@Ducky312 @AlexaMT yes! We will be auditioning at all the schools you mentioned!! She would be thrilled with any of them too! I’m just seeing past lists of 20 schools or something and we are sitting at about 10. @EmsDad Didn’t know about WVU. I’ll take a look. Thanks so much! Everyone here is so helpful!!!
Isn’t Shenandoah not that far from DC either? I could be wrong.
@CTDramaMom , you’re right. Shenandoah isn’t that far from DC.
I have been reading some of your posts and it has brought back some fond memories and much anxiety! My D is BFA MT at PPU. She LOVES living in Pittsburgh. Most of her teachers also teach at Carnegie Melon and we could not ask for better instruction. However, what we have noticed is less and less opportunities. The dance majors are now allowed to audition for the main stage shows so almost no BFA students are in the chorus. Some directors won’t even look at you even if you were in a regular show or even a summer show the last year and only had a bit part knocking you out of shows for the entire next year (except for some boys, they always need more boys!). The BA students are given the exact same opportunities so why even go for the BFA? Also, hardly any master classes and they do not work around or help you with outside opportunities for work such as Summer stock. You have to be a real go getter and be able to do all of that on your own. They do not check the calendar for Summer stock dates and will schedule their call backs on the same days and won’t let kids go. So your pocketbook and resume could suffer. All things to keep in mind when choosing program if you need to build a resume.
My daughter is also a BFA MT major at PPU. She’s a sophomore, and has been called back for several shows but not yet cast. A number of her friends, however, have been in the mainstage and Playhouse Jr. productions, so i’m not sure I’d agree that “almost no” BFA students are in the chorus of the musicals. She has an even tougher time trying to schedule auditions for summer work because she is union, which means she can’t go to things like Straw Hats or NETCs. That being said, she’s created her own spreadsheet for summer auditions and is working to go to as many as possible. However, she views her time in college as being there primarily for learning, not work, and that that learning takes place in the classroom. Let’s face it, in this business, no matter what school you go to, you have to be a go-getter to survive. And in this, as in life, there are always tough choices to make between one activity or audition and another. I think it’s all part of learning how to figure out what’s most important to you and how to prioritize.
I agree wholeheartedly. As I said, my daughter loves the school and the instructors are amazing. I just reread my post and it comes off as really snarky. I am so sorry about that. I just wanted to let those who NEED to work and expect the school to help, they need to do it themselves. However, the competition is fierce and the BFA MT’s need to know they are not just competing against one another during the audition process. The female lead in Tommy was a Dance Major and the chorus in one of the shows was all dance majors except two. EVERYONE is talented. and EVERYONE can audition. They have to be prepared to support they entire program because they are going to put on the best shows for PPU, not the best shows for the BFA MT’s. It is not that way at all of the schools and they should manage their expectations accordingly. .
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I have often been jealous as I have read posts about schools that have tons of support for summer casting (like going to summer stock auditions en masse) or guaranteed mainstage casting etc … It makes the college experience seem so much easier. But it is NOT very much like the real world for a performer…
I want to thank all of you for the posts on PPU. It helps clarify quite a bit about the program and clears up misconceptions about who can do what at the school and helps us newbies know that acceptance to the Performing Arts track will lead to the same opportunities.
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My kid is done with her BFA program and in the professional world now. However, when we looked into colleges for MT, we never expected the school to help the student to find work (nor did we expect that for our other D who went to college in another major). Still, both of my daughters spent every summer of their college years working in their respective fields. We did not pay for them to work, nor did we financially support out kids over the summers, despite them living in other states or countries during their college summers. Our kids took a it upon themselves to find summer work in their fields. I really don’t think that is the colleges’ job.
As an aside, while I think summer stock is a great thing for an MT student to do in the summer, I feel on this forum, that people surmise that is the only or main kind of summer work to be found in the field. Just will put it out there that my kid only chose to even try for summer stock, the summer after freshman year (and indeed did it). She wanted to spend the rest of her college summers working in MT in NYC. I will say that a significant portion of her summer work those years was found right at her college, where she was paid to create and perform MT. In that respect, her college provided her opportunities for summer work, but did not help the student in their search for summer work.
