This acting university less then 2 hours from Jacksonville offers a conservatory-style training for both actors and musical theater artists.
Actors study movement, voice and speech, dance, music theater, costumes, makeup, script analysis, Shakespeare, theater history and acting styles, and also learn the basics of stage lighting and sound.
Electives include theater production and management, improvisation, dialects, directing, acting for film and television, stage combat and playwriting. Musical theatre students take additional music, voice and dance classes.
This acting school also offers a 3 year MFA program centered around performance and workshop productions.
Performance opportunities: Theater students get to audition for mainstage productions ahead of the rest of the student body. The school has a professionally staffed 415-seat theater and 200-seat black box theatre, in addition to a summer stage and a small studio. Actors appear in mainstage productions and summer repertory theater for credit.
Through the international production program, student productions are sometimes invited to countries like Greece and Russia. Actors can also join the Florida Players, the school’s student theater company (there is also a song-and-dance troupe and an improv student group).
Career preparation: The faculty is made up of working professionals with extensive credits and experience.
Students take audition workshops and can attend lectures and seminars on special topics.
MFA students complete an internship during their 3rd year. Students can look for internship and employment opportunities through the school’s career resource center.
Degree: BFA in Acting, BFA in Musical Theater, MFA in Acting.
Financial Aid: In additional to federal, state and university financial aid programs, there are several theater scholarships and awards for both undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate students can also apply for teaching assistantships and fellowships.
What you’ll need to apply: Undergraduate students need to submit transcripts, test scores, an essay and a resume and have to audition (musical theater applicants must dance, sing and act at their audition).
MFA students need to fill out the fellowship application form in addition to the university’s general application and submit transcripts, a personal statement, a letter of recommendation, a picture and resume, and GRE test scores if they completed their BA outside the U.S.
Acceptance rate: On average, no more then 4 students are accepted into the musical theater program each year. Mainstage auditions are attended by faculty and students need to do well in auditions, performances and class work to stay in the program.
Website: www.ufl.edu