The Rita and Burton Goldberg MFA in Playwriting is a selective two-year program with a strong emphasis on production. Students will study playwriting, theatre history, dramatic literature and play analysis in Hunter’s Department of Theatre while learning to collaborate with actors, directors, designers, and dramaturgs through the rehearsal process for readings and productions. Training includes electives in other disciplines, as well as work with some of the most exciting theatre artists in New York City, under the guidance of Playwright-in-Residence, Tina Howe and Distinguished Lecturer in Playwriting, Mark Bly. The Rita and Burton Goldberg MFA in Playwriting is about making theatre in the theatre capital of the world.

The program offers student playwrights the rare opportunity to learn from seasoned theatre professionals about the process of working on a new play. The students’ thesis plays will be produced and staffed by professional directors and actors. These productions, known as the Hunter Playwrights Festival, will be supervised by Thesis Adviser and Production Manager Mark Bly and Tina Howe and presented in the spring semester. This Festival is an extraordinary opportunity for the playwrights to showcase their work before an invited audience of distinguished local and national industry professionals.

Admissions

Applicants to the Rita and Burton MFA in playwriting are required to have a bachelor’s degree; they must submit two letters of recommendation, GRE scores and a full length play or a one act play of at least 40 pages, both as hard copy and as a PDF attachment.  An interview is strongly recommended.  (Only matriculated students will be eligible to take MFA courses.)  Admission will be decided by the Artistic Director and the MFA faculty.  The deadline for application is April 1.

Degree Requirements

This two year program encourages playwrights to discover and celebrate their unique voice.  Toward that end they’ll be given a thorough grounding in theatre history, dramatic literature, play analysis, and the craft of playwriting as well have the opportunity to take electives in other departments.  Well known theatre artists will also be invited in to share their experience and expertise.  In conjunction with this academic grounding and focus on individual needs, students will learn how to collaborate with actors, directors, designers, and dramaturgs culminating in staged readings and full productions of their plays.

Required Courses (27 credits)
•           THC 73100 - MFA Playwriting I: The One-Act Play
•           THC 73200 - MFA Playwriting II: The Full-Length Play
•           THC 73300 - MFA Playwriting III: Thesis Project
•           THC 73400 - MFA Playwriting IV: The Playwright Prepares
•           THC 73500 - MFA Production Workshop I: Playwriting Strategies and
                                 Exercises
•           THC 73600 - MFA Production Workshop II: Adaptation
•           THC 75100 - History of Theatre I
•           THC 75200 - History of Theatre II
•           THC 79000 - Play Analysis

Electives (9 credits)
Nine credits are to be chosen from Courses in Theatre
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Sample Program of Study

First Semester
•           THC 75100 - History of Theatre I
•           THC 73100 - MFA Playwriting I: The One-Act Play
•           THC elective: select from the following courses Courses in Theatre

Second Semester
•           THC 75200 - History of Theatre II
•           THC 73200 - MFA Playwriting II: The Full-Length Play
•           THC 79000 - Play Analysis

Third Semester
•           THC 73300 - MFA Playwriting III: Thesis Project
•           THC 73500 - MFA Production Workshop I: Playwriting Strategies and
                                 Exercises
•           THC elective

Fourth Semester:
•           THC 73400 - MFA Playwriting IV: The Playwright Prepares
•           THC 73600 - MFA Production Workshop II: Adaptation
•           THC elective
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For more information, please contact MFATheatre@hunter.cuny.edu.

See also: The Playwriting page on the Graduate Admissions website

Ready to apply? Start the online application process.