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Case Western Reserve’s Department of Theater is one of the country’s oldest accredited programs, and our partnership with Cleveland Play House—America’s first regional theater—makes this program a showstopper. Only eight students are accepted every other year, so you'll be in esteemed company.

Start your program learning about your fellow actors—a small cohort with whom you’ll spend most of your time. You'll work collaboratively, with each of you bringing your distinctive strengths to the training program and growing together as an ensemble. You’ll be immersed in the study of performance, from acting styles to training the voice and body to performance history, working alongside professionals in the field for all three years of your program. Each incoming cohort is different, so the curriculum is deep-rooted yet flexible, and performance selections are tailored to fit the ensemble.

Your three years are filled with rigorous training in movement, text, speech, acting, voice, singing, workshops and, of course, public performances. You’ll also spend your third year in residency at Cleveland Play House, performing and understudying in its Mainstage season. CPH not only acts as a place to showcase your talents through performance, but it also hosts classes such as a new play development workshop with visiting professionals. 

Your training culminates in a solo show that best represents your aesthetic and showcases your range.

Our program thrives when we have students with diverse perspectives and a range of educational, professional and life experiences. We look forward to learning more about you!

Through the application process, we're looking for:

• , including a letter of intent
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (either already complete, or will be complete before you enroll)
• Some acting experience or university training, preferred
• Current resume/CV and headshot
• Two letters of recommendation
• The CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program sees candidates through the University/Resident Theatre Association’s (URTA) National Unified Auditions or by appointment, and requests  two contrasting memorized audition pieces - one contemporary, one Shakespearean verse, as well as a short song.