Drama institution in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Main atrium of the Purnell Center for the Arts, a building constructed specifically for the School of Drama
The Carnegie Mellon School of Drama is the first degree-granting
drama institution in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1914, it is one of five schools within the
Carnegie Mellon College of Fine Arts .
The school's undergraduate
BFA programs in acting, musical theatre, directing, design, dramaturgy, and production technology and management majors are considered to be among the top programs in
undergraduate conservatory training. Its
MFA offerings in directing, design, dramatic writing, and production and technology management are also considered to be top
graduate programs . The School of Drama offers 18 events every season on campus, and also presents members of its graduating class in produced showcases in
New York City and
Los Angeles . Many Carnegie Mellon graduates have also gone on to successful careers in
Pittsburgh theatre .
In 2017,
The Hollywood Reporter ' s list of best undergraduate drama schools ranked Carnegie Mellon second.
[1] In 2014, The Hollywood Reporter ranked the School of Drama number three in the world among drama schools.
[2] In 2015, the same publication ranked the MFA program at the School of Drama number five in the world.
[3] According to
Playbill , the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama ranks fourth in the number of alumni represented in the 2015–2016
Broadway season.
[4]
Facilities
A
set construction room in the Purnell Center
Since 2000, the Purnell Center for the Arts, specifically designed for the School of Drama, has been the department's home. The space includes:
As well as two movement/dance studios, three rehearsal studios, four design studios, a lighting lab, a sound lab, a costume shop, a scene shop, and various classrooms.
Notable alumni
René Auberjonois , actor (
Star Trek: Deep Space 9 )
Habib Azar , director, filmmaker
Hale Appleman , actor (
The Magicians )
Felecia M. Bell , actress
Natalie Venetia Belcon , actress
Denée Benton , actress (
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 ,
The Gilded Age )
Carl Betz , actor (
The Donna Reed Show )
Steven Bochco , Emmy Award-winning writer/producer/director (
Hill Street Blues ,
L.A. Law and
NYPD Blue )
Matthew Bomer , actor (
Magic Mike ,
Chuck ,
White Collar ,
Fellow Travelers )
Abby Brammell , actress
Will Brill , actor (
Fellow Travelers )
Anthony Carrigan , actor (
Barry )
Donna Lynne Champlin , actress
Gaius Charles , actor (
Friday Night Lights ,
Grey's Anatomy )
Casey Childs , actor, artistic director, Founder of
Primary Stages .
Corey Cott , actor (
Newsies ,
Gigi ,
Bandstand )
Casey Cott , actor (
Kevin Keller on
Riverdale )
Christina Crawford , author (
Mommie Dearest )
James Cromwell , actor (
All In The Family ,
Babe ,
The Queen )
Ted Danson , actor (
Cheers ,
Damages )
Neal Dodson , film producer (
Margin Call ,
All Is Lost , and
A Most Violent Year )
[5]
Dagmara Dominczyk , actress (
The Count of Monte Cristo )
Barbara Feldon , actress
Katie Finneran , actress (
Noises Off ,
Promises, Promises (musical) ) (attended briefly)
Sutton Foster , actress (
Thoroughly Modern Millie ,
The Drowsy Chaperone , "
Anything Goes ") (attended briefly)
Christian Borle , actor (
Smash ,
Spamalot ,
Legally Blonde ,
Peter and the Starcatcher )
Josh Gad , actor (
Frozen ,
The Book of Mormon )
Renée Elise Goldsberry , Tony Award-winning actress (
Hamilton )
