Audition Feedback?

<p>persichack, btw, I think I know which boy you mean and he fortunately has many fine acceptances in hand, as does your son.</p>

<p>I'm not sure what the odds are for getting off the waitlist, but I know for my year, 2/3 girls were accepted to UMich as well and chose to go there, and we just ended up not accepting anyone from the waitlist.
We did though get our 13th mt (boy) who was accepted as an actor but then reauditioned in the beginning of the year for mt and was accepted. The school does that every year. Within the first few weeks, they allow as many people as they want to re-audition for mt, but the odds are pretty low, and I think of the 5 that did it, only he was accepted.</p>

<p>This may be helpful to some who are wondering about waitlist. CarnegieMT2012's post was interesting and helpful to me. D auditioned for MT last year, but considers herself an actor, who sings. Like another poster, she had a very positive experience with being sent from room to room. Being asked by Barbara to do 3 monologues and then to do one of them three different ways. She was told "you're definitely an actor." She was also told she would "do well where ever you end up." Anyway, one morning about this time her status changed online to waitlist. Later that same day we got the priority waitlist letter for acting. She returned the form saying she wanted to stay on the list. About a week after that, we got a letter stating she was in the top 5 of the priority waitlist and the day and time they would call to tell her if she got in. They did call on May 6, 2008 to say "they were not going to the waitlist for anyone this year." CMU is a great program, but we looked at the outcome as we just saved a small fortune. Even though their aid package which came with the waitlist letter was better than we expected, it was still A LOT of money. I wish happy results for everyone.</p>

<p>Hi, as I work with my D on her audition dates and monologues I have a few questions maybe someone can help -

  1. most schools say no monologues from current Bdway plays - My D has been working on a mono for a month now and as we went to purchase the play in it’s entirety it is opening on Bdway this month - will they still accept it? or will it be frowned upon if she still does it?
    She did so much research to find the right play / character for her - it would be a shame.
  2. her audition is late Jan. at CMU and Point Park - trying to fit both in that day - we will see. As I read thru these threads it seems everyone knows everyones name, the people who you audition for - how do you find these names? Gary, Kaf? Please help
  3. and if you know the names, is it OK to call ahead? or annoying to the auditioners?</p>

<p>thanks so much - trying to schedule all auditions and get her to finalize her essay to submit all apps is giving me a stomach ache!</p>

<p>B’dwayMom, my D is a freshman at CMU who is loving it there. Here’s my take on your questions. </p>

<ol>
<li>I can’t imagine they would not accept a monologue just because the play is on Bway. They are looking for what your D’s got and they can tell that from whatever she decides to do. At my D’s CMU audition she did her first song all the way through. On her second song they stopped her and said they wanted to hear something with more mix/belt and did she know “All That Jazz”? So she sang it. If you look on the lists, “All That Jazz” is one of those songs they tell you not to sing because it’s overdone. They want to see what her skills are. I’d say go with what she feels best presents those skills.</li>
</ol>

<p>2 & 3. We did not know the names until they introduced themselves at the pre-audition meeting they had with students and parents. I would guess most people did not know the names beforehand. The comments in this thread are about what happened at the audition and so people refer to their names. I would not recommend trying to contact anyone beforehand. </p>

<p>Good luck to your D.</p>

<p>My d worked really hard on a piece from a new play that I had never seen anywhere. When we got to Unifieds I was walking down the street and there was the marquis…“Reasons to be Pretty” opening March 2009. Even though it wasn’t “currently” on Broadway we were a bit disappointed. It was irrelevant and I don’t think anyone cared or even noticed but it was a funny moment now that it’s over. If you d is really committed to the piece and it really works for her she shouldn’t have to change.</p>

<p>thanks for the note, I feel better about it already - CMU has some real specific requirements for the monologue - before 1900… and as she prepares, I am trying to find songs and monologues that work for most of the schools she is auditioning for. There are 11 on the list - auditons for her start Dec. 5th…</p>

<p>How strictly enforced is the 1.5 minute time limit on the monologues? Everytime I’ve timed my classical monologue, it’s run about a minute and 45 seconds to two minutes. My audition is Sunday. Should I try to cut some of my monologue before then, or will they not really care if my monologue is only slightly over the time limit?</p>

