Colleges for Musical Theater - PART 39 !

<p>How weird I would have never thought A Trip to the Library was written for an alto! The girl I saw perform it DEFINITELY didn't belt it and it sounded pretty high, maybe it was transposed though. Anyway that's interesting, I will have to get the sheet music for it sometime.</p>

<p>"A Trip To The Library" is indeed in the alto range. It is a "patter song". I don't know why this particular song would have to be done with a belt, there really isn't any reason for that.</p>

<p>Does anyone know where A Trip to the Library or Should I Be Sweet is from. I tried to find them but could not.</p>

<p>SHE LOVES ME </p>

<p>Book: Joe Masteroff
Music: Jerry Bock
Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick
(Based on the play Parfumerie and the film "The Shop Around the Corner")
ORIGINAL PRODUCTION</p>

<p>The Eugene O’Neill, April 23, 1963 (302 perf.)
Director: Harold Prince
Choreography: Carol Haney
Musical Director: Harold Hastings
Orchestration: Don Walker </p>

<p>Principals:
Amalia Balish- Barbara Cook- Soprano
Georg Nowack- Daniel Massey- Baritone
Ilona Ritter- Barbara Baxley- Mezzo
Kodaly- Jack Cassidy- Baritone
Sipos- Nathaniel Frey- Baritone
Arpad- Ralph William- Tenor
Maraczek- Ludwig Donath- Baritone
Waiter- Wood Romoff- Tenor
Chorus and Smaller Roles: 6M/8F </p>

<p>SONGS OF SPECIAL INTEREST</p>

<pre><code>"Ice Cream," up-tempo, shows off the voice, good for audition or class study
"She Loves Me," character study, up tempo, movement oriented number for a rather quiet character
" I Don’t Know His Name," complex female duet, vocally demanding, strong character orientation
"A Trip to the Library," comic, story song for character actress, good for revue
"I Resolve," character oriented, comic song
</code></pre>

<p>"Should I Be Sweet" from Take a Chance</p>

<p>Anyone else going to the CCM Senior Showcase this weekend??</p>

<p>I figured I would update and tell the people on this message board about my experiences visiting UArts today.</p>

<p>We drove up (from New York where we live) and got there about 11:30. We had lunch in the cafeteria which was not bad. We had a 1:00 appointment to have a tour of the performing arts programs, but we were there a little early so they showed us two dorms before we took the performing arts tour. </p>

<p>The dorms were very nice....old, but nice. Each dorm has its own bathroom. Usually you have 2 or 3 roommates, but if you have 3 roommates, there are 2 bathrooms in the whole dorm. Obviously the dorms won't be how I make any decisions, but it was nice to know that they were nice.</p>

<p>We took the tour of the performing arts program, which was very nice. Our tour guide was a junior acting major who was really enthusiastic and showed how downtown Phillie is a great location because Uarts is right in the theater and music district.....We passed several theaters and our tour explained how there are student rates and how several students get jobs as ushers and then get to see the shows for free....several national tours come. We saw signs for Wicked, Lion King, and Movin' Out.</p>

<p>Our tour also showed us the 2000 seat theater that UArts owns and rents out to professional companies that come to Phillie. It was really nice!</p>

<p>We got to witness some dance classes and some other things....</p>

<p>One thing that was nice to know for someone like me who is not especially strong in math, is that they are eliminating the required math...so for all you seniors who are going there next fall, good news! you won't be required to take math.</p>

<p>All in all, we liked it a lot...It reminded us a lot of Emerson....and even though it doesn't have an official "campus," there's definitely an energy that goes around there.....:-)</p>

<p>Barsmom, At Point Park the decisions in regard to BA vs BFA are made at the end of the sophomore year, not the freshman year. My son is a current freshman. I know some of the info on the website says the end of the freshmasn year. Download the COPA section of the Academic Catalog from the website. It has a short description of the process. although Point Park is not a cut school students are evaluated and some students are directed to other programs depending on their performance. </p>

<p>I have found that although there is a lot of info on the Point Park website, some of it is out of date or even wrong. It can be pretty frustrating.</p>

<p>Point Park - </p>

<p>pointpark dad - has your son had a good freshman year?</p>

<p>Barsmom - When we visited there, I don't remember being concerned about this evaluation. If the kid is doing everything they are suppose to, I think the BFA works out. Maybe the BA direction is for kids who are branching out into other interests.</p>

<p>I agree with the others who have posted that you can tell very little from the auditions - the school where my s got negative seeming feedback and felt the auditioners were cold was the one where (so far) he not only got accepted but got the best financial package. The one rejection he has gotten was his best audition, in his mind. So I would say to put no stock at all in how you felt you did or how the auditioners seem to respond.</p>

<p>Erics Mom</p>

<p>My son, also named Eric has had a good time so far. Got his first part in one of the one acts. He loves working in the scene shop for his theater apprenticeship. Was assistant to the director for Flea in Her Ear. Only class he has any problem with is Ballet! (not a gifted dancer)</p>

<p>Maybe dancersmom or doctorjohn can answer this. As my D and I are looking at schools, it appears that Florida State has two musical theatre programs - one through the music department and one through the theatre department. Is that right?</p>

