Degree Program: Master of Fine Arts

Chair, Department of Theater Arts: Ellen Bredehoft (Interim)

Head of Graduate Program in Playwriting: Kathleen Tolan

The Department of Theater Arts at the Mason Gross School of the Arts is dedicated to developing professional artists. Students are provided with an experience that includes intensive studio classes, innovative academic curricula, and groundbreaking, fully supported productions.

Students entering the Mason Gross School of the Arts graduate program in theater arts concentrate on playwriting. 

At the core of Rutgers' playwriting program (2.5 years) are the weekly Playwright Seminars, an ongoing class for the duration of the degree in which playwrights deepen their art and hone their craft. Each semester, students will work on a play and play fragments toward developing a portfolio of work. Toward a rich experience of plays and play-making, we read and attend productions at various theaters, mainly in New York City, as well as with theater professionals. Emphasis will be on developing each playwright's unique voice and inclinations. There will be occasional in-class writing and writing assignments, toward exploring new approaches, jump-starting a play, and enriching or unlocking a current play-in-process.

The department's faculty members believe that significant contributions can be made only by artists who possess mastery of their craft and who have an inspiring artistic vision. Standards in the program are high. The faculty focus and attention is on the students' functioning at the highest levels. Therefore, each student is subject to faculty review at the middle and end of every semester. Each student must retain total faculty support to continue in the program.

For up-to-date curriculum and course information, visit the Mason Gross School website.