Oklahoma City University

Oklahoma City University has established itself as one of the most prolific Broadway feeder programs in the United States, with its Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment and the Wanda L. Bass School of Music producing an extraordinary number of working professional actors and musical theater performers. OCU was founded in 1904 as a private university affiliated with the United Methodist Church, and its performing arts programs have grown into nationally recognized powerhouses that consistently appear on Playbill's annual list of the top 10 universities with the most alumni on Broadway — ranking alongside NYU, Carnegie Mellon, and Juilliard. The BFA programs in Acting and Musical Theatre provide intensive pre-professional training that emphasizes the triple-threat skills of acting, singing, and dancing that define modern musical theater. OCU's most famous alumna is Kristin Chenoweth, the Tony Award-winning actress known for creating the role of Glinda in the original Broadway production of Wicked and for her Tony-winning performance in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, who has become one of the most visible advocates for the program. Other notable alumni include Kelli O'Hara, one of Broadway's most acclaimed leading ladies with multiple Tony nominations and a Tony win for The King and I. The university's Oklahoma Opera and Music Theater Company, recognized as the world's oldest campus troupe for opera and music theater, provides an additional performance platform that connects students to a rich institutional tradition in the performing arts.

In 2025, OCU's performing arts programs operate at the intersection of the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment and the Wanda L. Bass School of Music, creating a uniquely integrated training environment for aspiring performers. The BFA in Musical Theatre is the program's flagship offering, producing true triple-threat performers through comprehensive training in acting, voice, and dance that is among the most intensive and effective in the country. The BFA in Acting provides focused training for students who want to pursue careers in straight theater, film, and television, with acting technique, voice and speech, movement, stage combat, and on-camera work forming the core of the curriculum. Private voice lessons with Bass School of Music faculty are a required component of the training, ensuring that even actors in the straight Acting BFA develop vocal skills that enhance their versatility and marketability. The program produces large-scale musical productions alongside straight plays each season, giving students performance experience across genres and styles in OCU's well-equipped theater spaces. The annual New York industry showcase is one of the program's most valuable assets — well-attended by agents, managers, and casting directors who have learned over decades that OCU graduates are consistently well-prepared, professional, and ready to work. The campus atmosphere combines the warmth and community spirit of a mid-sized private university with the intensity and professional focus of a performing arts conservatory, creating an environment where students form deep bonds with classmates who share their ambitions and work ethic.

Admission to OCU's BFA programs requires a standard university application plus an artistic audition that evaluates talent, training potential, and fit with the program's culture and values. Musical Theatre applicants typically prepare monologues, songs, and a dance audition, while Acting BFA applicants prepare contrasting monologues with possible callbacks including cold readings and interviews. OCU's overall university acceptance rate is approximately 70-77%, but the BFA performing arts programs are significantly more selective due to the audition requirement and limited class sizes. The program actively recruits at regional and national audition events, and video auditions are available for students who cannot attend in-person audition dates. OCU looks for students who demonstrate genuine talent, strong work ethic, collaborative spirit, and the dedication needed to sustain an intensive four-year pre-professional training program. The university's Methodist heritage informs a campus culture that values service, community, and personal development alongside professional training, and students are expected to engage positively with the broader university community. Talent scholarships are available and can significantly reduce the cost of attendance, though the specific amounts and criteria vary by year and individual applicant — prospective students should communicate directly with OCU's performing arts admissions team to understand the financial support available to them.

The four-year BFA curriculum is structured as a progressive training sequence that builds from foundational technique through advanced performance and professional preparation, with a particular emphasis on the vocal, physical, and acting skills that define successful careers in musical theater and professional acting. Acting training covers multiple methodologies including Stanislavski, Meisner, and contemporary approaches, with dedicated coursework in voice and speech, movement, stage combat, and on-camera technique. Musical Theatre students receive intensive training in singing — including required private voice lessons with Bass School of Music faculty — dance across multiple styles (ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary), and the integration of acting, singing, and movement that defines the art form. Students perform in a full season of plays and musicals throughout their four years, with casting opportunities that provide experience in both musical theater and straight dramatic work. The program's professional development focus intensifies in the upper years, with career workshops, audition preparation, and the senior New York industry showcase that serves as the culminating professional launching event. The dance training through the Ann Lacy School is particularly strong, producing performers whose physical skill and expressiveness distinguish them in audition rooms and on stage. OCU's integrated approach — combining the resources of both the Ann Lacy School and the Bass School of Music — creates a training ecosystem that is more comprehensive than programs housed within a single department.

