why I decided to MFA

Inevitably, whenever I tell someone I am getting an MFA in Acting, the question they ask is "so .. is that really necessary? like.....
Inevitably, whenever I tell someone I am getting an MFA in Acting, the question they ask is "so .. is that really necessary? like... do you NEED an MFA to be successful as an actor?"

My undergraduate experience was less than satisfactory. I was in a program where only certain types of people could really thrive and survive. I was also in a musical theatre program, which meant triple threat. And .. I'm not a dancer. I mean, I don't have two left feet. I can move really well and pick up choreography, and I know if I started dancing as a kid, I would've been pretty good. But I didn't, and so I wasn't very good, and that was my weakness. I was competing for the BFA with a bunch of people who COULD dance well, and I felt intimidated. I was really too young to be able to say "fuck em" at that point in the my life, so I continued to feel the pressure to be the perfect person this program wanted me to be. I lost all of my confidence that I had gained prior to that, just through doing theatre. I really thought I wasn't good enough and I should just .. do something else with my life. I had a few people on my side during those years, and if I could give advice to my younger self, it would be to listen to the people who had my best interests in mind, not the people who were more interested in making themselves feel better about their failures.

When I moved to NYC, I still lived with that anxiety. I constantly thought I would not be good enough and I'd embarrass myself in a New York audition, because that's essentially all I took away from (most) of my undergrad. I tried to go to a few auditions but gave up for the most part. I was unhappy with myself and my choices. I was depressed. So, I worked for two years at a desk job, thinking I needed a break from theatre. In the beginning, I loved it. I liked working for a paycheck and making enough money to live comfortably and having a routine. But then it got to a point where I HAD to go back to theatre and film. I gave myself the time to explore other options, and don't get me wrong, I was really good at my job. But being good at something doesn't necessarily mean it's the right path. I felt the right path for me was going back to school.

So, with all that being said, here are the reasons an MFA in Acting is necessary and important for ME.

1. Training.

I felt like I didn't get the training I wanted in my previous program. It also emphasized musical theatre (in my case), and I felt like I didn't get all of the ACTING training that I wanted. I knew that if I wanted to be the best artist I could be, I needed to throw myself in totally scary situations everyday for a few years in a safe environment. I know myself well enough to understand that I need tough love. I need to hear criticism from somebody I respect, who I know respects me. Otherwise, I feel attacked. My program gives me that safe environment while also pushing me to my limits. In my one year in school, I already feel more prepared than before to go out into the world and succeed. Ask anyone entering or auditioning for any MFA in Acting program, and they will probably mention how confident and collected the current students seem. It's also a sense of relaxation that I can only find in a program such as my own.

2. It's a MASTERS Degree.

Okay, let's just be real for a second. I am getting my masters degree. Which puts me ahead of the people with just a bachelor's degree or conservatory certificate, even if only on paper. If, for some reason, I decide to apply for a non-acting related job, the fact that I have a Master's degree from an Ivy League looks pretty great, even if it isn't in business or law or something people may find more "credible". Also, this degree is terminal, so I will have the highest degree possible in my field. And, I can teach college with my degree alone! So, I can do my thing AND help future acting generations, if I so choose. But please, please, do NOT get an MFA just for the sake of the degree. It is not an easy two or three years, and you will be a burden to your class if you aren't there to give 150 percent every single day.

3. An MFA is becoming more important.

Go to any Broadway or even off-Broadway show right now, and you will see at least one or two cast members who have an MFA from somewhere. A lot of them have the top schools listed - NYU, Yale, Juilliard - but some of them are from schools I didn't even know had an MFA program.  Lupita Nyong'o is currently getting a ton of attention in the FILM world, and a lot of the buzz is about her degree from Yale. Directors, casting directors, and producers are all starting to notice a trend: an actor with an MFA is extremely reliable. Having an MFA means an actor has respected training, which means directors trust those actors with difficult roles. Dealing with Shakespeare and Chekhov and Absurdism and contemporary works all the same time = knowing how to get shit done and work 1000%, even through exhaustion. Which means, give us only one role for two months and we will probably bring more choices and options and an overall stronger sense of what the role and the overall play requires, because we have been thrown in so many different directions at the same time.

