Master of Fine Arts: ActingThe acting program is a three-year, minimum 60-credit-hour professional actor-training program interacting with the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, a professional Equity LORT B Theatre. M.F.A. students are subject to the General Graduate Academic Requirements of the University for graduate study.
First YearThe first year of training is a highly disciplined, process-oriented period of study including: a morning group warm-up; collaboration class integrating students and faculty from each area of study; intensive Linklater voice production; basic speech work; text analysis; reading aloud; individualized fitness and nutritional programs, alignment and self-use process; physical approaches to characterization including physical isolations and effort shape; neutral, extreme and character mask work; acrobatics; ballroom and ballet or modern dance; and the actor's process based on Stanislavskian principles of theatrical truth; building a character; and ensemble play. Performance work includes the first-year social issues project, a Shakespearean project and a contemporary character project.
Second YearIn the second year of training the student actor continues with a morning warm-up collaboration class; Linklater voice production integrated with intensive speech work; a study of dialect that includes a primary source project (with a study of movement patterns as well as dialects); private and ensemble singing; stage combat (unarmed, rapier, dagger, broad sword and quarter staff); subtle energy work; period-style movement including social convention and dance; Commedia dell' arte characterization, mask work and personal clown; continued work on acting Shakespeare; intensive work on Moliere verse text integrated with the period-style movement; restoration or other heightened language text; and application of the actors process to audition technique and contemporary text. Second-year actors begin public performance work with guest and faculty directors on new, contemporary and period plays chosen specifically for the training needs of the second-year class. Occasionally, roles at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre are available for second-year actors.
Third YearThird year actors continue to apply their craft to challenging studies in Shakespeare, Shaw, Shepard, etc.; ongoing solo and ensemble exploration in personal clown; foil and saber fencing; singing; tutorials in speech and movement; and audio drama, voice over and extensive acting for the camera. Public performance work intensifies with specific productions chosen to challenge the actor's art within the training program. Actors also audition for a Kansas City Repertory production and are cast, when appropriate, in roles or as understudies. Actors also audition and perform, when appropriate, in other Kansas City professional Equity theatres. The year ends with a production chosen for the class with a guest director of national prominence. In May, the actors are showcased in New York as part of the New League showcase sponsored by the Alliance for the Development of Theatre Artists, Inc.
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