Playwriting MFAs

[genericincognito]

Thanks for the insight, Tate! The two track system (Michener vs. T&D) certainly makes for an interesting admissions dynamic. Good luck! 

[lavendercloud]

Tate, that's awesome! Good luck! If you get one of the Austin spots will you still visit UCSD? How much time would you have to decide?

Just had a lovely conversation with a first-year student at Ohio. Apparently there are only two because someone else dropped out earlier this year. I think even if the ink is quite settled by then, I'd like to visit in April for their spring festival - meet people, start figuring out housing, etc.; haven't looked at flights yet but I will ASAP. I'm not gonna hold off on a visit to decide, just would like to see the place before I move there as I have a bad habit of moving to places I've never visited (three times by choice, once because my parents dragged me across the country when I was a teenager).

Edit: COUNTRY, not counter. Makes it sound like a very different thing...

Edited March 4, 2015 by lavendercloud

[PrincessIsInAnotherCastle]

"My parents dragged me across the counter when I was a teenager"  Oh my...  Yeah.  But...  GREAT parody of a country song lyric, lavendercloud...Oh, typos...  But, yes -- see where you are going to live...  (counters and all)

BREAK LEGS IN YOUR YALE INTERVIEW TOMORROW ZISSOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (I am breaking my/Strunk and White's rule of only using one exclamation point for you.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

In self-involved news, I either have the same sinusitis currently keeping Peter Gallgher out of ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY... or it is quite possibly a reemergence of the plague...  So I gots to keep this short, yo...

AUSTIN/MICHENER situation sounds good, Tate12!
 

[tate12]

@lavendercloud- If I get into Austin spots, I'll definitely go visit and check it out. Weigh my options depending on where I get in. I have a tiered system for where I'll go if I get into X, Y, or Z. lol. I think they'll give me a little time to decide, but I' not sure. UCSD has a big diversity scholarship due on the 19th and I can only apply if I'm admitted and accept. So everything should happen pretty quickly in the next two weeks.  

 

I've never been to Ohio. I'm so happy for you. How many years have you applied? Ohio sounds so good and like a good fit,I'm assuming you're leaning towards yes???

 

BREAK A LEG ZISSOU!! We want all the details when you get back!!!

 

Also, got rejected from UMass Play Lab. Idk if any of y'all applied. 

[tate12]

ALSO, idk if anyone applied to this: http://www.hbo.com/hboaccess/

 

I woke up to go to work and started it at 8am. But it wasnt open. By 1pm that day, it was closed. They close at a 1000 submissions. I'm pissed. lol. 

[mcw98]

I debated long and hard about applying to the hbo thing.  The release FREAKED ME OUT.  Didn't end up doing it...

[lavendercloud]

mcw98, I also read the release and it was RIDICULOUS! Plus, how can HBO not afford accommodations and travel costs for these writers? And maybe some compensation?? The idea of supposedly increasing access but limiting it to people who are economically privileged is really distasteful. Anyway, four zillion different people shared that with me on facebook, and I decided not to apply. If I were going to be in LA I'd have considered it, but no, I'm not gonna travel there once a month while I'm in school to take part in an uncompensated program. There are other ways to get into the industry and maybe in future years HBO will roll out an actual fellowship (FELLOWSHIPS INVOLVE MONEY. OTHERWISE, YOU DON'T GET TO USE THAT WORD, HBO).

 

Tate, this is my first year applying to Ohio but second year applying to grad school. Last year I applied to five programs; this year, seven.

[SeaLou]

Totally agree with you, lavendercloud. My girlfriend shared it with me and the lack of fiscal support really shot it down for me.

One of my undergrad professors got his degree at UCLA with student loans, still paying them off. He said the degree was worthless with the exception of the contacts he made. There shouldn't be a price on rubbing elbows or shaking hands. Then again, that's an extreme example compared to the HBO initiative.

[PrincessIsInAnotherCastle]

 The idea of supposedly increasing access but limiting it to people who are economically privileged is really distasteful. 

