Drama

Drama as an art form is a far-reaching discipline providing a humanistic approach to today's societal problems and issues. Drama wrestles with the most compelling issues of our time, to derive new understanding for the advancement of the human condition. It also fosters curiosity, invention, bravery, and humor, promoting practical innovation and personal revelation as lifelong practice for the artist.

Through mastery of skills, techniques and theories, people in drama nurture imagination, seek inspiration and fluent, authentic, original storytelling that reflects the complexity of the human spirit.

Undergraduate Program

The School of Drama offers the following program of study:

• The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in drama

Bachelor of Arts

Department Admission Requirements

No audition is required to enter the program.

Major Requirements

1. DRAMA 201 (5 credits)
2. DRAMA 251, DRAMA 252 (10 credits)
3. Three courses from the following: DRAMA 210 (4 credits), DRAMA 211 (4 credits), DRAMA 212 (4 credits), DRAMA 213 (4 credits) (12 credits total)
4. DRAMA 290, DRAMA 291, DRAMA 292 (3 credits total)
5. DRAMA 302 (5 credits)
6. One course from the following: DRAMA 374, DRAMA 377, DRAMA 378, DRAMA 471, DRAMA 472 ( 5 credits)
7. One course from the following: DRAMA 473, DRAMA 475, DRAMA 476 (5 credits)
8. One course from the following: DRAMA 371, DRAMA 373, DRAMA 416, DRAMA 494 (5 credits)
9. One additional course from the above three groups (5 credits)
10. 300- and 400-level drama electives (10 credits)
11. DRAMA 401 (1 credit)

Continuation Policy: Drama majors who fall below a 2.00 GPA in drama courses are placed on academic probation for one quarter. Students who fail to raise their GPA to 2.00 in that time are dropped from the major and returned to premajor status. Students may petition the School of Drama for readmission.

Student Outcomes and Opportunities

• Learning Objectives and Expected Outcomes: The faculty of the School of Drama considers the optimum preparation for the theatre artist to be comprised of a liberal arts undergraduate major in drama and a graduate conservatory education.

  Learning objectives include enriched artistic expression, a foundation for further study, and cultivation of essential life skills: teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and imagination.

  Students earning the Bachelor of Arts in drama are prepared to seek employment in the theatre industry, apply for advanced degrees in a specific area of theatre (e.g., MFA in acting or design) or transfer the skills gained through the program to broader career opportunities. Recent graduates have pursued careers in acting, design, directing, technical direction, stage management, dramaturgy, playwriting, literary management, teaching, and in such non-theatre occupations as real estate agent, fund-raiser, public relations staff, politician, librarian, academic counselor, lawyer, nurse, translator of foreign films, admissions counselor, trade show/convention production assistant, talent agent, casting director, music promoter, special events coordinator, tour guide, human resources coordinator, wedding coordinator, aerobics instructor, music promoter.

• Instructional and Research Facilities: Rehearsal and performance spaces include the Glenn Hughes Penthouse Theatre (the first theatre-in-the-round built in the United States), the thrust-stage Playhouse Theatre, the end-stage Meany Studio Theatre, and the proscenium in Meany Hall. Other spaces include the Cabaret, Studio 201, and Hutchinson 218. School of Drama facilities include a Design Studio, Costume Shop, Scene Shop, and computer labs.

  The Drama Library houses reserve books, plays, sound effects, dialect tapes, local audition and job notices, and a special collection of acting editions. Also available are specialized indexes and theatre databases. The librarian assists in the use of reference materials and indexes, bibliographic searches of on-line databases, and offers reference service and bibliographic instruction sessions for groups and individuals.

• Honors Options Available: Ad hoc honors only. See adviser for details.

• Research, Internships and Service Learning: Student participation in all aspects of dramatic art is provided through student productions, and faculty-and student-directed plays drawn from the full range of world dramatic literature and produced throughout the year. The School also produces operas in association with the School of Music

  To enhance employability and gain hands-on experience, students are encouraged to participate in internships with regional theatres, and related organizations or businesses. Academic credit may be earned for internships under the course number DRAMA 493 (new course proposal being submitted). Internship credits count toward drama elective credits to graduate. A resource guide to drama-related internships is available at the drama undergraduate advising homepage.

  Drama students are also encouraged to apply for undergraduate research, leadership and/or fellowship grants available through the Mary Gates Endowment.

• Department Scholarships: School of Drama scholarships are awarded annually every spring for the following academic year to students who have demonstrated academic merit and contributed significantly to the School of Drama. Applications are available from the advising office mid-January.

• Student Organizations/Associations: The Undergraduate Theatrical Society (UTS) is a student organization that produces undergraduate theatre works in the Cabaret performance space. Any UW student may audition for UTS productions. UTS members also participate in annual New Student Orientation and other school events on a volunteer basis.

  A volunteer elected group of drama students, the BA Council, meets regularly with the Executive Director of the School of Drama to discuss issues relative to the undergraduate program.

Graduate Program

Graduate Program Coordinator
101 Hutchinson, Box 353950
206-543-5140
uwdrama@u.washington.edu

The Ph.D. program provides students with training for scholarly research in theatre history, dramatic literature, theory, and criticism.

