Playwriting MFAs

[Trilogyfan]

Classy letter from Eric Ehn. That they only accepted 2 people makes me feel a ton better. When you get down to that small a statistical sample, it is clear how totally NOT about our abilities the process can be. 

 

Albee vs. O'Neill....hmmm...can we talk Letts vs. Kushner?

[failsafe]

hmmm...i much prefer letts, although kushner is no doubt a genius. but then why did he have to make a statement about the palestine/israeli conflict in the final monologue of "angels"?  it felt like that moment on crime shows when the serial killer makes a mistake that enables the cops to break the case.

[EccentricDreamer]

Wow @failsafe...not enough applications at Juilliard??? How strange. Regarding Angels in America, I'd have to reread Kushner's monologue to have an intelligent response. And I'm into Letts, too. His humor is wicked.

 

And Brown, I didn't apply there either lurkinglucy for the same reasons you didn't. I must have read their website 20x and still I wasn't "feeling it." And 3 years is a long time to not "feel it", you know?

 

So, we'll see what's up next....

 

Hey, anyone interested in playing a game? Like, we share dialogue from a play and we all have to guess the play. Or is that too corny?

Edited February 28, 2013 by EccentricDreamer

[janesays]

Hi Everyone!

 

I wanted to chime in for those asking about the Last Frontier Theater Conference. I went two years ago, and it was an amazing time. I met some fantastic people and got great feedback on my play. I know it's expensive to fly out there but what a perfect excuse to go to Alaska. When I went, the offered a stipend of $300 which was nice. 

 

Good luck to all of you out there.

 

I got into Northwestern. I'm still debating the financials and waiting to hear back from other schools. 

 

I worry about being able to pay off the large debt I will amass. Because I'm almost 31, and was recently laid off, jobs have been on my mind a lot. I wonder what kinds of jobs playwrights get post MFA. Anyone know of any awesome stories?

[failsafe]

That's awesome, @janesays!  Congratulations!  Re: funding, I think it has to be an individual call.  I couldn't even think of applying to MFA programs in my 20s because I was totally broke and amassed a huge amount of debt (unemployed for two years, blech).  Now I am out of debt and willing to accrue a little again to get an MFA (of course, hoping for the best)...but I have a financial safety net now and if I didn't, things might be different.  I want to be able to write while teaching writing, a scenario that promises to pay a lot less than I currently make...but after working crap office jobs and substitute teaching in inner city schools for the last ten years, I put a huge price on quality of life.

 

@longwalktonever--I had to cheat and googled it so I can't answer!

[lurkinglucy]

Where did everybody go? Two whole days of silence... Unbearable!

To get things going again, I pose the following question: what's the last play you SAW and what was something you loved about it?

 

Yesterday I saw The Birthday Party by Mr. Pinter and I loved the way the audience was configured on either side of a long and narrow stage. It was intimate and intense.  

[Misssharai]

We just did Deathtrap at my school. I did props, but I loved how people responded to all of the blood and deceit. I also thought our Helga was pretty priceless.

[teethwax]

I saw a new play by a playwright a few years younger than me, and it was kind of a mixed bag (it was so topical that it was already sort of dated, and it was relentlessly despairing), so I'm not going to name it.  But I really liked the core group of characters, who were awkward teenage boys who played basketball together -- I thought it was a great example of how you can end up with a jumble of acquaintances/friends/enemies in high school.  So different from each other that if they didn't live in a small town, they'd never hang out, but there aren't enough kids to be picky.

Edited March 5, 2013 by teethwax

[janesays]

I just saw the new Annie Baker play "The Flick" which was fantastic...Any other Annie Baker fans out there?

[failsafe]

I got to see "Talley's Folly" at Roundabout over the weekend.  While there were many things to love about it, I especially enjoyed watching Danny Burstein's physicality.

 

There's at least one upside to the quietness of the forum--it's nice to know in the meantime that nobody's gotten called for interviews yet while I haven't! =)

Edited March 5, 2013 by failsafe

[plumsandpears]

Hey everyone,

 

I've been reading and anxiously following the posts for information, so it only seems fair to share what I know

 

Got the email today about being short-listed as an alternate for Michener. Had an interview at UCLA a few weeks ago (some really cool changes to their program coming for this fall, but doesn't seem like fantastic funding). Nothing yet from the other places I applied to: UT-Austin T&D, USC, Indiana, Iowa, New Orleans.

 

It would be nice to not feel like I might throw up all the time...

[remains]

Hi everyone --

 

I'm in the same nauseating boat as so many of you are in… just waiting. I felt kinda hypocritical reading posts by others and not contributing/engaging. 

 

I applied to CMU (Carnegie Mellon University), NYU, NU, and CalArts. I've been interviewed by CMU, NU, and CalArts. Also, I received that e-mail from NYU that so many others got -- about how the applications have been submitted to the selection committee and now we just…

 

...

 

...

 

wait...

 

….

 

I felt solid about my interviews and applications, so who knows! I'll make updates as I find out more information. I hope you ALL get accepted!  

