Are you passionate about theatre but unsure which programs are actually worth your time? With so many summer intensives, workshops, and pre-college experiences out there, it’s hard to tell which ones will truly help you grow and which ones just look good on paper.
The right theatre program can help you sharpen your acting technique, explore stagecraft, build confidence, and create work you’re proud to showcase. Depending on the program, you might take classes in acting, voice, movement, playwriting, or technical theatre. Some offer performance opportunities, portfolio development, or even college-level coursework.
Why should you choose a Theatre program?
Selecting a high-level theatre program allows you to stress-test your skills in a collegiate environment. You’ll move beyond basic rehearsals into rigorous studio work, often gaining experience with industry-standard tools and methodologies. These programs are designed to build your competitive edge for BFA auditions while connecting you with a network of professional faculty and like-minded peers who share your obsession with the stage.
In this guide, we’ve compiled 15 top-tier theatre programs to help you bridge the gap between high school drama and professional conservatory training. These programs offer deep dives into everything from Meisner technique to CAD software for lighting design.
While exploring your artistic path, you might also want to check out our guides on journalism internships for high school students and arts internship opportunities to round out your portfolio.
15 Theatre Programs for High School Students
1. Summer High School Drama Program
Cost: Tuition (6 credits): $12,012; Program Fee: $200; Application fee: $75; need-based scholarships available
Program Dates: July 5 – August 1
Application Deadline: Application will open in July
Location: NYU Tisch School of the Arts, New York City, NY
Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores and juniors; students must be at least 15 years old to reside in NYU housing
In this program, you’ll complete 28 hours per week of studio training in one selected studio (such as Atlantic Acting School, Experimental Theatre Wing, Meisner Studio, New Studio on Broadway, Stonestreet Screen Acting Studios, or Production and Design), taught by the same faculty who instruct BFA students. You’ll also attend a weekly Introduction to New York Theatre seminar featuring professional actors, directors, designers, and stage managers. The curriculum emphasises artistic process over performance outcome and includes opportunities to attend Broadway and Off-Broadway productions.
2. University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance
Cost: $4,250 (includes room & board); $75 non-refundable application fee
Program Dates: June 21 – July 4
Application Deadline: February 15
Location: University of Michigan North Campus, Ann Arbor, MI
Eligibility: Students entering grades 11–12; must submit monologue video (≤2 minutes) and résumé
This two-week conservatory rotates you through core actor-training modules: movement, scene study, and voice development. Additional labs include improvisation, acting for the camera, and stage combat (with SAFD-informed technique). You submit a recorded monologue as part of the audition process and refine character objectives, physical stakes, and vocal dynamics through structured rehearsal blocks. Weekend programming includes stage management fundamentals and collaborative workshops with other MPulse cohorts.
3. ArtsBridge Summer Dramatic Acting
Cost: Tuition – $4,600; Room & Board – $1,650; Application Fee – $100
Program Dates: July 17 – 31
Application Deadline: March 18
Location: Baldwin Wallace University, Berea, OH
Eligibility: Open to high school students in any grade
Hosted at Baldwin Wallace University, the program mirrors the college’s acting programs, with full days of technique-based coursework. You’ll train in audition techniques, contemporary monologues and self-tapes, Shakespeare, movement, and Viewpoints, with a focus on strengthening the actor’s vocal and physical instruments. Faculty are drawn from leading conservatories and university theatre programs, and each class includes dedicated teaching assistants. You’ll participate in initial and final mock-audition assessments and receive detailed written evaluations with individualised feedback and repertoire recommendations.
4. Pre-College Drama
Cost: Residential: $12,303; Commuter: $8,974; Application Fee: $50 (non-refundable); Enrollment Deposit: $800 (non-refundable)
Program Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 1
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Eligibility: Students must be at least 16 years old by June 20 and be current high school sophomores or juniors at the time of application
Carnegie Mellon University’s Pre-College Drama is a six-week residential conservatory program designed to prepare you for the college audition and interview process within a Bachelor of Fine Arts framework. You’ll choose among three tracks, Acting, Music Theatre, or Design/Production, each offering specialised coursework and professional-level training led by CMU School of Drama faculty. The Acting and Music Theatre options focus on audition preparation, monologue and song repertoire development, and mock auditions, while the Design/Production track emphasises portfolio building in areas such as scenic design, technical production, and stage management.
