Are there certain schools that known to be friendly to ethnic minorities? Schools that only an idiot would send their black child to? I am not asking to start controversy in any way. My child is black and I legitimately want the information. We have certain states that we will not even consider schools from based on how unfriendly they are to blacks. If you are more comfortable PMing your thoughts I would be really appreciative of any guidance. I don’t want my child to spend his college years breaking in a school that is trying to be more diverse because they had a problem in the past and neither does he. He wants an equal platform to learn and somewhere he just fits in at both the school and in the MT program irrespective of his race.
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@Theaterforme That is a good question to ask, but this may not be the exact answer you want to hear…but to rule out some states may rule out some really excellent programs. One that springs to mind that I have been following for several years that not only has faculty that are POC but tries to attract diversity in auditions, guest artists, works and always has that represented in their seasons. When I suggest people look there (especially those who are LGBTQ+, BIPOC or other group that is looking outside conservative states) I get a lot of surprise and astonishment. But just follow their social media. See what they are doing and trying to do. Look at their past seasons. It may surprise you. That is University of Alabama. There are other programs in the south that I know of which also try very hard to do things well, but from all I have seen, they are more attentive and responsive than many others. Look through their Theatre & Dance Facebook page and all of the events, classes, blog posts and works they have up from the last few years.
That being said, schools like Pace, which I always recommended because I thought they were also trying to do things in a way that was “right,” I now know it wasn’t. And I feel awful for every kid I suggested that look there. Now that I have heard the stories and testimonials from past students, I feel sick.
Schools like Temple, NYU, CCM, Emerson…all of those are not only diverse and try to attract a diverse population of students, but also offer a variety of works and programs for diverse populations. But many that don’t have that population – it isn’t because they aren’t trying. I know several schools this year that made offers but they just couldn’t get the acceptances. I spoke to one of my kids attending a program that had six acceptances - no POC this year. They are being bashed for not having any works that represent BIPOC on the books, but it is a chicken and egg thing. You cannot have the works without the talent. And the talent won’t accept if they don’t see the works. What to do?? I have plenty of ideas on that…LOL…but right now, universities and colleges are struggling financially, so hiring more faculty is not high on the list for many schools trying to keep their doors open.
My suggestion is to follow schools he is interested in on social media. Look at the faculty and their backgrounds. Follow THEM on social media. Follow students attending on social media. Look at what departments are doing. And not doing. That helped both of my kids last year decide which of their many acceptances to take.
That is good advice. Will definitely follow the school on social media. Which means I might need to learn to use something besides facebook! Alabama’s program does sound good. Its good to hear about the schools we would have crossed off due to location but are actually welcoming and safe. As does Elon obviously goes on the naughty list. ANd I feel like Ohio Northern probably belongs there also. He is not necessarily looking for a school that has BIPOC shows, just schools where he has a reasonable chance of being cast in leads if he is the best for the part, despite his color. I feel like schools that fill their class as needed to cast their shows are only going to take white people or a token black. More importantly I want schools where he can safely walk on campus like any other student. We are new to this world, so I don’t have the gossip background I normally would!
@Theaterforme this was something I worried about a lot, like up at night worried about. We looked at as many years of “banners” for each school as possible, every year can be quite different so it’s important to look at more than the last year. The MT Parents group on facebook has a photo album with almost all of them for 2020 at least. Also, you will find some schools where the campus is diverse and the theatre/MT program is not, quite striking differences.I would also look at faculty, unfortunately very few programs have good representation on faculty. Then try to see what shows they’ve put up and how they cast. I might do some initial research and then wait to do some until you have offers as that requires sorting through offers vs a longer list for auditions. Also, on social, it’s pretty easy to find current students in those programs and I think most would be friendly and willing to talk to your child, especially when they get offers.
There has been a LOT of truth-telling happening this past year about BFA acting/mt programs and a lot of it is heartbreaking, about how people were treated in theatre programs and the larger theatre world. The Pace stuff isn’t isolated.
