Apply to Graduate Musical Theatre Writing

The most important criteria for admission to the New York University Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program are talent and the ability to work collaboratively. We encourage writers and composers to apply who have practical experience in their discipline(s) and/or a more traditional academic background. All applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent.

GRADUATE APPLICANTS

THE DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR FALL 2025 ADMISSION IS FEBRUARY 1ST, 2025.

CHECKLIST

All applicants to The Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program must complete the Tisch Graduate Admissions application which will be available in September.

The application requires the following components:

+Professional Resume

List all professional, creative and other work experience, including all work experience in the fields of music, theatre, design, choreography, journalism, creative writing and other performance media including film and television. Include pertinent training such as schools, years attended (private lessons, special musical or theatrical training, etc.), and a complete list of both dramatic and non-dramatic pieces you have had a role in creating. If you have a website, please include a link.

+Personal Statement

Address the following in your Personal Statement:

Why are you interested in participating in this program at this point in your life?
Why do you feel your work is leading you towards this medium? Why are music and lyrics essential to the stories you want to tell?
What subjects are you drawn to write about and why?
What do you believe you can contribute to the incoming class?
What is your personal manifesto for musical theatre in the 21st Century?

+Two letters of recommendation

+Unofficial transcripts from your undergraduate and graduate schools (uploaded with your application). Official Final Transcripts will be required before you enroll if you are admitted to the program.

+Sample Work (Creative Portfolio)

Sample Work

Things to Include in Your Creative Portfolio

Applicants with more than one expertise may submit sample work in multiple categories.

Bookwriters

Please submit 20 pages of a play, musical, opera libretto or screenplay, in PDF form. Include a synopsis and reviews, if available.

Non-playwrights may instead submit a 20-page portfolio that reflects their recent work (i.e. poetry, fiction, non-fiction), in PDF form.

If you are submitting any excerpts that were created in collaboration with other writers, please indicate what your specific contribution was.

Lyricists

Please submit recordings of songs for which you have written lyrics. These recordings should include sung vocals and should not exceed 20 minutes in combined length. Include supporting materials such as:

● scores

● lyric sheets

● charts

● YouTube links or standard video formats

Non-theatrical works demonstrating a wide stylistic range are welcome (e.g., pop songs, song cycles, concert works, or poetry). If your song is from a musical theatre piece, include the accompanying scene and a brief synopsis for context.

If you are submitting any excerpts that were created in collaboration with other lyricists, please indicate what your specific contribution was.

Composers

Please submit recordings and scores of no more than 20 minutes of original material. Either audio or video recordings are fine. If you prefer, you may submit links to YouTube/Vimeo/Soundcloud/etc. in lieu of uploading actual audio or video files. If you are submitting excerpts from longer pieces, please clearly indicate on your scores where the recorded excerpt begins and ends.

If notation (traditional or otherwise) is not part of your compositional practice, you may include a brief statement indicating how you communicate (or would communicate in the future) your musical ideas to performers and collaborators.

We recommend submitting at least one excerpt that shows your ability to write for the voice or within a dramatic medium, but we strongly advise you to submit a diverse portfolio that demonstrates the complete range of your musical interests and skills, which may include instrumental pieces, improvised music, and work in any style or medium. If you have not yet composed much dramatic music, submit pieces that give an indication of what kinds of music you are interested in exploring should you be accepted into the program.

If you are submitting any excerpts that were created in collaboration with other composers or musicians, please indicate what your specific contribution was.