Playwriting MFAs

[mcw98]

Whup, just got my Juilliard rejection... Huzzah!

[jnp809]

Me too!  Even though I'm still on the Columbia wait-list, I feel like I can safely say that this year's application season is done for me.  Rejection always sucks, but at least now I can focus on writing my play for next year.

[annabananaphone]

I have finally made my decision. I will be attending UCLA in the fall.

 

So glad the process is over now! I have been anxious since September.

[SeaLou]

You'll have to tell us how it is, annabananaphone. That's awesome.

Sorry to hear about the Juliard rejections. That's the worst.

@theotherlily - thanks. That's what I thought. Trying to get everything together before my internship starts in the fall

[Singsalot]

@mcw98 -- Yes, I am a current semifinalist. I believe they will be making the next cut very soon. Sorry it didn't work out on your end.

 

Are there any current NYU students on here? Wondering if anyone has gone through the program or knows someone who has ...

[zhiwtan]

Hi everyone, I'm just going to graduate in 2016 and I want to apply to grad school screenwriting programs. Can anyone tell me that is writing sample the most important material for application? I'm anxious about my plan because I'm not native english speaker...I want to know how good I need to be to go to the grad school. Thanks! 

[SeaLou]

Does anyone know anything about Center Stage's Hot Desk Playwright Residency? I was recently offered the position but might have to turn in down due to financial obligations, but I wanted to know if anyone had any insight into the residency?

[owlwhale1]

Hey if anybody is still reading this thread, I have a question about interviews. I have one for the Hunter College program and I'm wondering what questions I should anticipate / what I should be asking. I'd love to hear about interview experiences people have had! Thanx!

[SeaLou]

@owlwhale1 - have you gone through the forum? I believe some users have posted about their interviews. As someone not having gone through the process, that's the most help I can give currently.

Congratulations.

[Singsalot]

@owlwhale1 -- I think general questions about you, your path to playwriting, what your inspirations are ... those will probably be asked. Be prepared to talk about the play you submitted, too.

 

As for questions for them: I would be curious how the Annie Baker/ Brendan J-J subbing in for Tina Howe will work, and what that class structure will be. I believe Arthur Kopit is the other playwriting faculty they have, who will be staying on next year.

[Idca]

Hi, just wanted to say that i read through this forum and it's really helped me. I'm applying for grad programs next fall, which terrifies me, so it's great to read about all of your past experiences. I'll make sure to comment when i start applying and during the waiting process.

 

 

Thanks again.

[newengland1]

Hello-

 

This is my first post. Totally amazing forum. I also had an interview Tuesday at Hunter - I think they tried to get everyone in in one day. Did anyone else here interview with Annie and Branden? Wondering if they've followed up with anyone yet. I heard it would be no later than June 1.

[jnp809]

I'm guessing no one is checking this forum anymore, but I thought I'd throw my question out into the ether and see if I get a response.  I just found out that I got into Columbia off the waitlist.  I had been resigned to reapply next year to a bunch of schools- but mainly I really want to go to Yale. I got an interview at there this year and just had the best experience.  Any advice on how to proceed?  I loved my time at Yale way more than Columbia, not to mention the difference in reputation and financial backing.  But should I take the sure thing?  Or continue to follow my maybe pipe-dream?  Any thoughts are very much appreciated.

[Idca]

I'm still here.

 

First off, congratulations on getting into Columbia. I know you're confused right now, but remember to celebrate that. Also, Yale is my number one school as well (basically the only choice in my mind), so I understand your dilemma (but also keep in mind that that causes a bias in my response).

 

I think that you should definitely weigh the cost of not going. If you can live with the the risk of not getting into Yale again and then having to reapply to Columbia, or worse, not get into any school next year, then go for your dream. Ultimately, you have to be secure with taking those risks. In order to do that make sure you think about it logically, but also take your own emotions into consideration.

 

Consider how much money Columbia is offering you or rather, how much would you have to pay? How would your life work as you attend the school? Where would you live, expenses, the works.It's nearing the end of June, you'd have to get on that quickly. Lastly, your own thoughts on the matter (which i suppose you've answered) and the reputation. To my understanding the program doesn't have that great a reputation, but JUST recently the school announced that David Henry Hwang and Lynn Nottage have signed on as faculty there. This could be a sign that the program is on the up, especially since Hwang will be the director now. Look more into that before you decide.