Frank Gorshin , actor/comedian
Josh Groban , singer (attended briefly)
Van Hansis , actor (
As the World Turns )
Ian Harding , actor (
Pretty Little Liars )
Will Harrison , actor (
Daisy Jones & the Six )
Mariette Hartley , actress
Ethan Hawke , actor (attended briefly)
Sian Heder , writer and Academy Award-winning filmmaker (
Orange Is The New Black ,
Tallulah ,
CODA )
Megan Hilty , actress/singer (
Wicked ,
9 to 5 )
Holly Hunter , Academy Award-winning actress
Erik Jensen , actor/playwright
Cherry Jones , Tony Award-winning actress
Rachel Keller , actress on "Fargo" and "Legion" TV series
Arthur Kennedy , actor
Dennis Kenney , actor/singer
Frederick Koehler , actor (
Kate & Allie ,
Oz )
Jack Klugman , actor
Andrew Kober , actor
Eugene Lee , scenic designer (
Saturday Night Live )
Telly Leung , actor (
Glee ,
In Transit ,
Allegiance )
Judith Light , actress
Kara Lindsay , actress (
Newsies ,
Wicked )
Sara Lindsey , actress
Michael McMillian , actor (
Dorian Blues ,
True Blood )
Gabriel Macht , actor
Joe Manganiello , actor (
Magic Mike ,
True Blood )
Sonia Manzano , actress (
Sesame Street )
Nancy Marchand , actress (
Lou Grant ,
The Sopranos )
Rob Marshall , film director, nominated for a 2003
Academy Award for
Chicago .
Rebecca Metz , actor, (
Better Things (TV series) ,
Coop and Cami Ask the World ,
Shameless (U.S. TV series) )
Patina Miller , Tony Award-winning actress (
Pippin )
Katy Mixon , actress
[6] (
Mike & Molly ,
American Housewife )
Ming-Na Wen , actress (
The Joy Luck Club ,
Mulan ,
ER ,
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. )
Leslie Odom Jr. , Tony Award-winning actor (
Hamilton )
Rory O'Malley , Tony Award-nominated actor (
The Book of Mormon ,
Hamilton )
Cote de Pablo , actress (NCIS )
Stephanie Palmer , Director of Creative Affairs at
MGM , Founder of Good in a Room
John Pasquin , film director
Victoria Pedretti , actress (
The Haunting of Hill House ,
You ,
The Haunting of Bly Manor )
George Peppard , actor
David Pevsner , actor
Billy Porter , actor/singer
Zachary Quinto , Emmy Award nominated actor (
Star Trek ,
Heroes ,
24 )
Darren Ritchie , actor
George A. Romero , film director
Ben Levi Ross , actor (
Tick Tick Boom )
Ann Roth , costume designer (
The English Patient ,
The Talented Mr. Ripley )
Laura San Giacomo , actress
Pablo Schreiber , Tony Award and Emmy Award nominated actor (
Orange is the New Black ,
American Gods ,
Thirteen Hours )
Maïté Schwartz , actor (
quarterlife )
Stephen Schwartz , film and theatre composer
Leigh Silverman , director
Emily Skinner , actress/singer
Josef Sommer , actor
Aaron Staton , actor (
Mad Men )
Patricia Tallman , actress/stuntwoman (
Babylon 5 )
John-Michael Tebelak , playwright and director (
Godspell )
Sada Thompson , actress (
Family ,
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds )
Tamara Tunie , actress (
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ,
As the World Turns )
Blair Underwood , actor
Roberta Valderrama , actress (
10 Items or Less ,
ER )
Paula Wagner , producer (
Cruise/Wagner Productions )
John Wells , executive producer/creator (
The West Wing ,
ER )
Maura West , actress (
As the World Turns )
Patrick Wilson , actor (
Angels in America ,
Little Children ,
Watchmen )
Krista Marie Yu , actress (
Dr. Ken ,
Last Man Standing )
Kaitlin Hopkins , actress (
Beverly Hills, 90210 ,
The Practice ,
Star Trek: Voyager ,
Spin City ,
Diagnosis: Murder )
See also
Theatre in Pittsburgh
References
External links
40°26′38″N 79°56′36″W / 40.443772°N 79.943211°W / 40.443772; -79.943211