OnStage Blog, a popular theatre website known for ranking college-level theatre programs nationwide, has recognized two of Nebraska Wesleyan University’s theatre programs among the best in the country.
OnStage Blog named NWU to its list of top 30 college acting/performing arts programs and its list of top 30 musical theatre programs. NWU was ranked alongside other prestigious programs including The Julliard School, UCLA, Carnegie Mellon, Penn State and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
“This year we also decided not to rank the schools 1-30. When looking at the scores, often these schools were separated by one to two points. So rather, this year we’re simply naming who we feel are the best, in no particular order,” OnStage Blog noted in their announcement.
Nebraska Wesleyan was named a top program based on performance and production opportunities, faculty, quality of facilities, course offerings and post-graduate career support. In selecting NWU to its lists, OnStage Blog noted the faculty and their experience in various capacities in acting, choreography, stage directing, music directing and more. OnStage Blog also celebrated the university’s plans to renovate McDonald Theatre.
In October, Nebraska Wesleyan announced plans to start a three-phase renovation of McDonald Theatre. The Sunderland Foundation of Overland Park, Kan., awarded NWU a $1 million grant to complete the first phase, which includes new seats, updated seating bowl and improved accessibility.
Nebraska Wesleyan’s theatre program is among the university’s most popular programs with over 110 majors. Last year, students performed 50 productions that drew approximately 17,500 audience members from across the region.
Last May, OnStage Blog ranked Nebraska Wesleyan as the best undergraduate theatre program in Nebraska.