Theater, M.F.A.

School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts

Program Overview

The Department of Theater provides an affordable, accessible, outstanding education taught by a nationally recognized faculty of theater artists and leaders. We are a professional training ground set in the epicenter of the theater industry—New York City. The department offers a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater with a specialization in one of the following areas: acting, design and technical production, directing, or performing arts management. The 60-credit program prepares students for leadership and professional careers in each area of specialization through a combination of practical and theoretical courses as well as through internships with major institutions in the New York metropolitan area.

Theater, M.F.A.

Where You'll Go

There are several career paths for you with a master’s in theater, including director, designer, performer, producer, technical director, voice actor, stage manager, artistic director, and instructor. You will follow our theater alumni to Broadway and other prestigious venues around the globe.

Program Details

The program information listed here reflects the approved curriculum for the 2024–25 academic year per the Brooklyn College Bulletin. Bulletins from past academic years can be found here.

Program Description

The Department of Theater offers a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater with a specialization in one of the following areas: acting, design and technical production, directing, or performing arts management. The two-year, 60-credit program prepares students for leadership and professional careers in each area of concentration through a combination of practical and theoretical courses as well as through internships with major institutions in the New York metropolitan area.

Program Requirements (60 Credits)

Sixty credits are required for the degree.

Students must also submit a thesis based on a thesis project and/or production acceptable to the department. Information about requirements for the thesis is in the section “Academic Regulations and Procedures.”

Prior to the above, all students must undergo a pre-thesis evaluation (consisting of a work-in-progress shown to the faculty, an academic progress review by faculty, or both) by the time they complete 24 credits. If a student’s progress is not deemed satisfactory by the head of the relevant concentration, the student will be denied the approval of a thesis production or project until the deficiencies noted in written form to the student have been corrected.

Courses in the Theater Department offered toward the degree must be 7000-level courses.

The program of study must be approved in advance by the head of each specialization.

General matriculation and admission requirements of Graduate Studies are in the section “Admission.”

Admissions Requirements

  • Fall Application Deadlines
    • Directing, Performing Arts Management: February 1
    • Design and Technical Production: February 15
    • Acting is not accepting applications for the 2025-26 academic year.
  • Spring Application Deadline: The program does not accept applications for spring.

Supporting Documents for Matriculation

Submit the following documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

  • Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Applicants who earned a bachelor’s degree outside the United States need to submit a course-by-course international transcript evaluation. See Graduate Admissions for more information.
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • A two- to four-page written statement of purpose
  • Résumé

Required Tests

  • F-1 or J-1 international students must submit English Proficiency Exam. TOEFL—79, IELTS—6.5, PTE—58–63, Duolingo—105–160.

Refer to the instructions at Graduate Admissions.

Contact

Please see the individual specializations.

Or contact:

Office of Graduate Admissions

222 West Quad Center
2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210
E: grads@brooklyn.cuny.edu
P: 718.951.4536

Office Hours

Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

To make an appointment with a graduate admissions counselor, visit:

BC Admissions Appointment Tool

Acting Specialization.

This program is not accepting applications for the 2025-26 academic year.

Introduction

If you are a passionate actor, committed to being a hard-working artist invested in sharing stories about what it is to be human, and if you are committed to confronting your life and work habits that restrict growth to expand your sense of self, who you are, and look beyond yourself to others, develop your skills, and awareness, then we are looking for you!

The journey through our Master of Fine Arts program is a two-year rigorous experience within a cohesive cohort of eight to 10 M.F.A. actors. The acting specialization offers our students a uniquely individual and collective journey through an advanced and integrated curriculum of exciting courses that: train the actor’s instrument holistically for stage and screen acting; and teaches the actor to value a dedicated and integrated practice of techniques and skills that empower the actor to live in present reality, under the pressure and expectations of performance with ease and vulnerability, and to behave spontaneously as recognizably human. Our faculty, all respected New York professionals, inspire and support individuals to invest in a lifelong practice of techniques and skills.