5. Summer High School Production and Design Workshop
Cost: Tuition (6 credits): $12,012; Program Fee: $200; Housing (4 weeks): $1,820; Meal Plan (10 meals/week): $824; Drama Ticket Fee: $474; Application fee: $75; Demonstrated need-based scholarships available
Program Dates: July 5 – August 1
Application Deadline: Applications open in July
Location: NYU Tisch School of the Arts, New York City, NY
Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores and juniors; students must be at least 15 years old to reside in NYU housing
The program allows you to complete 28 hours per week of coursework in areas such as scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, drafting, drawing, painting, and stage and production management. You’ll also enrol in a weekly New York Theatre seminar focused on critical analysis of live performances, attending Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, and engaging with industry professionals. The program culminates in the creation and presentation of an original theatre piece that incorporates skills from multiple design and technical disciplines.
6. Summer High School Dramatic Writing Program
Cost: Tuition (6 credits): $12,012; Program Fee: $200; Housing (4 weeks): $1,820; Meal Plan (10 meals/week): $824; Dramatic Writing Ticket Fee: $354; Application fee: $75; Demonstrated need-based scholarships available
Program Dates: July 5 – August 1
Application Deadline: Applications open in July
Location: NYU Tisch School of the Arts, New York City, NY
Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores and juniors; students must be at least 15 years old to reside in NYU housing
Offered through the Rita and Burton Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing, the program combines playwriting and screenwriting coursework to introduce you to dramatic structure, character development, and storytelling techniques. In workshop settings, you’ll draft, critique, and revise your work, culminating in a partially scripted full-length screenplay and a fully developed ten-minute play performed on the final day. Your monologues are directed and performed by professional actors and directors affiliated with the department.
7. Boston University Summer Theatre Institute (BUSTI)
Cost: Tuition – $3,800; Activity Fee – $300; Non-refundable Deposit – $500; (Room and board additional; refundable per withdrawal schedule)
Program Dates: 4 weeks; Exact dates TBA
Application Deadline: TBA
Location: Boston University, Boston, MA
Eligibility: Open to rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (typically ages 15-18). Students must not have graduated from high school before attending
In this program, you’ll receive professional training in acting, design, improvisation, theatre for social change, and collaborative ensemble creation, culminating in the development of an original theatrical work. The program awards four college credits upon successful completion and emphasises studio training alongside intellectual and artistic exploration. With a small teacher-to-student ratio, you’ll engage closely with faculty and working theatre professionals while building technique, collaboration skills, and dynamic storytelling abilities.
8. UCLA Acting and Performance Laboratory Intensive
Cost: Program Fee – $6,430; Application Fee – $350; Registration Fee – $350; Total Cost – $7,130 (Commuter Only)
Program Dates: June 21 – July 10
Application Deadline: June 1
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Eligibility: Open to students in grades 9-12 (ages 15-19)
The curriculum emphasises performance, movement, ensemble collaboration, and the full creative process, from conceptualising and writing to rehearsal and staged presentation. You’ll participate in morning technique classes followed by immersive afternoon rehearsals, while also engaging in specialised workshops such as stage combat, classical acting, hip-hop, casting for film and television, and industry panels. The program culminates in a final showcase performance open to guests.
9. Filmmaking and Screenwriting Intensives
Cost: Digital Filmmaking Intensive – $1,400; Screenwriting Intensive – $700; Non-refundable Deposit – $100;
Program Dates: Digital Filmmaking Intensive: July 6 – 17; Screenwriting Intensive: July 20 – July 24
Application Deadline: May 31
Location: Rutgers Community Arts Summer Institute, New Brunswick, NJ
Eligibility: Open to students in grades 9-12 (rising 10th through rising 12th graders).
Rutgers Community Arts at the Mason Gross School of the Arts offers summer intensives in Digital Filmmaking and Screenwriting for those interested in cinematic storytelling. The two-week Digital Filmmaking Intensive functions as a hands-on boot camp covering camera operation, editing, sound recording, lighting, screenwriting, and story structure, culminating in the collaborative production of a completed short film. The one-week Screenwriting Intensive focuses on narrative craft, teaching students story structure, character development, screenplay formatting, and industry-standard techniques such as beat sheets and three-act structure.
10. Berklee College of Music – Musical Theater Acting Intensive (MTAI)
Cost: $3,100 tuition + $2,400 housing; $50 nonrefundable application fee
Program Dates: July 6 – July 24
Application Window & Deadline: February 1
Location: Boston, MA
Who is Eligible: Ages 15–18; application + video audition required
This three-week intensive, led by Boston Conservatory faculty, concentrates on character construction through integrated acting, vocal performance, and movement training. You rotate through musical theater scene study, Shakespeare, voice and speech, acting for camera, Alexander Technique, storytelling through dance, and vocal ensemble. Technical focus includes breath coordination, physical characterization, text scansion, and the translating stage technique to camera framing.
