<p>Now that my D has gotten into the acting program at Cal Arts, I feel I really don't know that much about it. I mean, how does it really "rank" compared to the East Coast schools? And being a Californian, I know I incorrectly define that as being anything on the other side of the Rockies... :) </p>
<p>My D is so desirous of getting out of California. She has so far been admitted to CCM Acting and Emerson BFA Acting as well. This Cal Arts acceptance has put dreams of keeping our baby near home in Mommy and Daddy's minds. (We'd even let her take her car!) But I don't want to do anything that would hurt her potential. </p>
<p>She is awaiting NYU, CMU and NCSA (and UCLA... but again that is in California.)</p>
<p>It probably depends on the type of training she is looking for. We live in the area, and CalArts is well known for its creativity and is concidered a big deal. I know that she will be given the opportunity to “dabble” in other cross curricular projects, and experimentation is encouraged. They seem to really focus on developing an artist’s voice - which is what made it my son’s #1 choice. He also attended the Innerspark/CSSSA summer program there last year and really enjoyed the campus and the instructors.</p>
<p>A BIG congrats to your family!! I would be interested to hear her ultimate choice. We are still waiting… I am afraid to let him know that at this point, no news is probably bad news…</p>
<p>I got into CalArts last year and was originally set on going. I encourage your daughter to visit the school and sit in on classes before she makes her selection. There are a few people in my company at Purchase who also got into the school. I know one of them reauditioned this year.</p>
<p>I just have a quick question I hope you could answer… You mentioned on another thread you reauditioned at NCSA because Purchase just isn’t the right program for you, and now somebody else from your freshmen class is reauditioning… What is up with Purchase? I thought it was a fantastic school… Anything you are willing to elaborate on is appreciated.</p>
<p>Purchase is a great acting school. The shoe has to fit right though. And I know that myself and several other company members don’t feel that Purchase is right. I have friends that are loving the program though and I’m very happy that their choice feels right to them.</p>
<p>My D has two friends (who were both in her class at a performing arts magnet here in our town) who attend CalArts for acting. From what I hear, they both love it! </p>
<p>Both were seeking a very small school where they could develop their more offbeat voices as actors and artists, and CalArts fit the bill for them. One of them told me that Cal Arts is not focused on training young actors to be part of repertory companies but wants to turn out more versatile actors/artists who are free to pursue various kinds of theater and performance. </p>
<p>Neither of the kids I know who go there are into more traditional types of theater, if that makes any difference.</p>
<p>Calarts also has brought in a lot of new faculty recently who are all working together to build it into one of “the best” in the country. The program looks like it will be growing a lot in the next couple years</p>
<p>They told my D that they want to make it “the Juilliard of the West” when she auditioned and the woman in charge gave her her card and told her exactly what moviebuff said …“come visit some classes.” We are planning to go to the new students day in April because we honestly didn’t have enough time to assess on audition day. </p>
<p>From what you are all saying, it sounds like a good fit for my D other than the fact it is in California… My D is in a cutting edge h.s. conservatory. They tend to work with teaching artists, try new things and not do your typical h.s. shows (examples: Urinetown, The Brecht Project, King Stag, Crimes of the Heart, Waiting for Godot, The Compleat Works of William Shakespeare, The House on Mango Street, Scapin… you get the basic idea…) She is used to new stuff and new things. Her “artistic belief” is that the various arts should come together in a performance - music, dance, art, theatre… which puts her at a bit of a conflict with her current teacher, but he respects her position. I think this belief would be honored at Cal Arts. </p>
<p>Cal Arts is also only 20 minutes from Grandma’s house, so she could go to Grandma’s if she needed a little love. (She was born in LA and we lived for many years in the San Fernando Valley.) </p>
<p>Hedda… Thank you and I sincerely hope it does turn out for your son… I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you shall see the invitation looking envelope really soon. That’s great he did Innerspark. My youngest D is thinking about attending Innerspark for writers in a few years. She is a freshman now and a playwright. (Yeah… I have one who gets on the stage, and the other who writes for it… )</p>
<p>Throughout my daughter’s life I have enjoyed her performances and am proud of her ability to balance work, school and theater on her own. I have not - at times to her irritation - I wasn’t interested in seeing her work “professionally” and so I remained on the edge of the loop. </p>
<p>Now that she’s heading to college, she is interested in CalArts for acting and she has been accepted. She hasn’t visited but was excited by their interest in collaboration and the variety of work they do – extending themselves internationally and encouraging performances that mix disciplines. She is currently waiting to hear from DePaul. She has been accepted to Drew and would earn a BA in theater there. She didn’t get into UArts. </p>
<p>Since her acceptance her focus has been on CalArts. I’m curious about a couple things. Has anyone had experience with their way of helping grads move into the working world? Do they utilize both East and West Coast as showcases? While they don’t train as a repertory company, will students be prepared if they wished to join an MFA REP company?</p>
<p>How competitive is their admissions process for acting? She actually didn’t expect an acceptance, and in fact was told regularly by a couple people not to anticipate an acceptance. How many typically audition at cal arts for the 24 openings in the BFA program. Not many individuals in her HS are trying to get into Calarts. When UArts didn’t call her back, I was surprised by the calarts admission.</p>
<p>It would be great to hear some first hand experiences folks have had at CalArts in Acting. Please let me know. </p>
<p>For those who were accepted I am wondering if you would be willing to describe your audition experience? I had an interesting experience at CalArts, and it was my first audition so I was a little confused about the whole thing… But I am just wondering if you all were asked to do a third monologue if they had a conversation or interview with you… etc etc.</p>
<p>My D’s experience was a very positive one. She did her first monologue, then she did her second monologue, then they worked with her on her Shakespeare monologue, which was her second monologue. Then they talked to her about the other schools she was applying for and how CalArts was different. They especially talked to her about NYU (which my D has not yet heard from.) Two of the Cal Arts panel members were from NYU and kept telling her about how Cal Arts was different from NYU, which my D thought was interesting. Then they gave her their card and asked her to come back and visit the school and they would set her up with a student mentor and have her tour the school and attend some classes. That was her experience.</p>
<p>when i auditioned i just went in and did my monologues for one auditor and he said “that was great” and i left. so, needless to say, i have my hopes up, but i dont really expect to get in. you just have a feeling. </p>
<p>plus, i didnt go to a theatre high school or anything, i just went to a reg. public high school in Georgia, so i don’t know much about acting right now. and i dont know how to be ‘innovative’ or anything, so im not really expecting to get in. </p>
<p>let’s just say i didnt know how competitive it was when i applied (or most of the REALLY competitive schools i applied to, like UNCSA, Fordham, etc.)</p>
I would be interested to hear her ultimate choice. We are still waiting… I am afraid to let him know that at this point, no news is probably bad news…</p>