USC School of Dramatic Arts
The USC School of Dramatic Arts is a nonprofit constituent school of the University of Southern California that offers BFA and MFA programs in acting, musical theatre, design, stage management, and dramatic writing, serving prospective undergraduate and graduate students seeking professional entertainment industry training in Los Angeles.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1949
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What USC School of Dramatic Arts does
The USC School of Dramatic Arts (SDA) is a constituent school of the University of Southern California, founded in 1949 and located on the USC University Park Campus in Los Angeles. It delivers undergraduate (BFA) and graduate (MFA) degree programs in acting, musical theatre, scenic/lighting/costume/sound design, stage management, and dramatic writing, with supporting student services including the Professional Development Center, the Sparks Center for Community & Culture, and the Institute for Theatre & Social Change. Its core operational technology is physical theatre infrastructure — four campus venues (Dick Wolf Drama Center, Bing Theatre, Scene Dock Theatre, McClintock Theatre), a Technical Theatre Lab housing the Scene Shop, and a Costume Shop in the Physical Education Building — supporting a minimum of 20 productions annually.
SDA operates as a nonprofit academic unit of USC with three primary revenue streams: tuition and fees for undergraduate and graduate programs, philanthropic donations (to scholarships, community programs, the Professional Development Center, and the Institute for Theatre & Social Change), and theatre rental income from external productions. It is governed by Dean Emily Roxworthy (since 2020) with a leadership team that includes Vice Dean Lori Ray Fisher, four Associate Deans, and program directors for each discipline. The school serves prospective undergraduate and graduate students as its primary customer segment, with secondary engagement of parents/families, alumni, and the broader LA theatre community.
The school's go-to-market is a sales-led academic admissions process combining regional/national recruitment, campus visits, open houses, and Trojan Family Weekend events. Marketing channels include the school website, social media (Flickr, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), earned media, and event-driven engagement such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (where SDA has been the first American school invited since 1966). Strategic partnerships span the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Los Angeles Theatre Initiative (LATI), The Aerin Project, and interdisciplinary USC units (School of Cinematic Arts, Annenberg). A paver campaign is underway for a new state-of-the-art Drama Center within USC's arts corridor, signaling planned infrastructure expansion.
USC School of Dramatic Arts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- USC School of Dramatic Arts
- Legal name
- University of Southern California - School of Dramatic Arts
- Website
- https://dramaticarts.usc.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1949
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The USC School of Dramatic Arts is a nonprofit constituent school of the University of Southern California that offers BFA and MFA programs in acting, musical theatre, design, stage management, and dramatic writing, serving prospective undergraduate and graduate students seeking professional entertainment industry training in Los Angeles.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
USC School of Dramatic Arts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education - Performing Arts / Dramatic Arts Education
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Performing Arts Colleges (Theatre, Dance, Musical Theatre) (EDAHAJAD), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Performing Arts (Acting, Improv, Theater) (EDAAAGAE)
Keywords
Where USC School of Dramatic Arts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
USC School of Dramatic Arts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition programs for theatrical arts education
- Donations and Development: Philanthropic contributions from alumni, parents, and friends supporting scholarships, community programs, professional development, and the Institute for Theatre & Social Change
- Theatre Rentals and Events: Revenue from renting theatre facilities and spaces to external productions and events
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
USC School of Dramatic Arts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The USC School of Dramatic Arts offers undergraduate (BFA) and graduate (MFA) degree programs in theatrical arts disciplines including acting, musical theatre, scenic/lighting/costume/sound design, stage management, and dramatic writing. The school supplements academic instruction with hands-on production experience across four campus theatres, a Technical Theatre Lab, and a Costume Shop, producing a minimum of 20 shows annually. Student services include the Professional Development Center for career placement, the Sparks Center for Community & Culture, and the Institute for Theatre & Social Change.
Product overview
The USC School of Dramatic Arts is a division of the University of Southern California offering a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate (BFA) and graduate (MFA) educational programs in theatrical arts, including acting, musical theatre, design (scenic, lighting, costume, sound), stage management, and dramatic writing. The school operates as a single unified academic unit supplemented by dedicated student services including the Professional Development Center (career services), Sparks Center for Community & Culture (diversity and inclusion), and the Institute for Theatre & Social Change (social impact initiatives). The school utilizes multiple theatrical facilities including the Dick Wolf Drama Center, Bing Theatre, Scene Dock Theatre, McClintock Theatre, Technical Theatre Lab, and Costume Shop to provide hands-on production experience. The institution is not a technology product company but an educational institution.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BFA in Acting Undergraduate Bachelor of Fine Arts program training students in theatrical performance skills for stage and screen.
- BFA in Musical Theatre Undergraduate program combining musical theatre training with acting, singing, and dancing performance techniques.
- BFA in Design Undergraduate program focusing on scenic, lighting, costume, and sound design for theatrical productions.
- BFA in Stage Management Undergraduate program training students in theatrical production management and stage operations.
- MFA in Acting Master of Fine Arts program providing advanced actor training with focus on classical and contemporary techniques.
- MFA in Dramatic Writing Graduate program training playwrights in playwriting and dramatic composition.
- MFA in Design Graduate program for advanced training in theatrical design disciplines.
- Professional Development Center Dedicated career services center supporting students and recent graduates with professional networking and industry connections.
- Sparks Center for Community & Culture Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative fostering community belonging and cultural engagement within SDA.