I would look at Montclair state MT and Acting, the location is a nice suburb and close to NYC, cohorts are diverse. Definitely check out UNCSA - my kid is there and there is a strong cohort of black students (I think 9 black students in the freshman class of 32, and half of the class is BIPOC) and they are one of the few schools that said they are looking at their curriculum and works shown to “decolonize” what is considered, ie not centering white stories primarily and western/euro history/approaches etc. Feel free to message me with any questions.
SUNY Fredonia has really gone out of its way in the past few years to encourage students of color to enroll in its programs in general. The new president of the college, who just began this year, is a POC. Within the SUNY system, it is best known for its music education program, but my own son recently graduated from the theater program (he is a techie and concentrated in lighting).
I am not certain how many POC are in this year’s theater program (they offer BFA’s in acting, MT and tech, as well as a general BA in theater) since my son isn’t there, but as a public school, it may be a safer and less expensive environment to study in.
On another note, the campus is relatively small and self-contained and the surrounding area is quaint.
@theaterforme I would also add there are many amazing alumni from the theatre program at Howard. I would definitely consider that route as well!
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Montclaire is definitely on my radar. I will check out the other two recommended. We have a general rule of not entering the state of North Carolina due to their anti LGBT policies but from a little research, it looks like that stance may have softened a bit.
I also have CCPA on my list, but I can’t figure out from all the comments here and elsewhere whether its good on race or not. And for that matter, whether it is good on human beings. The reality is that a supportive nurturing environment is really what we are after. A big part of that is race, but just as important is that he not end up someplace that is cutthroat or with teachers or admin that is bullying or abusive.
Thank you all. This is exactly what I needed.
I did look closely at Howard but they do not appear to really have a musical theater degree. What they have seems more classical voice and classical theater. He is definitely looking for a triple threat program with more of a contemporary lean. Interestingly, I understand they will be at Moonifieds this year. I am looking forward to hearing some feedback on the program from parents and students as a result of that.
I am not sure how he would handle Howard. He is used to being a token. It would either be an amazing experience to be around all those smart black people or a horrible fit for him because it is too much of a change.
@Theaterforme I would suggest keeping an open mind on program curriculum, there is a wide variety if you look at curriculum. I’m glad you flagged the policy re NC, my kid is LGBTQ and UNCSA’s cohort is not only diverse racially but also gender and sexual orientation. There are many places I would have been so scared for my child to go hang out with friends and their cohort and artsy community in Winston-Salem is a nice friendly bubble. They also have dance and voice for actor and can take voice privately (very reasonably priced). It’s one of the programs that hits all the boxes hard, but not the same as those that are primarily singing/dance focused if that makes sense. UNCG also has a wonderful program director and they focus your training on what you want/need, we really loved meeting them and the students we met were loving their experience. They are also working to bring new BIPOC stories to the stage.
We were MT only at first and very glad we broadened our lens. We also found acting programs to be more open minded and accepting of people who don’t fit types and also more diverse. Also, they have on camera for all 4 years and wonderful alumni (Johnathan Majors lead in Lovecraft Country and son in 5 bloods, and Isaac Powell who was in Once on this Island and lead in recent WestSide Story on Broadway), about 1/3 of the students are true MT focused kids and many end up on broadway). The drama kids also work closely with film students and they are already collaborating on short films this semester. Can you tell I love the program! I do! Lol.
But if voice or dance are their areas where training is the most important I would definitely choose elsewhere.
Part of this insane process is really exploring what training you want and we learned so much along the way - the auditions and prep for them really are part of it so don’t close the list before you take a look, we found a huge difference once we met them vs what you hear online or from their official materials! Some we thought would be a viable option fell to the bottom after meeting them, while others bounded to the top.
I’m rooting for you and hope your kid finds a home where they are safe, embraced and nurtured to meet their fullest artistic potential!