Master of Fine Arts -- Acting

Admission Requirements

Applicants should prepare the following:

• A two-minute monologue from a modern prose play.
• A two-minute Shakespearean verse monologue.
• Approximately 16 bars of a song, a cappella or with auditioner-provided accompaniment.
• Auditioners should also be ready to detail their previous training.

Applicants must submit the following to Graduate Programs, School of Drama, University of Washington, Box 353950, Seattle, WA 98195-3950:

• The School of Drama PATP application form (available for download from the School’s Web site) with the preferred audition date indicated.
• A non-refundable audition fee, payable by check or money order to the School of Drama. Applications postmarked after the deadline must include a late application fee of $10.00. Please note, this is a separate fee from the one due to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
• A photograph.
• A current résumé of training and experience in the applicant's field.
• One set of official transcripts.
• A statement of purpose including educational and professional goals.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• A copy of the Application for Admission to the Graduate School.

Degree Requirements

The studio classes include extensive work on Stanislaviski based process, Suzuki training, voice (Linklater based), singing, speech (Skinner-based), stage combat (for certification), dance, trapeze and audition work.   The Alexander technique is both taught as a class and is woven throughout most studio classes and productions.

Throughout the year PATP students have opportunities to audition for summer theatre festivals from around the region and country.  We also maintain productive relationships with professional theatres in Seattle and the region such as the Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman, Empty Space, ACT, Seattle Children’s Theatre, The Guthrie Theatre and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

In their third year, PATP students take an in depth class on "the business of acting" as well as an intensive course in acting for the camera.  They rehearse and perform in a third year ensemble show with an outside professional director, create a twenty-minute solo performance of their own design and with the faculty develop a professional showcase that plays in Seattle, Los Angeles and New York.

All PATP students are evaluated by the acting faculty at the end of each quarter. Students are admitted with the expectation that all will graduate, although dismissal is possible given two unsatisfactory critiques.

Required coursework is 90 credits, to include:

• 36 credits of DRAMA 557 (12, max. 36)
• 36 credits of DRAMA 558 (12, max. 36)
• DRAMA 551 (1-3, max. 3)
• DRAMA 552 (1-3, max. 3)
• DRAMA 553 (1-3, max. 3)
• 6 credits of DRAMA 559 (6, max. 18)
• 9 credits of DRAMA 700 (1, max. 9)

Master of Fine Arts -- Directing

Admission Requirements

1. All Applicants
   1. Applicants submit the following to Graduate Programs, School of Drama, Box 353950, Seattle WA 98195-3950:
      1. The separate Directing application form (available for download from the School’s Web site and fee, made payable to the School of Drama. This fee is separate from that due to the Office of Graduate Admissions (see B below).
      2. A current résumé of training and experience in the field.
      3. A statement of purpose including educational and professional goals.
      4. Three letters of recommendation.
      5. A copy of the Application for Admission to the Graduate School.
      6. One set of official transcripts.
      7. A directorial analysis of a play or opera chosen from a preselected list (current list is in packet).

      The résumé of theatre activity, statement of purpose and letters of recommendation are all important. The three letters of recommendation should not come from the same source (e.g., the student's B.A. program's faculty). Students may include a video (not required). For return of the video, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for that purpose.

   2. All applicants for graduate study at the UW must also apply to the Office of Graduate Admissions. The GRE is not required for any applicant. International applicants must meet minimum TOEFL and TSE scores and other requirements as listed on the Graduate School’s Web site, and should apply by November 1.

2. Second step for selected applicants
   A short list of candidates (12-16) is invited to continue the application process and interview. Candidates are normally given a minimum three weeks' notice and should be prepared to cover travel costs and one to two nights' lodging.
   1. Candidates interview for 30 minutes with the head of the program and another faculty member of the program.
   2. Candidates present a two-minute monologue as a way of revealing, not acting talent, but the candidate's knowledge of what it is to speak dialogue, transmit thoughts and physically relate to space.
   3. Candidates are asked to respond to a two-page questionnaire provided by the School of Drama.

3. Third step for final short listed applicants
   A small group of four to eight candidates is invited to Seattle to be interviewed in person by a group of faculty. As part of this interview each candidate conducts a rehearsal of one of three pre-selected scenes with actors provided by the School of Drama. These actors are familiar with the material and are ready to be on their feet. Candidates receive the scene options and any additional information when notified of their selection to this short list.

Degree Requirements

90 credits, to include the following:

• 14 credits of DRAMA 563 (2, max. 18)
• 18 credits of DRAMA 567 (1-3, max. 12)
• Electives chosen from DRAMA 419 (3, max. 9), DRAMA 510 (3, max. 18), DRAMA 560 (2), DRAMA 561 (2-3, max. 12), DRAMA 562 (1-3, max. 12), and DRAMA 569 (3)
• 9 credits of DRAMA 700

All students are evaluated by all of the contact faculty each quarter.

Internships: One quarter of the program is devoted to a professional internship experience. MFA directors may intern either locally, nationally or internationally during winter or spring quarter of the third year.

