The Princeton Review Ranks UMW Among Nation’s Best, Theatre Rises to No. 12

August 28, 2026

Sarah Hertz Mahoney

UMW's duPont building on a sunny day with banners hanging between columns advertising the productions for the 2026-27 academic year — The University of Mary Washington is once again among The Princeton Review’s Best 392 Colleges, with UMW Theatre climbing three spots to No. 12 nationally for Best College Theatre.

The University of Mary Washington has once again been named among the nation’s best by The Princeton Review, with UMW Theatre earning an even higher spot among the country’s top college theatre programs.

The education services company included Mary Washington in its newly released The Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition, which profiles about 14 percent of America’s nearly 2,800 four-year colleges. UMW Theatre climbed three spots this year to No. 12 nationally for Best College Theatre, marking the fourth consecutive year the program has landed among The Princeton Review’s Top 25.

“We are delighted to name the University of Mary Washington one of our Best Colleges for 2027 and we recommend it to students searching for their ‘best-fit’ college,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and lead author of The Best 392 Colleges.

The Princeton Review selects institutions for its annual guide based on surveys of college administrators about their schools’ academic offerings. Its 50 specialized ranking lists, including Best College Theatre, are based entirely on student feedback. For the 2027 edition, the company surveyed 172,000 students about their academic and campus experiences.

“Recognition from The Princeton Review is especially meaningful because it reflects what students themselves say about their college experience,” said UMW Provost Tim O’Donnell. “At Mary Washington, students have opportunities to work closely with faculty, pursue their interests through hands-on learning and become part of a community deeply invested in their success.”

UMW students during a production of Godspell

Students work to construct props for an upcoming dramatic performance

Hands-on production experience is central to theatre education at Mary Washington, where students put their skills into practice onstage and behind the scenes. UMW Theatre ranks No. 12 nationally for Best College Theatre in The Princeton Review’s student-survey-based rankings for 2027.

UMW’s Department of Theatre and Dance is housed in duPont Hall. A new theatre building now under construction will bring performance venues, classrooms, study spaces and production areas together in a new academic home for the department.

UMW theatre students gain hands-on experience throughout the production process, including behind-the-scenes work to bring performances to the stage. The department’s new BFA in Performing Arts, launching this fall, expands opportunities for intensive training in acting, musical theatre, design and technology, and stage management.

UMW broke ground this spring on a new theatre building at the corner of William Street and Sunken Road. The facility is part of a state-funded project that also includes renovations to existing theatre, music and art spaces. K Pearlman Photography.

The national recognition comes at a key time for UMW Theatre. This fall, UMW launches its new Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performing Arts, a first-of-its-kind degree at Mary Washington designed for students seeking focused, pre-professional preparation in the field. The program offers majors in acting, musical theatre, design and technology, and stage management, pairing intensive classroom and studio instruction with hands-on production experience.

“To see UMW Theatre continue to rise among the nation’s top programs is especially exciting,” said Department of Theatre and Dance Managing Director Jon Reynolds. “Our students are at the heart of everything we do, and with the launch of the BFA, a new theatre taking shape and another season about to begin, we’re building on a strong foundation and creating even more opportunities for students to learn through theatre.”

The momentum is visible on campus. Construction is underway on a new theatre building at the corner of William Street and Sunken Road, part of a state-funded project that also includes renovations to existing theatre, music and art spaces. The new facility will bring performance venues, classrooms, study spaces and production facilities together in a new academic home for the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Meanwhile, the curtain will soon rise on UMW Theatre’s 2026-27 season, beginning in September with The 39 Steps and continuing with Dear Evan Hansen, Eureka Day and The Children’s Hour.

Learn more about The Princeton Review’s Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition and its ranking methodology or explore UMW’s national rankings webpage for additional recognition.

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