The Hollywood Reporter ranks UNCSA School of Drama No. 3 in the world for second year in a row

The Hollywood Reporter (THR) has ranked the School of Drama at UNCSA No. 3 on its list of “The World’s 25 Best Drama Schools” for the second year in a row. UNCSA is second among B.F.A. programs included on the 2024 list and is the only public American institution among the top eight programs. UNCSA has appeared annually in the publication's rankings since 2012.

The Hollywood Reporter cites the School of Drama for its undergraduate program which “has placed an emphasis in recent years on student work and devised theater, added on-camera training for students across all four years and expanded its performance repertoire to include more underrepresented voices,” under the leadership of retiring Dean Scott Zigler. “This past year, the school added more opportunities for voiceover work, along with courses on entrepreneurship, and it worked to develop a pedagogy for trans and nonbinary performers,” THR continued.

UNCSA's production of "The Rover" / Photo: Allison Lee Isley

The article notes that alumnus John Langs, the former artistic director of ACT Contemporary Theatre in Seattle, will begin his tenure as the next dean of the School of Drama effective July 1.

The article highlights Stephen McKinley Henderson (B.F.A. '72) (“Civil War”), Mary-Louise Parker (B.F.A. '86) (“The Gray House”), Anna Camp (B.F.A. ’04) (“Pitch Perfect”) and Jake Lacy (B.F.A. ’08) (“The White Lotus”) as notable alumni.

THR also cites the school’s comparably low $24,231-per-year out-of-state tuition, less than other B.F.A. programs ranked in the top five. In-state tuition at UNCSA is $6,497.

The publication consulted with members of the industry and educators for its annual ranking of the best schools for an acting degree, which appeared in the June 19 print issue and online today. Factors included overall training, cost, alumni success and more, THR said.

The 2023-24 performance season included productions of Lucy Prebble’s “Enron,” Robert O’Hara’s “Barbeque,” Octavio Solis’ “Lydia,” Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night, or What You Will” and a musical adaptation of “As You Like It” by American singer/songwriter Shaina Taub.

About the School of Drama

Frequently ranked as one of the best drama schools in the world, the school prepares talented young artists for successful careers on stage, online, and in film and television. Conservatory training grounded in classical values adds technical skills to shape creatively inspired and versatile actors who are in-demand in today’s evolving entertainment landscape. Students perform constantly in both small workshops and major productions across the theatrical repertory. An outstanding resident faculty gives personal attention to their students’ growth. Students receive invaluable on-camera training, and opportunities to explore creative entrepreneurship while offered coveted exposure to industry professionals in the major hubs of the entertainment industry in America.

In addition to Camp, Henderson, Lacy and Parker, among UNCSA’s prominent School of Drama alumni are Billy Magnussen (“Made For Love,” “No Time to Die,” “Aladdin”); Anthony Mackie (“The Falcon and the Winter Solider”); Krys Marshall (“For All Mankind”); Elizabeth Lail (“Gossip Girl,” “You”); Dane DeHaan (“Oppenheimer,” “The Staircase,” “Zero Zero Zero”); Diedrich Bader (“Veep,” “Better Things,” “American Housewife”); Orin Wolf (producer of Broadway’s “Illinoise” and “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Tony Award-winning producer of “The Band’s Visit”); Chris Parnell (“Saturday Night Live”); Isaac Powell (“West Side Story”); and Joe Mantello (“Wicked”), among many others.

June 24, 2024