<p>Congrats Mama02girlz! Isn't life grand! ENJOY!</p>
<p>Juuuust kidding I found it. :-D sorry guys!</p>
<p>Slammer,</p>
<p>I have posted about Wright State several times in the past. I would agree with you that it does not get as much attention as it deserves. However, IMHO, it is not in the same echelon as CCM, U.M., or NYU. The major difference is in the caliber of student. Wright State is just up the road from CCM in Dayton, Ohio. The 2 schools are perhaps 45 minutes apart. I suppose one reason WSU is not as well known as perhaps it should be, is that it is overshadowed by its much more famous neighbor. Wright State has an excellent curriculum. The Theatre department offers a wide range of classes. I think that the program definitely deserves a look by anyone interested in MT. If you read the following info that I copied from their website, you will find that they require that even their BFA Acting majors take dance and singing instruction. </p>
<p>Wright State offers both BFA acting or BFA acting with musical theatre emphasis.</p>
<p>BFA Acting: Although the acting track is essentially a classically oriented program, the curriculum includes musical theatre instruction as well -- such preparation being vital for the well-trained American actor. As a consequence, all acting majors are required to study one year of dance fundamentals and modern dance, followed by jazz/theatre dance or ballet as electives. The acting major is encouraged to participate in additional dance courses.
The acting faculty endorses the concept that all actors must be trained to sing. Students who study singing learn the rudiments of breathing, vocal support, and placement. Singing is required all four years of the training period. </p>
<p>BFA Acting with MT Emphasis: Students in the Professional Actor Training Program can also select an emphasis in musical theatre. This is designed to engage students in four years of intensive, integrated acting, dance, and music training so that, upon graduation, they can enter the profession as skilled, intelligent, and versatile performers in both musicals and plays.
For the first two years, students will follow essentially the same acting curriculum as non-musical actors with additional dance, private voice, and music theory study. The backbone of the musical theatre emphasis is a firm basis in the individual techniques of each discipline. In the junior and senior years, musical theatre students build on these fundamentals through classes specifically related to their field. These include music theory, musical theatre repertoire, score and libretto analysis, acting with musical texts, music theatre history and literature, musical theatre dance styles, and tap. Those students who excel in dance may be admitted to dance major classes. Students will also receive extensive training in audition technique and professional world practices.
In addition to these specialized upper division classes, musical theatre actors will continue to study speech, advanced acting styles, and theatre history. </p>
<p>You can read more about the MT and Acting programs here:
<a href="http://www.wright.edu/academics/theatre/programs/acting1.html#top%5B/url%5D">http://www.wright.edu/academics/theatre/programs/acting1.html#top</a>
<a href="http://www.wright.edu/academics/theatre/programs/acting2.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.wright.edu/academics/theatre/programs/acting2.html</a></p>
<p>Has anyone ever heard of Stephens College in MO? They offer a BFA in Theatre Arts with choices areas of concentrated studies, one being MT. Went to their website to find out more information but didn't gleem much from the sight. Couldn't figure out whether it is an audition school or not.
My D keeps getting info about the school almost daily. I know what you are all thinking...just because you get interest letters doesn't mean they want her or the school will be fab. I just figured since we are getting info on them I might as well check it out! They must have gotten her name from some thespian conference or something. I'm sure all you Moms and Dads of Jrs get the same numerous college brochures we get!</p>
<p>Hey Guys,</p>
<p>I remember these good old days. If anyone would like to talk to me about how I got through these tough times of college notices going out, I'd be more then happy to talk with you. Feel free to e-mail me.</p>
<p>Honestly, the best way to cope with the wait is to talk about it.</p>
<p>Cheers and break a leg to all those auditioning out there!</p>
<p>Oh, and if any of you are visiting Webster let me know... its such a wonderful school. I still can't believe where they are only beginning to take me.</p>
<p>Stephens College in MO is a non audition BFA theater program. A friend of mine's daughter is a freshman there this year and absolutely loves it. It's a three year and 2 summer program and Annie Potts is an alumni. If you have any specific questions about the program I'd be happy to see if I could get you some answers.</p>
<p>Congrats to your daughter!!!! Your story reminds me of my d's acceptance to OCU. I am the jumping up and down, overly excited mom, and she was the calm, almost unemotional daughter as she called me on my cell and left me a message..."mom, I got a call from Oklahoma. I got into their program." I called her right back, so excited, and she was stone-cold calm. I was worried that she was not happy, but she was ecstatic (on the inside). I guess these theatre children are just a little different (but in a good way). She reacted in almost the same way to the rejections she got. Btw, my d's acceptance letter also was in a skinny envelope...so skinny doesn't always equal bad news!</p>
<p>Again, congrats to your d. It will definitely make the journey a little less stressful.</p>
<p>mama02grlz - Congratulations!!!!! So happy for you and your daughter!</p>
<p>mama02girlz,</p>
<p>A huge Congrats!! Love hearing good news!!</p>
<p>SUE</p>
<p>Stephens College - Unless it has changed in recent years, Stephens is an all girls school. One of my closest friends went there 25 + years ago. She had a great experience there and is always telling me what a good theatre dept. they had. If it is like many other schools, it may be co-ed by now.</p>
<p>I'm fairly sure that Stephens is still a college just for women. It makes me curious how the theatre department deals with that in terms of casting. I would think that presents a real disadvantage.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! D refuses to call anyone and tell them..."Mom, that's bragging, NO!"</p>
<p>I'll call them all when she's not here. Hee-Hee</p>
<p>So tonight I got a call from Anita Evens, Associate Director for Conservatory Admission at Baldwin-Wallace (according to the website. Unfortunatly I wasn't home, I was at my schools annual Orchesis Concert. What do you think this means??? It seems like a good thing, I mean why would they call me personalyl just to say I didn't get in...? I'm gonna call back first thing tomarrow morning. What are your thoughts?</p>
