University of Houston Theatre MFA Program Expands Partnership with Alley Theatre

The University of Houston's School of Theatre and Dance in the Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts is pleased to announce, alongside the Tony Award-winning Alley Theatre and its Artistic Director Rob Melrose, the expanded “University of Houston/Alley Theatre MFA Program in Acting.” The program expands the existing MFA in Acting program at the University of Houston by placing acting students in residence at The Alley Theatre, working directly with the Alley's Resident Acting Company, in the third year of their degree program. The first class of students will enter the expanded program in the fall of 2024 and will begin working in the Alley in academic year 2026-27. The program means that MFA in Acting students at the University of Houston will now be working in the same room with nationally recognized writers, directors, actors, and dramaturgs. The number and range of opportunities these MFA candidates will have is unique in the profession.

Alley Theatre's Artistic Director Rob Melrose shares, “It's not so much ‘new' as ‘next' in a partnership that has been thriving for decades. Alley Theatre resident artists have been directing, acting, and teaching with the University of Houston for years, just as UH faculty have been collaborating on Alley productions as voice coaches, stage combat/intimacy specialists, dramaturgs, set designers, lighting designers, playwrights and directors. We've now created a path for MFA actors to capitalize on the powerful and productive two-year arc of training that UH has offered for the past 15 years by joining us for a third year.”

The program will admit eight students annually. Enrolled students benefit from a comprehensive package, including a Graduate Tuition Fellowship that encompasses a complete waiver of tuition and mandatory fees each semester, along with a rewarding graduate assistantship featuring a stipend. Moreover, students will now gain invaluable pre-professional experience immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of Alley Theatre in downtown Houston.

 

The partnership with Alley Theatre provides students exclusive opportunities to collaborate with accomplished professional actors and directors of both national and international acclaim. Through this collaboration, students forge meaningful networking relationships and garner exposure that paves the way for future employment in the dynamic world of theatre.

 

The program is meticulously crafted to cultivate versatile theatre artists capable of seamlessly performing across a spectrum of roles, spanning contemporary to classical genres. It aims to instill both the technical proficiency and aesthetic sensibility essential for a thriving career in the professional theater realm.

 

During the initial two years of the three-year program, students undergo intensive conservatory training in acting, voice, speech, movement, and stage combat. Esteemed faculty from the University of Houston's School of Theatre & Dance, alongside a cadre of visiting guest artists, including those from Alley Theatre, guide students through this rigorous curriculum.

 

The program's culminating third year comprises immersive experiences, encompassing mainstage and understudy roles, as well as ensemble performances hosted at Alley Theatre's Meredith J. Long Theatre Center in the heart of downtown Houston.

 

"We are excited to witness the fruition of our continued collaborations with The Alley Theatre, crystallizing into a dynamic and expanded MFA program. We believe that this initiative will bring about transformative experiences for our students and contribute significantly to the flourishing arts community here in Houston. In an era where university/theatre partnerships are often contracting and disappearing, we take pride in our city's resilience. The School of Theatre & Dance eagerly embraces the opportunity to collaborate with one of the nation's flagship theatre companies and to play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of artists for the American theatre," expressed Adam Noble, Head of M.F.A. Acting at the University of Houston.

 

Similar programs nationally include the Case Western Reserve University – Cleveland Play House MFA Acting Program; Brown – Trinity Rep MFA Program in Acting and Directing (at Brown University, in partnership with the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence); and the University of California San Diego MFA Acting Program in partnership with the La Jolla Playhouse.

 

ABOUT ALLEY THEATRE:  

Alley Theatre, one of America's leading nonprofit theatres, is a nationally recognized performing arts company led by Artistic Director Rob Melrose and Managing Director Dean R. Gladden. The Alley is committed to developing and producing theatre that is as diverse as the Houston community. The Alley produces up to 11 plays and nearly 400 performances each season, ranging from the best current work and classic plays to new plays by contemporary writers. Home to a full-time resident company of actors and expert artisans in all theatre crafts, the Alley engages theatre artists of every discipline – actors, directors, designers, composer, playwrights – who work on individual productions throughout each season as visiting artists.

 

Alley Theatre performs at the Meredith J. Long Theatre Center which is comprised of two state-of-the-art theatres: the 774-seat Hubbard Theatre and the 296-seat Neuhaus Theatre. Alley reaches over 200,000 people each year through its performance, education, and community engagement programs.

 

 

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter for excellence in undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city and one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse regions in the country, UH is a federally designated Hispanic- and Asian-American-Serving institution with an enrollment of more than 47,000 students.

 

ABOUT THE KATHRINE G. MCGOVERN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS

 

The University of Houston's Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts is a premier institution for education, scholarship, and innovation in the arts, where every day we are cultivating the next generation of creative professionals and unlocking the potential of the arts to impact society and change the world. Our students are forging new frontiers and advancing the arts through academic excellence, innovative programming, and—together with our world-renowned faculty—ascending to the highest level of contemporary professional practice. Houston is a first choice for the arts. Houston is a city of culture and diversity, a quintessential arts destination, and a gateway to the international arts community. Steeped in the richness of diverse cultures, Houston and its engaging community network provide a citywide laboratory for research, education, and practice in the performing and visual arts.

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