The Hollywood Reporter again has ranked two local theater programs among the world’s best drama schools.
UC San Diego and a partnership between the Old Globe Theatre and University of San Diego held the No. 5 and 9 spots respectively.
While heavyweights like Juilliard and Yale University topped The Hollywood Reporter’s list of 25 schools, the San Diego programs ranked ahead of other well-known entries such as the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.
At UCSD, graduate students collaborate with professionals at the La Jolla Playhouse and have the opportunity to shape new works, particularly by taking part in the the Wagner New Play Festival. The festival presented four audio plays last month due to the pandemic.
The Globe and USD’s Shiley Graduate Theatre Program, a two-year immersion into classical and contemporary theatre, accepts only seven students annually. They perform both on campus and at Balboa Park, particularly in Shakespeare productions.
During the pandemic, students presented a virtual production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Both San Diego programs feature showcases in New York and Los Angeles to help students establish careers in film, television and on the stage.
Among the Globe and USD program’s most notable graduates – Emmy-winner Jim Parsons, who gained stardom in the CBS hit “The Big Bang Theory.”