Applications are currently not being accepted for the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Program.
The History of the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs
In 2002, Trinity Repertory Company and Brown University announced a collaboration to create MFA-granting programs in acting and directing. This collaboration came on the heels of an MFA program conducted through Rhode Island College, a conservatory program that had trained artists since the late 1970s. Over 23 years of its existence, 21 classes including over 250 actors and nearly 40 directors trained in the nationally-recognized and ultimately tuition-free Brown/Trinity Rep MFA program . Many of these graduates have gone on to great national and international acclaim, including those who have joined Trinity Rep as members of its artistic company.
Trinity Rep remains committed to supporting the extraordinary alumni of these programs. If you are an alum and are seeking services or have questions, please contact communications@trinityrep.com
An Indefinite Admissions Pause – January 2025
In 2023, Brown University and Trinity Rep agreed to pause admissions for two years. In January 2025, after months of considering many institutional questions inherent in operating a degree-granting training program, Brown and Trinity Rep agreed to pause admissions indefinitely. The last graduating class, currently enrolled, will have their commencement in 2026.
Trinity Rep’s Continuing Commitment to Education & Artist Training
Trinity Rep has always had a mission-level commitment to professional training of artists, and that has not changed. While the MFA program remains paused, Trinity Rep intends to continue its educational activities. Trinity Rep’s current strategic plan includes an explicit recommitment to educational programs for adults and children.
To consider what lies ahead, Trinity Rep leadership will work with members of the Brown administration to determine a path forward. We work together on projects and initiatives well beyond the joint MFA programs, and we look forward to doing more of that in new and expanded ways in the years ahead.
At Brown, a new working group led by the Brown Arts Institute will envision the future of professional performing arts training in the context of a research university. This group will include leaders from Trinity Rep along with professionals working in the field, Brown faculty, Brown alumni and alumni of the Brown/Trinity Rep programs.
The Future of Professional Training at Trinity Rep
Trinity Rep does not falter in our deep commitment to our core value of education, and, most notably, in educating artists in our unique artistic aesthetic of theatrical performance. This change does not in any way diminish that commitment. We are planning an internal reimagining of what artistic training and education can look like independently at our theater in the years to come. Should you like to share any feedback or recommendations, please reach out to us directly.
