College musical theater audition advice

Help!!!

Sooooo I want to go to college to get my BFA in musical theater l. I did about 5 shows BUT I never had any training. I did a few workshops here and there but never any professional training/classes in acting singing or dance because my parents never could afford it.

So if you know BFA program auditions you have to sing golden age and contemporary songs.

And I’m a alto I can’t sing that high I have a really deep deep voice for a female. I usually sing songs that are sung by males but obviously you can’t do that at a college audition. I’m having trouble finding the right audition songs.

Anywayssss to the point.

My first question is can you guys name some songs for females with deeper voices

And my second questio is

if I should continue the process of auditioning for MT programs and give it a shot even if I never had training (MT PROGRAMS ARE HARD TO GET INTO) or should I go to college For a BA with a concentration in MT get a little bit of training and maybe transfer my second year to BFA…

ALSO!!!
If you have any BA programs that is non-audition please let me know.

I really need help as somebody who has a passion for theater and being on stage it’s something I really want to continue and Perdue as a career.

No harm in throwing your hat in the ring and auditioning for BFA programs…but just be realistic. These are very competitive and your competition has vast experience, training, etc. That said, it’s about talent. Just because they have more training, doesn’t mean they have more talent. The adjudicators are very good at seeing through everything and building a class based on what they want. One of the things they want are talented kids that are highly coachable, so maybe that’s you.

However, the numbers are daunting and most who strive for BFAs have a plan, do the research on many programs and audition for LOTS of them (10 -20). Probably a waste of time if you don’t take it that seriously.

BAs are a great alternative. There are some well known, high quality MT BA programs that are non audition (audition for scholarships). Muhlenberg College in PA is one of the better known ones. Check it out.

@myrak863 agree with everything @rickle1 stated. I would suggest reading last years venting, sharing, thread and the final decision thread from start to finish…its a lot and could take you several days to get through but will give you a great sense of what this process entails. BTW they dont necessarily care what or how many shows you have been in, if you have had leads or any of that, there are stories on CC of Jimmy award nominees being shut out and other stories of newcomers with RAW talent who get in to the tippy top programs and every result in between. good luck!

The college audition process is just overwhelming, even for kids who have years of training and have done dozens of shows. But if your family is unable to afford formal training, you may be able to access help with this process through a nonprofit group called The Fund for College Auditions. They help low-income students with selecting audition material, coaching that material, mock auditions, even picking clothes! It’s a wonderful resource that I hope you can take advantage of. They have already chosen the candidates they will help prepare for auditions this year, but you could apply for help in the 21-22 audition cycle.

If you don’t meet the income guidelines for TFCA, then I would highly recommend getting an objective assessment of your potential for success before you commit to this crazy process. Find a local theater director, college faculty member or someone with industry knowledge and ask them for an objective assessment. You can make it on talent alone, but the bar is very high!

As for singing a song traditionally performed by males, I say go for it! It might make you stand out. I’ve heard that Megan Hilty got into CMU with “Corner of the Sky” from Pippin! Just choose material you connect with, and make sure that connection is evident.

I wish you the best and hope you find the right path!

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Just to add to all the good advice in the previous comments–

Scroll down on this link for a list of non-audition programs:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1335445-big-list-of-mt-colleges-by-program-type-p11.html

For songs, have you tried doing an internet search on audition songs for altos? That might give you some ideas on what to consider and what to avoid.

The dean of theatre at my daughter’s college said this about their MT auditions: “We’re looking for potential, not perfection.” So go ahead and audition if your schedule and budget permit. If nothing else, you will learn from the experience. But applying to non-audition BA schools is wise, so you have a guaranteed place to go. Break a leg!