BFA Acting Pre-Screen and Auditions. Class of 2022 - Sharing!

@actingdreams I love following along with you here on CC! Your son is obviously incredibly talented.

@CLDMom regarding CMU BFA Audition. Our paperwork shows that CMU was one Classical and one Contemporary for both the pre-screen and the Live audition. Prescreen was 90 seconds, whereas the live audition says 1 minute. but you are probably okay if they are slightly longer than one minute. The interview is done in the same room as the audition. I can’t recall about the movement, I will ask my D. Look under pre-screen guidelines and audition guidelines on the website. I did originally find it there and print it out. Break a leg!

Hi @CLDMom. My D just left her CMU audition 20 minutes ago, here in Chicago. There was a check in at noon, started a parents meeting at 12:30. Kids started to go in around 1. My D was asked to do contemporary and classical, then Barbara asked her to do an additional monologue. Good thing she was prepared. Barbara asked her to sing an MT song - which she pulled out of her 
 and then my D was sent to the other room to do the monologues again. So there’s no movement call but there is an interview. Questions like
Why CMU (duh!)?, why acting and not MT? Best of luck to your son!

@ginaf1102 That sounds very promising at CMU! I hope you are both feeling good!

@actorparent1 While you are entitled to your opinion, to make assumptions by reading more into what is said, is wrong. Harvard law, Julliard etc, all protect their reputation. Any school will kick out any student who repeatedly fails to make the “grade”/requirements. Not all schools show the compassion and bend over backwards for their students that I have seen there on several occasions with people that I personally knew. I watched one friend struggle with field and wait until he was so far under before asking for help. One day his frustration got the best of him and he blew his top in class bringing the female professor to tears. After he cooled down, some of us talked to him and he truly regretted what he did. He apologized to the prof in class and to the class. He then apologized to the prof again after class. He met with his advisor and the department head where he was advised to find a different major and a different department. He did. It was a perfect fit for him and he thrived in his new major and graduated on time. Another one, who I knew very well and had excellent potential, was struggling in several classes and had to retake one class at least twice. She was encouraged to get a tutor (provided free by the university) yet failed to do it. When her friends set up tutoring with the best tutor on campus in that subject, she failed to show up. Based on what she told her parents, they blamed the university, then they decided to put the tracking app on her phone to use and found out the truth. Yes, they were being lied to by her. She didn’t go to class and she was leaving campus and the town every weekend. They took away her car in an attempt to ground her there but that didn’t work either. Halfway through the first semester of her fifth year, she left the university. She had burned her bridges with her parents and the university had done all they could for her including counseling. Currently she is still estranged from her parents and spends her days asking “do you want fries with that”. It’s sad that she had such a good future ahead of her but she chose to throw it all away instead of excepting the guidance and help that she was offered from both the university and her school friends. To state that the school/department has no responsibility or commitment to the student is far from the actual truth.

@GloriaVaughn - you have stated your opinion- strongly. Might I suggest letting it go and moving on?

@GloriaVaughn , I agree that of course schools will kick out students who fail all their classes or who don’t even show up for class, like the student you described. But that’s VERY different from telling students up front that they will need to RE-AUDITION each year for the program. Again, it’s the difference between saying “you’re in the program unless you totally screw up and fail” vs. “There’s NO guarantee you’ll be in the program each year, even if you work hard - you have to re-audition.”

If the school IS truly caring and supportive and helps students who are struggling and rarely ever kicks anyone out of the program, as you say, that’s wonderful to hear! But if that’s the case, they really should change the wording on their website and call the annual assessments “evaluations” or “juries”, not “auditions,” because the word “audition” has a connotation of “there’s a very real chance you’re NOT getting picked for what you’re auditioning for.” So if that’s not the case, they should use a less-harsh word, IMO.

Hi everyone @ginaf1102 @FourStars thanks! I was in the basement of a school, no reception. Were heading back to Palmer House and My Son Just received a text from his teacher that Pace Really wants to see him 
 like this guy calls my sons school and asks if he had any way of persuading him to come for the callbacks (no audition necessary) 
 I am sure I should be flattered but this is a bit of a reach

Wow, @actingdreams ! I love how much Pace wants your son! That has to make him feel great! Its wonderful validation, even if it’s not his top choice school.

@actingdreams yayayayayay!! Keep us posted.

I keep wondering if any of you are sitting next to me in the Palmer House! :))

Hi @ginaf1102 we actually just arrived. We are going to save face for my sons favorite teacher. We will be going to the callbacks ;:wink:

OMG @actingdreams that is wild! A first for sure. Wasn’t that the whole reason not to audition (that he had a conflict at the callback time?). This is a huge compliment and must be based on what they saw from his prescreen
PACE is not in want of applications. They obviously really liked his prescreen (guessing the check in person must have had some notes by his name or recognized him from previous discussion after viewed prescreens and was doing his best to convince him PACE is for him!). BAL - not that he needs it. lol

Hi @actorparent1 if it were Juilliard, he would be in tears but he really is unsure about Paces BFA program. My S. Reach schools are Juilliard, Suny Purchase, Mason Gross and after sitting in at Fordham, there too. Pace reminds him of columbia college here in chicago. The cost for 4 years at a costly school has to be an Amazing experience. Meaning it has to pay off Drastically
He will see what they have to say in 10 minutes. Will let you know how it turns out.

@actingdreams UNCSA isn’t a reach (crying face). Just kidding!

On another note
Columbia accepts just about everyone for the PA programs, correct? Pace doesn’t - so it really is a compliment to be admitted to an audition based program there (and whatever happened for your son today there is unheard of
so he should feel good!)

HI all! I guess after this post, it will seal the total experience that was had with Pace today. I can confirm that you can be accepted on the spot and they do have just about (if not all) Full Ride Talent Scholarships

My son shows up during a movement class for the callbacks
The director invites him in and just tells him to sit and wait for everyone to leave
Remember the only 1 required monologue? He did 3
 asked him if he saw himself on Film and doing theatre 
 asked about his other schools and even asked what other callbacks (why did he ask that ? Sigh)
My son was honest and also told them why (tuition cost and he had heard not a lot of talent $$)
He was told that althought they are not Juilliard, they will do the best that they can to accomidate him because they “Really” want to work with him for the next 4 years

Once again, they have talent $$

@actingdreams I am sending huge congratulations to your and your son! That is just a crazy story, but really it is so wonderful! I love knowing that this can happen. Your son will likely have many options but a full ride at Pace with someone that really believes in him (that is a big part of it, because they will support him in all aspects), is a terrific option to have. Thanks for sharing your journey. I am truly happy for you and him!

@actingdreams Amazing!!! That is one heck of a story—what a great day for your S. Congratulations! What an ego boost!

Wow! Congratulations @actingdreams! That is absolutely amazing.

Hear hear!! A full ride is something to seriously consider! Congrats!!

Wow, @actingdreams, that is fantastic!!! Congratulations to your son!!! (I wish I could see his prescreen video! It must have been so amazing they said "We NEED to get this kid!!!)