Playwriting MFAs

[mcw98]

Hello Everyone, I've been lurking for quite a while now... Have applied to Juilliard, Yale, Brown and Iowa.

NickLondon, I would think so or hope so! This waiting is brutal. From the Yale timeline email that went out on the 5th, it looks like everyone will know where they stand soon. And I guess Brown traditionally begins notifying towards end of this month.

[Starsandsound]

I think it's coming up yeah, but what I've read has mentioned that hearing too soon may not be good either, as it could mean rejection. This does not keep me from checking all forms of mail/ email ALWAYS.

That being said, I think we should all stay positive! We'll hear back soon and let's no-one worry about not getting in. At least not until we hear back.

What does everyone write mostly?

Edited February 14, 2014 by Starsandsound

[NickLondon]

We are totally being brutalised. 

[Starsandsound]

Brutalized? Ha why? Because of the wait?

[mcw98]

It's the hardest part.

[Starsandsound]

Now that song is stuck in my head.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Starsandsound

[NickLondon]

Brutalized? Ha why? Because of the wait?

Yep. The wait the wait the wait the wait the wait. 

Would love to hear when people get responses, so please do post when you hear something. Also, if you're suffering in silence, say hi!

Good luck everyone!! 

[playbyplay]

The update on ETS is that they did exactly nothing. No response. 

 

Rejected from Michener. 

 

Hoping and waiting that another amazing program is in the cards for me. 

[Starsandsound]

It will be! We'll all find a home anyone have their work put up anywhere?

[GlenwoodRed]

Hey guys! Another one in the thick of it.

 

I'm wondering, does anyone know Yale's annual cohort size? I can't seem to get a figure anywhere. Is it...5? 8? 12?

 

...2?

 

 

[Starsandsound]

They narrow it down to nine or ten finalists who they invite for an interview at Yale. They usually do this via phone call. From there it seems they narrow it down to two or three. But it may change from year to year. This is what I have gathered from previous posts here and from the open house. I think phone calls go out around the end of feb early march

Edited February 18, 2014 by Starsandsound

[GlenwoodRed]

I'm expecting the interview phone calls will go out on Friday - they did it on the 22nd last year, so it seems reasonable to imagine they'll do it the 21st this year.

 

(Wow, two or three really? I thought for sure it was more than that.)

[Starsandsound]

Oh god this Friday? Cue constant need to barf. It was already pretty strong urf.

To my knowledge it's pretty small. And they get almost two hundred applicants. Brown notifies people around feb 28 ( or the end of feb)

Edited February 18, 2014 by Starsandsound

[Starsandsound]

I just want to sleep until April (( must. Maintain. Positive. Attitude!

[GlenwoodRed]

I keep catching myself pulling a Linus in It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. "If the Great Pumpkin shows up, you'll be sorry! *GASP* I said 'if!' I meant 'when!' When the Great Pumpkin shows up! I'm doomed, DOOMED!"

[Starsandsound]

Ha! I know that feeling. Same here. Oh it's such an interesting journey!

[roguesenna]

The update on ETS is that they did exactly nothing. No response. 

 

Rejected from Michener. 

 

Hoping and waiting that another amazing program is in the cards for me. 

 

AUGH that is criminal! I will fight them for you. Watch me.

---

 

once again, for those who don't know me, I have an MFA in Dramatic Writing and am just lurking cause I'm interested to see what happens. And in case I can answer any questions that come up.

 

Fave Playwrights: Stoppard, Vogel (jealous of you future Brown students!), Ruhl, Shakespeare (obvs).

Fave Plays: The Balcony -- Jean Genet, Six Characters in Search of an Author -- Luigi Pirandello, Othello -- Shakespeare, more if you're curious.

 

Also, I don't post my work online in segments of more than a couple pages because I don't have any of it officially registered. If you're going to post work online, I recommend visiting the WGA website first. I'm not sure if they do plays or not, but definitely screenplays and teleplays. If not, mail yourself a copy of your play in a sealed envelope and don't open it. I'm sure you all know this crap, but just in case you don't.

 

 That said, if people want to start a thread to exchange work I'd be down for that.

 

[oh. FTR, I am a Theatre PhD applicant, not just a random creepy lurker]

Edited February 18, 2014 by roguesenna

[Starsandsound]

Hey rogue! Thanks for the response!

I should have been more specific, I meant 'put up' as in being produced. Anyone in a festival or anything? but yes very good points about copyright etc.

Let's hope future Brown students! The program looks whacky and strange, like being spirited away or something and oh god I just want that.

Thread sounds fun! How do we do that? Or maybe we should email?

Othello is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays buuuuuut, he doesn't top my lists.

Hopefully I'll be seeing Ruhl's 'vibrator play' soon!

Also... I think Paula Vogel is now at Yale officially, unless she goes back and forth?

Edited February 18, 2014 by Starsandsound

[Starsandsound]

Rogue where did you receive your mfa?

[GlenwoodRed]

I did have a musical up in a festival here in NY, but I'm not sure what difference it'll make application-wise! Pretty sure it all comes down to that sample.

 

I had a dream last night where I called YSOD and asked what the most important part of the app was. The woman told me "address" and she wouldn't elaborate. 

[Starsandsound]

Oh the stress dreams are the best. That's so cool that you had a musical produced. I have a play going up in Cali soon.

[theotherlily]

Pffff.  I'm a creepy lurker.

[GlenwoodRed]

Oh the stress dreams are the best. That's so cool that you had a musical produced. I have a play going up in Cali soon.

 

That's awesome! Where at?

[mcw98]

I am an anxious, nerve wracked lurker.

Oh, the wait.

I'm a bit on the older side and am concerned about all the ageism talk earlier in this thread. Haven't encountered it so far as a playwright (how could anyone know how old you are from a play?), but given you have to put age on the app, it's out there. Is it really a factor for acceptance?

In the end, it's something I have no control over. But unfortunately, when nervous I obsess over things I can't control.

[GlenwoodRed]

I'm equally concerned about age from the opposite, younger side. I think the bottom line is, at the end of the day, if they love the play they'll take us, if they don't they won't. Could age be the determining factor in choosing between two equally qualified applicants? Maybe. But so could ethnicity, gender, sexually orientation, or anything else in our personal or socioeconomic background.

 

Only thing to focus on then, is our faith in our own talents and the courage of our convictions!