Our foundational and sequential courses of Acting (stage and screen), Voice & Speech, and Movement work together to identify and redirect habitual behaviors, release imagination, and structure a coherent technique that allows actors to bring their full selves to the work. Additional classes are introduced and determined by the specific needs of each cohort and each semester culminates with an original solo performance rooted in the actualization of the power of the Voice. The final semester of training concludes with a Business Class/Industry Showcase collaboration.

The Department of Theater produces approximately eight departmental productions per academic year, and graduate students receive the unique opportunity to perform once per semester in a fully realized production, with the exception of their first semester. Our program is involved in an exciting collaborative community of playmakers on campus: graduate and undergraduate actors, directors, designers, and technicians in the Theater Department and playwrights in the English Department.

Our program is involved in an exciting collaborative community of playmakers on campus: graduate and undergraduate actors, directors, designers, technicians, and playwrights from the English Department.

Off-campus we enjoy collaborative partnerships with The Public Theater–Resident Artists, LAByrinth Intensive Education Program, Movement Theater NYC, CUNY Dance Initiative, and The Tank Theater.

Program Highlights

  • Rigorous and collaborative two-year program.
  • A cohort of eight to 10 M.F.A. actors to provide ample individual attention in classes.
  • Candidates work collaboratively with M.F.A. directors, playwrights, and designers on full productions, staged readings, and scene work.
  • Faculty members are respected working professionals in New York theater and film, many of whom are award winners and nominees.
  • Our acting cohorts are diverse and multicultural; the greater the inclusivity of our student body, the more exciting, informed, and relevant the work will be in both the studio and on stage.
  • Students receive many performance opportunities each year that challenge them to apply the learned techniques/skills in a professional environment.
  • Competitive CUNY tuition costs, and opportunities for graduate teaching fellowships.
  • Scholarships and awards are available in the second year of training.
  • The two years culminate in a filmed digital showcase marketed to industry professionals in all major markets.

M.F.A. Industry Showcase

Program Requirements

Courses in the Theater Department offered toward the degree must be 7000-level courses.

The program of study must be approved in advance by the head of the specialization.

Matriculation Requirements

Applicants must offer at least 18 to 21 credits in acting courses. Consideration will also be given to applicants who do not meet course requirements but have equivalent experience or unusual talent in the chosen concentration. Such applicants should consult the head of concentration directly. Applicants must apply to the head of concentration for an audition/interview appointment once their application has been submitted.

Consideration is also given to applicants who do not meet course requirements but have equivalent experience or unusual talent in the chosen specialization. Such applicants should consult the program head.

A request for an audition or interview appointment may be made by letter or telephone to the head of the relevant concentration.

Degree Requirements

Theater 7311X, 7321X, 7322X, 7323X, 7324X, 7331X, 7332X, 7333X, 7334X, 7341X, 7342X, 7325X, 7343X, 7344X, 7351X, 7352X, 7353X, 7360X, 7722X, and 7742X. Acting candidates are required to audition for all departmental productions and must accept roles as cast. Before taking Theater 7742X, students must perform in a “pre-thesis” role approved by the head of concentration.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a specialization in acting will be able to:

  • Develop a process of working.
  • Confront work habits that limit growth and a sense of authentic self.
  • Work from a place of humanity and truth.
  • Breathe and maintain ease and vulnerability in present reality under the pressure of performance.
  • Develop conscious physical awareness by owning a dedicated and integrated skills practice that supports the demands of the craft.
  • Embrace and celebrate their unique individuality.
  • Engage the audience with behavior that is recognizably human.
  • Become the CEO of their own business to support a healthy and sustainable life in this profession.

Admissions Requirements

This program is not accepting applications for the 2025-26 academic year.

