Why Choose a BFA in Acting major?
Rooted within a strong liberal arts setting, MMC’s BFA in Acting major is an intensive 60-credit program focusing on varied and diverse acting techniques and performance.
Why Study BFA in Acting at MMC?
The BFA in Acting major at MMC not only offers you extensive training in acting and performance but also encourages you to become well-rounded and expressive artists and human beings with a strong liberal arts background. MMC’s Theatre Arts faculty represent a wide variety of professional experiences and connections, and students are able to foster close personal relationships with the faculty through our small class sizes. Finally, you’ll develop initiative, ownership, agency, and responsibility throughout your training, so that you are prepared to manage your own professional careers beyond college.
What You Will Learn
Upon completion of the BFA in Acting major, you’ll be able to:
- Demonstrate a repeatable and specific process for the performance of complex character actions and behaviors, across multiple theatrical styles;
- Apply extensive research and rehearsal processes, script analysis, and character development to the performance of scenes and monologues written for both stage and screens;
- Invest personally in scenes and monologues from material with varied and diverse given circumstances, contexts, and physical, language, and vocal requirements;
- Demonstrate initiative, discipline, agency, and personal expressivity, ownership, and responsibility.
Required Courses
Stagecraft
Script Analysis
Voice and Speech for the Actor I and II
Acting: Process & Technique
Acting: Beginning Scene Study
Movement for Actors I and II
Theatre Histories I and II
Dramatic Literature Course (of your choosing)
Elements of Directing
Acting: Heightened Language and Historical Contexts
Shakespeare, the Stage, and Humanity
Acting: Intermediate Scene Study
Acting: Advanced Scene Study
Acting: Shakespeare
Acting: Special Topics (two courses of your choosing)
Advanced Studies in Drama and Theatre
Business of Acting/Showcase (elective course)
Program Highlights
New York City Living
MMC is conveniently located in the heart of NYC’s Upper East Side, close to several theatres, studios, and rehearsal spaces. You’ll have access to live theatre events throughout the city and are often given free tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. In addition, our BFA in Acting students have had multiple opportunities for professional internships in casting offices, theatre companies, and NYC-based programs.
Small, Tight-Knit Classes
All BFA in Acting performance courses are kept small in order to foster personal relationships and connections between the faculty and students. As a result, our students feel supported and seen by the faculty throughout all four years of their training. Marymount Manhattan’s commitment to individual attention remains a unique and important advantage during college and post-graduation.
Intensive, Well-Rounded Training
MMC’s BFA in Acting provides intensive acting training within a strong liberal arts program, enabling you to explore multiple interests and become well-rounded, articulate, and multi-dimensional performers and artists. Many students choose to add another major or a minor to their BFA in Acting major, and MMC prides itself on helping students explore and develop a multitude of academic interests
Career and Outcomes
Graduates of MMC’s Acting program are working on Broadway, off-Broadway, in film, television, and digital media, at regional theatres across the United States. Many of our alumni go on to great graduate schools such as Yale School of Drama, The Juilliard School, New York University, Carnegie-Mellon University, as well as in the United Kingdom.
Top College Program
Each year, the team at OnStage Blog announces the best performing arts schools for the coming year based on research by theatre educators, students, alumni, and parents—the people who really know what’s important in theatre education. MMC made the cut and was praised for our impressive master classes and lectures.
