Since there’s a bit of a lull here in CC MT/Acting/Voice land as Class of 2019 prepares to become college freshmen and Class of 2020 begins their journey, thought I’d start a thread on how freshman year (or gap year?) went for the Class of 2018. What was learned? What were the surprises? What changes/path corrections are planned as sophomore year approaches? Any MT/Theatre-related plans for the summer? Anything to share about the overall arc of the entire application, audition, acceptance, attendance, completion of first college year (or non-college year)? Things you’d do differently or that went totally as hoped for?
I’d love to read about this!
Got a little hung up with end of school year transition stuff. Stay tuned, I’ll be posting S’s experience soon. Hope others will also join in.
My S finished freshman year in MT BFA at Wright State. He is in Honors College, but barely found space in his schedule for regular academic classes and none of the Honors classes fit. He has extensive dance background and - perhaps showing his true priorities - he was able to “upgrade” to more advanced dance classes and added tap (typically not taken until sophomore year). Because of his dance background, he was able get a “swing” role in the fall musical (freshman are excluded from casting until Spring productions). That was a huge time commitment and learning curve for a fledgling college student and he’s not sure he would repeat that experience if given the chance. It didn’t take long in Fall semester for him to figure out that there was not much time for partying (others found that to be less of a problem).
For Spring musical Peter Pan, he got role of Nana (only person to audition for the role) and also one of the Indian dancers. Again, a huge commitment, but really enjoyed working with well-known choreographer brought into do the show. In order to fit in rehearsal/performance schedule, he took two academic classes online. He found this to be less than ideal. He had to try to fit in all academic work, sleep and laundry on Sundays and then when the musical closed two weeks before end of semester, he had to scramble to catch up on the reading and paper-writing - while also preparing for end-of-year juries, recitals, final presentations and dorm move-out. He felt that he really missed out on the purpose of those two classes - the learning of the material and the interaction with real professors and classmates - and would not take this route again. That said, he survived with GPA mostly intact, but was so tired at end of the semester he had to sleep for a week when he got home.
Aside from lack of sleep, S loved the first year of his program, especially since it is acting-focused (MT and Acting classes are the same in freshman year). He has liked all the faculty he encountered so far and is in the process of finagling next year’s schedule to get additional face time with a few of them. Part of the finagling includes trying to get into Music Theory for Music majors since he tested out of MT Music Theory (thanks to years of piano/violin and non-AP Music Theory class in HS) and taking ballet with Dance majors. All the MT freshmen are returning for sophomore year, but a few Acting majors have made changes for various reasons. His classmates all seem to get along for the most part and he has found an Acting major to be one of his apartment mates for next year (on campus). The other two apartment mates will be Motion Picture majors and S is hoping to squeeze in some film experience next year. At WSU, Motion Picture and Film majors are in the Theater Department and there are endless opportunities for MT/Acting majors to be in student films.
S feels that one of his major advantages going into college has been his extensive dance background. He feels this helped him to be accepted to some terrific programs, allowed him to be cast in school shows that freshmen are often closed out of and also aided him greatly in landing his summer theater job. He is 6’2", and in very good physical shape from all his dance work and time spent at the gym. He works - and has worked - VERY hard on these aspects of his development and it seems to be paying off so far. That said, he’s wondering if that will also become his “type”. There always seems to be a need for “dancing d**ks” (sorry for the crudity, but apparently that’s the official title) in every musical, especially if you can lift girls over your head and throw them around safely with panache. As S becomes upperclassman he’s hoping he will have opportunity to play other parts in more experimental, black box type shows. (As in many programs, main stage casting trumps all other casting of black box and student work). S knows that his acting skills will definitely advance at WSU and also knows he needs to strengthen his singing. He is asking his voice teacher to give him additional focus on classical work/technique. With tenors seeming to be all the rage, he finds his baritone range - and sight singing skills - to be helpful in securing ensemble roles, but hopes to channel his inner “John Raitt-who-moves-like-Dick Van Dyke/Jim Cary” at some point in the future.
In January, he went to OTA (Ohio Theater Alliance) unified professional auditions and in March (WSU spring break) to SETC. From those auditions he was lucky enough secure an ensemble position at a terrific summer theater venue and again, is learning a ton - and having blast doing what he loves 9 - 5+, six days a week, surrounded by others who love this “work”. The pay is adequate and he is having the added experience of learning to budget his money to feed himself without “limitless” meal swipes, dining dollars and flex dollars (he and roommate had to supply their own fridge and microwave). He is very fortunate that hefty school scholarship allows him go for summer experiences that will give him the best training/learning w/o worrying too much about pay - for now.