 

Faculty

  • Kaliswa Brewster: The Business of Acting
  • Maria Dizzia: Acting (second year)
  • Patrick Mulryan: Speech—Idiolect & Dialects; Director of Industry Showcase
  • Paul Pryce: Acting (first year)
  • Virginia Scott: Physical Theater: Clown/ Mask
  • Laura Smith: The Alexander Technique
  • Antonio Edwards Suarez: Acting (second year)
  • Welker White: Acting for TV/Film; Audition Techniques
  • Ian Wen: Butoh: Expressive Japanese Dance
  • Katherine Knipp-Willis: The Lucid Body Technique
  • Judylee Vivier: Program Head, Voice/Acting

Collaborative Partnerships

Public Theater Resident Artists

Resident Artists from The Public Theater hold workshops and seminars in their various areas of interest with our students.

LAByrinth Intensive Education Program

Auditions are held at the end of May for acceptance into a week-long intensive education program with the LAByrinth, culminating in a performance.

The Movement Studio of NYC

Scholarships are available for further physical theater classes in Clown, Le Coq, Buffon, and Commedia with the Movement Studio of NYC.

CUNY Dance Initiative

Emerging young choreographers collaborate with students in the laboratory of the classroom.

The Tank Theater

Led by Brooklyn College Alumna, Meghan Finn, The Tank offers rehearsal space and production opportunities to program alumni.

Contact

Judylee Vivier, Program Head

079E Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts
E: JVivier@brooklyn.cuny.edu
P: 718.951.5000, ext. 2763

Assistant(s) to Professor Vivier

E: gradacting@brooklyn.cuny.edu

 

INFORMATION THAT USED TO LIVE UNDER ADMISSIONS BUT REMOVED FOR 2025-26

Applicants must have, or be about to receive, a bachelor’s degree prior to applying for graduate admission. While a degree in theater is not required for admission, previous acting experience is essential. The applicant must offer at least 18 to 21 credits in undergraduate theater or equivalent professional experience, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the program head.

A 3.00 or better grade point average in the last two years of undergraduate or postbaccalaureate work is required. The GRE is not required for M.F.A. applicants.

Applicants must submit their application materials to the Brooklyn College Office of Graduate Admissions before the deadline. If the deadline has passed, and you are still interested in applying, contact us via e-mail.

Note: Fall intake only!

Application Deadline

  • February 15 (January 25 for international students)

Applicants must submit their application materials to the Office of Graduate Admissions before the deadline. If the deadline has passed, and you are still interested in applying, contact us via e-mail.

We look forward to meeting you and beginning a relationship with you!

Audition Options

The M.F.A. program offers two audition options for prospective students:

Option 1—Apply directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions

Office of Graduate Admissions

Once the application has been submitted, contact the head of the program at gradacting@brooklyn.cuny.edu and cc: JVivier@brooklyn.cuny.edu to arrange an audition/interview date and time. Attach a headshot/résumé.

Auditions and callbacks are held on campus:

  • Friday, February 23
  • Saturday, February 24
  • Sunday, February 25, Group Callbacks
Option 2—Apply via the URTA Unified Auditions

To register for this event, visit urta.com.
In person: January 19–21
Sonesta Rittenhouse Square Hotel
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Note: The URTA candidate who receives a callback for the M.F.A. program at Brooklyn College and is interested in being considered for acceptance into our program must be submit an application to the Graduate Admissions Office with a required $75 application fee prior to our in-house auditions on the dates listed above. This permits both candidate and faculty an opportunity to learn more about each other and the program, after the brief experience URTA offers.

Application Materials

In addition to completing the online application for graduate admissions, all applicants must submit the following materials via the same online portal:

  • A headshot and a résumé
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Official transcripts
  • A three-page statement of intent explaining why the applicant wants to be considered for an M.F.A. at Brooklyn College, and information about his or her artistic journey up to this point.
  • A description of the applicant’s current acting preparation process: How do you approach the text and the development of a character before entering rehearsals for a play/scene? If it is not possible to submit both this and the statement of intent documents digitally, put both into one document.

