Colleges for Musical Theater Major - Part 34

College Majors Musical Theater Major
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<p>Welcome all you lurkers turned posters out there! Glad you have decided to jump in. It's always good to have new posters....keeps us all fresh!</p>

<p>My, oh, my! The stories you will have to tell in future years...don't you almost pity those who have to go through the ho-hum ordinary college admissions. It feels crazy right now, but believe me you will feel absoultely wonderful when this whole process is over.</p>

<p>We went down to St. Louis to visit our sons (they go to Webster) over Thanksgiving...when we visited the arch we had to park in a stacked car lot. Tunneling through that parking lot reminded me of college auditions. When I mentioned my recollection, my guys immediately agreed. We spoke about how glad we were that the college auditioning process was behind us. I don't know if it's the audition process so much that is so grueling as is the waiting for results. After all, a simple yes or no is going to determine your path for the next 4 years.</p>

<p>I am so pleased that you all met up with one another this past weekend at Emerson. Keep up those friendships! I have met a couple people on CC myself...the internet is simply amazing.</p>

<p>Keep your chins up....and go get 'em Tiger at the next audition. It'll be exciting to hear where everyone ends up going! Break those legs!</p>

<p>Sue (5pants) :)</p>

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<p>Air1985:</p>

<p>We had a discussion about the topic of transferring into BFA MT and Acting programs on the other Theatre thread:</p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=157%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=157&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Find my post on October 31 for part of the discussion. Please feel free to post more questions if you have them.</p>

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<p>Okay...so all of us "lurkers" are coming out to join the fun! My S has his Steinhardt audition under his belt and is looking forward to Michigan on the 14th. Wondering if anyone has Ann Arbor lodging suggestions. Thanks, and good luck to all!</p>

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<p>The Michigan school of music can e-mail you an extensive list of nearby hotels. Recently we stayed at Hampton Inn, Ann Arbor North, 2300 Green Rd., 734-996-4444 - discount for school of music applicants. Breakfast is included. It seemed to be one of the older Hampton Inns I've stayed in, but it was fine. It was very near the Interstate. Ericsmom</p>

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<p>We are also going to UMich for the Jan. 14 audition. I did not book air/hotel yet. But we visited campus back in Sept. and we stayed at the Holiday Inn Ann Arbor North Campus which is very close to the Music School which is on North Campus. The audition apparently involves some time on the Main (Central) campus and some time at the Music School / North Campus. The drive between them is about five minutes. But this hotel is at least right by one of the campuses (North Campus). Also decent rates about $89 per night on internet.</p>

<p>See you there.
Susan</p>

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<p>I will be happy to tell my D's story re: IU although many of you old time posters have heard it before. My D applied to 10 BFA programs for 8/03. She was not accepted anywhere. IU was her backup school where she would have been able to do a BA in MT as an Independent Major -maybe sophome year or later. She loved IU and took one acting class and one ballet class while there but she realized that they would never really have the type of courses she would find at a school that had a prescribed BFA program. So, she left after one semester and worked really hard to prepare for winter auditions. It payed off! She was ultimately accepted to U Arts, Hartt, Emerson, U of Arizona, SUNY Buffalo, Shenandoah, Westminster Choir College (brand new program- part of Rider), Point Park (for Drama only) and Drake. She is now a Freshman (again) at U Arts with a couple of academic courses from IU under her belt. She loves it.</p>

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<p>dramamama, I don't recall your D's story but what a happy ending. I am sure initially the first round had disappointments but in the end, it all turned out! My D has a friend from our high school who did not get into any of her audition schools this past year either and is now at Indiana.
Susan</p>

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<p>Dramamama, wow, I remember that story from a long time ago (sorry), but didn't remember that it was IU or that it was you (sorry again). Thank you so much for sharing it again. I've been checking on info about IU since that recent post from I think Dancersmom about IU as a safety. My friend's son-in-law has a graduate degree in technical theatre from IU and thinks the world of it. I heard all about their great stage, etc. But I started to think that they might have a big emphasis on grad students there and a freshman might get lost. Because my D and I are planning ahead the list of schools for next year (since there is so much info to accumulate, we're so very far from everything out here in CA, and D's schedule is always insanely busy) you are making me wonder now if it's better NOT to go to a safety, but to take a year off and re-audition if one doesn't get into a school of one's choice. Since you have this special vantage point, how would you answer that question? </p>

<p>To EVERYONE WHO IS AUDITIONING (or their moms and dads): I really feel for all of you and send my best wishes and my D's best wishes to all of you. I'm glad so many of you were able to connect at Emerson.</p>

<p>Greetings lurkers-turned-posters!</p>

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<p>BUMP! to mtmommy's question about taking a year off rather than going to a safety. Mom and I recently discussed this, and it would be nice to hear some other perspectives.</p>