<p>Mtfan,</p>
<p>Call back in the morning. I bet you will get some wonderful news!</p>
<p>The same thing happened to my D last year. She got a message on our answering machine from FSU. The message was from the dept. chair, who said she would be difficult to catch. She said she'd be in her office the next morning. Since D had to be in school at that particular time, she asked me to call back. Turns out the dept. chair wanted to offer D a place in the program. FSU prefers to call rather than send out letters. Just like you, we agonized for hours after listening to our answering machine. We couldn't think of any reason why D would get a call other than for good news. (I still can't think of any other reason.)</p>
<p>Please be sure to post tomorrow! Good luck!</p>
<p>Exciting news! Congrats! Your d sounds just like mine! My d didn't even tell her guidance counselors or her music teachers; that's "bragging"! Pity we have to do it for them! :)</p>
<p>Mama02girlz, let me add my congrats to the ever-growing list! That's fabulous news.</p>
<p>And mtfan -- can't wait to hear about that phone call!</p>
<p>My congrats as well to mam02girlz!!! Feels great eh?</p>
<p>MTFAN- Anita Evans also called my home when I was accepted to BW this past November. They DO send out letters, but it seems they like to CALL acceptees first! I remember it took a looong while before I actually got my acceptance packet in the mail so by calling they are making the waiting a little less gruesome. Good luck! We all look forward to hearing good news from you!!! :) :) :)</p>
<p>I am in awe of all of you going through this tremendous process...gl to all! My D is only a sophomore. All these schools you have mentioned are what she has been talking about this entire year! Her dad & I were hesitant to let her think of pursuing MT until recently. That is her only true love! She lives for MT and there is not even anything else that she is remotely interested in. What types of experience do you/ your kids have on their resumes as they apply? I would like to make sure she is on a similar scale to even go after a dream like this. Thanks for any input!!</p>
<p>kaysmom, welcome! I think you'll find that the experience level varies with each student and also with each college program. I can tell you what my Ds experience was when she applied and auditioned (she's currently a sophomore at Tisch). She started performing onstage when she was in middle school and she then attended an arts h/s where she had to audition to be accepted. She had 10 years of piano, five years of voice, five years of dance, five years of drama coaching and classes, three years of an arts camp in summers. Her h/s put on 40 productions a year, of varying sizes from class performances to black box to one acts to mainstage to drama festivals. She had many roles over the years, really too many to even remember. When it was time for college auditions, she was very sure that this was what she wanted to do.</p>
<p>However, she had decided, after researching and visiting several schools, that NYU was her first choice. Her schools, with the exception of CMU, required good academics as well as a good audition. Actually, even CMU would have required the good academic profile because she interviewed there and had gained preliminary permission to enter a writing program in addition to drama if admitted. So, depending on the schools your D is interested in, high academics are also sometimes essential.</p>
<p>The day she auditioned at Tisch, there were kids there with very varied levels of experience. She and one other were the only ones admitted and they had similar backgrounds. What she found when she started at Tisch was that there were some kids who had experience like hers plus professional experience, and there were some kids who had the traditional high school musical experience with perhaps some dance experience, but the vast majority were very similar to what she had had prior to applying. Not all had attended arts h/s but most had outside of school experience whether it was through community theatre or one of the respected summer programs like Stagedoor Manor.</p>
<p>She made the decision not to apply to the MT studio at Tisch after researching the various studios. She settled on Atlantic after visiting. It has a wonderful reputation of producing excellent actors and she loved their philosophy. She talked to people in the theatre 'biz' in the city, both family friends and people she contacted herself. They all gave very positive feedback about their experience with Atlantic and she has found that their recommendations were well-founded. She continues dance and voice outside of class, in addition to the movement and voice classes she takes at studio.</p>
<p>You'll find a wealth of information here on many schools and you're at the beginning of a very enjoyable, if somewhat stressful, process! Have fun! :)</p>
<p>Thanks for all the kind words everyone! mtfan...ahhhhh!!! Sounds good, eh? I'll say congrats now. </p>
<p>kaysmom-As everyone on this board can attest to, these kids come from such diverse backgrounds and experiences. I've heard about kids getting accepted to the top schools with varied acting and dancing backgrounds. Some have next to no dance and little acting and are just naturals. The thing I have personally observed, is that everyone having major success seems to have voice training. The dance and acting experience seems a bit more negotiable, that is, if you don't have either right at the moment and just show potential, you're ok. But the voice is something that MUST be there. You don't get into musical theatre without a great voice. At the bigger schools, it becomes even more important. My D has spent most of her time in dance and acting and has realized throughout this process that her dancing is basically overkill. I'm sure someday it will serve her well, but right now, for this audition process, it is just not needed. The dances in auditions have been so easy for her. Although she is blessed with a beautiful voice, it is basically untrained. I feel this might have been her downfall at the very competitive schools. (Time will tell if I'm right-the CCM, Hartt, and BW results aren't in just yet.) The smaller schools will take voice potential, but the biggies want the voice already there. (Accepted to Millikin and SUNY Fredonia so far.) So, if I could give you any advice, it would be to spend time on voice lessons..lots of them. I can't impress enough how unimportant the dance is-as long as you can move, and aren't totally uncoordinated, you're ok. If it comes down to time constraints between dance and voice-opt for voice if you need the work there. And good luck! This board is a wealth of information, and we are all lucky to have found each other.</p>