Audition Guidelines

  • The audition consists of two contrasting monologues: one classical (Shakespeare, Greek, Chekhov, Ibsen) and one contemporary.
  • One monologue must be close to type. If you would like to include another skill that reveals your process as a developing artist, bring that along.
  • You will have three to four minutes for your audition in total. Your selections must reveal who you are and how you see yourself at this moment in your process.
  • Applicants must audition in person unless that is not possible; only then will a Zoom audition or a self-tape submission be arranged.
  • Bring a copy of a headshot and résumé to the audition.
  • Callbacks will take the form of a large group event. Should you receive a callback, please wear comfortable clothes in which you can move easily.
  • International candidates must be fluent in spoken and written English (a TOEFL score is required) and must contact the International Student Services Office for further information/requirements regarding the application process for international students.

Note: The selection and admission process are based on the candidate’s audition/interview, undergraduate and/or professional experience, written statements, and letters of recommendation.

Design and Technical Production Specialization

Introduction

The aim of the specialization in design and technical production is to give the student professional training in scenic, costume, and/or lighting design, and in related technical theater subjects. There is a heavy emphasis on the application of design skills to campus productions. Related work in the professional theater is encouraged through internships in the final year of study. Students are recommended for projects with professional designers and theater companies during the summer and during the academic year with faculty approval. Except in rare cases, each student who is admitted must have a solid undergraduate concentration in one or more of the design or technical areas and/or a strong background in art. Each applicant must be interviewed, at which time his or her portfolio will be evaluated. The program requires 60 hours of course work. This includes three credits for a thesis project, which must consist of a fully researched and rendered scenographic design for a major production. This production is typically a paper project or, with permission, a realized production. The degree typically requires three years of study.

  • A full-service Scene and Electrics shop with industry standard tools and construction facilities, including wood, metal, and plastic fabrication; paint and prop shop; extensive prop and set dressing stock; Laser cutting and CNC fabrication capabilities; industry-standard lighting technology, including LED and intelligent lighting fixtures and multiple programming platforms and projection and sound technology.
  • Full-service costume shop with multiple professional machines, dress forms, and laboratory work spaces; extensive in-house costume stock and custom costume-building capabilities, including draping, dying, costume crafts, and distressing.
  • Three performance venues, including a modified thrust proscenium, flexible black box, and festival stage venue with dedicated lighting plot.
  • Dedicated B.F.A. design studio with access to a student lighting lab, drafting lab, and technology center, including lighting counsel programming, digital rendering, projection equipment and software, audio labs and studios, 3D printing, and laser cutting.
  • Located in New York City, affording numerous opportunities to engage with industry professionals.

Program Requirements

Courses in the Theater Department offered toward the degree must be 7000-level courses.

The program of study must be approved in advance by the head of the specialization.

Matriculation Requirements

Applicants must offer at least 18 credits in theater courses including courses in directing, design, and theater production, or in such design-related courses as architecture, art history, and painting. Applicants must be interviewed by the Theater Department or submit a portfolio directly to the Theater Department at the time of application.

Consideration is also given to applicants who do not meet course requirements but have equivalent experience or unusual talent in the chosen specialization. Such applicants should consult the program head.

A request for an audition or interview appointment may be made by letter or telephone to the head of the relevant concentration.

Degree Requirements

Theater 7212X, 7213X, 7415X, 7431X, 7433X, 7435X, 7421X, 7721X, 7722X, 7723X, 7742X; and a minimum of three additional courses in design and technical production. Before taking Theater 7742X, students must complete designs for actual productions at the experimental or thesis production level and must complete a design for a major production in fulfillment of the practicum course requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a specialization in design and technical production from Brooklyn College will be able to:

  • Demonstrate, using visual media, the ability to communicate stage design concepts and technical theater practices.
  • Demonstrate a synthesis of stage design concepts adhering to industry standards and practices.
  • Pursue excellence and innovation in the practice and application of stage design to further the dialogue of visual design.
  • Successfully execute designs and production-oriented projects in alignment with professional standards and practices.

Admissions Requirements

Submit a graduate application that includes portfolio link and résumé to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Contact Kip Marsh, program head, to schedule an interview.

