Playwriting MFAs

[HopingForMFA]

30 minutes ago, RoryGilmore said:

 

I just finished Paula Vogel's "How I Learned to Drive" 

One of the best pieces of drama ever written. Period.

[Nowadays]

Hello. Some news...

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and Annie Baker are leaving Hunter at the end of this term and teaching a limited amount at UTA 2019-2020. 

If you have applied to Hunter assuming they'd be there, you might want to complain, ask for fee waiver or refund. As of now you are applying to a program with no chairs or announced playwriting faculty. 

 

[RoryGilmore]

@Nowadays Oh no!! That was my main reason for applying to Hunter. I haven't submitted my writing samples and transcripts yet, but I'm debating about whether or not I want to finish my application. Is anyone else in the same boat?

I also applied to Michener and UTA so I'm happy they'll at least be teaching there, but I'm still disappointed. 

[tate12]

Hi All!

 

Graduated from Michener so if anyone has questions, DM me!

My questions: Does anyone have information about Juilliard? When do the start sending out request for interviews? How many people get in each year? What is the amount of the stipend? 

I know that in the past they had a list of current and past fellows and it was around 5-6 a year. 

Any info would help!

 

 

[brillantina]

Hi everyone! I'm finally doing this because I also am going to keep lurking anyway, and I saw that Brown put out an interview on the results page [?!], which caused my anxiety to spike.

Second time applying to MFA programs... first was for 2016 cycle (while losing a parent to cancer, so timing wasn't great) when I applied to Michener & Brown. Was rejected by both. This time I've been able to make my apps a much bigger priority and am hoping for better!

So far I've applied to
NYU
Yale
New School
Brown
Columbia (not sure if I'll be able to afford it)
Brooklyn
 

I will be applying to Rutgers and now have a hanging question mark when it comes to Hunter because of faculty changes. Anyone heard any whispers of who might be taking over at Hunter?

Edited January 24, 2019 by brillantina

[captbaka]

@tate12 This is way back from 2014, but there's this gal who got in who blogged about the whole process here: http://www.chelseadays.com/2014/06/05/juilliard-i-got-into-juilliard/

I know Juilliard is way later than the other schools, and also this was 5 years ago, so -- but she didn't hear about an interview until March with the interview scheduled for the month of April and got the acceptance May 1. 

Also their site says they typically accept 4-5 fellows per year.

@brillantina What's the "results page" that says Brown is interviewing?

 

ALSO -- anyone apply for the fellowships at the Playwrights Center? I was a finalist for the Many Voices and Jerome last year, and they let us know about Finalist Status at the end of January/top of Feb. So many fingers to cross.

 

[brillantina]

@captbaka Here you go! https://www.thegradcafe.com/survey/index.php?q=playwriting

[RoryGilmore]

@brillantina I'm considering applying to Rutgers as well! What do you know about the program? 

And yikes, that Brown interview request on the results page sparked my anxiety...

[LordQuas]

So do you guys have a personal way of formatting your plays? Or do you follow the standard? Is it expected that you follow the standard in your mfa application? This is all still pretty new to me so I'm trying to get better antiquated with the etiquette. 

[36Biscotti]

Not sure if you saw this, but American Theatre Magazine just announced Annie Baker and Brandon Jacob Jenkins are joining UT Austin's faculty. https://www.americantheatre.org/2019/01/29/annie-baker-and-branden-jacobs-jenkins-to-join-faculty-of-university-of-texas-at-austin/?fbclid=IwAR1Vk4aV52BBak2AohEvLlVrh6cJNhEt9rfQRlchKc4mc5ZO8b96Hm4eZvk

[captbaka]

@LordQuas -- I love this question! I work on a lot of new plays as an actor. In a new play workshop this week, actually  -- and it really feels like writers use formatting as another way to express themselves these days. Just looking at "The Wolves" that uses the formatting to show overlapping dialogue and unfinished thoughts -- or Kimber Lee's "Brownsville Song" which kind of reads like poetry. So I personally use the standard but feel freedom to veer from it if it's right for the project. So many of these programs have pioneers running/teaching the programs, so I can't imagine they would penalize someone for trying something new. But those are just my thoughts.

