<p>I auditioned for NYU CAP21/Tisch on Wednesday. Overall, I'm feeling very positive about it. I sang my two 16 bars (it was more like 18 though... I was a little nervous that they would cut me off, but I was fine!), we talked shortly, and then I went to another room to do my monologues. I did my first one, and the woman stopped me in the middle of my second to give me some direction. I started over again and after I was done, I had a mini-interview. Like I said, I'm feeling good about the audition overall, but I don't want to get my hopes up too much. I applied ED there, so we'll see :)</p>
<p>I'm accepted academically to Marymount and Point Park already-- my audition for Marymount is on Saturday, and Point Park will be in January.</p>
<p>_Arianna, walking out of an audition and feeling positively is as good as it gets (other than being admitted of course). Your audition likely did go very well if you feel that way and so that bodes well that you are on course and to just keep things going for the remaining auditions. </p>
<p>It is interesting to read that you had a different auditor for the monologues than you did for the songs. This is the first time I have heard anyone at a Tisch audition who has said that and I wonder if that is new this year! It wasn't the case when my D auditioned or anyone I know who has auditioned since then (but I do not know anyone who has auditioned yet this year). Do you know which studios your auditors were from?</p>
<p>soozievt, wondering whether they have changed the audition process a bit since Elizabeth Bradley took over. When my D auditioned last February, she did her songs and monologues with the same person, just as your D did a few years ago when she auditioned.</p>
<p>Do most schools audition monologues and songs together? I know my D's choices were largely based on what showed the most versatility when combining both. Without doing them together she might rethink her choices. For instance her songs show acting range and one of her monologues is very "honest" and not a "wowee" piece. Done independently they might be lacking something. Do you know which schools split the audition up?</p>
<p>UMichigan is split and so is CMU (although the people I know who were accepted, were also asked to sing their songs acapella for the monologue auditors at CMU.)
At Syracuse some people were asked to do their monologues for more auditors in another room sans song.</p>
<p>At UArts, songs are done in front of the MT Performance/ Voice faculty and monologues are done in front of Acting faculty. Songs and monologs are assessed and scored separately.</p>
<p>The only schools for which my MT D did her songs and monologues for the same person/people in the same room were for NYU/Tisch, Otterbein and Penn State, which she did at NYC Unifieds. However, PSU had several people in the room: one for acting and one for songs.</p>
<p>However, I honestly don't see what difference this makes in terms of a kid choosing material. Monologues should be selected because they contrast and show off the actor's various abilities and songs are the same, no matter who is hearing them. </p>
<p>My guess is that NYU has decided to have separate scoring for vocal and monologues, and hence, two different rooms for those two different things.</p>
<p>NMR-for some schools you are asked to do only one monologue so the contrast was being shown by the combination of the songs and monologues.
Thanks for all of the information I will pass it on to my D who can now make better informed decisions on choosing her final material.</p>
<p>Pohsmom, hmmm, that's an interesting point and one my D actually didn't consider when doing auditions last year. For schools that only allowed one monologue, she chose the one she had prepared that best conformed to the school's requirements. (For instance, my D loves Shakespeare and did a Shakespeare monologue whenever she could, but NYU only allows contemporary monologues, so she did a Tennesee Williams.) Then she did her songs. She didn't think about the monologue and the <em>songs</em> contrasting, I don't think. I think the idea is for the songs (ballad and uptempo) to contrast as far as possible to show the singer's versatility and range, but the monologue doesn't really, I don't think, need to contrast with the songs.</p>
<p>Hm, interesting discussion, my D did have a comedic and dramatic monologue, along with a comedic uptempo song that she would avoid when doing the comedic monologue. Her song choices were typically to demonstrate that she could "belt" as she looks and was expected to sound more like a soprano. </p>
<p>I have to say that depending on the school and her "mood" the day of the audition, she did flip flop her material, and I will admit that this kind of drove me crazy as I am the kind of person that tends to have things "set" two weeks in advance. But, at the end of the day, it was her audition and it all worked out for her. I think the most important piece of advice if for your S & D's is to be completely immersed into the material they are presenting.</p>
<p>Tisch has really changed its audition procedures this year - it seems for the better! :) They have different rooms for song and mono and a apparently a live accompanist all year, not just for ED (as was the case in the past). Also, CAP and other studios' faculty members are acting as auditors, which I believe is also new.</p>