@theatreforme - First I want to say “Thank you” for starting this conversation. This has been a huge concern of mine (as well as my D’s) for sometime. PACE was one of the schools she idealized because of it’s diversity and we’ve heard Amy Rogers, on numerous occasions, speak very eloquently about how progressive her program was only to find out it was a complete lie. We were devastated to say the least. She has a few friends at various schools that she’s managed to keep in touch with who’ve helped give her the inside scoop on various programs and how they address, teach, and challenge diversity. She does not want to be the “token” for any school.
I’m curious about your thoughts on Elon and ONU? I’ve heard wonderful things about the program and how it addresses diversity. My D has friends in both programs who speak very highly of the program. Would you mind sharing your thoughts? TIA
As for Elon, Google “trump caravan Elon” and also google “Elon musical theater photos” Comments in non university controlled media say things like “Its a group of prep school kids who have been friends since the womb” It is possible they are trying to make a change. The MT class for 2023 looks very diverse but anything before that seems to have a token. As for ONU, it certainly appears to be all white people on campus and comments are that it is one of the few colleges where the students are generally pro-trump.
Again, I don’t really know what I am doing at this point. I am basically limited to online research. If I am wrong, I want people to tell me. So far the only one I have been warned about is Pace and people have explained a few that are actually good that I thought were bad (UNCSA).
I guess I am concerned that people will not speak up publicly about the schools that have a problem or simply might not be comfortable for a black kid. I think this is partially due to the attitude that is pounded into your head at auditions throughout your life (regardless of color), that you take what ever part you get and you don’t get upset. This attitude creates a community that is afraid to question things for fear of being blacklisted. So I think its a hard thing to talk about. What I am secretly hoping is that someone PM’s me and says “Here is the black folks’ list of colleges to avoid.”
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Hi @Theaterforme. I’m white, but I understand your concerns. I have a kid at Elon (not MT, but my D is in Theater at another school) and feel the need to point out that the Trump convoy at Elon was NOT Elon University sponsored in any way and the Elon admin. publicly spoke out against it and took/is taking measures to prevent future occurrences. You can find all kinds of info on school pages as to what Elon U is doing to improve its diversity, and to me, it looks like a lot.
But as to the true experience of Black students at Elon U (or anywhere), I understand your concerns about how it might be hard to ask the question and get a true answer. I wonder if it could be done student-to-student through social media (I’m thinking Instagram). Or perhaps the schools’ diversity offices or MT Depts would connect prospective students to current students of color. I would like to think that a school such as Elon that is really trying to increase their diversity , but hopefully any school, would do their part to find a way to get your true questions and concerns answered, by current students. I hope that this is helpful. I think this is an important question that you are asking, and it saddens me that there don’t seem to be easy resources to get your answer.
@Theaterforme I think the best you can do is what you’re already doing - gather as much info as you can and then use the audition and acceptance time to meet them (directors, faculty, students) as much as you can during those phases. We found that our experience was different than others, so you can’t replace other people’s experience with your own. The best advice we got was to not be too picky in the first phase, save that for the offer phase. There were programs people have fawned over and/or are highly rated that my kid did not like when meeting them. And I think it’s fair to say most programs have a long way to go regarding diversity of faculty, students and content. Our application/audition list was imperfect but it was broad and gave us enough options to work with at the end, and couldn’t imagine a better fit now. There are also the Playbill Youtube series with weekly interviews with program directors, and a student run account Themtea on Instagram with students sharing their experiences with a wide range of MT programs.
@Theaterforme Howard definitely has an MT program. It’s listed as a concentration but it’s a fully developed MT curriculum. I’m working with the current Head of the Program, Marty Austin Lauer, on a DEI committee for musical theatre educators and he’s incredible: a phenomenal educator who is beyond knowledgeable about the history of Black art being appropriated by commercial musical theatre & an actively working actor as well. Their MT voice faculty trains in all MT genres. If you google “Howard Musical Theatre” you’ll find their page, which has curricular info, their 2020 Senior Showcase, and other details. I definitely recommend looking at it!