GETTING SO NERVOUS. Usually people start hearing around the first week of February right?

[brillantina]

@RoryGilmore to be honest, I don't know much about Rutgers program and am hoping to use the next 3 weeks to find out what I can. Will share what I know once I know it! Research begins next week on that front.

Heard back from The New School today that I was invited to callback weekend (yay! very excited because I love Lucy Thurber's work) - historically, it seems like they're the first program to hit people up. Maybe we'll start hearing from other programs next week?

[captbaka]

@brillantina congrats! So exciting. All right, so it has officially begun... also thanks for the link to the results page. Didn’t know that existed. The perfect extra source of anxiety I was looking for.

ON ANOTHER NOTE: Anyone know what’s going on with Brown? Do they have a head yet? Or is the search still going on?

[brillantina]

@captbakaThank you! As for Brown, my understanding was that their interim head of playwriting was Lisa D'Amour - not sure if that is also true for the 2018-2019 school year.

For reference: https://www.brown.edu/academics/theatre-arts-performance-studies/faculty

[captbaka]

@brillantina I heard they had/have a search to get their new head to start this fall. Maybe my info is incorrect tho...?  Lots of transitional faculty programs this year  ?

[RoryGilmore]

@brillantina Thank you so much! I'm going to some research as well, so I can keep you posted if I find anything:) I just know it's a two and a half year program, students are guaranteed productions, and you have the option to take screenwriting classes.

[captbaka]

I didn't apply to Pace, but looks like a playwright on this site was accepted yesterday, according to the results page. Things are happening... but not for me yet... ?

Edited January 31, 2019 by captbaka

[captbaka]

Received an e-mail from KJ Sanchez this morning to set up a video interview with UT Austin this week! Anyone else? Historically, UCSD usually contacts people this week also -- so fingers crossed.

[captbaka]

32 minutes ago, captbaka said:

Received an e-mail from KJ Sanchez this morning to set up a video interview with UT Austin this week! Anyone else? Historically, UCSD usually contacts people this week also -- so fingers crossed.

This is for Department of Theatre & Dance, not Michener -- if that makes a difference to you!

[RoryGilmore]

@captbaka Congrats, that’s amazing!!!! Let me know how the interview goes:)

And I guess that means I’m out of the running at UTA Theatre & Dance. Has anyone heard anything from Michener?

[faro555]

@captbaka congrats on the UT interview! and congrats to @brillantina at New School. Deborah Stein from UCSD emailed me to schedule a phone interview this morning. I also applied at New School, but haven't heard anything so I'm out there. I applied at UT, but only to Michener (stupidly). Wondering if those interviews are conducted separately? Things are probably v disorganized there right now with the faculty change. Woooweeee here we go. This is my third time applying. Best of luck to all of you! It's all gonna be over soon!!!

[captbaka]

@faro555 Congrats on the UCSD interview! That's my dream school, so I'm still holding out a bit of hope -- maybe they send their interview requests out in batches...? ? But if I don't hear back by the end of the week, I'm going to assume they're not so interested. Hoping to at least get an interview with them. We'll see...

[PlayWitch]

AHHH! My transcripts still haven't arrived at Brooklyn College! Anyone else having this problem?

[RoryGilmore]

@PlayWitch One of my recommenders was late in submitting her rec letter and sent it a few days ago:/ Does anyone know if Brooklyn has started reading submissions yet? 

[lonewolfe094]

@RoryGilmore Hi friends! I’ve been stalking these threads for a while now, and I actually have an answer to a question so I’ll post! I don’t know if they’re reading submissions yet at Brooklyn College, but my application and all the materials have been complete for a while now, and just the other day my portal went from the “Your application will be sent” to “Your application has been sent”. And something to the tune of I’ll be notified by mail. But looks like on the results page they only notify by mail if it’s a rejection. 

At this point I’m not confident with any of my applications anymore so I don’t know how helpful I can be. I’ve slowly been making revisions to portfolio and the work is SO MUCH stronger now. But we shall see. I’m basically planning my writing year next year around the idea I won’t be getting in anywhere and I’ll have to re-apply, that way I’m not caught off guard come this summer when/if I’m not setting my enrollment somewhere. Better to go in it with things planned to strengthen my applications for next round!