The B.F.A. Acting program is one of the most comprehensive undergraduate pre-professional acting programs in the country.  By the time the student achieves a B.F.A. degree in acting from Texas State University, she or he will have successfully completed 11 acting classes, 3 voice/speech classes, and 4 movement/dance classes.  Continuity of instruction is maintained throughout the sequence of courses—each course preparing the student for his or her next level of training—working progressively toward development, growth, and mastery.

The first year of actor training focuses on the fundamentals of acting, including an introduction to the Stanislavsky System, the principles of Fitzmaurice Voicework, and training the articulate body.  In the second year, the student studies Characterization, including training in The Style (based on the work of Theatre du Soleil), Acting Realism (the Meisner Technique), which integrates the students first two years of training into to a systematic approach to his/her craft, and TV/Film Acting, which introduces the student to acting for the camera.

At this point, the student must go through an audition and review process before he or she can be accepted into the B.F.A. Acting Program.  On average, the acting faculty accepts 14 acting students into the program each year.  Once accepted, the student enters into an intense and demanding year of physical actor training.  The first semester includes Authentic Movement, Psychological Gesture, physicalizing and embodying the text, Laban, and Viewpoints, as well as a firmer grounding in Fitzmaurice Voicework.  In the second semester, the work shifts to a Lecoq inspired pedagogy, including physical comedy, mask, commedia, clown, and devising actor-created comedy pieces.  In the final year of training, the student will participate in four acting classes: 2 semesters in playing Shakespeare, and 2 semesters of Career Development and creating the role through in-depth advanced scene study.  The student’s final speech class is Dialects.

Throughout their B.F.A. training, the student will also participate in other advance performances classes, such as singing for the actor, stage combat, contact improvisation, and specialized workshops conducted by nationally recognized teachers, actors and directors (see guest faculty below).

NEW YORK SHOWCASE
The culmination of the student’s B.F.A. training is the opportunity to showcase his and her talent in New York for agents, casting directors, and talent managers.  Texas State University is the only undergraduate acting program in the state of Texas to sponsor a New York Showcase for its graduating B.F.A. students.

RECENT GUEST FACULTY
•    Tina Packer and Dennis Krausnick, Shakespeare and Company
•    Catherine Fitzmaurice, Fitzmaurice Voicework
•    Richard Brestoff, author of The Great Acting Teachers and Their Methods
•    Kenny Leon, Broadway Director
•    Dorothy Lyman, Emmy Award winning Stage and Television, Director and Actor
•    J. Ed Araiza. Viewpoints & Suzuki, SITI Company
•    Glenn Morshower, Film and Television actor, Transformers, Good Night and Good Luck, 24 (Aaron Pierce), Friday Night Lights, The Extra Mile (inspirational Workshop)
•    Aquila Theatre Company, New York and national touring company, performances and training.