<p>Illinisue,</p>

<p>At FSU, students choose to earn either a BFA in MT from the School of Theatre or they earn a BM in MT from the School of Music. All of the core classes are the same in both programs. BM and BFA students take acting, music, and dance classes together with the same instructors. The MT program is co-chaired by Kate Gelabert from the School of Theatre and Gayle Seaton from the School of Music. The difference between the two MT tracks is that BFA students take a few more drama classes and the BM students take a few more music classes. Students for both degree tracks are seen at the same auditions by the same faculty. At the auditions, students who wish to audition for the BM program are asked to sing 2 songs from the MT literature and 2 classical selections. The students who audition for the BFA program only have to sing the 2 MT songs. The BM MT wannabees are asked for the additional repertoire so that they can be offered a spot in the School of Music's voice major program if their MT audition doesn't pan out. BFA MT wannabees can be offered a place in the School of Theatre's BFA acting program. The FSU School of Music website has a side by side comparison of the two degrees so you can see exactly what you would study in both tracks. I have posted about the two degree programs on the Florida State thread here on the MT forum if you want a little more detail.</p>

<p>I believe that the U. of Miami also offers students a choice of earning a BFA or BM.</p>

<p>For those of you associated with UMich - what is the acting training within the MT program like there? Are the teachers on the acting faculty good? Is it's prime focus music? Thanks!</p>

<p>My daughter is loving her acting classes at UM and feels really challenged by the work she is doing there. Go on the UM website and check out the backgrounds of the UM acting faculty - pretty impressive. While UM makes sure their MT's have the basic skills they need to be solid musicians (piano, music theory, solfeg, etc) as well as great singers, the program is truly "triple threat" in its training. Balanced strength in music, acting and dance.</p>

<p>Thanks dancermom....i knew you'd have the answer. The other thread is a page or so back...and I forgot about it until I was ready to compile all the information.</p>

<p>One additional question...i've now read the difference between the programs and my real question was to do with preparation for a career in MT. I know that for specific kids - additional work in theatre or music will be the right way to go. But....do both go to NY Seniors? They had just a few this year, according to the web. Any opinions on casting? Training?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>Susan</p>

<p>Illinisue,</p>

<p>All MT students at FSU participate in the senior showcase. They are treated as equals when it comes to casting in shows. It seems to make no difference which degree track they choose. When Dr. Seaton and I spoke last spring, she told me that this year there would be one more BM student than BFA student in the program. I was curious as to how the numbers worked out. In the freshman class, there are more BFA's than BM's. I do not remember the exact numbers. If you are wondering, I think it makes absolutely no difference whether students audition for the BFA program or the BM program. As I said before, all students audition for the same faculty on the same audition dates. There are no quotas for a certain number of BFA's and BM's. A few students have decided to switch from one degree track to the other. My D, is a BFA candidate. She chose that option because she is very serious about her drama training. Dr. Seaton has talked to her several times about changing to the BM program. As the School of Music MT co-chair, I think she thinks of the BM students as more "hers" than the BFA's. However, she loves all of the MT's (she's a mother hen type of person) and she is the private voice instructor for the majority of the upperclassmen. She wants my D in her school rather than the School of Theatre, because she believes that she's a very strong singer. BM MT students give a senior voice recital. She told my D before school started this fall that she would allow her to do a recital even as a BFA student. A few other BFA's have done recitals in the past. </p>

<p>FSU's School of Music MT audition webpage tells prospective students that most students who audition for the BM program have had prior vocal instruction. The BM students tend to come into FSU with stronger music backgrounds (they read music well, they can play a musical instrument, they have had private voice lessons) than some of the BFA's, though that is not always the case. Some of the BFA's have music backgrounds as strong or stronger than some of the BM's. My D is a case in point. </p>

<p>I believe that all prospective MT students must decide if they want a program that has more of a music emphasis or more of a drama emphasis. Some programs are very skewed in one direction. Some have more of a balance. My D and I wanted a program that had pretty equal emphasis between music and drama classes. Both degree tracks at FSU are well balanced. The aim is to train triple threats. </p>

<p>I haven't mentioned the dance training. You know my D, and know that she would not choose a school that did not offer excellent dance training. I know that your D is a highly skilled dancer as well. Rest assured, the dance training is very good at FSU. Kids are expected to graduate acting, singing, AND dancing very well.</p>

<p>I hope this helps.</p>

<p>Hello everyone- so happy for all the good college news and the activity of this thread!! Now on a more selfish note (and because y'all are just the best resource around)... does anyone know of a 1-3 week tap/ballet/jazz (that being my order of preference) intensive that admits lets say an "advanced beginner" in or around the NYC area? Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks! Dani</p>

<p>Thanks dancersmom. You, as always, have the best information! I thought I was seeing double. As we've looked we do see the wide variety of dance training. It seems that any of the programs that are offered through the departments of music want a different level of musicianship (reading music, art songs). We're still in the compiling info stage and are only to the "s" schools!</p>

<p>To Dizzydani88,</p>

<p>Have you considered Steps or Broadway dance in Manhattan?
While they don't have Programs, they have hundreds of classes per week. Between the two studios they have many classes from beginners to advanced. It may be a touch intimidating, but you won't have to impress anyone... just work on yourself.
Broadway dance has a web site with all classes.
Good luck with that I know that my s learned alot there in HS and continues to take classes at Bdway Dance.
mtgraddad</p>