- Institute for Theatre & Social Change Program using theatrical arts to spur dialogue, interrogate cultural narratives, and address social issues.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students prepared for sustainable and thriving careers in entertainment industry
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use USC School of Dramatic Arts
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
USC School of Dramatic Arts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
USC School of Dramatic Arts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Los Angeles Theatre Initiative (LATI)coreLATI helps develop new work to be shown at the Edinburgh Fringe and offers scholarships to Edinburgh-bound creatives. They chose SDA student Ben Berman's 'It's a Struggle Coming Out' as one of the productions they are helping bring to the Fringe.
- The Aerin ProjectcoreNationwide initiative founded by Jon Glaser and family following the passing of former SDA student Aerin Rose Glaser. Now active in more than 40 schools nationwide, inviting students to write letters of encouragement to one another.
- Edinburgh Festival FringeflagshipWorld's largest performing arts festival. SDA has participated since 1966 as first American theatre school invited. Current students and alumni bringing 6 productions to 2026 festival.
- Institute for Theatre & Social ChangecoreUses the power of theatrical arts to spur dialogue, interrogate cultural narratives and improve health. Part of SDA's commitment to using dramatic arts tools to create transformative stories.
- Sparks Center for Community & CulturecoreSDA initiative devoted to ensuring authentic belonging and community within SDA and USC for all students, fostering culture of collaboration and artistic growth.
- USC Schools and Centers (Cinematic Arts, Annenberg, etc.)coreInterdisciplinary partnerships across USC allowing students to collaborate with School of Cinematic Arts, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, and other university units.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
USC School of Dramatic Arts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA): Public conservatory-style institution offering BFA/MFA in acting, design, and production. Direct peer in the conservatory model — particularly relevant for in-state talent, which USC competes against for cost-sensitive California applicants.
- NYU Tisch School of the Arts: One of the largest US drama training programs, offering BFA and MFA degrees in acting, musical theatre, design, and dramatic writing. Direct peer on program breadth and selectivity, and the most consistent head-to-head competitor for top-tier drama applicants.
- Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama: Long-running US drama school within a top research university, offering BFA/MFA degrees in acting, musical theatre, design, and dramaturgy. Direct peer for interdisciplinary drama training combined with technical/theatrical depth.
- The Juilliard School (Drama Division): Elite conservatory with a drama division offering BFA and graduate diplomas in acting. Direct peer competing for top classical/legitimate-theatre talent and operating under a similar conservatory-plus-production model.
- Boston Conservatory at Berklee: Conservatory-style BFA/MFA programs in acting and musical theatre, recently integrated with Berklee. Direct peer competing in the East Coast market for musical theatre and acting talent.
- DePaul University The Theatre School: Chicago-based conservatory offering BFA/MFA programs in acting, musical theatre, and theatre design. Direct peer in a Midwestern Tier-1 drama school context, frequently ranked alongside SDA in industry lists.
- Yale School of Drama (David Geffen School of Drama): Premier MFA-granting conservatory embedded in a major research university (Yale), with programs in acting, design, dramaturgy, and playwriting. Direct peer competing for the most selective MFA applicants and at the top of industry placement rankings.
- UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television: UCLA's theater, film, and TV school located in Los Angeles, offering undergraduate and graduate training in acting and theater. Direct LA-based peer drawing from the same in-state applicant pool and competing for the same LA entertainment industry placement relationships.
Regional players
- London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA): Leading British conservatory offering conservatoire-style training in acting and dramatic writing. Comparable in conservatory rigor and international festival presence; competes in a different geography but for the same globally mobile theatre-student talent pool that SDA also targets for LA.
Emerging players
- Columbia University School of the Arts — Theatre Program: MFA theatre concentration within Ivy League research university, focused on dramaturgy, playwriting, and directing. Comparable in MFA-level research-university positioning; weaker peer on production volume but a destination for writer-dramaturg talent that overlaps SDA's dramatic writing pipeline.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
USC School of Dramatic Arts social profiles
Digital presenceUSC School of Dramatic Arts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
USC School of Dramatic Arts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
USC School of Dramatic Arts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
USC School of Dramatic Arts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about USC School of Dramatic Arts
What does USC School of Dramatic Arts do?
The USC School of Dramatic Arts offers undergraduate (BFA) and graduate (MFA) degree programs in theatrical arts disciplines including acting, musical theatre, scenic/lighting/costume/sound design, stage management, and dramatic writing. The school supplements academic instruction with hands-on production experience across four campus theatres, a Technical Theatre Lab, and a Costume Shop, producing a minimum of 20 shows annually. Student services include the Professional Development Center for career placement, the Sparks Center for Community & Culture, and the Institute for Theatre & Social Change.
Is USC School of Dramatic Arts a public or private company?
USC School of Dramatic Arts is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was USC School of Dramatic Arts founded?
USC School of Dramatic Arts was founded in 1949. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is USC School of Dramatic Arts based?
USC School of Dramatic Arts is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does USC School of Dramatic Arts make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Development and theatre Rentals and Events.
Who are USC School of Dramatic Arts's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA), NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, The Juilliard School (Drama Division), Boston Conservatory at Berklee, DePaul University The Theatre School, Yale School of Drama (David Geffen School of Drama) and UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is listed as a regional player. Columbia University School of the Arts — Theatre Program is listed as an emerging player.
Does USC School of Dramatic Arts have an API?
No public API is recorded for USC School of Dramatic Arts.
What industry is USC School of Dramatic Arts in?
USC School of Dramatic Arts's product category is Higher Education - Performing Arts / Dramatic Arts Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAN, Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories, with a secondary code of EDAHAJAD, Performing Arts Colleges (Theatre, Dance, Musical Theatre). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 8200.