A New Name! It's a new name and a new chapter in the history of the School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts in Philadephia. As of April 24, 2009, we are the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts, named for UArts Trustee Ira Brind, a supporter of theater and the performing arts for over 30 years and one of the visionary leaders whose initiative led to the founding of the University of the Arts. Ira's generosity and his passionate love of theater are forces that will propel the Brind School to new levels of excellence and innovation in the years to come.

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A Professional Education
At the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts, degree candidates enjoy a unique set of advantages, ideally suited to serious professional study:

• Live and study in Philadelphia - the nation’s foremost regional theatre town
• Develop a focused, sensible approach to your craft, resulting in clear, confident performances
• Train under working professionals—teaching artists—whose familiarity with the industry informs your work and provides connections as you move on to your carrer in theater. 

Study on the Avenue of the Arts—in the Heart of Philadelphia Arts As a theater major at the University of the Arts, you will train in one of the most exciting environments in the American theatre, steps away from seven major regional theatres—with which the School of Theatre Arts enjoys excellent relationships:

• Walnut Street Theatre - the nation’s longest standing professional company
• Prince Music Theatre
• Wilma Theatre
• Philadelphia Theatre Company
• Arden Theatre Company
• The Academy of Music
• The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
• The historic Merriam Theatre

From Successful Studies to a Successful Career in Professional Theater
Classroom training is supplemented by the staging of 14–16 productions each year. Shows are mounted in the University’s 1800-seat Merriam Theater, 240-seat Philadelphia Arts Bank theater and intimate black box theater. Additionally, the School enjoys the use of the newly renovated Laurie Beechman Cabaret and the state-of-the-art Ellen and Ronald Caplan Center for the Performing Arts. Productions span a wide range of genres and typically include two or three musicals.

The Ira Brind School of Theater Arts offers four bachelor's degrees in theater:

• BFA in Acting
• BFA in Musical Theater
• BFA in Theater Design and Technology
• BFA in Directing, Playwriting and Production