BWW College Guide - Everything You Need to Know About Boston University in 2019/2020

With college theatre program auditions just around the corner, we're highlighting some of the most prestigious theatre programs from all across the United States to give you insight into what to expect from their programs, from audition advice to real world experience and more. Today we're chatting with faculty from the School of Theatre at Boston University's College of Fine Arts about its professional performance opportunities and more. Check out info on the school and answers about their program below!

Boston University's School of Theatre was established in 1954 as one of the country's leading institutions for the study of acting, stage management, design, production, and all aspects of the theatrical profession. In recent years, the School of Theatre has evolved into an energetic place that values the notion of "the new conservatory." The school offers a BFA in Theatre Arts, with the option of the student's core being Performance or Design & Production.

What is the audition process for performing arts majors?

2 contrasting contemporary monologues, 1 minute each

What tips can you offer to auditioning students?

You don't have to give us perfection, the mess is what's interesting and reveals the humanity. We are auditioning you to see if we want to spend 4 years together, we are not looking for a fully polished performance of what you think we want to see.

What is the approximate average class size within an arts major?

10-20

Any notable alumni you would like to mention?

Julianne Moore, Jason Alexander, Alfre Woodard, Geena Davis, Tanya Saracho, Peter Paige, Kim Raver, Raul Castillo, Russell Hornsby

Do you see more students interested in working on stage or off?

We have more applicants to the performance program than design & production, which is typical for most programs.

What kind of real world experience outside of the classroom do you offer students during their program?

Students can perform professionally in Boston while they are students helping them work towards Equity candidacy and broadening their network; We host over 20+ guest artists, guest directors, and alumni a year, working with the students through our On Set professional artist series; we host a showcase in NYC and Boston each year; All students are required to do professional internships as part of their degree requirement; many act as apprentices to our faculty- all of whom are working professionals, as BU is a research university.

What kinds of things does your school do for students to help them succeed after graduation?

We have a strong alumni network- we host gatherings in major cities for our alums each year, we pay to bring them back to our career classes to work with our seniors which keeps them connected to the community and helps the seniors make connections; Allowing them to perform outside during their time with us builds their network; We give students access to an internal website of job postings and opportunities well beyond graduation; They are taught to apply for fellowships and work with our Career Service Center on campus as well.

How do you keep your program as relevant as possible to the current industry trends and how have you modernized it in recent years?

We always say we are in a constant time of innovation; our curriculum is never frozen, we are constantly revisiting it and reevaluating it, hoping to have this discussion within the faculty and staff, but also with input from our student body. They have a large voice in our program in terms of how the work applies to our current moment in time. BU is one of the leading innovative universities in the country, and the School of Theatre is a central component of that.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your school and its programs?

BU School of Theatre is a place where we value the individual, but understand the importance of the ensemble. Our students are hungry, curious, inclusive, diverse, intelligent, compassionate and passionate. Our mission is to keep discovering and examining the role that theatre plays in society and how we can lead that conversation, and we graduate the next generation of leaders onto the world stage.

Be sure to apply to Boston University's School of Theatre here: https://www.bu.edu/cfa/admissions/undergraduate/