@MToverload We are in the same boat here. My D is waitlisted and it’s a top choice. Wish we knew her chances but I guess que sera sera. Fingers crossed for both of our D’s!
@MTSongbirdMom Yes, hopefully they will both make it! Your D has had a rough few months if I am remembering correctly - she deserves some happiness.
@MToverload Thanks! Yes it has been a rough few months. But she’s been a trooper. Coming off the waitlist would definitely be a bright spot!
A question from my wife: We’re wondering about performance opportunities.
Some schools put on multiple productions a year and in some schools freshman can audition. Also larger schools have student productions or community productions that students can do. I’ve heard that Pace students also audition for Broadway and off-Broadway shows and are able to work their school schedules around that if they get in a show.
Our impression is that Cap21 does not do as many productions and freshman do not audition for what they have, and that Molloy doesn’t have much in the way of their own productions. I have the impression from earlier comments in this thread that some Cap21 students do audition for professional shows.
But we’re probably wrong about at least some of this. What can parents of current students tell us about performance opportunities.
This isn’t a deciding factor for us. We’re all certain our D is going to Cap21. Just want to know what’s coming. D has been in 3 shows a year at her high school for last 3 years along with 1-2 shows in the summer with local companies. So if there’s no shows to be in that’ll be a change.
Questions from my S:
- What is the technical vocal training like? For instance, do students learn and really understand the anatomy and physiology of singing?
- What is the technical acting training like? For instance, what process and methods are students taught for preparing for roles? Beyond answers like “Meisner” or “Stanislavski”, can anyone share details of how actors are trained at Cap/Molloy?
He would probably have a similar question for dance, but we didn’t get that far this morning before he had to run out the door to school and I’m not sure of what to ask in that regard, but I think you all get where we are going here - I’m handling these questions for him since he’ll be at school and then in rehearsals until about 9 p.m. all week.
Two comments, @tatteredandfriendly - your son should absolutely try to come for a campus visit, where he can see for himself what it is and how it’s done. Second, the hallmark of CAP21 training is the “Projects” … when the cohort completes a skill, they put on an original performance incorporating that skill; the Composer Project, the Pop/Rock Project, the Song and Dance Project, etc. CAP21 believes that learning to sing in the pop/rock style (for instance) is one thing, but performing the skill and acting it out through story in front of an audience is quite another…and so that’s what they do. It’s a lot of work, and the performances are really quite amazing. If you can swing the trips for the Projects, you will get to see first hand precisely how your child is progressing. This is what makes the CAP21 training unique and thorough. Re acting - CAP21 believes that acting is the bedrock of MT…you can sing and dance your head off, but if you can’t act, you won’t book. The acting training is rigorous. I’ll never forget when D told me that her friends in other NYC-based programs that shall remain nameless did not have nearly as much work to do as D and her fellow Cappies. The proof of this program’s training is now playing out in the audition room - D says she is so prepared and ready due to her CAP21 training - and is about to embark on her third booking since graduation last May, after spending the summer working in New Hampshire and the fall in Wisconsin. Most of her classmates are also booking right and left. Believe me, your son has come to the right place… do come and check it out!
@tatteredandfriendly I’ll have to ask my son to describe the training on each for me when he is home next week on break and see if we can give you a full freshman perspective. I know they do both “book learning” for acting and studio training. The book learning side is on campus and the studio at CAP21. For vocal tech, they focus on a specific style each semester so they’re getting in depth on the legit/golden age style for example. I suspect they get the vocology either in the vocal tech class or their private lessons, but will ask S. (S’s voice teacher has advanced degrees in vocology and vocal pedagogy.) They get a lot of ballet, Jazz, Music Theatre Dance as well as some Tap some modern, etc.
@HappyTheatreDad Freshmen are not allowed to audition. They are very focused on training, and honestly, I don’t know how they could miss it with as busy as they are. Starting sophomore year, there is a performance project each semester (which @EastchesterMom detailed a bit). Everyone in the class participates in those and they are performed for the public. As I understand it, they are original works. Starting sophomore year, they can also audition for the professional shows at the Madission on campus. There is also a performing arts club that puts on shows though I really know nothing about that - I saw on instagram that they did Shrek recently. I’m not sure how much the CAP kids get involved in that. Finally- on broadway/off-broadway shows etc. I think it’s pretty frowned upon to audition freshman year. The head of the program did say that if someone auditions and gets an offer in subsequent years, that they can work with you to put your degree on hold, but that he will haunt you until you come back and finish it. 
@HappyTheatreDad - it’s true that freshmen cannot audition - blame Class One for that, because D and her classmates seized the opportunity and auditioned for the Madison Theatre shows, which are all outside of the curriculum. The theatre’s manager - a great guy, and well-connected in the industry - couldn’t believe his good fortune when talent showed up literally in his backyard. Well, the school got wind of it and CAP21 put the kibosh on freshman auditions ever since! Now, nobody has it better than a BFA sophomore living on campus … the Madison is steps from the dorms, making auditioning, rehearsing and performing easy time-wise. Check out the shows on the Madison website and you’ll get a feel for it. BTW, the kids are paid for their performances, too.