Thank you all for your responses. I was very afraid to post the question. I think, if I have learned anything, it is to keep an open mind (although I reserve the right to come back in a couple of years and say that first impressions were correct ;))
@Coach, I am glad you posted the thing about Howard. When I googled “Howard Musical Theater” I got to the right place but starting at the main university page it didn’t get me to the right information at all. Now I am struggling to figure out true Howard costs after merit scholarships. Its a little out of my price range on the straight dollars and the website doesn’t explain merit scholarships or college admissions standards are lower for MT majors. If anyone knows the answers to those questions, I am happy to hear them.
The other thing I think is important to remember is that this is currently a hot button issue. From looking at various schools websites and social media, it is clear there is a big diversity push right now but it remains to be seen if that sticks and if diverse students are being treated fairly. My kid is a sophomore, so we have a little bit of time to let it shake out.
If you want to get an idea of each college’s overall racial/ethnic diversity, you can check College Navigator:
Alabama: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=alabama&s=all&id=100751#enrolmt
Cincinnati: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=cincinnati&s=all&pg=2&id=201885#enrolmt
Elon: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=elon&s=all&id=198516#enrolmt
Emerson: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=emerson&s=all&id=165662#enrolmt
Howard: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=howard&s=all&id=131520#enrolmt
Montclair State: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=montclair&s=all&id=185590#enrolmt
NYU: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=new+york&s=all&pg=3&id=193900#enrolmt
Ohio Northern: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=ohio+northern&s=all&id=204635#enrolmt
Pace: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=pace&s=all&id=194310#enrolmt
SUNY Fredonia: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=fredonia&s=all&id=196158#enrolmt
Temple: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=temple&s=all&id=216339#enrolmt
UNCSA: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=university+of+north+carolina&s=all&id=199184#enrolmt
Note that in each college’s College Navigator entry, you can click on “PROGRAMS & MAJORS” to see how many students in a recent graduating class were in each major (the music majors will be under the “Visual and Performing Arts” category).
Pace parent here, of a biracial child who is a current freshman in MT. No defensiveness here, it’s not pretty at PACE right now. The revelations of the Pace MT BIPOC alumni and current students has definitely been sickening and upsetting.
What I will say is that I feel that almost every Predominantly White Institution (PWI) has serious work to do on this front, and that Pace MT is trying to do that work right now. I believe that most performing arts programs in the US have not yet done this work and remain merely well-intentioned (at best), without a real awareness of how their policies and unconscious biases affect training and education. My D is learning a ton about how to stand up and speak up, and what it looks like from the inside, when people and programs do anti-racism work. I definitely wish she could have had just a normal, messed-up COVID year 
but in the long run I know she will benefit from having been part of the solution. She is growing and learning and has not felt alone or singled out in any way. Best of luck to your S, @Theaterforme.
Thank you BoogieMa! I am desperate to figure out how many posts I need so I can PM people because I would love to talk with you further. I did not actually know about the issues at Pace when I initially posted this thread. I basically know nothing and am starting to find that maybe my preconceived notions about schools or areas to not even consider might have been off base.
In ■■■■■■■■ CC I did find a link about Michigan and I think the its the tokenism I am most worried about. I am sending my kid to college to learn, not so the schools will have someone to play the one black or racially ambiguous part in every show. I want him to have the same chance to learn as white kids. All the talk about there are only a certain amount of spaces per “type” in each class is kind of cringy if you have a child who is a POC. The other frustrating thing about even trying to figure this out is, like at Pace, a lot of change is happening right now. So information from even years ago may not be particularly accurate anymore.
This specific link is about the program there but she has a 2 part series on POC in MT also posted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LagwqMdT5Zo&t=2s
@Theaterforme you can just post here enough times to get to PM’s. Just type a word, and post, then again until you pass the threshold. You would be the first and everyone understands!