[failsafe]

Thanks for stepping forward, remains.  I do feel a little exposed at times when I post something and then I see all these lurkers reading and no one responds!  (I'm stuck at a 9-5 job all week though with hours and hours in front of a computer with absolutely nothing to do except troll the internet...=torture)

 

I feel really solid about my application this year, too, but only applied to yale, nyu and brooklyn college so a nix from yale followed by a week of silence is just brutal!  my "shut out" application last year (0/4 interviews) was a play that is currently a semifinalist for the O'Neill (in its identical form!), and I just really doubled down in every possible way this year.  But to update the old phrase, that and a MetroCard will get me on the subway...and it really doesn't help that i've had a virus for two weeks that actually does physically make me feel like I'm going to vomit!

Edited March 5, 2013 by failsafe

[tjack]

Not much new for me -- going to visit OU on 3/22 (anyone seen a midnight madness show?) and am excited. Also got my official acceptance to CMU just now, which I knew was coming but am very very excited about. Only problem is the price tag -- though it is 2 years vs. 3. Waiting to see how everything else shakes out before I let myself get too stoked! Will keep you all posted. I agree, new posts here really help.

 

I saw Isaac's Eye by Lucas Hnath recently and it blew my mind. I am not a period-piece fan but it was so smartly done, incredibly real and well-rounded characters with perfect staging. Recommend it for all NYC-ers!

[EccentricDreamer]

Congrats to everyone receiving interviews, acceptances, etc. Honestly, I didn't think I'd be so concerned about my inbox, the mailbox, the outbox and every other box related to correspondence. I sailed into January without a real care and then late February hit and then March and....

 

So, the last play I saw recently was Pullman Porter Blues by Cheryl West at the Seattle Rep. What an emotional show for me on so many levels. My great-uncle (who passed away many years ago) worked as a porter on the trains in Oakland, so I walked out feeling even more connected to my past than ever before. The play has a great mix of music and rich story lines. I'm going to be writing a little blurb about it for The Dramatist.

 

I'm also going to make a point to see Good People by Lindsay-Abaire before this month ends. I think someone on the forum said they saw or read it...

 

Interestingly, I cranked out a scene today for a play that I'm really excited about. I tend to write tense dramas that are peppered with comedy. But isn't comedy nothing more than drama that you can now laugh at? Funny what happens when you stop thinking about grad school for a second.

 

Until next time...

[remains]

Also just received my formal acceptance letter to CMU. Just wanted to quickly update everyone…

 

Again, best of luck to everyone. Off to the Southeastern Theatre Conference today. 

 

And I would love to see a performance of Isaac's Eye -- heard a great interview with the playwright on NPR recently. 

Edited March 6, 2013 by remains

[failsafe]

i *might* be able to see isaac's eye closing night.  i also have tickets to see NEVA at the public on friday, but have heard nothing about it yet.

 

this morning i saw something from NYU in my inbox and got all sick and panicky and excited just in time to realize it was some alumni newsletter...how many more days of torment must we endure??

[loel]

hi! I too am a lurking hypocrite – I’ve been following the forum since I googled “goodgodijustsentmyapplication”.

 

Any way! I am in the dark about my applications too. I keep thinking no news is bad news but part of me now thinks that no news might actually be just no news.

Im really in the dark about my application to the New School for Drama so if anyone has any information, lay it on me.

 

Other than that introduction to my neurosis, I saw Anupama Chandrasekhar’s Disconnect a couple weeks ago. The play was set at a call-center in Chennai, India and explored the tensions between outsourced U.S. centers and traditional Indian culture. Great premise, but felt that the social, political and economic commentary the playwright strived to get across in her one act was too much and therefore missed the potential for truthful characters with honest arcs. But, even with that, I do recommend it.

[themirandatragedy]

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!

[k-hotspur]

I've heard good things about Neva, let us know what you think.

 

I found out yesterday that I've been accepted to CalArts! As a New York playwright I'm very tempted by three years in sunny California, but still waiting to hear from East Coast schools. 

[longwalktonever]

Hey y'all! Hope all of your weeks are going well.

Teethwax: I was looking back through older posts, and I saw that you had your Columbia interview today-- yay! How'd it go? Any insights into how the experience was/what kind of questions they asked?

Hope it went really well!

Also, just FYI to all: I called NYU yesterday, and all they'd say is that final decisions will be coming within the next 2-3 weeks. Not very good info,but just so y'all know!

[failsafe]

thanks for calling at least, longwalktonever!  i imagine that timeline includes all rejections being sent out, too...even if they notified finalists (or do they, even?  do they just accept?  i think they might be wishy washy about interviewing vs. not year to year) TODAY, i feel like that e-mail from 2 weeks ago was totally premature!  ("the departments are in the process of finalizing their decisions"?)

 

also congrats to everyone getting accepted and good luck to everyone with interviews!

Edited March 7, 2013 by failsafe

[puttputt]

just got an email that i can only assume is a rejection to Yale. will have to check when i go home. i have my login stuff on my home computer. fun.

 

to whomever was asking. i didn't apply to programs that didn't have robust funding. there is no money in playwriting. only in tv, teaching, and movies. i'd rather not get into huge debt with a degree that probably won't be able to directly pay off the loans. i do know people that have gone to northwestern and are writing for tv and/or had been accepted to o'neill however.

[puttputt]

oh wait, i figured out my login. i got rejected from yale officially. but we already knew that since they'd already contacted the finalists. i've had a bad day and am actually in a better mood cause of this. it's chipping away at the waiting.

[EccentricDreamer]

Just received my official rejection letter from Yale via email today. Life is still good. I'm holding out for my top picks NYU, Brooklyn College and Juilliard.