I graduated UofA in 2004. If you're concerned about not doing enough shows, don't be. They take a max of 8 students/year, so there's plenty of shows to go around. Yes, you have to do 1 year of basic requirements, like any university program (business, science, etc - you usually can't apply for a major until 2nd year anyway). I SMed 3 shows, ASMed 2, PSMed a one-act festival, worked (volunteered) in all departments (props, wardrobe, electrics, carpentry) in 3 years. I have a couple of things that I would definitely recommend about the UofA.
1 - It's a conservatory. That means that they tell you what courses to take and when. It's designed to make you a well-rounded theatre professional with a broad array of skills. This is different than other BFA or college programs in that you don't take only the courses that are of most interest to you and then some electives, but most of the courses are designed in a 3-year arc, rather than cramming everything you need to know in one semester. It doesn't make it easier but you go much more in-depth.
2 - All the department heads in the theatre are IATSE members and work under a special contract to the university. They understand that they're working with students and that teaching is part of their job, but they've been hired to be a department head. It's a subtle difference, but an important one.
3 - Also, you start working under Equity rules from day 1. This means 8-hour days/6 days a week ON TOP of a full course load. Know what you're getting into. Having a job is impossible.
4 - It's a HUGE drama department, with the infrastructure that goes along with that. They offer BA, BA (Honors), BFA Design, MFA Design, BFA Acting, MFA Directing, and MA drama programs, as well as BFA Technical Theatre and BFA Stage Management. But because many of those programs are small, there's a TON of one-on-one. Aside from the academic courses (Theatre History and the like) I don't think I had a class with more than 15 people in it. Even then, I think my biggest class had only about 45 or so. (On a side note: my ex did his MA there, then went to Carleton for his PhD. His biggest complaint? For the first year and a half of the PhD he was re-hashing the same kind of work they did at UofA's MA program.)
5 - Not to be crass, but it IS Alberta. They've got money. Budgets for the mainstage shows can be pretty sweet! A show in my second year, we had a 16' tall statue of a naked woman fly in near the end....then shoot confetti out of her nipples!!
6 - The main facilities (Timms Centre) are only 12 years old. It's quite luxurious. It's got a full fly tower, lowering apron (with 3 levels), 4'x4' traps over the entire stage, dressing rooms that fit 20 easily, a HUGE rehearsal hall (WITH windows!!!), a black box. The wardrobe inventory is second in the province to only the Banff Centre for the Arts. The props department has a 2nd warehouse space, in addition to the two giant storage rooms in the Timms. The Arts building also has a black box with a fly system, another (smaller) thrust theatre, a dance studio, 2 huge rehearsal rooms, etc, etc. I could go on and on!
7 - As for course work, I did set design, lighting design, history of dress and decor, drafting, a couple acting classes, directing, I learned how to read music, stage combat from the guy who teaches at Banff Centre, I got my PAL, First Aid & CPR, Theatre History, Canadian theatre, Modern Drama, learned how to SM dance of all types, including Sutton dance notation, not to mention...um..ACTUAL stage management LOL!
Sorry for the Tolstoy. I started and more thoughts came out! Anyway, I'm really happy that I did the BFA there. I learned a lot, and I often refer back to my notes for a refresher on a subject or several. Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions about UofA.