What would he do differently? Other than scheduling issues mentioned above, not much. Going into freshman year he wished that perhaps he had used different audition material that was more “natural” for him - both in type and vocal range - but he wouldn’t trade his current program for any other, so it all worked out. Like many males, his voice didn’t change until HS and had limited range during audition process. He and HS voice teacher thought it would be “better” if he trained for future “tenor-ness”, but he has a naturally lovely, rich baritone quality that he is learning to embrace and develop. Although he wishes he had more time to pursue all his interests, he is learning to “breathe” and figure out how to stay healthy while still doing what needs to be done, as well as what he wants to get done. Big lessons.
Hi! I’m a current student at Wagner who just finished my freshman year. My journey was a bit unusual - after my audition process I had 2 acceptances (Hartt AT program, Muhlenberg) and 2 waitlists (Wagner, Marymount). I ended up choosing at the LAST minute to go to Wagner, even though I was still waitlisted, because of some financial aid stuff that got switched around. I was crushed that I wouldn’t be able to major in theatre, but I decided to lay low for a semester, take gen eds, and reconsider if I still thought I wanted to be an actor. I joined the choir, started a club, took some amazing classes, and overall had a great experience. I generally avoided the theatre scene, just to take a break from it all to see what life was like as a normal person.
Reauditions for the MT program were in February. At the time, I was pretty much convinced I’d commit to Wagner’s Arts Administration major with a theatre concentration (which is a wonderful program, I highly recommend it to people wanting to be a part of the theatre business but not necessarily an actor), but eventually I decided that I would give the MT major one more shot.
To my surprise, I was the only student at the reauditions to be accepted into the program! I’m now a MT major, and will officially start classes for it in the fall. I think the biggest reason behind my success was the voice lessons I took during my first semester - my voice teacher is the bomb, and she helped me to improve my voice beyond what I ever thought I was capable of. Also, since I had zero expectations of getting in and was seriously planning to declare an Arts Admin major, I went into the audition totally relaxed and looking to enjoy the day, which I’m sure helped me perform better in the end.
Overall, this year was a whirlwind, but I’m ultimately so glad I picked Wagner. I truly feel like I ended up in the right place for me. I love the school itself (the proximity to Manhattan is probably the best part), plus everyone in the theatre program is so supportive of each other. I’ll never forget crying on the phone in the middle of Penn Station when I got the call that I was accepted into the MT major, and when almost every current freshman theatre major showed up at my dorm to congratulate me. It’s truly like a family there, and I’m so excited for the next few years.
Just goes to show - even when you think your audition process was a total failure, you can end up exactly where you’re supposed to be!
If at first you don’t succeed. . . Awesome @daniellececelia!
Congratulations daniellececelia! 
That’s wonderful @daniellececelia!!!
Ah, the end of my freshman year.
Thoughts:
It was an incredible experience to be in a new environment from my elementary and middle schools. This school is urban but strict with enforcing rules if things get out of hand, and has one of the highest AP offerings in the state. The upsides of my year include Latin, Marching Band, Jazz Band, and my confirmation, while my one large downside was our beloved math teacher passing away and the semester and a half of darkness. We’re still trying to clear the grade situation up for the year, but hopefully it will end fine. I befriended my new geometry teacher, who also runs our varsity chess team (of which I am a proud member) and tried his hardest with the material presented.
What would I do differently?
I had been warned for years to improve my study habits because when I went to high school, it would bite me in the you-know-what. I was defiant and thought I could handle it, but I couldn’t. I ended the year with a “B” in Biology Honors purely because of my lack of studying. Right now I have a “B” in Geometry Honors as well, but that is (as far as I know) being fixed to an “A” because of the darkness with the grades.
It’s been a journey, that has 3 more years to it.
My daughter is not an MT major but an acting major so hopefully you won’t mind if I post her freshman experience here. She had a choice of one BFA program and several BA programs and ended up at her safety school because she fell in love with the campus and the department. She loves the proximity to NYC without having to go to school in such a large setting. After a few weeks of serious roommate drama, she settled into her groove and has found where she belongs. She auditioned for the Fall season and was the only freshman cast in a main stage show (the lead). She ran crew for the spring shows (lighting and stage crew) and was asked by one of the faculty to stage manage his show this coming Fall and she jumped at the chance. The connections she is making already in the professional world are a definite bonus.
