Colleges for Musical Theater - PART 39 !

College Majors Musical Theater Major
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<p>I've been reading this MT thread since Christmas and I feel like I know some of you! I was turned on to CC by a woman in our town whose D is now a freshman at NYU Cap 21. My D is a sophomore in high school so we have some time yet, but I know it will go quickly. My confusion is this: I'm not sure of the real difference between MT and Vocal Performance. My D has done shows since she was 9, and been taking voice from a friend who is a BW VP grad since she was 10. She (the teacher) has been very careful with her voice, not pushing her - but working on diction and breathing. So now that my D is older (16) and has that stuff under her belt - WOW. At "contest" she's been getting #1 ratings with A material, she made the honors choir at school in the 9th grade when most girls don't until their junior or senior year - and a regular soloist at that. She's very talented in that area. She's now taking some acting lessons in a program that she had to audition to get into and taking ballet as of January. So we have the bases covered, I think. Junior year, we are hoping she can take some classes at BW in the afternoons in voice related things. I spoke with the folks there and they do offer their classes to high schoolers based on availability. We just don't find out until August what is actually available there. So back to the original question - MT or VP? From what I've read, it sounds like NYU Steinhardt or OKCU are things to consider. Any others? (I know BW may be good, too. But I've got to get her out of town. More about that another time...)</p>

<p>a.c.bay</p>

<p>**Hope my spelling is okay!</p>

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<p>It sounds like you and your daughter are on the right track already! In my limited understanding, the vp degree is more tailored to classical voice performance (opera) although they do take some acting and dance classes as some schools. My d will be attending OCU next fall for MT but I noticed a great deal of crossover in their vp and MT curriculums. We also researched NY/Steinhardt and they seemed to have a similar setup. The thing my d liked a lot about OCU was the fact that the students are classically trained and that the MT students can also audition for the operas that the school performs as well as the MT productions. It sounds like your d has a similar background to mine so she might also be interested in the same type of program (BM in MT rather than BFA). In the meantime (and since you have some time) I recommend you go back to the VERY beginning of the old CC MT thread and read all the posts. You will gain more information than you can imagine. Also, if you have the chance, visit the schools and sit in on some classes or talk to some of the students. This will help your d get a feel for what she really wants to pursue. Good luck as you begin the journey! And, I, for one, can tell you that the posters on this forum will offer an incredible amount of support and knowledge!</p>

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<p>I just want to say this to the parents and students who'll be auditioning next year. Don't feel discouraged if you/your d or s doesn't go to a P.A high school, hasn't gone to a high calibur summer camp or even just started MT in High School. I fit in all these categories, I only started theatre in high school and not seriously till the end of my sophmore year. I've never had private acting coaches, I just started voice lessons my Jr year, and have only taken tap for 1 year. At the begining of this process I was really scared that I wouldn't get in anywhere because I was meeting so many kids who had done all this stuff that I hadn't. But don't give up, so far I've gotten into 3 great programs and I'm still waiting on three more, It's not necessarily the training thats gonna get you into some of these programs, it's the determination and the passion for MT that comes from the kids who audition. So break a leg!</p>

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<p>Great reminder, mtfan, often it's the late bloomers who shine the brightest. And congratulations on your success!</p>

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<p>Hi. I'm a junior who is planning on going the musical theater track next year for colleges. Here's my question. How many schools does one need to apply to? I know that these programs are extremely selective, but I have nearly 20 on my list (after almost a year of reading posts on CC). Do I need to cut that list down or is it really necessary to have that many?</p>

<p>Also, I know that for the auditions they say to have monologues that are age appropriate. What do they consider that? I mean, in terms of actual dramas, Anne Frank and Our Town are the only dramas I can think of where the female characters are actually in their teenage years. I'm just throwing out shows here, but is something like Annie Sulivan in "The Miracle Worker" or Eliza Doolittle in "Pygmallian" okay in terms of age appropriate? Those characters are in their twenties about....</p>