The pool of actors who actually go on to graduate school is so small, we HAVE to be there because this is what we want or have to do with our lives. We are not there because we are still deciding what we want to do. We HAVE decided, although we all may have different paths we want to take. At the end of the day, talent and determination will get anyone the job. But having the training to back up both of those doesn't hurt, either.

4. My specific program felt right for me.

I was fortunate enough to watch someone go through the same program I am in now. I got to know the people, teachers, and structure of the program very well before I even applied. In fact, the ONLY school I wanted to go to before that was NYU, because at the callbacks I had a great feeling about the program. But then I saw the inner workings of Columbia - and decided to give it a shot. And at my callbacks, I immediately felt that "click." It just seemed like I was in the right place at the right time. As I sit here writing this, I still feel like I am exactly where I need to be. My biggest advice to anyone applying for grad school is to make sure it's the right fit for you. I can sit here and praise my program all I want, but if you audition and it just doesn't feel right, then it isn't right. I immediately knew that I would get what I wanted from Columbia, and I have heard the same thing from other people about their programs. My intuition said do it, so I did.

5. The connections.

Alright, this one is a little bit more about getting work and less about training. But I don't mean someone who will just hire me and pay me. I mean, getting to know the directors, playwrights, etc. in my program who I can collaborate with on projects beyond school. Making lifelong friends and artistic partners. Even within my own acting class, I know we will be working with each other beyond school at some point, maybe even on projects we create. I am also fortunate to have incredible faculty who will (hopefully) be in my life for a long time as not only my mentors but as fellow artists in the community of theatre and film. Meeting these types of people are so important if we want to survive this insane business. 

In the same vain, Columbia gives us the opportunity to join AEA. As most stage actors know, getting to join Equity can be a long process if not presented with an actual equity contract at some point. But, in my third year, I will get to work with an Off-Broadway company for a few months for my equity card, and that's that. This is something that is very important to me, and I hope more programs around the country can start working with Equity companies to give this opportunity to all MFA students, because we deserve to be paid a union wage for the training we have received. 

For the list of our faculty, check out these links (prepare to be blown away.. I like to brag about them a bit): 

6. I am learning how to fail.

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. I fail everyday at school. I make mistakes and bad choices every rehearsal. I have to fight against my need to protect myself and allow myself to open up on a daily basis. I have to constantly remind myself that vulnerability is okay. I have to learn to not take anything personally. I have put myself in scary situations constantly. Sometimes I feel like I want to crawl in a dark corner and never come out again. And, by doing all of this, I can confidently walk into any audition and do my best, because I've already failed so many times and SURVIVED. I didn't die. I got back up and tried something else. I wiped my tears away and had to suck it up and go back to class or rehearsal after complete meltdowns. And ... I survived. And I was actually BETTER because of my failure. I can walk into an audition or rehearsal or performance relaxed because I know I will be okay if anything goes wrong. And I will actually do better because of that.

Oh, and also, fuck the people who judge any of us for our mistakes and failures. 


With all of that being said, DO NOT use these as reasons to go to grad school: 
  • expecting to get representation from showcases in NY or LA.
  • again, just for the degree, and not for the work that goes into it.
  • to be PRAISED constantly .. trust me, this will rarely happen, if at all.
  • expecting jobs immediately after graduation; an MFA in Acting does NOT guarantee work, that's up to you.
  • to avoid going into the "real world" after undergrad - the real world may be kinder in this case. make sure you are in a good place for change and growth when entering any MFA program, which most of the time means spending time out in the real world and getting to know you.
Also:
  • DO NOT let your financial situation deter you from grad school. talk to the current students about what they have done - you'd be surprised. plenty of programs have a lot of hidden help - check that out before making your final decision. but always go with your gut if it doesn't make sense for you.
  • DO spend a lot of time getting to know different programs, by visiting, and talking with current faculty or students and alumni. 

So ...no. You don't NEED an MFA to be successful as an actor or artist. You don't even need a BA or BFA. 

But ... yes. It is necessary for me. 

As with all opinions, take what I have said with a grain of salt. I am not an expert and can only speak from my own experience.

xo
brynne

Brynne is an actress and photographer living in New York City.

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