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Where Do You Belong? Stats from the Most Represented Schools on Broadway Part 2
By: Julie Musbach May. 11, 2019
Deciding where to go for college or university is nothing short of daunting. There are all kinds of factors to consider such as location, ideal class size, and admission requirements. Every aspect is important when deciding where to go for a well-rounded theatre education and guaranteeing you find the school that's the right fit for your artistic style.
To help out, we're rounding up some of the top theatre schools to give students some stats to consider when getting ready to apply or even transfer. Plus, we've got comments straight from the faculty in charge of each of the programs detailing what they consider the ideal theatre student to be for their school!
Missed Part 1? Check it out here!
Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York
Undergraduate Students: 6,059
Admission Rate: 71%
Average Class Size: 10-20 students
57.7% Female
42.3% Male
Notable alums: Jeremy Jordan, Aaron Tveit, Megan Ort, Ben Feldman, Jerad Bortz, Matt Cavenaugh, Q. Smith, Caesar Samayoa, Michelle Federer, Kerry Butler
"We believe that a young artist will be successful at any musical theatre or acting program if they have a sense of who they are, are curious and respectful about others, and are open to new approaches. At Ithaca, we train the whole artist, so we strive to deepen their connection to the material, their awareness of the world around them, and how they can make a unique contribution to the work. Our acting and musical theatre students are colleagues, in classes and experiences together throughout their time here, auditioning and performing in plays, musicals and our dance concerts. There's room for everybody." -Catherine Weidner, Professor and Chair of the Theatre Department
For more info, visit www.ithaca.edu.
Baldwin-Wallace University
Berea, Ohio
Undergraduate Students: 3,204
Admission Rate: 78%
Average GPA: 3.52
Average Class Size: 10-30 students
54.7% Female
45.3% Male
Notable alums: Zach Adkins, Kate Rockwell, Ciara Renee, Corey Mach, Caitlin Houlahan, Kyle Jean-Baptiste, Lauren Marshall, Kyle Post, Trista Moldovan, Jill Paice
"Students with a strong sense of their own uniqueness looking for rigorous training in music, dance and acting along with a real passion for communicating in this art form thrive at Baldwin Wallace University." -Victoria Bussert, Director, Music Theatre Program
For more info, visit www.bw.edu.
Columbia University
New York, New York
Undergraduate Students: 6,231
Admission Rate: 6%
Average GPA: 4.0
Average Class Size: 2-20 students
48.2% Female
51.8% Male
Notable alums: Rachel Chavkin, Hal Luftig, Diane Paulus, Darko Tresnjak, Terrence McNally, Vanessa Carlton, Fred Ebb, Lauren Graham, Tony Kushner, Richard Rodgers
"We teach in six different theatrical disciplines within the Theatre MFA program, and what the students all have in common are values centered on collaboration, creative risk, and an entrepreneurial spirit. The students who thrive most at Columbia approach their studies with a sense of humility and rigor, and open minds about the many ways in which they can apply their training in the real world." -Christian Parker, Chair, Theatre Program
For more info, visit arts.columbia.edu.
Fordham University
New York, New York
Undergraduate Students: 9,599
Admission Rate: 46%
Average GPA: 3.65
Average Class Size: 10-30 students
57.5% Female
42.5% Male
Notable alums: Denzel Washington, Patricia Clarkson, John Benjamin Hickey, Heather Lind, Michelle Selene Ang, Alex Aquilino, Brittany Pollack
"At Fordham Theatre we seek curious risk takers in love with community." -Matthew Maguire, Theatre Program Director
For more info, visit www.fordham.edu.
Point Park University
Pittsburgh, PA
Undergraduate Students: 3,281
Admission Rate: 65%
Average GPA: 3.44
Average Class Size: 10-20 students
59.0% Female
41.0% Male
Notable alums: Tony Yazbeck, Sarah Meahl, Viveca Chow, Ahmad Simmons, Stephanie Lynn Bissonnette
"The students that thrive in our BFA programs have a balance of passion for the craft and industry while also entering with an open mind to the training. Our students receive rigorous instruction on varieties of technique to provide the skills needed to succeed in a career on stage. Our conservatory style training along with performance opportunities through the Pittsburgh Playhouse provide the experience needed and the demands of the training, performance, and creative components are intensive." -Aaron Bollinger, Chair, Department of Theatre
For more info, visit www.pointpark.edu.
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA
Undergraduate Students: 40,835
Admission Rate: 50%
Average GPA: 3.58
Average Class Size: 10-30 students
46.7% Female
53.3% Male
Notable alums: Caroline Bowman, Adam Jepsen, Laurie Veldheer, Alan Wiggins, Nathan Lucrezio, Dan Gleason
"The ideal Penn State musical theatre student is fiercely curious about finding their own personal artistic voice. We are, of course, excited to train the skills they will continue to acquire - and our students are driven to succeed at the highest level of their training. But we are equally (if not more) passionate about young people who want to investigate the world, themselves, and their evolving point of view on artistic work and what they have to say." -John Simpkins, Head of Musical Theatre
For more info, visit theatre.psu.edu.
For more on college theatre, take a scroll through our College Center; plus hear from students at these schools and more in our collection of Student Blogs!
Photo Credit: Mean Girls by Joan Marcus; Hadestown, Prince of Broadway, Kinky Boots by Matthew Murphy; Iceman Cometh by Julieta Cervantes
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