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Academics  » School of the Arts  » Conservatory of Theatre Arts » Meet the Director

Conservatory of Theatre Arts

Meet the Director

Dear Prospective Student:

Thank you for visiting the Conservatory of Theatre Arts. This is a creative, special place and we aim for everyone to feel welcome. In our teaching and art, we value inclusiveness, equality, and excellence.

Because we are so close to New York City, our faculty can work at the highest level of professional practice and also be devoted to mentoring their Purchase students. We are proud of our national profile as a school of theatre—our alumni and faculty have won every award in the field, including Emmys, Tonys, Obies, Drama Desk Awards, and more.

We are also proud to be able to offer a more affordable path to an arts education, because we are part of the State University of New York. The less debt you have after college, the more freedom you will have to make bold and brave choices in your art and life.

You can read more about our majors and concentrations on our website. As you do, I want you to know that upholding all of what we do is our aim to train and graduate citizen artists: multifaceted people with a strong sense of purpose in approaching their arts education.

What is a citizen artist? Citizen artists seek to discover how their unique voice can contribute to our world. They understand why they are an artist, what they are here on earth to say and do and make.

At Purchase, you’ll begin to seek this understanding, and you’ll have the chance to do it in the company of a diverse and tight-knit community of other inquiring college students, many of whom are here studying other art forms in our top-ranked Conservatories of Dance and Music and School of Art+Design.

For me, as a citizen artist, I am inspired by the words of the French author Émile Zola: “I came to live out loud.” Purchase is a perfect place to discover what you are here to make, and do, and become.
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