<p>CoachC...I am glad to hear they have changed it and thanks for the update. On this forum alone, some of us have posted feedback about the auditions at Tisch and I recall one year, someone from Tisch PM'd me and said that he was taking the posted feedback back to Tisch. I do think these are changes that would be beneficial to their auditions....the live accompanist, as well as having MORE than one auditor per auditionee and including CAP faculty in on the MT auditions (none of this was the case in the past).</p>
<p>PS...I just want to clarify one thing....while CAP faculty did not sit in on auditions in the past, faculty from studios such as ETW and Meisner did as these studios are within Tisch and are not studios that NYU contracts with. So, the auditors were Tisch stuido faculty, but simply not from studios like CAP21 in the past. I believe my D's auditor four years ago was a faculty member at ETW. ETW is IN Tisch (literally and figuratively). CAP21 is one of the studios that NYU/Tisch has a contract with. The CAP faculty are not Tisch faculty. The auditions in the past were attended by Tisch faculty only.</p>
<p>As promised I thought I'd tell a little bit about D's audition at CMU last weekend. She had the 1pm time slot (there is a 9am or a 1pm audition time) and even though we arrived 30 minutes early, we were still the last ones to arrive! (My DD is always telling me that in the theatre world if "you are on time, you're late ;) ).
My D signed in and a student took a picture of her. She had to fill out one or two very brief forms. Several current MT and Acting students were casually going around the room introducing themselves and answering questions (super nice kids!). Then there was a short session by the admissions counselors and the program director and faculty were introduced. The kids were told that the dance audition was first, then singing, then acting. </p>
<p>The dance audition was two parts: first ballet, then jazz. DD said that there was plenty of time to learn the combinations and that they went over and over it before they actually auditioned in groups of 3 or 4. She said it was fun. (Judith Conte taught the combinations and Byron Easley observed). </p>
<p>Singing was next and she auditioned for Gary Kline (I belive you either got Gary or Janet Feindel). She sang her ballad and her uptempo and then Gary asked her to sing her uptempo in another key...then asked her to sing it again in the original key. </p>
<p>Then acting. She first auditioned for Kaf Warman. She did her two monologues (classical and contemporary) and then was asked to do a third contemporary one. Kaf then told her that she wanted my D to audition for Barbara Mackenzie-Wood. So my D (who was the last one of the day...Barbara actually came out of her room and said "so, are we finished?" and Kaf said, "no. I want you to see one more." :) ) went into the room and my D said that there was Barbara and another woman (Catherine Moore, she thinks). She did her contemporary and Barbara asked her a few questions about the context of the play and character. Then she did her Classical and Barbara then had my D run around the room and scream. My D said Barbara had her running around the room screaming and acting like a monkey. Barbara then really took time to work with my D on her classical monologue. D said it was a great experience. </p>
<p>We were not out of there until 5pm, I think (so it took 4 hours total). While the dance audition was going on, three current students took the parents on a tour of the school and answered any questions that we had. </p>
<p>CMU audition was a pleasant experience all around. I hope this helps someone!</p>
<p>I have a question and I mean no disrespect to anyone anywhere. But why the heck does CMU make the kids do all of these totally bizarre things like run around a room screaming like a monkey during their auditions? Why does this seem like the absolute epitomy of disrespect? Can someone please explain this to me? I wondered about this last year when my own D auditioned -- and now that we're past this phase, I would love to understand the thinking behind this at CMU. Anyone know?</p>
<p>The director I'm currently working with at my high school (who is nothing short of genius and I'm comparing her to three different acting classes I've sat in during college visits) talks about making "bold choices" and not being "afraid of going there." She says that if she knows the student is willing to and does "go there" she can back them down to where she needs them to be. I believe the people at CMU might have a similar philosophy. If the person is not willing to risk or put him/her self of the line then they are not really 100% into their role or even into acting. It is tough because it is in our teenage years when we are most self-conscious and it is also now that we must learn to break down our own "personal image" (which is the hardest part for me) and explore ourselves to find our ranges and explore our characters to find their depth. Having someone run around the room like a monkey should not be embarrassing, the willing actor should embrace it as an opportunity to have fun and explore and LEARN. Would the people at a college want someone who is going to roll their eyes and/or tepidly run around the room, laughing at him/her self or would they want someone who embraces the opportunity and is willing to put themselves "out there." If I were directing or choosing who I'd want to work with for the next FOUR YEARS I would want someone who is willing to take guidance and be criticized.
