Program Spotlight: Emerson College

Emerson College's production of LUCKY STIFF.

Head of Musical Theatre and co-Chair of Performing Arts, Amelia Bloom, shares an overview of Emerson's Musical Theatre program located in the heart of Boston's Theatre District.

Name of your school: Emerson College

How long has your BFA program been in existence? Approximately 50 years

How many students, in general, does your program accept each year? Musical Theatre accepts roughly 65 to yield 18 students.

How many students, in total, are currently enrolled in your program? In Musical Theatre we have about 70, the Department of Performing Arts overall has 450 undergrad students and offers 9 BFA programs devoted to every aspect of the professional theater.

What's unique about your program? We offer a high degree of individual attention, excellent training, and a healthy balance between General Education classes and Studio coursework designed to support the growth of the individual artist within a vibrant community of socially conscious art makers.

Tell us a little bit about the musical theatre faculty at your school. Our faculty are veteran professionals, many with Broadway credentials, masters of their craft, with a passion for teaching.

Are there any recent productions you're particularly proud of? Emerson Stage produces seven to nine shows per year on five main stages. We are proud of all of them, but here is a representative list: MARISOL, FLORA THE RED MENACE, LUCKY STIFF, WORKING, TITANIC, URINETOWN, INTO THE WOODS, STUPID F**KING BIRD, a new student-written play every year, and we are especially proud of having produced a fully virtual season in 20/21, including an original musical GOLDEN DAY, and SPRING AWAKENING.

How about alumni? Our students graduate ready to work professionally. Our alumni are working at every level of performance, including television (BOARDWALK EMPIRE), Broadway (KINKY BOOTS, HAMILTON, FROZEN, PRETTY WOMAN, DR ZHIVAGO, JERSEY BOYS, GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY, DEAR EVAN HANSEN), national tours (MY FAIR LADY, HAIR, THE KING AND I, JERSEY BOYS) cruise lines (DISNEY, CARNIVAL, AIDA), off-Broadway (PLAYWRIGHT'S HORIZONS), and regional theatre (GLOUCESTER STAGE, JUPITER THEATRE, THE PALACE THEATRE), etc. We are equally proud of our graduates who are using their skills in other areas: directing, producing, music directing, teaching, graduate school. What is your program's "best-kept secret"? Emerson College breeds an entrepreneurial spirit and an engagement with improving the world.

Anything else? We view and respect our students as future colleagues.

Learn more about Emerson College's Musical Theatre program by visiting this link.

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