She was also approached by one of the housing directors and asked to apply for RA and was selected. So she will be the RA for one of the freshman dorms this coming year. (Saves mama a ton of money). She loved her theater courses and is taking all theater courses fall semester; theater design (covers her math requirement) theater history, monologues and movement for the actor and playwriting. She came home this summer looking like a very accomplished young woman, so confident and self assured. I am very proud of her and her choices.
That’s great, @bisouu! It sounds like your D is in the exact right spot for her! What relief and excitement you must feel.
@bisouu Sounds like a great experience. What school is she at?
My son just finished his first year as a musical theatre major at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, which is located in Glasgow (Scotland’s largest city.) The MT program there takes 3 years to complete, and he’ll graduate with a BA. He loved his year there and grew in so many ways. The program there is a true conservatory – All classes are MT related-- no “liberal arts” classes at all, and my son was fine with that. I’ll try to break down his experience in the various disciplines:
Voice: He had a private vocal coach, with whom he met with 1x/week, and there was also a group vocal class, held with the Masters (MA) MT students. He had 2 different coaches, as one left in December to teach at a school in London. He really liked them both—especially the second coach, who is a trained opera singer. My son tends to lean more towards art songs/older MT, and not the pop/rock genre (even though he knows that where MT is headed….), and this gentleman helped him tremendously with his breathing techniques and posture.
Dance: This was definitely a weak spot for S. At RCS he danced 4x/week: Body conditioning was 8am Monday morning (1 hour). Ballet was all-year (2 hours), as was Contemporary (1.5 hours). Jazz was first semester, and Tap was second semester (2 hours). The students were separated pertaining to skill level. He struggled in tap—He loved it, but found himself with 2 left feet at first. The male teacher was Russian and seemed to take a liking to S and told him—We will get this! By the end of the semester, he did.
Acting: 2 hour classes/2x week. My son had never taken an acting class prior to RCS, so at first he was lost and didn’t “get it.” He’d tell us how he didn’t like the teacher, and she was giving the kids all of these weird assignments and projects to do…… They made no sense to him. But, of course, as the school year progressed, things started to come together for him, and the lightbulb finally clicked on in the spring. By the end of the school year, he said that that teacher was one of his favorites, and he had learned so much from her. There was also a Performance class which could be put in this category—That was 3 hours/week, and I believe it was more of an MT class—putting all disciplines together.
Music: RCS is extremely dedicated to the concept of graduating “quadruple threats.” Music is required. Classes are group and individual. My son took piano lessons all year, and will continue to take piano next year, in addition to another instrument. There is also Music Theory class 2 hrs/wk.
Other classes: There was an ICP class 4 hrs/week. This was the Interdisciplinary Collaborative Program (I think that’s what it stands for…) and was a class of students from all of the majors (courses) at RCS—so there were other MT students, actors, musicians, production arts and design students, dancers, filmmakers, etc. (His class had about 15 students in it.) They worked on various projects throughout the year, and it gave everyone a chance to work with others from a wide variety of backgrounds. He found it challenging, as there was such a difference in personalities there, but it was a good way to get to know other students there that he might not have interacted with at all. There was also a 1 hr Program Meeting, 1 hr Artist Development class, and one or two others.
First year RCS MT students do not perform. They are strictly in “Artist Development” mode. In their third (and final) year, they are guaranteed at least 1 lead role in a production, and will appear in most of the musical theatre shows. This September, his class (second years) will audition for the ensemble roles in the 2015-16 productions. (There are about 17-18 MT students in each year class.)
He lived in a private dorm associated with RCS and made many friends there. He had his own room and bathroom. There was no meal plan, so he had to go grocery shopping make his own meals in a kitchen he shared with 8 other students. (Sharing a kitchen proved to be the most challenging “collaborative” project of the year.) He travelled a bit while there, but mostly stayed in Glasgow— he thrived living in a city……we live in boring suburbia and I knew junior year in high school, when we were visiting colleges, that he needed to be in an urban school environment. Next year he will live in a flat with 1 other MT student.
There were definite challenges before and during the school year—Visa application, currency conversions, bank/tuition/money transfers, mobile phone issues-- but with the help of other RCS parents, we got it all figured out.