OCU attracts highly motivated, career-focused performers who are drawn to the program's extraordinary track record of placing graduates in professional work on Broadway, in national tours, and across the entertainment industry. The alumni network is led by Kristin Chenoweth, whose Tony Award, Emmy Award, and international stardom have made her one of the most visible advocates for OCU's training, and Kelli O'Hara, whose multiple Tony nominations and win for The King and I have cemented her place among Broadway's most respected leading ladies. The depth of OCU's Broadway alumni extends far beyond these marquee names — Playbill's consistent ranking of OCU among the top 10 most-represented universities on Broadway reflects the program's sustained, year-after-year success in placing graduates in the industry's most competitive arena. The student body is drawn from across the country, united by a shared passion for musical theater and the performing arts, and the Oklahoma City community provides a supportive environment where students can focus on their training without the distractions and financial pressures of major metropolitan areas. The program's culture emphasizes hard work, mutual support, and professional readiness, creating an environment where students push each other to grow while maintaining the collaborative spirit that characterizes the best performing arts communities. Alumni connections run deep, with working professionals regularly returning to campus for master classes, mentoring current students, and supporting the next generation of OCU performers.

Tuition at Oklahoma City University for the 2025-2026 academic year is approximately $30,698, with university fees adding approximately $5,250 for a total tuition and fees of approximately $35,648 per year. Room and board adds approximately $13,714, bringing the total annual cost of attendance to approximately $49,362 for on-campus students. Talent scholarships are available for exceptional performing arts students and can meaningfully reduce the cost of attendance, though the specific amounts vary by individual applicant and are determined in consultation with the performing arts admissions faculty. OCU's tuition is lower than many comparable private university BFA programs — NYU Tisch exceeds $104,000 in total cost, Carnegie Mellon runs $67,560 in tuition alone, and Syracuse charges $61,000-$63,000 — making OCU a more affordable path to nationally competitive training. The Oklahoma City cost of living is dramatically lower than New York, Los Angeles, or other major metropolitan areas, with housing, food, and transportation costs that are among the lowest of any city home to a top-ranked performing arts program. This combination of competitive tuition and low living costs makes OCU one of the best overall values in BFA performing arts training. Students should apply for financial aid early and communicate directly with OCU's performing arts admissions team about available talent scholarships to maximize their financial support package.

OCU is an outstanding choice for aspiring musical theater performers who want training at one of the most proven Broadway pipeline programs in the country, with a track record of graduate success that is difficult to match at any price. If your goal is to work on Broadway, in national tours, or in professional musical theater, OCU belongs at the top of your list alongside Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, and Elon based on the strength of its outcomes. The program is also strong for straight acting students who want the vocal and physical versatility that cross-training with musical theater performers develops. Actors who want to be in a major entertainment market during their training should consider programs in New York (NYU Tisch, Fordham, Pace) or Los Angeles (USC, UCLA, CalArts). For comparable musical theater training at a lower cost, public university programs like SUNY Fredonia, Penn State, or CCM at the University of Cincinnati offer alternatives. If Oklahoma's cultural environment does not appeal to you, similar-quality musical theater programs exist in more cosmopolitan settings at the cost of higher tuition and living expenses.

If you are auditioning for OCU's Musical Theatre BFA, prepare material that demonstrates your strengths as a triple threat — choose songs, monologues, and dance styles that showcase your best skills rather than trying to demonstrate range you haven't yet developed. Take full advantage of the private voice instruction with Bass School of Music faculty, as this one-on-one vocal coaching is one of the most valuable components of the OCU training and will develop your singing in ways that group classes cannot. Build relationships with the program's Broadway alumni, many of whom return to campus for master classes and are genuinely generous with mentorship and industry guidance for current students. Prepare thoroughly for the senior New York showcase — research attending agents and casting directors, develop showcase material that highlights your unique qualities, and approach the event as the most important audition of your training. Use the Oklahoma City cost savings to invest in your professional toolkit — quality headshots, demo reels, and audition coaching that will serve you when you enter the New York or LA market. Embrace OCU's community-oriented culture and build deep relationships with your classmates, as the bonds you form during these four years will become the foundation of your professional support network for decades to come.