Current college students: How is your musical theater program?

<p>It would be great to hear from current college students (or their parents) on how their college program is. Did it meet your expectations? Were there any surprises once you started the program. Is the program as great as everyone had worked it up to be? My D will graduate in 2009. We keep hearing such wonderful things about CCM, Carnegie Mellon, UMich .... What are the feelings of the students now that they are there? What are your peers like? Do they all have the same type of singing voice or did they choose a variety of students?</p>

<p>I agree with racmom... I'd also like to add something. I always enjoy asking students (and faculty for that matter) what they thing the strongest and weakest parts of their program are (whether it be a technical part of the program or something having to do with the environment/facilities at the school, etc).</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>This has been posed on this site before. I think most kids love their MT programs and are great salespeople for it!</p>

<p>srw, I think I've read through most of the musical theater posts. Can you direct me, because I would love to hear how the students feel after they've been admitted and been through a semester or two.</p>

<p>racmom, I don't think there is a single thread about this topic, so locating posts about this means scouring through various threads. I would suggest starting with the list of schools above and looking there. For instance, I recall reading posts from some BoCo students who offered to answer questions, and I remember the same (from some time back) in regards to CMU. I think your idea for a thread on this topic is a fine one, except for one thing: most kids involved in MT programs are so darned busy that they don't spend much time online on lists like this. (They probably reserve most of their online time for Facebook and chatting with friends. :)) Best of luck in your research.</p>

<p>thank you NotMamaRose, you're probably right. They probably are too busy to respond. Thanks for the suggestion.</p>

<p>S is a junior at OCU (Where did the time go?) I caught him waiting for his flight home and asked him your questions. He was tired and a little monosyllabic so I’ll give you his answers and “my interpretations” from conversations we have had. A little background S graduated from a regular high school preformed some at the Children’s Theatre and attended 1 session of a theatre camp. He writes beautifully but has dyscalculia so struggles with anything math related – like music theory. This fall he has performed in two main stage productions, Prof. Behr in Little Women and Raul Perez in Hotel Casablanca.</p>

<p>What are the feelings of the students now that they are there?
“How small it is.”<br>
The MT world shrinks the longer you’re in it. You meet kids from other programs and learn to establish a support system even outside your program from Summer Stock and travel. Kids leave your program for various reasons – work on cruises, tours or just because it didn’t fit. Your program shrinks and pretty soon you know everyone.</p>

<p>What are your peers like?
“People from all over – every type.”
Students come from all over the U.S. and every look and religion. Having a open mind allows you to experience a lot more if you remember you are learning and may change your thinking about a lot of things. </p>

<p>Do they all have the same type of singing voice or did they choose a variety of students?
“It is very important to know your type”.<br>
Schools try and pick a variety of types because they need to cast a show. When picking your music for auditions make sure your song fits your type as well as your voice.</p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

<p>I am attending Plymouth State University in New Hampshire for musical theatre. I don't think anyone posts on this website who currently attends there. I love it here! It is a terrific, smaller program which grants a BA in Theatre. I am pursuing a concentration in Musical Theatre Performance.
All the kids here are extremely dedicated, and I found there is quite a pool of talent hidden up here in New Hampshire! It really is a great program if you want to have a bit of the academic world as well as theatre. The vocal training is the most outstanding portion, I'd have to say. A wonderful thing about this program is the friendliness of the students in the theatre program...which I didn't encounter at my other school (I am a transfer). I definitely would recommend Plymouth as a great option for a BA school, and anyone who is curious should definitely look into it. It would be a great BA to audition for if you are trying for a bunch of BFA schools as well. What matters most is that you are happy where you attend! </p>

<p>best of luck
~Amy~</p>

<p>If you are interested in University of the Arts (a school well worth looking at in my unbiased opinion ;) ), the UArts thread has current posts from parents of 3 current freshman MT students and from 2 upperclassmen.</p>

<p>My son is very happy at Elon, and they seem to have different "types", to answer your question.</p>

<p>Thanks to all of your for such good info.</p>

<p>There is an older thread on this subject that I bumped up to the top for you...enjoy!</p>