 

Now, consider the same things for the other programs especially Yale, and see where the best option is.

 

One extra note I'll share is that I went to the December Visitor Day at the YSD. There was a section when the playwright hopefuls (9 of us) had a Q&A with the chair, Jeanie O'Hare. She spoke of one woman from the application process the year before whom she liked, but had a terrible interview. Jeanie said she was upset that the person didn't reapply for the '14 apps. This leads me to believe that while, hopefully, they are fair about their selection process, you having already interviewed with them will make you a better candidate. Especially since they didn't refer you to someone else like they did with the person who went to Rutgers earlier in this thread (though i don't know how often they do that).

 

Perhaps sit down and write a pro/con list for Columbia vs. reapplying and then leave it alone for a day or two (or however long Columbia is giving you to decide, but I suppose not much) and then come back to it to make a decision. I just want to make sure you decide equally with logic and emotion. 

 

Lastly (and I'm sorry but I have to add this), I would love to hear about your past application process and your Yale interview experience. Also, if you ever need to talk more before your decision remember I'm still reading the chat. 

[Singsalot]

Congrats jpn809!

 

I think Columbia is really turning around in terms of reputation, but it is still very expensive. If your heart is set on Yale, why not reapply next year?

 

But -- I think -- you have to really weigh how much you want to go to Yale vs. how much you want an MFA. Yale takes so few people a year, it's quite random. You could reapply again and again and not get in, and perhaps some other really wonderful schools would be a good fit, too ...

 

You have to go with your heart, I think. It would be hard to be paying a lot of money to be at Columbia and wondering the entire time about somewhere else.

 

Good luck!

[Idca]

Hi guys, 

 

I hope everyone's doing well. I actually have a question for anyone who's willing to answer. 

 

I'm soon to be entering my senior year of college and will be applying to grad schools, Yale namely being my first choice. If I don't get into a suitable school the first time around I wish to move to NYC, but I have no idea how I would afford it. I've looked up internships/apprenticeships like those at the Roundabout Theatre Company and the Playwrights Horizon, but I'm not sure those will help support me. Additionally, I'm wondering what happens after grad school when I'm trying to get my name out there. Where do usual playwrights who are starting out work?

 

Ultimately, what I'm asking is what are the day jobs that you playwrights or playwrights that you know/read about have or have had?

 

Any response is a helpful response, so thank you in advance.

[SeaLou]

@Idca

Everyone is probably going to give you a different answer to that to some degree. I can say, for me, I wish I was encouraged to apply to internships before grad school. This helps for a multitude of reasons: you get something for your resume, perhaps a new reference in the professional world, and depending on the theatre, space for a production of your own.

Most importantly, however, is writing as you are probably aware. I didn't get into grad school this year, got a job at a book store and applied for internships, writing plays while doing so. Thankfully, I got an internship with Portland Stage (hat tip to Lavendercloud).

I've never been published or had a work out on outside of my undergraduate institution.

I'm sure others will give you more elaborate help than that considering I'm new to post undergrad life and applying to grad school.

Best.

[lavendercloud]

jnp809, what did you end up doing? If you interviewed with Yale I think you are all but guaranteed to land a better program than Columbia next year - but if you do go to the latter you should certainly keep us updated with what you think.

 

Idca, I strongly recommend applying to postgrad internships! New York is likely to be too expensive unless you already have housing there, but there are many in DC, Philadelphia and other mid-to-large-sized cities that do provide housing in addition to a stipend. I'm planning to put together extensive resources for internship applicants on my website, so I'll definitely be posting that when I get it together, hopefully sometime this fall. You're in an excellent position to plan for internship applications - they'll be due in early spring, soon after many MFA applications.