 

Yeah, the qualifications of what constituted diversity... as well as the terms of the release for the HBO thing was a topic of MUCH debate all over the interwebs.  And I think you hit the nail on the head with your statement above, lavendercloud.  It's a potential in at HBO, though.  And I have, like, 17 ideas for them.  So I went for it.  (If you want the MOST RIDICULOUS release ever in the history of releases, go to the amazon TV Pilot open submission window...  It is basically, "Thanks for this.  We own it now and never wanna talk to you again."

I started my application for HBO the night before.  Wrote what I think is a KICK ASS essay.  Logged on at 12 noon EST the next day.  Correction -- ATTEMPTED to log on.  The site was down due to the traffic.  It took me until 2:25 EST to actually get the site to load, (and several emails back and forth WITH HBO and imdb, who runs the withoutabox website)  but I finally got the application in...with a confirmation and everything...

And now, I welcome their dismissal with open arms... and re-play that "Loser" song that was posted awhile back that I will dig up and re-post...  Such a great song....! 

[Singsalot]

Hi Guys. I am literally going insane. Is there really no news yet from The New School or Brooklyn College? I realize it's only the beginning of March but it seems that by this time in earlier years these notifications had gone out ... Bueller ... anyone ??

[tate12]

Haha, yeah I get the whole money thing. It seems odd, they aren't offering more financial stability. I liked the diversity part and that you could send a play, not just a tv spec script. 

 

Glad you got through, Princess!

 

 

@singsalot- Sorry! I haven't heard any thing about The New School or Brooklyn College. I know that on the MFA Draft, there were a acceptances for both schools, but in other creative writing genres. I would maybe ask over there. Someone might can get some info. Have you looked on their website? Sometimes they update info about decisions.

 

Are those the two schools you're waiting to hear back from?

Edited March 6, 2015 by tate12

[mcw98]

Singsalot, do you feel like you can contact them?  I went crazy last year waiting on Iowa and finally just emailed them.

[iamnonightbird]

Does anyone remember the timeline from last year for Iowa? I know they take forever but when I went further back on the board to check there were people waiting on them from April and even into May, but that was some time ago. Are they any faster?

'

[mcw98]

I sent them a note 4/16 last year about application status and they let me know decisions had just been made that day.

[Zissou]

Gang,

 

 

Congrats on all the interviews and offers...so wonderful to read these posts. Just got back from New Haven last night. What a trip!

 

I arrived on Wednesday night- met some of the other finalists and a current student in the lobby of the very swank hotel they put me up in. We all walked over to the Cabaret space together and met all of the current students over a few glasses of wine and some snacks. There were five finalists for each day of the interviews...so ten total. This year- 4 girls, 6 guys. My night it was me and four dudes- all of them were super nice and supportive. I can honestly say that I'd be happy for any of them if they got into the program. Everyone (current students and finalists) gabbed about the plays that got them to Yale. All of the plays sounded so compelling- and SO different. It's really clear to me that Jeanie O'Hare wants to put together a diverse group...and it seems as though having people in your year that have varied skills from your own wheelhouse makes for some good goddamn art. I asked so many questions- the overall vibe was this: When you are there- you are there. It's next to impossible to keep one toe in NYC (if that's your deal). The first year is super intense, but you meet amazing people and crank out plays. You end up with two full length productions under your belt from the department (though you can put more plays up at the student run Cab). All of them have four or five full length plays that will be ready to roll by graduation. The third years are having multiple agent meetings. People LOVE working with Sarah and Jeanie. 

 

Thursday started with a tour of the campus/facilities. Beautiful. Like Hogwarts- seriously. The spaces/rehearsal rooms are plentiful and really nice. The rest of New Haven is kind of gross if I'm being honest...the area right around Yale is nice but very hoity-toity. The outskirts- not so nice. Next was financial aide. The playwrights are FULLY funded. Tuition, books, and a stipend. No teaching, but a good number of work study hours (ushering, backstage, etc). The stipend is not huge- could be enough to live off of if you live thrifty for the three years. Still, pretty baller that you don't have to take out huge loans for a Yale degree.