Contact

Kip Marsh, Program Head

079D Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts
E: kmarsh@brooklyn.cuny.edu
P: 718.951.5889

Or contact:

Office of Graduate Admissions

222 West Quad Center
2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210
E: grads@brooklyn.cuny.edu
P: 718.951.4536

Office Hours

Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

To make an appointment with a graduate admissions counselor, visit:

BC Admissions Appointment Tool

Directing Specialization

Introduction

The M.F.A. Theater specialization in directing is designed to train directors to perform with distinction and leadership in the practice of professional theater.

Many of our recent graduates are now running their own theaters, have launched successful careers in New York, the United States, and abroad as directors and teachers, and are generating a productive network for themselves and our other M.F.A. graduates. A distinctive feature of our program is that each student and the program head create an individualized two-year curriculum combining required courses with multiple electives designed to satisfy each student’s unique talents, proclivities, and aspirations.

The program balances rigorous academic preparation in the history, theory, and literature of theater with intensive practical experience through on-campus productions, classroomship activity, and internships with a wide variety of producing organizations in New York. Additionally, the program supports student initiatives for credit-bearing independent study.

The program is committed to supporting each directing student’s unique evolution by engaging with the bounty of resources and opportunities offered by New York City, and now, as we emerge from an unprecedented time of remote learning and practice, by engaging with those now on an even wider scale.

In this two year program students will take 60 credits, 24 of which are required: four directing classes, one performing arts management class, one design class, a first year capstone one-act directing project, and a thesis production followed by a thesis paper. The remaining 36 credits include courses in theater management, theater history, dramatic structure, and dramatic theory and criticism, as well as independent study courses tailored to the individual student’s interests.

Program Requirements

Courses in the Theater Department offered toward the degree must be 7000-level courses.

The program of study must be approved in advance by the head of the specialization.

Matriculation Requirements

Applicants must offer at least 18 credits in theater courses including courses in acting, directing, dramatic literature, theater history, and stagecraft. A production book for an actual or proposed production must be submitted directly to the Theater Department at the time of application. If possible, applicants should arrange to be interviewed by the Theater Department.

Consideration is also given to applicants who do not meet course requirements but have equivalent experience or unusual talent in the chosen specialization. Such applicants should consult the program head.

A request for an audition or interview appointment may be made by letter or telephone to the head of the relevant concentration.

Degree Requirements

Theater 7611X, 7511X, 7512X, 7513X, 7514X, 7721X, 7722X or 7622X, 7723X or 7623X, 7514X, 7515X, and 7742X. Additional advanced courses to bring the total number of advanced credits in Department of Theater concentration in Directing courses to 60. All the required courses used to meet these degree requirements must be completed with a grade of C or higher.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a specialization in directing from Brooklyn College will be able to:

  • Communicate effectively and professionally (verbally, visually, and in writing) while directing a full-length play.
  • Apply knowledge and skills acquired during their M.F.A. studies to pursue professional artistic endeavors in line with a personal or collaborative vision.
  • Create theatrical productions that involve professional collaboration, discipline, and standards.

Admissions Requirements

Submit a graduate application that includes résumé, statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, and transcript(s) to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Submit a production book (portfolio) via Google drive or Dropbox link to Professor Senior via e-mail.

Faculty

  • Kimberly Senior: Interim Head, Graduate Directing Program
  • Jackson Gay: Adjunct Lecturer Directing Program
  • Arin Arbus: Adjunct Lecturer Directing Program
  • Niluka Hotaling: Production Manager
  • Victor “Kip” Marsh: Head, Graduate Design Programs
  • Susan Myburgh: Co-Head, Graduate Acting Program, Artistic Associate
  • Patrick Sabongui: Head, B.F.A. Program
  • Teresa Snider-Stein: Head, Costume Design
  • Ben Stanton: Head, Lighting Design
  • Laura Tesman: Department Chair, Co-Head B.A.
  • Judylee Vivier: Head, Graduate Acting Program