 

I'll second SeaLou - interning for one year out of college is a great move. I don't know anyone who got into a top playwriting MFA program immediately after grad school. I'm sure it happens, but it's got to be rare. UCSD does not take anyone immediately out of school (that's what they told me when I interviewed). My friend at Yale is young, but he did have a full year of interning after he graduated (he interned at the Alliance for two years, actually, because he was interning part-time as a college senior). Given the cost of MFA applications and the likelihood that you'll get into a better school at least a year out, I'd delay those and focus fully on internship applications, which are also quite competitive. You could also add in some fellowships like P73, Soho Rep, and Princess Grace if you're intent on going to New York, but again, it will still be very expensive to live there.

 

Because I knew I wanted to go to grad school, I wasn't too focused on self-producing my work. I've submitted to many contests but gotten mostly rejections back. Playwrights' groups who read work aloud or gathering groups of actors for informal readings are excellent free options, and there are a number of great development opportunities you can seek out. It will depend on where you are and what connections you have.

[Idca]

Hi @lavendercloud,

 

First off, Yay! It's been so long since someone posted in this chat. Second, I have found one or two internship programs like that (i specifically remember one in DC) and I had considered applying. I think I will apply to a few MFA programs and a few internship programs as well. Ultimately my goal is getting into Yale. I especially look forward to that resource website of yours.

[Kad790]

Hello all-

Bumping this up, as it's application time. I'm a first-time grad school applicant, three and a half years out of undergrad. I'm only applying to three schools - NYU, Brown, Yale- due to the exorbitant app fees and desire to stay in the Northeast. I was considering Brooklyn College, but was thoroughly turned off by their extremely unhelpful and disorganized open house this week.

I suppose I'm a little concerned about my resume, as it were- the last three years were spent working in theatre administration, mostly, with a lengthy GM/company management internship at an off-broadway company and now a job at Equity- which is less of a desired career than a need to pay bills and debts while working in theatre. I've been writing, obviously, and had a musical I wrote the book/lyrics for produced in a showcase production and further developed in a reading. I'm currently on a self-imposed project to write a draft of a full-length play a month, which has yielded four plays  thus far (three of which I like and will be polishing). I also just got into a workshop at the Vineyard. But otherwise, I have had no other productions, fellowships, etc. etc. and I can't help but feel that I will be competing with applicants with far more impressive laurels. I know the old saw is "it really comes down to the writing" but with a diverse and diversely talented applicant pool, it's hard to imagine other things not having considerable weight.

[lavendercloud]

Helpful piece of info I recently heard from a prof who did an MFA and PhD at Yale:

You must have a LOR from a Yale grad (or someone else closely affiliated with the program) to get in.

That LOR will not *get* you in, but you can't get in without it, supposedly. And it could very well be true: my friend at Yale got a LOR from a recent grad. She had worked with him so it wasn't completely out of the blue, but probably not as in-depth as he might have been able to get from someone else. I kind of blew off networking and making connections for the sake of applications, but it's worth taking seriously.

Haven't gotten started on that internship site but school is going well and I'm meeting lots of fascinating people! Today, for instance, we had class with the dramaturg/literary manager of Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Kad790, that writing plan sounds amazing - I wish I wrote as much as you do! Applying to 3 programs isn't bad if you want to dip your toes in and figure out the process, but it's definitely limiting. Any particular reason you're considering NYU along with Brown and Yale? I consider them to be in very different leagues. Might be easier to get in, but the likely scenario is that if you get into any of those 3, it'll be NYU possibly with very limited funding. So if you're worried about money, that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Spending $1000 in application fees actually makes a lot of sense if it means you won't be taking out any loans for grad school, vs. spending $200 in fees and $20k+ on school.

Also, Ohio so far has a very Northeastern feel, and Athens is close to the midway point between New York and Chicago, so both are reasonably accessible.

[SeaLou]

Lavendercloud,

So glad you're enjoying Ohio. It sounds like it's a great program, just based on those tidbits. And the location is good to hear. I just had coffee with an actor from NY and he went on and on about how great the theatre in Chicago is. 

Second, that bit about the LOR is interesting. Almost makes me want to strike Yale off my list for applications this year. The list has gotten a little longer: Brown, Ohio, Iowa, UC San Diego, UCLA, USC, Southern Illinois University, and (maybe) Yale. In regards to Iowa, at the internship I'm at, I'm the project coordinator for an event we do with Iowa. I'll also be meeting the Iowa theatre head next month. Thank you again Lavendercloud with the internship help.

