22June

URTA MFA Programs Ranked Among Best by Hollywood Reporter

In a recent ranking of MFA theatre programs by The Hollywood Reporter, 6 URTA Member programs were ranked among the best in the nation, including CalArts, UCLA, University of California-Irvine, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of Washington, and University of Wisconsin-Madison. The programs were cited for their selectivity, specialization, connections with the industry, and

mfa, The URTAs, urta, URTA Members
Posted by URTA Posted on 22 Jun 0 Comments

06April

Want to Get a Sneak Peek of the URTA Auditions?

Announcing: URTA Auditions now have a “Sneak Peek” program! For 46 years, the URTA auditions have helped to match the best MFA candidates to the best training programs across the country and internationally. We’ve seen some big stars come through our process, from Ty Burrell, Kate Burton, Frances McDormand, Norbert Leo Butz, Keegan-Michael Key, Lauren

Posted by URTA Posted on 06 Apr 0 Comments

06April

CalArts’ Marissa Chibas Awarded Fox Foundation Fellowship

The William & Eva Fox Foundation and Theatre Communications Group (TCG) have awarded Marissa Chibas (Professor at URTA-member University, CalArts) an Actor Fellowship in Distinguished Achievement, in partnership with Bootleg Theater. Chibas plans to use the grant to develop The Second Woman, an interdisciplinary performance with themes from both John Cassavetes’ film Opening Night and

Posted by URTA Posted on 06 Apr 0 Comments

06April

URTA Interview with Beth Malone: Tony Nominee and URTA Alum

Beth Malone is a graduate of the MFA Acting program at UC Irvine. Last year, she originated the role of Molly Brown in the world premiere of a wholly reimagined The Unsinkable Molly Brown at the Denver Center for the Arts. This year, she received a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of Alison Bechdel in Fun

Posted by URTA Posted on 06 Apr 0 Comments

06April

Indiana University Professor and Students Play Key Role in Prague Quadrennial

The November issue of Theatre Design & Technology features a fascinating article about the USITT-USA National Exhibition for the 2015 Prague Quadrennial. The technical director chosen to lead the build and installation was URTA’s own Paul Bruner, Associate Professor at Indiana University. A grant from USITT and another from a private donor in Bloomington, allowed

Posted by URTA Posted on 06 Apr 0 Comments

06April

URTA at USITT

If you’re headed to USITT in Salt Lake City next week, you won’t want to miss a fantastic session led by URTA’s Vice President, Holly Poe Durbin (UC Irvine) Undergraduate Teachers: Frontline Educators/Mentors/Guides Teachers and students are invited to this panel discussion on teaching theatre design and technology at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The panel

Posted by URTA Posted on 06 Apr 0 Comments

06March

The URTA Q&A with Holly Poe Durbin

Holly Poe Durbin is the head of Costume Design studies at the University of California, Irvine, as well as a member of URTA’s National Board. Today, she offers some advice to those seeking a MFA in theatre design, as well as sharing some thoughts on her own career as a professional designer. Holly, can you

Posted by URTA Posted on 06 Mar 0 Comments

05March

The URTA Q&A with Greg Leaming

Greg Leaming is the director of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training and Associate Artistic Director at Asolo Repertory Theatre. He spoke with URTA about exposing graduate students to the professional theatre, auditioning acting candidates, and more… One of the cornerstones of URTA’s mission is the fostering of ties between its member programs and professional theatres.

Posted by URTA Posted on 05 Mar 0 Comments

23January

Actor/Director Jason Heil Talks with URTA

Jason Heil is currently directing and starring in THE LION IN WINTER for Moonlight Stage Productions in Vista, CA. He is also a graduate of the MFA Acting program at the University of California, Irvine. He recently took some time out of his busy production schedule to answer a few questions for URTA. Welcome, Jason.

Posted by URTA Posted on 23 Jan 0 Comments

21November

“Good Kids” Launches New Play Initiative

Naomi Iizuka’s new play “Good Kids”, the inaugural effort of the Big Ten Theatre Consortium’s New Play Initiative, has concluded its run at the University of Michigan and will now continue its “rolling premiere”, being produced by theatre departments at several other Big Ten schools, including Indiana University, Purdue University, Michigan State, the University of Maryland and University of

Posted by URTA Posted on 21 Nov 0 Comments

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