Noted Alumni

  • Sarah Benson: Freelance Director, Former Artistic Director, SoHo Rep, New York City
  • Meghan Finn: Artistic Director, The Tank, New York City
  • Adrienne Kapstein: Professor of Theater, Pace University, New York City
  • David Kennedy: Associate Artistic Director, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, Connecticut
  • Woodie King, Jr.: Founder and Artistic Director, New Federal Theater, New York City
  • Cara Reichel: Producing Artistic Director, Prospect Theater, New York City
  • Miriam Weiner: Literary Manager, Vineyard Theater, New York City
  • Welker White: Stage Director, M.F.A. Faculty Brooklyn College, Film Actress (The Irishman, Goodfellas, Dead Poet’s Society)

Contact

Kimberly Senior, Interim Program Head

315A Whitehead Hall
E: kimberly.senior@brooklyn.cuny.edu
P: 718.951.5000, ext. 2764

Or contact:

Office of Graduate Admissions

222 West Quad Center
2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210
E: grads@brooklyn.cuny.edu
P: 718.951.4536

Office Hours

Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

To make an appointment with a graduate admissions counselor, visit:

BC Admissions Appointment Tool

Performing Arts Management Specialization

The Performing Arts Management specialization is a rigorous course of study offering students from all over the world a theoretical, practical, and essential foundation for a career in the field of performing arts management.

Mostly through the lens of theater, the overarching goal of the program is to serve as a professional training ground for future leaders in both the commercial and not-for-profit arms of the industry. As defined by this program, arts management includes the business activities surrounding the running of not-for-profit and commercial entities in the arts. This includes marketing, fundraising, leadership, facilities, labor law and relations, EDIA, programming, company management, finance, accounting, and human resources. (Note: While there is limited overlap in skill set, stage management and production management are not a focus of this program).

Upon completion of the requirements for the specialization in performing arts management, graduates will:

  • Acquire strong foundational knowledge of the business of various types of performing arts organizations.
  • Gain the strategic and critical thinking skills required of leaders in arts organizations.
  • Gain valuable connections with working professionals in the field through coursework, externships, residencies, and mentorships.
  • Become part of an alumni network whose members work in all aspects of the field.

Most classes are held in the evening so that students may fulfill professional experiences during the day throughout their time in the program. In the summer, students will participate in a required two-week residency where they are paired with mentors, attend networking events, and meet with working professionals as part of a curated seminar series. Every course in the program is taught by working professionals who are appointed each semester to teach in their area of expertise. The synergy of rigorous course work, exposure to professionals currently working in the field, the summer residency, and professional experiences throughout the program provides the students a comprehensive skill set and the necessary networks to springboard them into their professional futures.

Program Requirements

Courses in the Theater Department offered toward the degree must be 7000-level courses.

The program of study must be approved in advance by the head of the specialization.

Matriculation Requirements

Applicants must offer at least 18 to 21 credits or the equivalent in courses in one of the following: dance, fine arts, music, or theater. Applicants must submit an essay on professional goals. Applicants must be interviewed by the Theater Department.

Consideration is also given to applicants who do not meet course requirements but have equivalent experience or unusual talent in the chosen specialization. Such applicants should consult the program head.

A request for an audition or interview appointment may be made by letter or telephone to the head of the relevant concentration.

Degree Requirements

Theater 7442X, 7610X, 7611X, 7612X, 7613X, 7615X, 7616X, 7617X , 7619X, 7621X, 7622X, 7623X. Students must take two of the following courses: THEA 7212X, 7213X, 7214X, 7215X, 7216X, 7223X, 7224X, 7231X, 7232X, or 7233X. With a few exceptions, students must also take Theater 7631X, which requires the satisfactory completion of a 10-15–week residency with a professional arts organization or agency approved by the chair and a thesis report based on the residency experience.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a specialization in performance arts management from Brooklyn College will be able to:

  • Communicate effectively in professional settings during presentations using appropriate modalities and technologies (e.g., public speaking, writing, PowerPoint).
  • Apply skills acquired during their M.F.A. studies to create creative and professional business plans (e.g., marketing plans, development plans, strategic plans).
  • Utilize and learn from mentors within professional settings.

