About the Theatre Program

Rigorous training enriched by an expansive academic curriculum, Fordham University’s Theatre Program prepares students as theater practitioners and visionaries.  In a creatively fertile, experiential and artistically rigorous environment, the Theatre Program nurtures the individual, encouraging students to follow their passions and activism.  As a program centered on the values of social justice and responsibility, we aim to serve our greater global community as citizen artists, using theatrical expression to create paths for empathy, understanding and dialogue.  

Located on 60th and Columbus in Lincoln Center in the heart of New York City, and within walking distance of the Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre districts, the Fordham University Theatre Program is led by award-winning director and artistic leader, May Adrales.  Faculty members are working theatre professionals who help students find their artistic voice and develop their skills in an intimate and supportive environment.  Through core curriculum, individual mentorship, a robust student-led Studio Season and Mainstage productions, Fordham provides multiple opportunities for students to thrive.  

Learn about our mission, and dive into the experiential work we do, by perusing our training and curriculum, and recent production photos pages.

Artists that graduate from the Theatre Program are risk-takers, creative thinkers, storytellers and innovators.  If this sounds like the journey for you, review the requirements for the audition/interview process, and apply during our next audition/interview season. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected].

Questions regarding the admission process, housing, financial aid, and acceptance notifications can be addressed by the Lincoln Center Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 718-817-4000.

Thank you for your interest in the Fordham Theatre Program. We look forward to meeting you!



Fordham Theatre News

Fordham Theatre Opening Night: By The Numbers

Fordham Theatre Opening Night: By The Numbers

Photos by Cason Doyle. Videos by Franco Giacomarra and Kelly Prinz Exactly how much work goes into a theater production? To find out, we went behind the scenes with the [...]

In NYC and LA, ‘The Village’ Collective Creates Community for Emerging Artists

In NYC and LA, ‘The Village’ Collective Creates Community for Emerging Artists

Fordham grads are at the heart of a new collective giving artists and audiences space to develop and discover new works. How do up-and-coming artists break through, and how do [...]

‘My Heart Is Always with Fordham’: A Q&A with Patricia Clarkson

‘My Heart Is Always with Fordham’: A Q&A with Patricia Clarkson

The Emmy and Golden Globe winner is creating a scholarship for Fordham Theatre students, giving back to the university that had a formative influence on her acting career. At 19, [...]

Seen, Heard, Read: ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,’ ‘Can You Dig It?’ and ‘The Color of Family’

Seen, Heard, Read: ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,’ ‘Can You Dig It?’ and ‘The Color of Family’

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel featuring Joel Johnstone, FCLC ’01—and the Rose Hill campus After five celebrated seasons, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has come to an end. The fan-favorite comedy about [...]

20 in Their 20s: Miles Gutierrez-Riley

20 in Their 20s: Miles Gutierrez-Riley

An actor finds his footing in film and TV Miles Gutierrez-Riley says it was at Fordham College at Lincoln Center that he truly grasped how to be a well-rounded actor [...]

High School Play  Makes NYC Debut at Fordham Theatre

High School Play Makes NYC Debut at Fordham Theatre

Fordham Theatre is taking its students back to high school. May Adrales, director of the program, came across High School Play: A Nostalgia Fest by Vichet Chum, through her colleague [...]

Patricia Clarkson Creates Scholarship for Fordham Theatre Students

Patricia Clarkson Creates Scholarship for Fordham Theatre Students

Patricia Clarkson, a 1982 alumna of Fordham College at Lincoln Center and winner of numerous prestigious honors for acting, has established a scholarship at Fordham, seeking to help seniors in [...]

Alumni Mentor Offers Guidance as a Way to Give Back

Alumni Mentor Offers Guidance as a Way to Give Back

This fall, Fordham College at Lincoln Center grad Janine (Repka) Guzzone will be among dozens of alumni paired with students through the Fordham Mentoring Program, now in its 20th year. [...]

Theatre Program Welcomes New Denzel Washington Chair

Theatre Program Welcomes New Denzel Washington Chair

Tonya Pinkins, a Tony-award-winning stage and screen performer, will take the helm as the next Denzel Washington Chair in Theatre this fall at Fordham College at Lincoln Center.  “We are so [...]

Supported by Fordham Foundry, Theater Grads Live Their Dream by Starting a Business

Supported by Fordham Foundry, Theater Grads Live Their Dream by Starting a Business

Back when she was looking at colleges, meeting the people who ran various undergraduate theater programs, Aurora Winger found that many were lukewarm about her plans to major in theater [...]

Seniors Shine in Fordham Theatre’s La Cocina

Seniors Shine in Fordham Theatre’s La Cocina

The final mainstage production of the year takes place in the kitchen of a New York City restaurant, where the staff juggles, dishes, orders, and dreams of a better life. [...]