Note: This program is currently closed for new admissions.

The Professional Directing Program prepares advanced students for careers as professional directors.

The Directing program, a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree, is designed to train and prepare directors for a career in the professional theater. All training is centered on the principle of collaboration with actors, designers, and playwrights.

Directing - M.F.A. Courses & Curriculum

During a three-year course of study, directors develop and practice their craft in a variety of ways ranging from acting scene work to directing fully supported main stage productions.

View Courses & Requirements the Official Academic Catalog

First-year directing classes are designed to help the director understand the logical progression of organic components that make up the directing process. This includes exploring how a play is chosen, examining how a concept or directing approach is formulated, and where the dangers and pitfalls lie; discussing matters of textual analysis, including classical Aristotelian elements, dramatic structure, and breaking the text down from the actor’s point of view into objectives, actions, subtext, given circumstances and beats; analyzing research techniques and the pre-production period; probing the art of collaboration – with the designers, playwright, actors and stage management team – and how each collaboration is different; investigating the process of working with the design team on everything from the ground plan to the sound design; scrutinizing the casting process, from the writing of breakdowns to running an audition, and what a director needs to look for in the audition room; breaking down the rehearsal process, from first reading through table work, blocking, scene work, and run-throughs, with particular emphasis on working with the actor; and finally, looking at technical rehearsals, including methods of saving time and energy during cue-to-cue, and strategies for accomplishing as much work as you can in as little time as possible. 

First-Year Production Opportunities: The first semester M.F.A. directors participate in the Actor/Director Lab and do scene work and direct a ten minute play with selected actors from the BFA and MFA acting community.  Second semester the director chooses and directs a one-act in the Lab Space. 

Second-year training supports the director as they develop their unique artistic voices. From play choice to final production mentorship is focused on a director establishing their own style in the room. Classes focuses on an investigation into a variety of theatrical styles which can include but is not limited to the Greeks, Shakespeare, Moliere, Brecht or Fornes. We take into account the questions why now and why here when discussing these texts. What does this particular work have to say to our audience? If performed in the style within which it was conceived, how does it illuminate the human condition in our current time frame? Does it need to? 

Second-Year Production Opportunities: In the second year the MFA director will work on a full production of a heightened language play.  This production falls in the first semester. In their second semester the second-year MFA director has the opportunity to assistant direct for the professional director-in-residence on the Tantrum production. 

The third year of training consists primarily of internship, thesis production, and independent studies. Classes associated with thesis involve weekly mentoring sessions during the pre-production process as well as during the rehearsal period. Every aspect of directorial collaboration is evaluated, with particular emphasis on the strength, clarity and imagination of their conception of the production. This involves regular attendance at design meetings, casting sessions and, once they are in progress, rehearsals. The directors are also required to submit a professional looking production journal as part of their final grade, and participate in an Oral Defense of their thesis production with a Thesis Committee comprised of the Directing area head, a representative from the performance area faculty, and a third member from outside the performance area.

Third Year Production Opportunity: Full Main Stage production either the first or second semester. 

Our directors are compassionate, engaged, theater artists that leave the program to become professional directors, directors of theaters, and arts educators.

Internship Opportunities

Students have interned at the Victory Gardens Theater, the Goodman Theater, Dallas Shakespeare Festival, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theater, The Abingdon Theater, The Guthrie Theater, The Labyrinth Theater, American Conservatory Theater, Center Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Cleveland Play House, Old Globe Theatre, Playwrights' Horizons, San Diego Repertory, and Denver Theater Center, and Tantrum Theater in Dublin, Ohio, among others.