Admissions Requirements

Admission requires an undergraduate degree with significant study in the performing arts. Consideration is also given to applicants who do not meet course requirements but who have equivalent experience.

  • A graduate application submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
  • Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your current work in performing arts management and/or academic success.
  • A personal statement of any length that focuses on three topics:
    • What are your professional goals in performing arts management?
    • How will graduate training support those professional goals?
    • What do you hope your career in performing arts management will uniquely contribute to the field?

It is recommended that you inform the head of the program that your application has been completed.

After initial review of applications, finalists will be invited to interview with the program head on Zoom.

Faculty

  • Jessica Adler: Arts Finance Management Services (Finance & Accounting for the Performing Arts)
  • Randy Anderson: Contracts Director, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (Employee and Labor Relations)
  • Bonnie Butkas: Executive Director, Merrimack Repertory Theater (Fundraising for the Performing Arts)
  • Stephanie Grassi, Esq.: General Counsel, League of Resident Theatres (Law & the Arts)
  • John C. Moore: Freelance AEA Stage Manager (Stage & Company Management)
  • Sara Morgulis: Executive Director, Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (Theatre in the Classroom)
  • Brisa Areli Muñoz: Artistic Director, The Musical Theatre Factory (Theater in the Classroom)
  • Jessica Niebanck: General Manager, Lincoln Center Theater (Business Management in the Arts)
  • Grant Rice: General Manager, Daryl Roth Theatrical Management (Stage & Company Management)
  • Marc Routh: President, Marc Routh Productions/Broadway Asia (Business Management in the Arts)
  • Nella Vera: Director of Marketing, Feinstein’s/54 Below (Marketing in the Performing Arts)
  • Alison Weller: Associate Artist, The Civilians (Text Analysis)

Alumni

The performing arts management specialization has hundreds of alumni employed in the field of arts management. Most begin in middle management positions related to such specialties as fundraising, finance, and marketing. As the years progress, an increasing number move into top management jobs, becoming general managers, executive directors, company presidents, and Broadway producers.

Below is a list of organizations that have recently offered opportunities to our students and/or participated in our summer residency.

  • 321 Theatrical Management
  • Atlantic Theater Company
  • Aurora Theatre
  • Berkeley Repertory Theater
  • Bespoke Theatricals
  • Bristol Riverside Theater
  • Broadway Asia
  • Daryl Roth Theatrical Management
  • Enchant Nashville
  • Feinstein’s/54 Below
  • League of Resident Theatres (LORT)
  • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
  • Lincoln Center Theater
  • Lucille Lortel Foundation
  • Mark Morris Dance Group
  • Marin Theatre Company
  • Merrimack Repertory Theatre
  • Manhattan Theatre Club
  • MCC Theater
  • Musical Theatre Factory
  • Providence Performing Arts Center
  • Roundabout Theatre Company
  • Signature Theatre Company
  • Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
  • Studio Theater
  • Taproot Foundation
  • Theatre for Young Audiences USA
  • Theatre for a New Audience
  • The Public Theater
  • University Resident Theatre Association (URTA)
  • Vaycay
  • Weathervane Theater
  • Weston Theater Company
  • Vineyard Theatre
  • WP Theater

Contact

Michael Page, Program Head

317 Whitehead Hall
E: michael.page@brooklyn.cuny.edu
P: 718.951.5000, ext. 2764

Or contact:

Office of Graduate Admissions

222 West Quad Center
2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210
E: grads@brooklyn.cuny.edu
P: 718.951.4536

Office Hours

Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

To make an appointment with a graduate admissions counselor, visit:

BC Admissions Appointment Tool

Internships and Employers

Through job fairs, the internship database, and internship panels, the Magner Career Center gives students in the theater M.F.A. program access to career opportunities at a wide variety of employers, including:

  • Ford’s Theater
  • HBO
  • National Theatre (West End, London)
  • Philadelphia Theatre Company
  • Playwrights Horizons
  • Rattlestick Playwrights Theater
  • Soho Repertory Theatre
  • The Public Theater

Learn More

Brooklyn. All in.

Brooklyn. All in.