I think my daughters’ experiences job hunting every summer for work in their fields during their educational years was in itself a good experience and so hustling to find work once they had degrees was not new. I see their colleges’ role to educate them and prepare them to eventually be employable, but not to be the ones helping them find that work necessarily, such as summer stock (which again, is not the only game one can play during the summers as an aspiring MT performer).
Thank you so much for this information on PPU!! This board has been so helpful to us. Has anyone heard from Penn State, Michigan, Ithaca, or Florida State yet from prescreen submissions? Thank you so much!!!
I think you’re going to find at all of the selective programs that casting is super competitive. For the most part, these kids have spent years training. THey were all the cream of the crop of their high schools and played the leads in their high school musicals. But that’s part of what pushes you to be better, being surrounded by talented people.
I have found the last few comments to be very interesting as my daughter is also experiencing some of the same things as far as everyone auditions and the better dancers get cast in the musical and not particularly the best singers and actors. That being said she got a part in one of the spring dramas. It’s all very new and so different from high school which is good. I do wish tho’ she would get guidance on summer work. This is all so new to us, we have no prior experience with summer programs etc. that I am afraid she is missing out on opportunities that we have no idea how to pursue! Where do we even start? I have tried to research different regional theaters that have summer shows but can’t find anything about how you audition etc. Where does one even start? She will do the research but if you don’t even know what to search for…and I will admit she hasn’t talked about it much and may just end up trying to get Gen Eds.
My S is auditioning in two weeks at PPU and on the 18th at BW for both MT and Vocal Performance. Does anyone have insight to share about any of the auditions?
Hi All - I’m new to the discussion board. Has anyone heard from Penn State after their prescreen process?
@mommafaria read the school websites one more time and review any other emails to know what your S should have prepared and where he should be and when. Have resumes stapled to head shot. Have appropriate dance clothes for a boy–tight fitting black or white short sleeve or tank shirt, good fitting jazz pants, jazz shoes (and ballet shoes just in case?). Be prepared for an extra monologue or song. Have him know his slate (one at a time introduction and all at once introduction) even if it isn’t necessary. Bring an extra audition outfit in case one gets dirty. Bring a brush in case dance call is first. The dance call at PPU is brutal and the day is long at Elon. Smiles, confidence, warmth, genuineness, maturity all go a long way during interviews. Expect the unexpected. Have energy bars and extra water available in case there’s no time to eat. Have him ask if there is a warm up room. Encourage him to smile and enjoy the process. These schools want kids that fit the needs of their program, so it is important that he show his personality, but truthfully, neither of you will know based upon what the auditors say or do if he’s a good fit, so just have him give it his absolute best, prepare him for falling in love with a school that may not love him back, don’t lay any stress on him at all (just be the person who is holding the clothes and offering a fresh bottle of water), and then move on to the next audition. Enjoy the time with your son. This vulnerable time together actually made for some awesome talks and bonding time. Talk to other parents to form a network of your own. And break a leg to all of you. I will say, sometimes my son knew he killed an audition, and he was accepted. Sometimes my son thought he bombed an audition and he got in. Sometimes my son thought he killed an audition and got rejected. Sometimes my son thought he bombed and the school agreed. Sometimes he just could not read the room and so he waited the long wait until March. Take notes on the schools and your S’s impressions so that if he is accepted or WL you can remind him what he thought and felt at the time of the audition.
We haven’t heard anything. There’s a post on another blog, too, saying that they haven’t heard either.
Auditions are also a lot like sports. If a school has three 5’7" blonde sapranos, you could kill in the audition, but the school may not need you. Just like if a school has three quarterbacks, you may be number 1. but they aren’t going to draft you if they need a running.back or a kicker. Bring tap shoes if you can tap. Some schools will ask. No pressure and don’t stress if you can’t. THEY WANT YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
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Anyone have an audition this weekend? My D has Belmont tomorrow, Wright State next weekend, and Elon the weekend after that!
Good luck, @owensfolks ! Enjoy every moment
Hello All,
I have been reading all the comments and very grateful for all the advice and support this forum contains. This process is so stressful and demanding. My DD is applying to MT BFA MT and BFA Acting programs. She is so stressed that her confidence fluctuates like crazy. She has great days and horrible days. Has anyone else been through this and what’s the best advice you can give me.
Thank you all for your help