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<p>Regarding shows at Indiana...let me first be clear that I am very UNknowledgeable about the school. So, take this comment with a grain of salt. But over Thanksgiving, my older D (college freshman) had lots of her HS girlfriends over as a little reunion of sorts since nobody had seen one another since they started college. This girl I mentioned earlier (from our HS) who did lots of musicals with my younger D, is a freshman at Indiana interested in musical theater but did not get into the BFA programs she auditioned for. I asked her if she was in any shows right now and I recall her commenting to the effect that it was not possible as mostly grad students were in them. I have no idea the story there but now that you are mentioning it, I do recall that comment. Take it for what it is worth...just one person's comment. She does seem to be happy at the school, however. I recall her saying she was in a sort of cabaret type show though.
Susan</p>

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<p>Another Horror Story
My daughter packed everything for her OCU audition except the travel papers that I was in charge of. She did not bring a back-up audition outfit. When we arrived she found that her 64oz bottle of shampoo leaked in her bag. My heart sank - - but luckily a Tshirt absorbed most of it. I had to donate a shirt for the trip home (since I clearly had a backup), but she learned a couple of important lessons: always bring a back-up outfit and use those little bottles and travel kits. (And maybe a little more appreciation for Mom's planning services?)</p>

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<p>I feel as if only now, after several auditions, does D have the audition skills she needed at the start of this process. If only she could start over with all this experience under her belt (no pun intended)! </p>

<p>So yes, my preference would be to audition again next season rather than go to a "safety". If D does not get in the second year of auditioning, re-think the entire plan (including applying to some other majors). The year off (which would not really be a year off) could be put to excellent use.</p>

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<p>Dramamama, did your daughter visit Drake? Any impressions?</p>

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<p>Many of you have mentioned going to New York (and to particular photographers) for a head shot to use with a resume. Being new to all of this (my son is a high school sophomore), can you give me some advice on the type of photo needed? We live in Michigan (near Lansing), and do not plan to go to New york anytime soon. Would photographers in this area know what is needed? Is there some information I can give them? What type of clothing is used for an MT head shot? Thanks for any information.</p>

<p>Vocaldad</p>

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<p>Vocaldad: The average photographer probably won't know what is needed. But there may be someone in your area. Contact Gretel Geist, the costume designer at Michigan State. Here's her bio page: <a href="http://www.theatre.msu.edu/People/Faculty/GretelGeist.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.theatre.msu.edu/People/Faculty/GretelGeist.php&lt;/a> Click on her name to get her e-mail address. She'll know, or will be able to find out quickly, the photographers their students use. Gretel and I serve together on this region's KC/ACTF selection committee. Feel free to use my name.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

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<p>Hello to all of my new friends that I met at Emerson - lynnm, soozievt, newmtmom, Jerrylaurie. It was fantastic meeting all of you. My D also had a great time reuniting with all of her CMU pre-college friends (which also happen to be CC posters/pre-lurkers). She was very happy to be put in a group with lynnm's D, as she knew her from CMU. I want to add my impression of Emerson. It was our first audition, and she felt it went well for her first. She sang first. She did both songs and said she can't remember much about it, other than he was writing during her singing and didn't say much to her. She did say that the piano player played a wrong chord, but she felt the song was well known enough that it would be known that she was correct in her singing. Next, was her dance audition. She loved the instructor. She said it was very basic, and that dancers should feel free to put their own style into it. She loved that as she knew some don't like you to put anything into it other than what they are asked to do. They also stood in front of their line and said something about themselves, not about dance. She felt she did well (interesting that she is a singer before a dancer and could not figure out what the guy in charge of the auditioning for singing thought of her). Her monologue was last and she said he was fantastic. He talked to her for a long time before her monologue, as he used to live near us in L.A. She said he was great. Then she did her monologue and he asked her why she picked that monologue and her interpretation of it. After her answer, he said, ok - do it that way! He asked her why Emerson, and did she have any questions. She really liked him a lot and I am really happy she had a calm and positive 1st audition. </p>

<p>I want to comment on what my impressions were of Emerson as we had gone on the tour the day before. I really do not feel that we would have gotten to know anything about the school if we had not gone on the tour. The admissions director gave a very informative talk and we were allowed to ask our questions. She couldn't have been nicer. A drama student took us on a tour of the building and we could ask questions as we went along. We loved what we saw (my D loved the nice size of the dorm rooms, as she claims my older D's dorm was like a closet). We didn't get to go into the theaters, but they were right there connected to the building and looked beautiful from what we saw (they showed videos). The kids all seemed very happy there, as I think my D would be. I am glad we went on the tour, and I didn't feel put out the next day that there was not anything for the parents because I got such a good feeling the day before. I do wish I had known that Hartt was only a 2 hour drive as I would have loved to have gotten another audition down instead of waiting to do them all at Unifieds, but I am happy we got to go on the tour. After the tour, we went to BOCO. There was no tour, but we just walked in to get a look. Fortunately, as we walked in, people we were walking into a room for a recital one of the male opera students was giving. It was in a beautiful wood paneled room with excellent acoustics. It felt a little stuffy to us, but we are not opera afficionados (spelling?). We then walked around, but didn't see much...mostly rooms with closed doors for performing. Lots of piano playing was heard in the hallways. Maybe more than 1 recital going on at a time. Saw very few students, so really could not get a feel for it one way or another. What I do like about Emerson (and obviously BOCO) is that you can take courses at each other's schools for credit (as well as other schools in the consortium like Berkelee and a few others). </p>

