<p>Sorry, late to this discussion of sharing audition material. I agree with halflokum that it’s probably not a good idea. Kids who want to pursue a career in theatre need to have the skills to search for and choose appropriate audition material. This is a skill that if don’t already have it, they need to learn, and what better time than now. Most kids by this point should have a good home library of plays and that’s where they should start, along with all the shows that they’ve seen performed live onstage. Kids shouldn’t be taking shortcuts in this process, which is why I’ve always been against coaches handing over audition material lists to their clients. I know that not all of them do it but many do, and they’re not doing those kids any favors. The other issue of divulging specific monologue and song information, as was pointed out to me in a PM, is one of protecting your child’s anonymity here. I think that’s wise.</p>
<p>Lastly, don’t resell your scripts! Your kids should be keeping those and taking them off to college with them!</p>
<p>To all of you who are in waiting mode, keep your collective chins up! I know these next few weeks are tough but keep thinking positive thoughts. If auditions are over, the decisions are totally out of your hands. Your kids went in and did their best, what comes next won’t change that. Sending good thoughts to all of you and hope that your kids get the news that they want!</p>
<p>I agree with entertainersmom that this SUCKS!! Why the heck do they take only 20 or 30…makes no sense to me. No other major restricts like this. For the money we pay to these colleges, you’d think they could hire more instructors and accept more of our talented kids. You know, it’s like the Olympics…you train and you rehearse and you prepare, but ANYBODY can have a bad day and blow the audition…you’ll miss the medal stand even though you are worthy! </p>
<p>My D is also the lead in her HS musical (opening night April 4) but she is definitely feeling the pressure and is depressed over what happened at Wagner. We have only a couple of weeks more to wait, but I’m not confident right now. Please, please, somebody take her!</p>
I once heard a program director (it might have been Brent Wagner… can’t remember for sure) say “The world needs more doctors, but there are already too many actors.” So maybe small class sizes really do relate to limited market demand. But I’ve also heard that at least some programs lose money on every student, so that may be why they limit their numbers.</p>
<p>So sorry about Wagner! I think I do understand the need for the small class size in order to provide high quality instruction and attention, and that is what I want for my son. At the risk of embarrassing myself, I’ll share something that happened as my husband and I drove to my son’s wind ensemble concert. This process has caused me to regress, so I now wish upon a star if I happen to be out. So, as we drove to the concert I noticed this humongous star and told my husband, hey look at that huge star, it must be Venus. I quickly made my usual wish (you can guess what it is!) and then noticed a red light blinking on Venus!! Crap, it was a plane </p>
<p>I agree that there has to be a better way to evaluate the kids. If a kid has a bad winter and can’t shake a cold, or gets sick on the wrong days, they could be sunk. It is strange. With the system as is, it’s as much of a crap-shoot for the schools as it is for the kids, and that is not the best from their end either. </p>
<p>I have no issue with the schools only taking 20 or 30 kids, and there are other majors that have restrictions at some schools. At many schools, if they admit too many kids, then the instruction would suffer, and the mainstage productions would suffer too. I’d rather see 15-20 students do a really great show than 40 kids packed into a cast like a high school musical just to get more kids on stage. On the flipside, there are more good programs out there than ever, which is giving more kids the opportunity, which is good.</p>
Actually, some programs with larger incoming classes have SMALLER average class sizes (for example D’s school admits 100 theatre students (many fewer are MTs), but the student to faculty ratio is 7:1. </p>
<p>MomCares was Brent that said that about too many actors.</p>
<p>EastchesterMom we were at Ithaca on February 22nd. We loved it there. That school only takes 15-16 they told us. It is getting harder and harder.</p>
<p>Looking back on it I would have had him audition at more schools and fall back ones It is hard applying 5 of your 6 choices at top names schools. This is all a learning experience. I am so hoping for a call or letter from Baldwin. We loved it there too. </p>
<p>Class size is about 15-16 at Tisch and that is among the largest Theatre/Drama programs. The MT studio which is takes about 60-64 students/class is broken up into four groups. But I’d bet there is such a thing in some schools as having 40 kids packed into a cast or classroom as CollegeSearchDad is describing. That would not be the ideal learning environment for the type of work that goes on in some of these studio classes.</p>
<p>@EastchesterMom, I total get the attraction to NYC proximity factor. My daughter’s mental model was actually more Tisch specific than NYC specific so her list was not limited by geography but she is at Tisch so I get it. If you need any ammunition to get your daughter to broaden her horizons I’ll offer this. Doing a BFA in or near NYC is unbelievably cool. There are unmatchable opportunities that going to school there present for a theatre major. Sometimes free or cheap tickets to Broadway shows, numerous audition opportunities for the plethora of shows that are going on all around you in the city or across the country because many theatres audition there to tap into the talent pool. Fantastic master classes offered in the city with your Broadway heroes just a subway ride away. Top agencies with offices so the logistics of appointments is simple. The list goes on. You know how much of that you actually have time for as a BFA student? Next to none of it most of the time.</p>
<p>You know where you can get amazing training with peers that will push you and make you so much better as an actor/MT? New York City. You know where else? LOTS OF PLACES. I know I’m preaching to the choir but I thought I’d put it out there even though I am actually the parent of a kid who is living the dream in NYC. All the best!</p>
<p>Halflokum … D is nervous about going away to college in general, and of course her boyfriend is staying fairly local (hint we live in the NYC suburbs). Ya think this has something to do with the fixation on NYC? I had to twist her arm to convince her to apply to CM. current students at every audition told her they work their butts off and have little time for doing the NYC thing. Didn’t sway her at all.</p>
<p>@eastchestermom. There is something aptly named the “turkey drop” which happens at or around late fall. It involves high school romances so buckle up. </p>
<p>Good reason to not make a 4 year decision based on a turkey that odds are will ultimately drop. Hard to get . that . message across. </p>
<p>OK fellow P’s, we just got into our hotel for D’s final road trip audition and I have a bizarre story to relate. I will be very interested to hear if this has happened to any of you.</p>
<p>D and I were having a late lunch at O’hare Airport waiting for our flight when my wife called to tell us that someone wrote an article in our town’s newspaper to say that our D had received a merit scholarship from X University. Mind you, we live in a small farm town in Wisconsin, so our 12 page paper only comes out once a week. The article was fairly generic, saying that “merit scholarships range from $1,500 to $7,000” and that was it. </p>
<p>Neither my wife, D, or I submitted this article. Nobody from her high school would have done so either, because she hasn’t told anybody about this particular college. She has only received an academic acceptance there so far, and the only schools that she’s told people about are the three that have given her MT BFA offers.</p>
<p>The funny thing is, we are traveling today so that she can audition at this school tomorrow!</p>
<p>The only thing that I can think of is this school researched the hometown newspapers of their academically accepted students and planted articles announcing the fact. Have any of you heard of this, or experienced it?</p>
<p>To be honest, D is a bit embarrassed by it. The article implies that she’ll be attending the college, but we all know that without an MT BFA offer it won’t happen.</p>
<p>cheeseheadmike, what an odd story! It’s also possible the school called the guidance office at your D’s high school, and the guidance office told the paper, perhaps assuming your D already knew? Break a leg on her audition! </p>
<p>@halflokum - LOL; I knew about the phenomenon, but I didn’t know it had a name – turkey drop! Just happened to D’s friend, too. D may get her BFA from the school of hard knocks.</p>
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