Interview: Maggie Anderson Outlines Temple University's Vibrant Theater Program

Looking for a school to further your theatrical education? Look no further than Temple University.

Temple's Department of Theater strives for professional excellence, academic depth and breadth, community involvement and international engagement. Students are challenged to learn and create in a wide variety of classroom and production situations. Opportunities are plentiful on campus, in the community, and in Philadelphia, one of the most vibrant of America's theater centers.

As a theater department in the heart of a culturally rich urban setting, Temple University's Department of Theater is immersed in, and among some, of the most important regional and national theaters in the country. This bountiful artistic environment benefits our undergraduate and graduate students alike. There are many theater professionals on faculty and who serve as guest artists, advisors, mentors and collaborators. Temple graduates are involved in nearly every major theater endeavor in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Celebrating over 50 years of spectacular productions, the top-ranked Department of Theater is a proud part of the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts, and the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts at Temple. The faculty and staff of the department represent highly trained scholars and professionals with theater credits in Philadelphia, New York City, nationally and internationally.

For additional information about Temple's Department of Theater, visit: https://tfma.temple.edu/theater

Below, Associate Professor of Musical Theater and Movement Maggie Anderson gives us a better idea of what prospective students can expect from Temple's program.

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What sets Temple's program apart from the rest?

We are located in Philadelphia, with a true college campus in the middle of an outstanding theater and arts city. Our faculty are both devoted educators and working professionals in the industry, staying abreast of current trends and innovative practices for optimal training and development of the artist. We work to cultivate a strong, inclusive community, and have an exceptionally diverse annual production season with both new work and re-imagined classics for a wide range of performance experiences. Many students also work professionally and build their network during their time as a student in the multitude of artistic venues and opportunities provided by the cultural community of Philadelphia and the close proximity to NYC.

What is the audition process like? What's the best way for students to prepare for that process?

We are interested in seeing who you are, we are interested in authenticity, not a shiny package. Tell us a story, show us who you are and how you connect to dramatic material. We assess skills in all three areas for musical theater training- singing, dancing and acting. There is a prescreen submission process for round one, and if prescreens are accepted, an invitation for a live audition either at Unifieds or one of our on-campus dates. You must also apply to the university for academic acceptance.

What's the talent pool like for prospective students? Does a fair percentage get in?

We accept 16-20 annually for the BFA musical theater program out of hundreds. We also have a large, thriving BA program in Theater Studies with multiple concentrations for areas of focus (acting, design and production, theater education, management, directing). Additionally, we have MFA programs in Acting, Design, Directing, Playwriting, Musical Theater Collaboration (the only program of its kind in the country dedicated to the creation of new musical theater work and the collaborative process), and an MA in Musical Theater Studies.

What can new students expect from their first year in the program?

For musical theater: Singing, dancing and acting training in all styles and genres which continues throughout the four years. All three skill sets are essential and all three skill sets are consistently trained, in addition to cultivating supplemental areas of artistic interest and our comprehensive university general education curriculum requirements for well-rounded citizens of the world. Students also have a multitude of performance and production opportunities through our mainstage season, staged readings, revues, MFA projects, student film, workshops and student-produced productions, as well as exposure to numerous renowned guest artists.

Have a lot of Temple alums gone on to have success on stage and elsewhere?

Yes. We are a 52 year old theater training program. Our students are everywhere- Broadway, regional theaters, film, TV, cruise ships, stand-up, concert dance, the music industry, web series, you name it. They are taught to be self-starters and to utilize their skills and creativity as entrepreneurs, entertainers and activists. We have an abundant and generous alumni network - check out our department website for regular updates about student success and where you can see them on stage and screen! https://tfma.temple.edu/

A sampling:

Jordan Dobson, Tony West Side Story, Broadway

Bryan Terrell Clark, Hamilton, Broadway

Kevin Del Aguila, Frozen, Broadway

Darryl Gene Daughtry, Jr, The Inheritance, Broadway

Austin Durant, Moulin Rouge, Broadway

Da'Vine Joy Randolph, (Tony nominee), Ghost, Dolemite is My Name

Jordan Dobson, Tony -West Side Story, Broadway

Bryan Terrell Clark, Hamilton, Broadway

Kevin Del Aguila, Frozen, Broadway

Sean Thompson, Sunset Boulevard with Glenn Close, Broadway

Katie Johantgen, Friends, The Office, Off-Broadway

Edward Mawere, One in Two, Off-Broadway

Francesca Nong, National tour, Miss Saigon

Paige Smallwood, National tours, Hamilton and Eponine in Les Miserables

Nick Brown, national tour, Finding Neverland

Katie Horner, national tour, The Buddy Holly Story

Kunal Nayyar, Raj, Big Bang Theory

Kalen Allen, Ellen

*For upcoming new talent, our NYC Musical Theater showcase for industry will be held on Monday March 16th at The Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe. See our website for details and industry reservations links.

Apart from the Theater Department, what do you think students enjoy most about the campus/student life, etc.

We are a thriving, international Research I University with renowned faculty in all fields of study. Students can enjoy and have access to hundreds of student organizations and clubs, wellness resources, living and learning communities, study abroad, sporting and cultural events, as well as the unique history and energy of the city of Philadelphia.

Why do you think that kids should consider Temple for their college experience?

Temple provides an engaged, diverse, exciting environment in which to study and grow with individualized attention, compassionate mentoring and real-world career preparation.

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For additional information about Temple's Department of Theater, visit: https://tfma.temple.edu/theater