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The master of fine arts (M.F.A.) acting program at Rutgers' Mason Gross School of the Arts offers an integrated and challenging 3.5 year course of study for committed students who aspire to a career as a professional actor. There is an integrated training core of acting, voice, speech, and movement augmented by courses in clown, script analyses, performance ensemble, dialects, and acting for the camera.
The curricular core is comprised of theater history; the history of clothing, culture, and global theater; and aesthetics of space and 20th century theater. The goal of the program is to graduate actors who are equipped for the rigorous demands of the contemporary stage, as well as television and film, with classes and workshops in on-camera technique, auditioning, and introduction to the life of a working actor.
First year:
The first year explores and masters the fundamental concepts of acting technique, developing broader background knowledge in theater, and establishing the work ethic of the profession. The actor begins intensive training in the Meisner Technique, the foundation of which is designed to help the actor connect with and live fully in their authentic truth. Through extensive exercise work students will practice the basic principle of acting: moment-to-moment truth. The goal of this first year is for the actor to find spontaneity and emotional and physical freedom in their work as well as learn to shape their performance based on careful mining of the text. Voice, speech, and movement support the student's effort to develop an open and technically sound instrument. Theater history, culture, clothing, and the aesthetics of space expand the student's theater vocabulary. Performance opportunities are available in the second semester. The year culminates in performance ensemble, an actor-generated performance piece, as well as final scene projects.
Second year:
The focus is on character development and understanding of text and the introduction and application of script analysis: beats, objectives, actions, quality of playing and the process of building a character. Students are challenged to make choices that expand their natural behavior thus propelling them out of their comfort zone. Scene work begins with contemporary American Realism and progresses into material dealing with more complex language. Voice, speech, movement and the Michael Chekhov Technique underscore the concept of expansiveness and assist the actor in entering the world of any play. Global theater places the actor's study in a wider context. Casting in departmental productions is integral to the second year of study.
Third year:
The third year is spent in London, at the Rutgers Conservatory at
Shakespeare's Globe, immersed in the study of classical acting and
culminating with a performance on the Globe stage. Students will be taught the vital classical fundamentals such as owning Shakespeare's language, mastering verse, and comprehending and appreciating the form of verse text. The student becomes familiar with the use of blank verse, rhyme, and prose and ultimately achieves clarity, expressiveness, and spontaneity in acting Shakespeare. The skills are put into practice with a production mounted on the Globe stage. Voice, Alexander Technique, stage combat, classical dance, British culture and Literature, as well as weekly trips to museums and the theater enhance the educational experience. The year culminates back on campus at Rutgers with a fully conceived and produced production of the play that was done in London, produced by a professional director in a professional rehearsal format.
Year 3.5:
The .5 semester allows the student to synthesize his/her experiences and begin transition into the profession. For actors, much of the day will be spent in an extended rehearsal process while the mornings will be devoted to voice-over and camera techniques. Classes are offered in film, television, singing, and voice-overs, and connections to the industry are made. The company of actors participates in rehearsals and performances of productions staged by professional directors on campus. Productions for the company will have greater scope than in previous years often collaborating with music and dance departments. Throughout the 3.5-year term, students engage in comprehensive study of 20th-century theater and who's who and what's what in contemporary theater, film, and television.
The professional transition:
Rutgers provides a comprehensive career transition during and immediately following the 3.5 semester:
- Free of all class obligations, this period of time allows graduates to take immediate advantage of career opportunities.
- New York Actor Presentation
- Rutgers will actively co-produce professional projects with noted regional and off-Broadway theatres designed to give students concrete access to the theatre profession.
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