<p>Thanks so much!!!</p>

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<p>Hi B wannabe,
Welcome!!!
My D is a senior and we just finished the audition circuit. She applied to 7 schools. I think most people apply to around 5-10. You have to consider the amount of time it will take to actually audition for all you choose to apply to, and then visit them to make a decision. If you read this whole thread, you will find that most people agree that there is no safety school in MT. One thing to consider is the focus of the program. Different MT programs can be totally different on what you will actually study. Some programs educate you to be a musician with heavy music theory etc. while other programs only give you a few courses or less in theory, allowing more time for more acting classes or perhaps dance. The amount of dance varies GREATLY from one school to another, so if this important to you, it's worth looking into. Almost every website has the curriculum listed online, so it isn't that hard to compare.
As far as audition material, this is something I now understand that I didn't before. There are so many good shows, not just the most popular Broadway ones everyone has heard of. Most auditors seem to prefer something uncommon, and one way to find good material is to read plays at a library or book store. You can either find an actual monologue, or slightly change dialogue to make one. It does not have to be a "Broadway" play, just a published one, usually. My D found a newly published play where the character was 19, and she got compliments on every audition. I would say to NOT do a monologue from a current show, (or one that is commonly done as a high school show) because they are usually overdone. The same goes for songs. CCM (Cincinnati) publishes a list of things they do not want to hear, and it is because the same things are performed over and over. This year my D said there were a few songs that she heard several times at every audition. SHE was sick of them, so I can only imagine how the auditors felt. The good thing is, you have plenty of time to find the perfect ones for you.
Once again welcome! You are already way ahead of many people because you are starting early on your material, and you have found this site/thread.</p>

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<p>BroadwayWannabe-
20 MT schools sound a bit ambitious. My D knows many kids currently in programs and many more just finishing up their auditions. Most of these friends and friends of friends had between 7-10 schools on their list. I would review your list carefully and make sure you can handle everything these schools will ask for. Auditioning and applying for this many schools will be extremely time consuming, confusing, stressful and expensive. I know that competition is fierce, but perhaps you may want to substitute one non-audition program for a "just-in-case'' scenario. Do you know anybody (a HS English or Drama teacher, current MT student or Music instructor) who can review your list? Does your school have a good college counselor? Ask the counselor if any recent grads are currently MT/ Drama majors. Maybe you can connect with them for guidance and info.</p>

<p>These same teachers/students/grads can also help you in choosing monologues.
If you live near a college or university, head over to the college bookstore. Or better yet, try emailing the Theatre Dept. You might find a local senior, grad student or professor who will steer you in the right direction. My cousin, who teaches Theatre and Acting in another state, tutored some theatre hopefuls this year. You can try your local library and look through some play anthologies. Does your town have a theatre company, rep or even a community theatre? Trust me, even an amateur theatre group will have people on their board passionately involved and exceptionally knowledgeable in the field. What about a State Theatre that does workshops of new plays? You can also do an online search for publishing companies specializing in new works. For starters, take a look at this helpful list put together by Depaul Theatre School:
<a href="http://theatreschool.depaul.edu/admiss/mono.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://theatreschool.depaul.edu/admiss/mono.htm&lt;/a>
You are already on the right track. Happy hunting!</p>

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<p>I noticed that many kids are only interested in schools that only accept 20 kids into MT. I read in an earlier thread information about some schools that will accept 100 or so kids into MT as Freshman (these are normally larger schools) and then cut at the end of the 1st year. When my S did the rounds and calls in high school, I asked some of these schools why they did that and they said they didn't want a student to not have the opportunity based on the one audition because so many talented kids don't audition well. Plus some kids audition well and then can't handle the program. These was their way of making it even and having a stronger Soph class which is where the "real" work begins. My D is a Music Major in her 3rd year and her college is the same way. Every year they have to audition, do their juries, etc. I have had people tell me their kids were asked after one or two years to change their major if they wanted to stay at that school. It seems heartbreaking but I guess it is to keep them from pursueing something they just aren't going to be able to make a living at. I'm sure this is the same at the schools that only accept 20 kids into the program. So I want to encourage the kids that don't get in the ones that only accept 20 to try one of the schools that accept a larger Freshman class. At least having the opportunity for the one year will give you experience for down the road and you may be ready to try another audition for that "other" school again. Plus you may really wind up loving the school you thought you wouldn't like. Keep an open mind!</p>

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<p>Broadwaywannabe...
My D's list of schools-to-audition-for started out at 9. But she was lucky enough to have an acceptance before Christmas. So before the real audition season started (Jan-March) she took 4 of the "lesser" schools on her list (i.e. ones that were not as closely matched to HER wants) off the list and she only will have auditioned at 5. Let me tell you that is WAY more manageable in terms of time and expense than the 9 would have been. So my advice is to audition early at one or more of your top choices so that if you are accepted early, you can pare down your list. It's meant a MUCH less stressful audition period at our house!</p>