In fact, I hope my schools ask me to do stuff like this at my auditions because it would a) showed they were interested in me and b) be a way for me to show them my willingness or capability.</p>
<p>I think knarydna gave an excellent response. I think the program head is looking to see if the student will take risks and move out of her comfort zone. Is she loose? Can she take direction? The monologues are all prepared (even coached) before the student enters. If the director likes what she is seeing, she might go further and see what the student does with something that is not prepared. Something out of the box even. Something like she might have to do in a college acting class...improvise. </p>
<p>TXKatsmom, sounds like your D had a positive audition experience at CMU. That should be a good feeling for her. Having to do her monos again for Barbara is positive.</p>
<p>Thanks, knarfy and soozievt. Yes, that is most helpful to see it this way! For the life of me, I couldn't figure that one out.</p>
<p>In the meantime, I agree with soozievt that TXKatsmom's D's audition sounds very positive. Just keep a healthy perspective that CMU's program is one of the toughest to get into. But you never know! I'll keep my fingers crossed and send good thoughts her way. She must be very talented to have done so well in the audition!!</p>
<p>My D did not feel that it was disrespectful, just part of the process...as Knarfy explained so well. </p>
<p>Thanks Soozievt and NewbieMTMom, but yes...my DD and I are painfully aware of CMU's odds. I think one never really knows with CMU...I've heard that Barbara takes time to work with lots of the auditioning kids (which is great!) and only 12 (4-5 girls) will eventually be accepted. So, my D may have had a good audition, but that certainly doesn't mean acceptance. </p>
<p>But...we are keeping our fingers crossed, too....:).</p>
<p>TXKatsmom...You are right and you and your D are doing a good thing in being VERY realistic. CMU's odds are very long for anyone. They take about four girls into the MT class approximately (they even have one girl already for next year). I'm just saying that your D had a positive audition it seems and so that bodes well for her in this audition season. It may not mean an admit to CMU but it sounds like she did well. By the way, even if your D is trying for MT, she could be admitted for acting. My D had to do four monologues at CMU for two different people (including Barbara) in two different rooms, and did her songs for three different people (inc. Barbara) and was worked with. She ended up on the Priority Waitlist for ACTING. Students who do MT get admitted into Acting too. There just are very few slots for MT girls!! Her year, I think they took three. So, you are good to be realistic about the odds (many are NOT realistic!!) but to walk away from a positive audition there is very good. A nice way to start off the audition season.</p>
<p>By the way, my point isn't really about being ADMITTED to CMU but about feeling AFFIRMED about her audition. I know when my D got the priority wait list from CMU (granted this was AFTER April 1), it was affirming that it was for ACTING because of the three disciplines (acting, singing, dancing), she had the least training (at that point in time) in acting! So, sometimes these experiences have value even if you are not admitted.</p>
<p>My D absolutely LOVED her CMU audition, and welcomed the challenge of performing her monologue in several different ways. The acting process is all about breaking down inhibitions -- and students who are uncomfortable with that (as many young people are) may find themselves struggling in a program that is strongly focused on acting skills, like CMUs. The process may look humiliating and bizarre to outsiders, but is really freeing to those performers who really give in to their emotions.</p>