<p>We then went to Quincy Market and head a great dinner and went home and collapsed. (We flew in the night before). We stayed at a great hotel about a 5 minute walk from Emerson called the Park Plaza Hotel and Towers for $169 per night which I thought was very reasonable considering what a nice hotel it was. There were many restaurants to choose from very close by and it was very quiet in the rooms. We flew with frequent flyer miles, so this was our only expense, and I'm glad we did. </p>

<p>Once again, it was great to meet all of you...thanks to lynnm for telling my D that I had gone to check out of the hotel as it was 1:30 before she finished (from 8:30 am). Needless to say, she was starving by the time she finished. We had time to eat before heading to the airport. Sorry to Soozievt that I was on the phone ( I was talking to the hotel to see if I could check out late) when we were trying to say goodbye...thanks for bringing your D over to meet me. And to our new lerkers welcome - jerrylaurie - my D says your S has a beautiful voice.</p>

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<p>Cap21's new pre-college dates have just been posted on their website. Does anyone know their application deadline? I couldn't find it on the site. I am very interested in this program and would appreciate any input on it. Thanks.</p>

<p>-Nick</p>

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<p>I'm glad you posted. When I was leaving, I did not know until minutes before that my D was done (though not all the kids were yet) and as soon as she was done she wanted to leave to meet up with summer theater friends who live in other states than ours...some go to Emerson, some were coming in from the suburbs to meet up, and then her best bud whose mom you met in the room (Freelance, the one whose D left her music back in CT), was with these other kids and she could only overlap with her for about 15 minutes because she was in the PM group and they had not seen each other since August. She was impatient as I was waiting to say goodbye while you were on the cell, so forgive me! </p>

<p>Also, my D's account mirrors your D's and in fact, it is helpful that you posted. As mentioned, the auditor who judged the singing portion was of the sort that does not talk with the auditioner or comment, etc. but she would not have known that until you and someone else concurred about a similar experience, so tell your D it had nothing to do with HER singing but apparently was the nature of that particular part of the audition. My D came out saying just what yours did, that maybe her singing was not so great as the person barely said a word, and if anything, she might have thought that might be a stronger aspect. She also said what your D did about the person doing the acting portion who was more talkative with the student. My D commented a little while ago that she was IMing one of her friends in the straight theater program at Emerson today who has that professor for an acting class and he told the class to forgive his exhaustion after nine hours of holding the auditions. Her friend said that HER friend (my D) was in it and he asked her name and she mentioned it and he mentioned which monologue she did, so you know, they really DO pay attention, lol. I'm not sure I could do what they do and my mind would be a blur after the 20th kid and I think there were over a 100 on Sunday. </p>

<p>I'm glad you did the tour and info. session as well. I have been remiss on this forum because we visited Emerson and BoCo back in late Oct. and I was going to post a report, though went straight from there to a long Parent Weekend at older D's college, Brown, and upon returning was backlogged with work stuff and then never got around to it. My D also really liked Emerson. </p>

<p>As far as the dorm room you saw, I bet they showed you what they showed us on the tour in the "Little Building", I forget which floor, maybe the seventh? The reason I mention it was cause on the tour when they showed a sample room, they took us right to where my D had spent the night before with a friend who is a freshman in the MT Program. So, I had seen it before. It is a special floor in the dorm. I forget what they call that program on that floor but you can sign up for it before you go. And it has some components of advising or easing the college transition or college life stuff....And this girl's room was in a suite and it was HUGE...her room alone was big and they had a couple bathrooms and a kitchenette and she overlooked Boston Common. She did show us a few other rooms on the floor not quite the same set up but pretty nice overall and big. She did say it was not necessarily the norm. So, funny that they show this floor on the tour, lol. We saw the cafeteria in the building and it has some food stations that seemed pretty nice. My D thought the kids who went there were great....all artsy types who love this sort of stuff. Having gone to college and grad school in Boston myself, I can tell you it is a fun college city and holds great appeal to my kids. </p>

<p>The hotel you stayed at was the one we had planned on staying at but changed plans as we were coordinating with Freelance and not worth explaining but you were at a nicer place than we were. We also ate at Faneuil Hall but on Sat. night. </p>

<p>Sorry we won't see you at the other audition dates but it was a lot of fun and maybe our kids' paths will cross. Am crossing fingers for all these kids on this forum! </p>

<p>Susan</p>

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<p>Maybe it's just emphais, but I was surprised to see that both Miami and Arizona State have Musical Theatre programs in both the Music and the Theatre depertments. Does anyone know the difference at these particulat schools?</p>

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<p>and on the first night of hannukah my mommy gave to me...
a knitting set! hehe... to "calm me down"</p>