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<p>I'm not sure what schools you're thinking of which would accept 100 into MT. I've never heard of one which takes that many kids. The closest (and still really not close at all!) would be CAP21 which accepts approximately 80 to enroll a class of around 60. Keep in mind though that over a thousand kids audition for those spots, making it one of the most selective programs. Also, CAP21 does not have a "cut" policy. </p>

<p>The "cut" policy at various schools has been discussed here, and debated, many times. Some people don't have a problem with it, but from the discussions, it seems that most people here are not in favor of it. Here's the link to the section on it which is in the FAQ.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.geocities.com/musicaltheatercolleges/cutpolicy.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.geocities.com/musicaltheatercolleges/cutpolicy.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>If you do a search, you can probably find some of the older discussions on this issue.</p>

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<p>Changing gears a bit, D has been happily accepted to BFA in MT at Penn State. In rereading some old posts from broadway mom, PSUCat, PSUDad, etc., you all sound extremely positive about this program! Tough decisions to make. We now need to think about scheduling a visit during her spring break -any advice on flying in from the Chicago area? This is hard because we won't hear from other schools until about March 25- yikes.
SK</p>

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<p>Like you suggested, I have already read all the MT threads 1 - 39 before I posted. Being that you mentioned that our D's have similar backgrounds, may I ask the schools that you looked at? </p>

<p>a.c.bay</p>

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<p>My d was most interested in NYU/Steinhardt (BM), OCU (BM) , Michigan (BFA), and also was considering Miami (BM). She also applied to the major conservatory programs (CCM/BoCo), but decided the conservatory approach was not for her after visiting. She ended up NOT applying to NYU for two reasons, one...the cost, and two, her voice teacher, whom she greatly respects, told her that it would be a better choice should she decide to go on to graduate school. She also ended up not applying to Miami even though she felt the program was a good fit because she got a couple of EA acceptances (and of course, the travel and application fees can add up!). She ultimately chose OCU because of what she feels is a balance in their training, although they do focus a great deal on classical voice and do give students the opportunity to perform in operas (she felt this would just give her more career opportunities in the long run.) We also looked at Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia, and I hear they have a fine program as well, but she just didn't get a good feeling about it for her. Hope this helps! I think, though, once you and your d start researching, visiting schools, and requesting information, the right schools for your d will stand out to her.</p>

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<p>ilmomsk,
If you have any questions regarding PSU, feel free to e mail me. I live locally and also have a daughter in the MT program. I'd be happy to provide any help regarding travel plans to visit, or whatever!</p>

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<p>Hi forum friends. I've been trying to keep up with reading everyone's news and much else on here. I regret to having not kept up with posting and not repling to certain posts, both general inquiries as well as any directed toward me. I have had trouble keeping up here and all the travel in the past weeks has contributed to that. I also owe email to some forum friends, forgive me for being so late with that. I apologize. I also had promised to post college trip/audition reports for several of our recent trips and have not gotten to it. At some point, I hope to share information we have gleaned. I just cannot get to all that at the moment. </p>

<p>We got back at 3 AM (don't ask why so late!) this morning from my D's last (yay!) BFA audition. There have been 8 of them in as many weeks. It is really great for her to be done, though it has been a great journey. She knows a lot more about some schools than before and sees that there are great aspects to every program out there, though differences. Auditions have gone well but it is nice to be done. Yesterday we were at Boston Conservatory and also saw their great production of City of Angels. </p>

<p>I'm posting now because I am leaving home, yet again, in less than 24 hours and will not be online until next Sunday when I return, so I just know I am not going to get to all the posts I owe here. I will miss hearing all of your news and look forward to reading everyone's journey when I get back as it is getting to an exciting moment for this year's crop of hopefuls. I'm going to Idaho, this time not for a college audition but to see my 18 year old race for Brown in the National (collegiate) Ski Racing Championships. A different mom "hat" for me to wear but also an exciting moment in her life, something she never dreamt would have been possible at the start of her freshman year. </p>

