Boston University plans to discontinue its MFA playwriting degree, prompting backlash from alumni – as well as a few famous names.
A group of alumni and other supporters published a letter this week protesting BU’s decision to wind down the program over the next three years. Signatories include Broadway composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and actress Christina Ricci, as well as award-winning playwrights and screenwriters.
The letter, which was addressed to BU president Melissa Gilliam and other university leaders, called on the university to reverse its decision, citing the school’s large endowment and stated commitment to the arts. President Gilliam launched a university-wide arts initiative in 2024.
“Frankly, this decision feels out of character given the recent national attention BU has drawn for expanding its investment in the arts. Several of you named above have publicly made the case for why universities must invest in the arts, especially in a difficult climate,” the letter reads, in part.
Boston University pointed to financial considerations as the reason for the program’s closure. The school laid off 120 staff last year to help achieve a 5% budget reduction, citing pressure from federal actions and funding cuts.
“This difficult decision was made in response to financial headwinds facing our institution and higher education more broadly and reflects our commitment to steward resources in responsible and sustainable ways,” a spokesperson for the university said in a statement. “We are committed to closing the program responsibly and supporting students as they complete their degrees.”
The university plans to shutter the program in 2029 after its six current students have graduated.
BU’s MFA playwriting program accepts two to four students in each cohort. Tuition is fully covered by the university, which also provides a stipend – a rarity in American MFA programs.
“It gave me the courage, the discipline, and the financial freedom to pursue a life as a writer,” said Boston-based playwright Alexis Scheer, who helped organize the petition. “And really, I’m here to fight so that future generations of playwrights are given that same opportunity.”
The Boston Playwrights’ Theatre is tucked away on the west side of BU’s campus on Commonwealth Avenue. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
The roots of BU’s playwriting program date back to 1981, when the Nobel Prize-winning poet and playwright Derek Walcott founded the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre at BU. The theater focused on producing new work, and student playwrights could earn a one-year MA. The program eventually expanded into a three-year MFA in playwriting with deep ties to Walcott’s theater. In 2022, Nathan Alan Davis was appointed director of the MFA program, which employs three other teaching faculty.
Boston University recently moved to disentangle the two institutions, shifting the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre to the university’s new Office for the Arts. This summer, Stan Scarloff, Dean of Arts & Sciences at BU, informed Davis that the playwriting MFA would be discontinued and that his contract would not be renewed in 2029.
“ I wasn’t completely surprised because there had been intimations of budget concerns for the past couple of years,” Davis said. “Certainly, it was sad news and difficult news to hear.”
Boston University has not publicly announced the closure of the program.
“ What is devastating for us is how thoroughly entwined the MFA program is with the Boston theater community,” said Melinda Lopez, an adjunct professor in the MFA program and an alumnus. “It’s an incredible ecosystem that we have here. BU provides an extraordinary opportunity for young writers, but it’s also this incredible opportunity for Boston area artists, actors, designers to be part of what happens over there.”
The news comes at a moment of anxiety for the arts in higher education. The University of Southern California Los Angeles, Smith College and Pace University are all sunsetting MFA programs that teach playwriting.
“ We’re in a moment right now where freedom of speech is under assault,” Lopez said. “The arts in particular are taking a huge hit, both within academic institutions and also in the not-for-profit world.”
Lopez is one of 52 alumni of the program who signed the letter. They include television writer and producer David Grae, “Gossip Girl” actor John Shea, former “Grey’s Anatomy” showrunner Krista Vernoff, Tony-nominated actress Talayeh Ashrafi, and Emmy-nominated screenwriter Molly Smith Metzler. A number of non-alumni also signed, including “Elsbeth” actress Carrie Preston, Hollywood producer David Valdes and Broadway producer Lisa McNulty, as well as Webber and Ricci.
“BU’s graduate playwriting program is where I learned everything—how to write, how to workshop, how to revise, how to rehearse, how to have a voice, and how to be a member of a vibrant writing community,” Meltzer said in a statement. “I would not have a career if I hadn’t walked the halls of BPT. This program is a singular and extraordinary safe haven for the next generation of playwrights.”
Organizers of the letter also launched an online petition that so far has garnered over 600 signatures.
“I’m just so passionate about this program,” said Scheer. “I really hope that this letter and that the public response is joyful noise. I hope it invites BU leadership just to get in the room, get to the table, and start talking about a sustainable path forward.”
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