The 6 Best Acting Schools in New Jersey

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Prior to portraying the prim and proper, Chanel-loving Charlotte on “Sex and the City,” Kristin Davis earned a BFA in acting from Rutgers. Before becoming the beloved singing host of “Blue’s Clues & You!,” Josh Dela Cruz graduated from Montclair State with a degree in musical theater. As these examples demonstrate, you shouldn’t say “fuggedaboutit” when it comes to New Jersey acting schools. In this article, we’ll examine the top acting schools in the Garden State, using a methodology that includes class quality and diversity, performance opportunities, and notable instructors and alumni.

1. Kean University Theatre Program - Union, New Jersey
The Kean University Theatre Program offers competitive BFA and B.A. degrees for aspiring performers, as well as robust study abroad opportunities in London or on its campus in Wenzhou, China. It even has an in-house professional theater company, Premiere Stages, which allows student actors the opportunity to audition and work.

Kean University invites famous working professionals, such as icon of the stage and screen Billy Porter and the cast members of “A Different World,” to host master classes. Actors Joseph K. Bevilacqua and Holly Taylor are just two Kean students who went on to industry success.

2. Montclair State University - Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair State University’s BFA in Theatre/Acting boasts a mix of permanent faculty members and visiting professionals who mentor their theater and dance students every year. Since the school is a mere 18 miles away from New York City, it frequently invites working playwrights, choreographers, guest directors, casting directors, and agents to come work with and speak to students.

MSU takes a holistic approach to performance, offering a broad array of courses in textual analysis, directing, and introduction to technical theater; performance for TV and new media; and training in methods such as Stanislavsky, Grotowski, Viewpoints, and Suzuki. Notable alumni include Erick Avari (“Stargate,” “The Mummy”) and Broadway actor Stuart Zagnit.

3. New Jersey School of Dramatic Arts - Montclair, New Jersey
The New Jersey School of Dramatic Arts has offered formal acting, improv, musical theater, and film training since 2004. Its cumulative program has entry points for all skill levels, meaning students have a chance to work one-on-one with their instructors while developing their techniques.

The NJSDA teaches kids, teens, and adults both online and in person. As a registered 501(c)3, donations to the school are used for student scholarships. Co-founder Beth Baur (who earned three nods for the Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education) and Broadway performer Gary Lynch are just two teachers on the NJSDA’s impressive instructor roster.

4. Paper Mill Playhouse - Millburn, New Jersey
The recipient of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award, Paper Mill is one of the top playhouses in the country. It offers classes for children, teens, and adults, plus group scene study classes and private voice and coaching lessons. 

For younger performers, it has musical theater workshops, improv, and acting for the camera, as well as showcases for students to show off their skills. Stars who studied here include Tony Award winner Laura Benanti and Oscar winner Anne Hathaway.

5. Performers Theatre Workshop - Millburn, New Jersey
Founded by two Juilliard graduates in the ’80s, the Performers Theatre Workshop is New Jersey’s “premier performing arts school for young people.” Its focus on instructing in a “non-competitive” environment ensures that all students feel comfortable and confident to explore their inherent creativity as performers.

The Workshop has different tracks that students can enter: the professional track, for students who are aspiring or already-working actors, and the college track, for students preparing to embark on the college audition process. It’s renowned for connecting students with performance opportunities—just ask its impressive alumni roster, who have appeared in Broadway shows such as “Aladdin” and “Mamma Mia!,” in films such as “Get Smart” and “The Dreamers,” and on TV shows including “All My Children” and “Dawson’s Creek.”

6. Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts - New Brunswick, New Jersey
Rutgers University has campuses in a few different parts of New Jersey, and it also has more than one drama program. But the campus in New Brunswick is one of the top theater programs in the region, in no small part due to the fact that it emphasizes a cohesive interdisciplinary education.

The school offers B.A., BFA, and MFA tracks, as well as study abroad opportunities in London. Students aiming to earn their B.A. in theater must take 47 credits minimum, with courses that include playwriting, scenic art, and theater history alongside their performance requirements. Tony winner Roger Bart, Emmy winner Tom Pelphrey, and Golden Globe winner Calista Flockhart are just a few of MGSA’s notable alumni.

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