<p>Also, I wanted to share my 16 year old's college news. I know I posted recently that my D did not want me to share news of her college admissions results, and so I surely respected her wishes. She only said that in the past month or so as she found it uncomfortable to meet some kids at auditions who knew her admissions news from their parents on CC and she did not know these peers. But now that auditions are over, she said that while she is not that into posting this stuff, she doesn't mind it as much now. I even feel a bit awkward about it as everyone awaits similar news and sometimes I have read kids posting here waiting for a letter that we already had in hand and I'm sensitive to all of that. But my reason for sharing has to do with that I have shared among many of you (and vice versa) for a couple of years now and I feel funny to all of a sudden get quiet and not be willing to share this step of the process when everyone else is doing so. My D said it would be all right to share in return. So, I will just do that now and eventually as the rest unfolds, stay in the loop. </p>

<p>So, with that, I will share that my D is thrilled and relieved to so far have gotten into two BFA programs while waiting to hear from the majority of her schools yet. She got into Ithaca BFA for MT a few weeks ago with a significant merit scholarship. She got into Penn State BFA for MT last Wednesday. I had already shared that back in Dec., she got into Emerson (EA) itself but was deferred for the BFA in MT until they did all the auditions for regular decision. She feels fortunate to know that she can go to a BFA program as she dreamt and that she even has a choice in the matter, and this soon as we wait for all the letters now. With the difficult odds, we have never counted on anything and realize she has been lucky so far and we'll see how it all turns out. </p>

<p>Lots of you have acceptances in hand, yippee! and I know lots of you are waiting and do not have one in the bag yet. The process is winding down and something will work out for all the kids (it always does) and this time next year, they will all be enjoying the next steps. I really am wishing for positive outcomes for all my forum "buddies". I hope some of our paths will cross in the future and I have already met some of you on this year's BFA audition "trip". I'll let ya know how the rest turns out. </p>

<p>Take care everyone....
Susan
PS....Um, I am not sure what I did wrong to make the heading bold but bear with me, computers are not my forte.</p>

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<p>PS to Monkey.....I just wanted to tell you that I met your lovely D last weekend at PSU when my D was there for her BFA audition. I heard someone say her name, so I went up to her and introduced myself telling her I knew her mom on CC. My D wasn't with me when I spoke to your D. But my D tells me that at some point during the day, your D did approach her and introduce herself. We did get to spend a lot of time with Bdwaymom and her beautiful daughter and it was very helpful (and fun).</p>

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<p>soozievt...congrats to your daughter on the acceptances she has received so far!!.. I am new to cc but while catching up on all past posts I have seen your name repeatedly! You started where I start now. My d is a sophomore and 2 years from now will be going through the same thing you are now. I appreciate everyones knowlege and the chance to have such a forum to be informed! What helpful information! Good luck to all of you who are still waiting!</p>

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<p>Thank you Kaysmom! I am glad you joined in and I hope to stay on and help others with this because I was fortunate to learn from the many who shared here who had older kids who went through this very specific college process. </p>

<p>I actually started on CC 2 1/2 years ago when my oldest was turning 16 and entering HER junior year. I mostly read this forum but did not participate as much because I was immersed in the first child's process which was not for BFA programs (though she also has done alot in the performing arts but is not majoring in that area). I participated more on the other CC forums. But I kept reading this one to gather info. at the back of my mind for the future with second daughter even though we were not doing any planning for her college process at the time. Then, last year in her tenth grade year, I found myself participating more on THIS forum because our D came to us and begged to graduate a year early so I had to really get into it on here as her process began while we were still waiting for all the college decision letters for the first child and figuring out where she wanted to go. Never a dull moment. However, I know way more about the BFA college process now than ever before and I hope at some point to share what I know and help you guys out when I am done with this one! Besides, as my kids say next year when BOTH will be gone, what will you do with yourself mom?????</p>

<p>Susan</p>

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<p>Susan, I'm so pleased to hear your D's news! :) I feel like we've been chatting back and forth here for a couple of years now and I know how relieved and happy she must be and you, too! Not to mention proud! I never doubted that she would get good news and I'm sure that there will be more to come for her in the coming weeks. Bravo to her, and to you for being such an involved and supportive mom for so many years. It's so great to hear about these kids getting into the programs they want. Best of luck to your other D this week in her racing and have a wonderful trip!</p>

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<p>Susan:
Congratulations to your D! And congratulations to you (for all your support of your D)! It's so great that she already has a CHOICE of programs to go to. You know we've been thinking about you guys over here.</p>