Overall, he is extremely happy at RCS, and in Glasgow and Scotland. He did a lot of growing up, as you need to have a lot of strength inside yourself to go to a foreign country to live and go to school, knowing you can’t come home but for December break. Hubby and I are very proud of him. We had never been to Scotland and didn’t visit the school before he flew over in September—it was quite a leap of faith, and it worked out well.
Wow @SU88BFA! Sounds like your S had tremendous growth opportunities in many aspects of his education and life experience. Especially loved hearing about the Acting class “clicking” and that teacher winding up as one of his favorites. Great that he also learned to feed himself in a “sharing” environment. It took lots of strength for him - and you - to make it through. Congrats to your S and your entire family.
I wrote this a while ago and never posted. Hope that this is beneficial to someone out there!
A brief introduction - D came off the waiting list for BW just a week or so before the decision deadline back in April of 2014… but was pining for another of her WL choices. When that came back as a definite no - she committed to BW. I can tell you that she looks back at her hesitation and wonders WHY! She is incredibly happy at BW, and feels that the school she was pining for would not have been as good a fit as she looks in the rear-view mirror.
What has she learned? She learned that all those years of dance training and voice lessons have been beneficial - even though she has never considered herself a “dancer-dancer” (and still doesn’t) - the fact that she’s just been in dance classes her whole life has helped tremendously. Some of her classmates struggle in the dance classes - her only struggle was waking up on time for an 8am dance class. She has learned A LOT about Music Theory. (a LOT) and she’s been surprised at how much she does enjoy the challenge of that. She’s learned a lot about herself, and while it’s a struggle for my “head in the clouds” creative kid - she’s learning to be more organized.
Surprises? She was STUNNED when she was cast as Val in the fall production of A Chorus Line. Gobsmacked. The rehearsal schedule/school schedule was intense… but I honestly think she thrived on it… When she wasn’t cast in the next production - she was a bit at loose ends… not sure what to do with herself… which is a big reason she was glad to Swing the final production of the year - even though she never went on - having that rehearsal schedule in her life made her feel balanced… even if the last couple of weeks of school were pure mayhem! I think she’s also been surprised at how connected she’s become not only with her classmates, but with many of the upperclassmen… and I think she’s honestly surprised that looking in that rear-view mirror that she has no regrets, and feels that she is in the perfect place for her.
Her only change for Sophomore year is roommate… she roomed with a bio major this year - and they just had zero connection. They got along fine - but had no friendship at all. She’s excited to live with another MT this year - someone with the same schedule and someone she is truly friends with. Oh - and she finally got her driver’s license when was home from school briefly - and she is going to keep a car on campus next year. Because BW does so many partner productions with Cleveland area theaters - it will be nice to have her own transportation if she gets cast in one of these.
MT plans this summer: She was cast in a regional production of American Idiot… so she and a friend (also cast) are subleasing an apartment near campus for the summer, and commuting to the theater in Cleveland for rehearsals. It’s her first official “professional” production - It opened last weekend to rave reviews, and runs for 6 weeks. (this was the motivator to get that driver’s license!)
In terms of things we’d do differently? Not much! We used MTCA, and I was extremely grateful for them. There were a couple of programs that we might have added to the list and a couple we would have removed - but some of that learning what exactly you are looking for comes during that audition year. It’s so hard for a 17/18 year old kid to look at the websites and figure out what they are truly looking for - so a few list issues I think are to be expected. I would have used pre-recorded tracks for recording prescreens to control volume better - but it ended up being fine… but I advise those who go after me to do that. I would have pushed her to get that driver’s license LAST summer - so that we weren’t in a “do or die” situation this summer when she took the test 3 days before she was moving back to Cleveland! (She passed with flying colors - but it was still nerve wracking… I prayed a lot during the parking part of the test!) She attended both BTP and TPAP in consecutive summers - I would totally do that again. I wish we had sent her to Interlochen the summer before BTP.
Sounds like she grew in LOTS of ways, and has the heart to continue doing so. Impressive!
Hello! My D was accepted at RCS and we are thrilled, but nervous since she will be so far away from home. Thank you for your post. It was really helpful.
Hello SU88BFA, I know this was written a few years ago, but my daughter is currently making her decision and is heavily leaning towards RCS. I’m curious to know how your son is doing now in his third year in Scotland?? This is such a tricky thing, since it’s not possible to visit before making the commitment!
@PurplePaws - if you put @ in front of the user’s name, they will get a flag notification - @SU88BFA.