<p>Hi! I will see you at auditions on sunday, i’m Lindsay Spangenthal i’m a sophomore mt. Have no fear, they aren’t strict on monologues time. If they’ve seen enough though, they might stop you, but have no fear, it just means they saw what they wanted. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to find me on facebook.</p>

<p>Even though this thread seems to have stopped this time last year, I was wondering if any of you could answer a CM audition question. If the classical monologue with “heightened language” is Shakespeare, does it have to be done with an accent??</p>

<p>Nope, you don’t have to do any dialect or accent work unless you’re dying to! Most schools would prefer you to not use any at all! Break a leg!</p>

<p>Thanks CarnegieMT2012!</p>

<p>CarnegieMT2012, I have a question. Did you or any of your friends who got into CM or U of Michigan get rejected from other schools that you felt were less competitive? My D got rejected from a less popular school yesterday, and I am hoping that is not a sign of things to come! Also, being at CM puts you at the top of the pack, did you get into all the programs you auditioned for? Thanks!</p>

<p>Sweetpea, I am not CarnegieMT2012. However, I know kids accepted to CMU and to UMichigan for MT who were rejected at other schools, including ones that some might not consider as competitive. </p>

<p>It is extremely rare, as well, that anyone gets into every single one of their BFA schools, though there are some kids who get into quite a number or most on their list.</p>

<p>sweetpea, another thing…was that school that denied your D, Emerson? My D had done EA to Emerson in her year and was accepted to the college but deferred for the BFA in MT (ultimately rejected for the BFA in April) and that was her first audition, but she got into most of her BFAs after that, including ones that many would consider more competitive than Emerson. This is just how this process goes. You cannot consider the results at one BFA as indicative of the results at the others.</p>

<p>Thank you Soozievt, yes it was Emerson and she was not even deferred. We were so suprised at that. It is only the first of many auditions, and hopefully she will garner better results in 2011!</p>

<p>Here’s an example. My D did not get into Emerson’s BFA but got into Tisch and her good friend from our HS got into Emerson and not Tisch (nothing to do with academics in this case…both were top students…the one who went to Emerson was salutatorian…just clarifying that it wasn’t an academic issue in this case). Both were for MT.</p>

<p>Another girl from our area got into (and attended) Emerson for MT but didn’t get into BOCO and my D got into BOCO but not Emerson. </p>

<p>I know someone who got into Michigan but not Penn State and my D got into Penn State but not Michigan.</p>

<p>I know someone who got into CCM but not Syracuse. </p>

<p>I could go on and on with such examples!</p>

<p>Great to see the disparity and the obvious randomness! I will let my D know all that. Thank you, you have really helped.</p>

<p>What applicants to BFA in MT programs need to keep in mind is that when the acceptance rates are anywhere from 2-9% at most programs, the fact remains that more than 5% of applicants to any one particular BFA in MT program have the talent and qualifications to be admitted. That doesn’t mean that all who apply do, but certainly more do than a single program can accept. The odds at a SINGLE program are very slim. However, if one is a true contender for MT programs and has the requisite talent and academic qualifications, that person will get in somewhere for MT. But one cannot predict just which schools those will be. Even the most talented kids get some rejections (perhaps less rejections than others but usually some). This is due to the odds being so slim and that more applicants are qualified enough to be admitted than a single program can truly take. Add in factors beyond one’s control such as a program building a mix of types. If one is a viable MT applicant and has built a balanced and appropriate list of colleges, they should not be closed out entirely of all MT programs. One single BFA admissions result is not an indicator of talent or qualifications to be admitted. Look at the big picture.</p>

<p>(this is similar to Ivy League admissions where candidates who are valedictorian and have 2400 on their SATs are still rejected)</p>

<p>I would post a reply, but Soozievt hit it right on the head! No one knows why some kids get into some programs but not others. Just try not to lose faith. You’ll get into the program that you’re meant to be at, and the whole process is just so weird-o.
Don’t worry, it’s just one school! And every school is looking for something different from the next school, so just do the best you can, and don’t forget that you’re putting yourself through the torture that is college auditions to continue doing the one thing you love the most: performing.
:)</p>