we'll be sweating out Indiana together.

[janesays]

Hi Mirandatragedy,

Thanks for your post. Yeah, I think a lot of talented playwrights apply several

years in a row.

Fingers crossed for both of us.

[kelsonlau]

Rejection from Brown..as expected..

[heckleher]

Also rejected from Brown yesterday - still waiting on Yale, NYU-Tisch, Brooklyn College.

Interviewing with UCSD next week; Cal Arts (for Film Directing - my wild card program) this evening . . . at UT-Michener was a big ole no. I applied with a Screenwriting focus - references included current RTF faculty, alum and former Michener guest faculty, still NO DICE.

Turned down interview with Tisch-Asia which I know might not be the smartest idea since I don't officially have an acceptance from any of my seven schools but I honestly do not see myself jetting to Singapore so best to leave that interview spot open for someone dying to get in

Super anxious re: the final three East Coast schools . . . and of course my Cali contenders. Official freak out begins . . . NOW.

[failsafe]

@heckleher,

i got my form rejection e-mail from NYU-Tisch this morning, inviting me to apply to NYU-Singapore (no thanks!). the letter said all nyc spots had now been filled, but who knows? maybe they are still whittling down from a shorter list and just know they have plenty of people to fill the slots. have to say i was surprised, i got to the interview stage at juilliard last year (only place i applied to then). just goes to show how subjective these programs are!

still waiting on yale, brooklyn college and also columbia...

[Stacey Rose]

You guys have made me feel SO much better. I was rejected from Brown too! ... and Bard and The New School. I was really hard on myself about it, but the more I read here, the more I realize that it really is the luck of the draw. This is my first year applying, so we'll see. Still waiting to hear from Tisch and Yale. Best of break a leg to you all

[Flyrail]

Stacey Rose,

I think we have all taken solace in the hundreds of dissaointed posts in the past, and a little hope in some of the better news. Apparently somebody is getting in to some of these programs.

Not patient enough to wait for the schools I just booked a venue for one of my plays. Now I just need to cast the damn thing!

Break a leg (actors)

merde(dancers)

toi toi (singers)

don't f--- up (techs)

I don't know what one says to playwrights.

[Stacey Rose]

Flyrail,

I could not agree with you more. My writing sample will be workshopped over the summer and produced next theatre season. Forward motion always . Oh and what they say to playwrights: "Yes Master" .

[themirandatragedy]

I like that, Stacey Rose. Yes Master seems pretty fitting.

I just got an invitation to interview over the phone with the head of playwriting at Indiana Bloomington. Does anybody know what they usually ask at these phone interviews?!? I'm freaking out, I feel I do much better at normal interviews where I can actually look at the person I'm speaking to. Has anybody here done this before?

[janesays]

Hi MirandaTragedy,

Congrats on Indiana! I got a phone interview there as well. I'm also nervous about the phone interview, I'm not sure what they'll ask. I imagine it's a lot of just getting to know you as a person and as a writer and what you gravitate to in terms of subject matter.

I got an interview at USC Dramatic Writing. Does anyone have more information about this program or know anyone who's in it currently?

[jam2011]

MirandaTragedy and Janesays,

When did you hear about your phone interviews for IU? Did they call or email you? Congrats.

Also, has anyone been asked for an interview at Yale yet?

[themirandatragedy]

Janesays congrats on IU as well. It's good to know someone who's on the same boat.

Jam2011, I found out friday through e-mail.

[heckleher]

Nada re: Yale . . . their email confirmation (from January) said the interviews take place the week of March 19-March 24 so I'm guessing they contact us this week? Otherwise how else would be able to coordinate travel and juggle day job/other commitments? Right? Right?

I heard NYU rejections went out but I don't have one of those yet . . . nor do I have an interview or notification otherwise . . . Brooklyn was also supposed to let us know within 6-8 weeks which we are well over at this point . . .

What is making me crazy (crazier? cray cray?) is that April is also the month we find out status on Bay Area Playwrights Festival, O'Neill, etc, etc. EVERYTHING IS FIGURED OUT NEXT MONTH.

Stay calm and whatever. I'm not calm. I'm not even going to pretend like that is within the realm of possibility right now.

[jam2011]

Heckleher: Yeah, I figured we would hear at some point this week. I wonder if we would be expected to travel or if we would do phone interviews? I am hoping to receive an interview, but I am also being realistic. I mean, it's Yale. Sigh.

Besides NYU and Brooklyn, did you apply anywhere else?

[failsafe]

the yale e-mail says finalists will be notified in "very early march" so that has to be this week! (if it wasn't already last thursday or friday, gulp...)

i am now thinking i was maybe in a special tier of tisch rejections that got notified early in case we wanted to go to singapore, after all...i'd said "no" on my initial application. (which kind of feels like, "as punishment for ALMOST making the cut for NYC, we would like to exile you to the 3rd world!") i'm also dubious about their claim that all nyc slots have now been filled, because wouldn't those people want to wait and see if they got in other places before accepting?

as for brooklyn college, i've still heard nada. i didn't even get that e-mail telling me the decision would be in 6 weeks until Feb 15 (which also said my application had just been forwarded to the department, which is BS because i know for a fact they had my manuscript in hand by the end of january). kind of wishing now i wasn't bound to the nyc area, with only four schools/four shots at a program.

at any rate, this WAITING is cruel and unusual for a classification of people who are by reputation neurotic! i really appreciate that yale actually told us when to expect these things by...is that really so difficult?

[Stacey Rose]

Still waiting for Yale and Tisch. After three rejections I'm starting to lose that spark I had while applying. You know the one where you think anything is possible . Whatever happens to any of us we're still playwrights, and can still go on to create great work in the up coming year with or without the support of a degree program. We just have to be more crafty .

[heckleher]

@jam2011 I applied to 7 schools total:

Denied: Brown, UT-Austin Michener

Interviews: UCSD and Cal Arts (Film program)

And like errrrybuddy else - waiting on Yale, Brooklyn, NYU

and @StaceyRose - I totally feel ya on that spark. It's been a rollercoaster. I thought I had UT in the bag and that was my first rejection . . . I will be lucky to get a final acceptance from any school but I'm prepped to pursue some low-res options or school of the "real world" if it doesn't happen this year. There is such a significant barrier in the field though - a whole other playing field for masters students/graduates. I just hope I get to play, you know?

Edited March 5, 2012 by heckleher

[janesays]

Jam2011 - I heard from Bloomington last Friday via email.

I think this whole MFA Playwriting system is just really frustrating.

I also lost that "spark" both times I've applied. But eventually,

by summer, it returns. We have to remember that each program

takes so few applicants and most playwrights applying are

serious about the craft and there's a lot of talent in that pool.

I've also been thinking about the low res programs. I've heard

Goddard is pretty good.