Master of Arts -- Design

Admission Requirements

The program generally accepts two students in each area every year. While there is always room for the exceptional applicant, it is extremely difficult to gain admission directly out of a BA/BFA program with no other credentials.

Interviews: A personal interview is highly recommended, preferably in Seattle. Interviews are held in Seattle from mid-January to the beginning of March, with a limited number scheduled each week. Interviews are held when possible on Wednesday afternoons and applicants are invited to visit classes Wednesday morning. Applicants fill out the M.F.A. design application form completely and indicate how and when they plan to both submit their portfolio and interview with faculty.

Portfolios: Portfolio materials need not be matted nor in a presentation case. The portfolio may include hand drafting, renderings, photographs of realized work or of models, costume sketches and other graphic work or high quality photocopies of same, blue lines and/or duplicate slides. Work should be presented in chronological order and should demonstrate strong graphic skills (including accurate rendering of the human figure) and the ability to devise effective design solutions to the problems posed by a script. It is particularly desirable for the portfolio to include examples of drawing or painting not intended as theatre design projects: figure drawing, landscape, architectural sketching or lighting, lighting installations, etc. Again, high quality photocopies are acceptable.

For lighting design applicants, the portfolio should include examples of hand or computer drafting, two or more complete projects including a one-page statement of conceptual approach, hook-up, plot and cue ideas. It should also include samples of set sketches and life drawing.

Application Procedures: Applicants submit material to both the Office of Graduate Admissions and the School of Drama. For any questions about the application procedure, contact the School of Drama's graduate program assistant at (206)543-0714 or email uwdrama@u.washington.edu.

The GRE is not required for any applicant. International applicants must meet minimum TOEFL and TSE scores and other requirements as listed on the Graduate School’s Web site.

1. Submit the following to Graduate Programs, School of Drama, Box 353950, Seattle WA 98195-3950:
   1. Your portfolio (you can bring this with you if you interview in Seattle).
   2. The separate design application form (available for download from the School’s Web site) and fee. Please note, this fee is separate from the one due to the Office of Graduate Admissions (B below).
   3. A current résumé of training and experience in the field.
   4. Three letters of recommendation.
   5. A statement of purpose including educational and professional goals.
   6. A copy of the Application for Admission to the Graduate School.
   7. One set of official transcripts.
2. All applicants for graduate study at the UW must also apply to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Degree Requirements

90 credits, to include:

The M.F.A. program is three years in length, requiring 90 credits of coursework. The first two years are devoted to class and studio work and production projects. In the third year, students complete an internship with a professional theatre before returning to the School of Drama for one quarter for a final thesis project. The program of study is intended to give the student the basic skills needed to work productively in his/her area of interest and to help the student develop his/her own individual artistic vision. The core of the program is a group of classes and seminars that bring designers and directors together to discuss the creation of works for the stage. Other studio and skills courses develop proficiency. Specific courses vary depending on design emphasis. Professionals working in Seattle are regularly invited to attend classes and offer critiques or discuss their work. Students regularly assist faculty on outside projects.

Scenic Design: Students in scenic design are expected to acquire acceptable proficiency in drawing and painting, drafting, model building, scene painting and scene and property construction through a rigorous succession of studio assignments and actual production work.

Costume Design: This course of study emphasizes the aesthetic as well as intellectual analysis of theatrical or operatic texts and how one turns these impulses into three dimensional, unified designs. Students will have intensive exposure to this process as they are mentored through the production of their designs as well as through classes, which encompass design, construction, graphic skills, and history.

Lighting Design: The lighting design program emphasizes communication with the director and other designers and a complete understanding of the lighting design process. In advanced studio courses, students work in a light lab, in the school's various theatres, as well as site-specific venues encountering specific lighting challenges. Designing and assisting for UW and off-campus productions is an important part of the program. Lighting students study set and costume design in studio class as well.

Doctor of Philosophy

Admission Requirements

• An essay or thesis chapter representative of the applicant's best scholarly work.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores.
• A current résumé of training and experience in the field.
• A statement of purpose including educational and professional goals.
• Three letters of recommendation. Each recommendation must state whether the letter is or is not available for review by the applicant. Forms for this purpose are available for download from the school’s Web site. Letters of recommendation should evaluate the applicant's skills and accomplishments as a theatre artist and his or her potential for graduate study in theatre history, dramatic theory, and criticism.
• A copy of the Application for Admission to the Graduate School.
• One set of official transcripts.
• All applicants for graduate study at the UW must also apply to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Degree Requiremenets

The sequence of drama seminars reflects the changing needs of students, the developing research of the faculty, and the conditions of contemporary scholarship. Special topics in the history sequence have included Restoration theatre, drama in the Industrial Age, communism and capitalism, and ancient theatre history. Seminars in criticism have included reading, interpretation and performance; mimesis and theatrical representation; the semiotics of theatre; and drama and Marxist theatre theory. Students are encouraged to develop original research in these seminars and to present their work at professional meetings or publish it in academic journals.

The fourth year of the program is devoted to writing a dissertation under the guidance of a faculty adviser. Recent doctoral dissertations have explored semiotics, feminism, American theatre history, contemporary English and German drama, ethnicity and performance theory.