@HappyTheatreDad - you are correct that Freshman do not perform; they feel very strongly that the first year should be focused on training and “unlearning” bad habits 
After Freshman year, as @EastchesterMom described, they begin the Project Performances. Being that my D is just a Freshman, I am only reporting what is listed in the 8 semester plan from 2017, so it may be outdated… but according to that, Sophomore year they have Story Theatre (fall semester) and Composer Project (spring semester); Junior year Song and Dance Project (fall) and Pop Rock Project (spring); and then Senior year they put on a fully staged show and then the senior showcase. This is how the projects are listed on the 8 semester plan dated 2017, however, I’m pretty sure (someone correct me if I’m wrong!) last year they split the “senior class” and had half of them do a fully staged production spring of their Junior year and the other half did it fall of their Senior year. I don’t know if that is now how it will be done going forward, or if it was just a logistical decision based on size of the class and/or the chosen production…regardless, the nice thing is that everyone is cast and gets an opportunity to perform!
I will say, my D did struggle with not being in a show this year - she really misses the whole process of rehearsing, bonding, creating and performing. However, Molloy also has a Performing Arts Club that puts on a show each year that is open to all students (typically the Cappies do not audition though) and my D volunteered to be on crew for their show and really enjoyed being able to be involved in a production again!
It really is a very rigorous program and they definitely work and challenge them, so I think it’s probably wise that Freshman, who are already adjusting to this whole new world of college (and many of them very far away from home), don’t have to add rehearsals on top of all the homework they have. My D really feels like she is learning A LOT!!
All in all it is a unique approach, but I think it is a smart process and really helps the students learn to apply skills they are learning in a very deliberate fashion. I guess you could say the emphasis at CAP21 really is on the training to prepare them for performances. Hope that helps!
Thank you @speezagmom and @EastchesterMom ! In this limbo time learning all we can keeps us happy We are definitely going to try to get out there to visit - it’s a haul as we are west coast, but so important.
Re: the Molloy College Performing Arts Club - Cappies were involved when my D was a student; she stopped after freshman year but some stayed on. I could not believe the talent of some of the non-BFA kids; they should have been BFAs. If your freshman thinks he or she can handle it given the workload, go for it and have some fun.
Trust me, what they get out of the projects are more than enough to give them performance opportunities. The rehearsals for these are exhausting. My D usually leaves around 6 in the morning, and gets home around 10 each night. They are building the projects from the ground up. So much more than just doing a performance of an already established show. The projects are definitely the way to go. Plus look at who is coming in to direct these. The Pop/Rock put on last weekend was directed and produced by the same guy that wrote the lightning thief. And the one this weekend is being directed by an established director, and both of these projects are ideas that they are trying to shape into broadway/off-broadway shows down the road. How cool to know our children are building this for them. Along with that, the class scenes are great ways to perform and be critiqued by established performers.
Here is a brief article in Broadway World that talks about the Pop Rock Projects this year 
:
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Rob-Rokicki-Eric-Price-To-Present-Musicals-At-Molloy-CollegeCAP21-20190130
Question - A friend was accepted to Molloy via letter and it said his application “in he area of BFA Theatre Arts has been approved”. Is that for academics only? Or does CAP 21 send an artistic acceptance separately? Thanks!
@MTmama42 - Did your friend get an email from Molloy/CAP21 on 3/1 stating acceptance into the BFA Theatre Arts program? I believe that is when/how they notified artistic acceptances. Would probably need more detail about the wording in the letter to be able to answer your question…
Also, just to clarify, Molloy/CAP21 calls their program a BFA in Theatre Arts, but it is an MT program…
Excited to say that my son got accepted last week. I’m a little late in joining the thread, but we are thrilled!
Congrats and welcome, @brieduck!
Thank you so much to @EastchesterMom @JavaJo @mtandsbdad @speezagmom for all of the fantastic info! It speaks volumes about the strength of a program to have so many informed and enthusiastic parents sharing what they know! We are definitely planning a visit and can’t wait to experience this awesomeness firsthand.
This is my new favorite thread! My S loved his audition experience and was thrilled to receive the acceptance email on Friday. I have since been reading up and like @BrennaK, I want to thank @EastchesterMom @JavaJo @mtandsbdad and all others that have shared so much insight on this program. You all are so helpful and have made us even more excited about our visit later in the month.
Thank you all for the helpful information – much appreciated! We are hoping to make it out there at the end of the month (we are from California).
Question – is academic acceptance from Molloy tied to BFA acceptance? We have not heard anything separate from Molloy. Am I to assume our BFA acceptance also means academic acceptance as well?