Kad790, those are some great laurels and a great writing project. I'm still finishing two plays I started in March. If you go back through the archives here, you'll see the most stated application requirements: good writing, LOR, personal statement, resume. I've known people to get into grad school right out of undergrad - but having experience helps more than anything. And I completely agree with Lavendercloud about the money. I'm not applying to schools in NY because of money. I have undergrad debt and I can't see myself adding more when other programs would pay for me. 

 

 

 

[plost5950]

Back applying to schools again - all in New York - and I have a question about the resume style.  All of the playwright resume samples I've come across contain some variation on these categories:

Education

Selected Plays - Full Length

Selected Plays - One Acts

Screenwriting Credits

Teaching 

Publications

 

This makes sense for more established playwrights, but I'm wondering if resumes should follow this kind of a format for the purpose of MFA applications.  I have only had two plays produced, I don't have teaching experience, and any theater-related writing I've done has been minor criticism stuff for local publications.  I feel like it would make sense for me to create Theater Administration or Casting sections, as I have some experience in those fields.  But I don't know what is expected and what will look superfluous on a resume for an application.  If anyone has any insight on this, I'd love to hear it.  Thanks!

 

 

[Idca]

Hi everyone,

I hope your Falls have been going well. I'm actually only applying to two schools Yale and Juilliard because those two schools are the ones that have interested me so far. I'm graduating college in May, so I'll understand if I don't get in on the first try. If that happens I might look into more schools next time. To offset that I've also applied for the Fulbright to teach English in South Korea, and I plan to apply to companies for apprenticeships/internships with housing next semester.

 

As for what I've been doing this semester, besides applying, I've been directing and producing one of my plays on my campus, and guys, now I know I do not want to be a director. Pray for me as my female lead STILL DOESN'T KNOW HER LINES and the play goes up next week! (groan). Also, I've been interning at the Walnut in Philly and I'm enjoying that experience. I've been getting to read/review a lot of scripts and sitting in on rehearsals. We've even extended my internship for next semester!

 

On the matter of the LORs, I read that and went into hyper-drive. I found someone who works at my internship who went to Yale (an actress), talked to a recent playwriting grad who's a part of a facebook group I'm in, and I'm going to a lecture by a playwriting grad on Friday. The actress who graduated 20 years ago said that she did not have a Yale affiliate write an LOR for her, but she did have a big name director write one for her. The recent grad told me that it was NOT true. In fact here's her response. 

               "It is certainly NOT true that you need a "yale affiliate" in order to get into the program. I had 2 (or 3? ...can't remember, ha) letters of rec from people with no affiliation to the program. I would suggest you seek out trusted collaborators, teachers, or mentors who really know you and your work...and who will be able to speak to your character and artistic integrity. Honestly: they'll look at your play first, and then read your rec letters just for more info on who the heck you are, as a person! best of luck on the process."

If I can get close enough to ask the lecturer on Friday I'll be sure to tell you guys what she says about the matter.

 

@plost5950, I don't think the resume review is that strict. I think that its more about the experience in the resume and does the resume look neat and polished, and not so much about specific categories the resume has to have. If a Theatre Administration and Casting categories makes your resume look more impressive than go for it!

 

[Boxedwine]

Hi all, 

I've been a long time lurker on the site, but this is the first year I'm applying. As of today, all of my applications are done in terms of what I needed to provide. My recommenders have a deadline of 11/25. I tried to get everything done at the same time as not to make myself crazy for months since most of it is a waiting game anyway. 

I've applied to Yale, Brown, Iowa, UCSD, and UT Austin Michener and UT Austin T&D. I'm not expecting there to be much discussion on here until the waiting game begins (if previous years are an indicator). Just wanted to say, hello and good luck to everyone who is in the thick of it right now. 

That being said, it looks like Yale underwent a full transformation in terms of curriculum this year. Paula Vogel is no longer teaching Boot Camp and their is a much fuller roster of required courses. Is anyone on here currently there that could speak about the change? How they're fairing, if they like it, etc.?