11. Summer Performing Arts With Juilliard
Cost: Boarding: $7,050 per two-week session; Day: $5,090 per two-week session; Application Fee: $100
Program Dates: Session 1: June 28 – July 11 (Drama, Piano, Voice); Session 2: July 12 – 25 (Dance, Musical Theatre)
Application Deadline: February 24
Location: The Juilliard School, New York, NY
Eligibility: Ages 12-18; at least 3 years of experience in a major; must be available for the full session
Led by Juilliard artist faculty, including alumni, guest artists, and industry professionals, the program offers majors in dance, drama, musical theatre, piano, and voice. You’ll participate in daily studio classes, workshops, rehearsals, seminars, and private lessons, following a structured 9 am – 5 pm schedule. The curriculum blends major-specific training with interdisciplinary coursework to prepare you for college auditions and professional pathways in the arts.
12. Rutgers Summer Dance Conservatory
Cost: Commuter – $1,100; Residential – $1,600
Program Dates: July 19 – 24
Application Deadline: Audition Dates: February 21 or March 28 (or video submission)
Location: Douglass Campus, New Brunswick, NJ
Eligibility: Open to dancers who complete a live or video placement audition and are selected for participation
The daily schedule includes diverse movement practices across African Diasporic forms (Hip Hop), Classical/Traditional forms (Ballet), Contemporary Fusion, and Somatic practices. You’ll engage in improvisation and choreography classes that culminate in an informal end-of-session showcase featuring student-created work. The conservatory emphasises technical development, creative exploration, and exposure to the evolving professional landscape of dance while offering you a glimpse of campus life in a university setting.
13. Carnegie Mellon University Pre-College Music
Cost: 6 Weeks: Residential – $11,640; Commuter – $8,319; 3 Weeks: Residential – $7,927; Commuter – $5,999
Program Dates: 3-Week: June 20 – July 11; 6-Week: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 1
Location: Carnegie Mellon University campus, Pittsburgh, PA
Eligibility: Full-Time (Residential or Commuter): Students must be at least 16 years old by June 20, and be current high school sophomores or juniors at the time of application. Part-Time Commuter: Generally open to students entering 9th grade or higher (local students only)
The program offers 3-week and 6-week formats, as well as a flexible part-time commuter option, providing instruction through weekly private studio lessons, major performing ensembles, and specialised music support courses. You may major in Instrumental Performance, Vocal Performance, Composition, or Music Technology/Electronic Music, each culminating in mock conservatory auditions or portfolio reviews with written faculty feedback. Performance opportunities include orchestra, wind ensemble, chamber groups, choir, recitals, and recording sessions.
14. Pre-College Writing & Culture
Cost: Residential – $9,636; Commuter – $7,284; Application Fee: $50 (non-refundable); Enrollment Deposit: $800 (non-refundable)
Program Dates: June 20 – July 18
Application Deadline: Early Deadline: February 1 (Scholarship and international applicants; decisions March 15); Final Deadline: March 1 (decisions April 15)
Location: Carnegie Mellon University campus, Pittsburgh, PA
Eligibility: Students must be at least 16 years old by June 20, be current high school sophomores or juniors at the time of application, and have a minimum academic average of B (3.0/4.0) or a B or higher in their most recent English course
You’ll develop original work in poetry, short-form prose, film, and screenwriting while examining how the medium shapes messages. The curriculum integrates creative writing, film and visual media studies, and professional development in the humanities, culminating in the production of a short film and a portfolio of written and visual work. You’ll engage with Pittsburgh’s cultural institutions through readings, performances, museum visits, and archival exploration, grounding your creative practice in historical and contemporary contexts.
15. Summer High School Dance Program
Cost: Tuition (6 credits): $12,012; Program Fee: $200
Program Dates: July 5 – August 1
Application Deadline: Applications opens July
Location: NYU Tisch School of the Arts, New York City, NY
Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores and juniors; students must be at least 15 years old to reside in NYU housing
You’ll engage in daily contemporary and ballet technique classes, yoga or Pilates, repertory, improvisation, and composition, emphasising healthy alignment and individual artistic voice. The curriculum includes both Dance Studio Practice and Creative Research in Dance, combining technical training with choreographic development and collaborative exploration. You’ll learn repertory from established New York City-based dance artists and attend live dance performances as part of their studies.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image Source – Carnegie Mellon University