 

Then, I was off to meet Jeanie O'Hare. The hour FLEW by. Felt like I could've talked to her for hours. She was so complimentary and warm. Very relaxed conversation. Didn't feel like she was trying to drill me in the slightest. We talked about theater I love- and the theater I want to make. She was very honest about how hard it is for them to put their "years" together...and she said there are many factors. She also said that the turn around on this is fast- I'll know by early next week if they want me or not. EEEEEEEEEEK.

 

After Jeanie, I met up with Sarah Ruhl. I tried very hard to contain my inner fan-gurl. Sarah is quiet, but fiercely intelligent. We talked a lot about current shows in NYC and where we see the paradigm shifting with audiences, and theaters. She was mostly curious about why I wanted to go to graduate school now- and why I wanted to be in that program. Again, it was very relaxed and I could have stayed for hours. She gave me a big hug as I left and I thought I was gonna pass out. Still jittery thinking about it.

 

I honestly feel like it could be anyone's game. All of the finalists had passion, and really interesting sounding pieces. I feel like I'll be fine either way...and, there's still my dark horse race with Juilliard!

 

I feel like I wrote a novella. Holy crap.

 

xoxox 

Edited March 6, 2015 by Zissou

[mcw98]

Sounds great Zissou!

[jdscar]

I've been reading this amazingly enduring (five years and going strong!) forum topic since applying for MFAs this fall and felt obliged to finally write in now that I have some information to impart. For anyone waiting to hear from NYU Tisch, I received my rejection notification this afternoon. Haven't heard from New School, Juilliard or Columbia. Good luck to all of you! I'll keep my fingers crossed and my head up. Tisch was but one path... 

[Singsalot]

Sorry to hear that jdscar -- but yes, it is only one path.

 

mcw98 -- i probably can email them. I guess I'll wait until the 15th or so to do so. I think at this point it's likely that all the schools have contacted people for their interviews. It doesn't seem that many admit without interviews, and The New School, for example, does a whole weekend with actors/directors/playwrights. It's hard to imagine folks haven't been contacted already for that. Brooklyn College seems like they beat to their own drum a little bit more, so perhaps they are still making decisions but really ... I can't say.

 

Only other places I applied to are NYU (interviewed last week) and Juilliard.

 

Zissou -- so glad you went and had a wonderful time. Sounds like anyone they interview could likely get a spot, and it's amazing to have made it this far -- and now it's about making an interesting class that doesn't overlap with the folks who are already there.

 

Is anyone thinking about / going to apply to Hunter? I don't believe their deadline has passed yet. I wasn't going to but now am thinking about it ...

[Zissou]

I've heard amazing things about Tina Howe as a teacher- might be worth the check out!

 

And on the Juilliard front- the first round of interviews don't even happen until April (late April at that). Just to give you a little timeline.

[Singsalot]

Oh -- Yes, Zissou. I was sort of excluding Juilliard from that statement ... they seem to really take their time.

 

I have heard good things about Tina ... just don't know much about the program as a whole.

[Zissou]

Singsalot- I wish I had more intel for you! Lindsey Ferrentino came out of that program before going to Yale- she rocks my socks!

[Singsalot]

Yes, she is great. Though it makes me wonder why she felt the need to get another MFA right after she graduated. I wonder if Hunter wasn't a satisfying experience.

[SeaLou]

Very interesting read, Zissou. Thanks for sharing. Jeanie O'Hare has always seemed like the greatest. Would love to talk to her about her time with Royal Court Theatre. So many great playwrights have put on such amazing work there. Love the In Yer Face movement.

[PrincessIsInAnotherCastle]

Briglee -- WELCOME to the board!

ZISSOU -- 1.  See you at your play tonight!  Cannot wait!  (I am going to see a play ZISSOU wrote!)  I would LOVE for you to get into the program, as I have stated.  And I am pulling for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Question:  How old were the applicants at YALE?  Mostly 20s?  Just curious. 

[mcw98]

I was wondering age range as well...