<p>This thread is so dead I thought I’d give it a lift. D was accepted into the Musical Theater program and Honors program with a Dean’s scholarship. This was the only audition-based program she applied to (no interest in a BFA). She applied only at my urging that she would like the urban/suburban vibe at American, almost forgot to register for an audition, and then only got one because of a cancellation. She had no headshot, no vocal or acting coach to prep her, and was a bit intimidated by the other auditioners who had professional headshots, were highly prepped, and had been auditioning at many other schools. We figured she had no shot, but it was an interesting experience and the written feedback would be enlightening. The current students who hung out at the auditions to describe the program were so pleasant and helpful, and the facility so lovely, that we did feel a little glum when we left. So what a delightful surprise to be admitted with merit money to boot!</p>
<p>D would love to hear from any others who were admitted to American’s Musical Theater program.</p>
<p>That's fantastic MommaJ! I was accepted into the program about a week ago, also with a large Dean's Scholarship. I applied to American as more of a safety, but when I went to visit, I really loved the school and the city. The teachers I auditioned for were amazingly friendly and their theater building is extremely nice and new. I'm still hoping that I get accepted at one of the BFA school I auditioned at (still waiting on NYU, Emerson and BoCo) but if not, American is definitely a fabulous school. I hope some other people start to post, I would be really interested to see what other people have to say about the program. I don't know very much about it, so anything that you can add would be extremely beneficial. Thanks!</p>
<p>Congratulations MusicEtc! I hope you get favorable responses from your BFA schools. I'm afraid I don't have much to add to your knowledge of the program at American. I was impressed by the written feedback on D's audition that arrived with the acceptance letter (and apparently arrives with rejections as well). It suggests an admirable desire to connect with each student. One of the students who chatted up the waiting auditioners mentioned a performance trip to Russia that occurs every few years; a number of the MT students were double majoring, an advantage of a non-BFA program. D still needs to hear from other schools, but we're guessing that no others will beat American's financial package, so it has a great deal of allure on that score alone.</p>
<p>D visited Emerson and considered it for a while, but the cut process that could conceivably take her out of the musical theater area was a big negative. We know a number of students who love the school (not MT majors, though). D was also accepted to Muhlenberg (another BA MT program)--she visited overnight and had a great time, but Allentown is a bit of a negative. She was also accepted at Brandeis, where she would be a theater major--their musicals are entirely student run, but well regarded--a hard situation to analyze. NYU is of course wonderful, but going to a big non-campus school in a big, impersonal city is not for every eighteen year old. (On that score, NYU is Emerson squared.)</p>
<p>D will be hearing from the rest of her schools right in the middle of the run of her high school's spring musical production--it's a crazy time. But it's nice to have some acceptances under her belt before any rejections come in. Keep us posted on where you ultimately decide to go.</p>
<p>I am a freshman musical theatre major at AU and was one of the students greating perspectives at the auditions. I’m so glad to hear your daughter had a good experience here. Oddly enough, my final decision for schools also came down to American and Brandeis! I am in the Honors Program at AU and am here with a Dean’s scholarship as well. What a strange coincidence. Anyway, if your daughter has any questions about the program at all, please PM me and I can give you my name and email so she can email or facebook me. I know how hard college decisions can be, so let her know that she should feel free to ask anything at all about why I chose AU over Brandeis (both great schools). Just let me know!</p>
<p>My D is in similar situation. American is on her short list however she got onto an online chat the other night and that did not go well. No one had info on the Musical Theater department. She got feedback like yeah I think we have one. It seemed that people were more interested in studying politics and MOdel UN etc. We also attended an info session for accepted students at a location near us. No one from theater was represented there and little information was available. It has her feeling a little uneasy about American’s commitment to the musical theater department. She was also accepted at Brandeis as well. Why did you choose AU over Brandeis?</p>
<p>I don’t think that the fact that an online chat about American or an accepted student event barely touched on MT would be any indication of the school’s comitment to MT. I think you’d have to talk directly to those in the MT and Theater department to assess that aspect of the school. Otherwise, you are going to get general information about the school in an online chat or informational session, and not specific to a certain department.</p>
<p>idk, it’s quite true that international relations and communications are the popular majors at AU and that musical theater is not a predominant department, but so what? A small department can create a nice sense of community within a larger environment and provide more intimate contact with professors. AT AU’s auditions, the musical theater majors who spoke with us seemed like a very tight group. In any case, I don’t think the situation is all that different at Brandeis, although its theater department is definitely better known (I’d say more for drama than for musical theater, though). We were at admitted students day at Brandeis this week, and the science majors were everywhere–D didn’t run into another Theater Arts prospie until breakfast the next morning. I did notice that Spingold Theater at Brandeis didn’t look as if it had benefited from a dollar’s worth of maintenance since I attended the school eons ago, while AU has a beautiful new theater building. I’m not sure whether that reveals anything meaningful, but the physical environment for a theater major at AU is certainly nicer. The fact that AU requires an audition and Brandeis will take anyone into its program is another interesting piece of the puzzle.</p>
<p>In truth, neither of the two schools has one of nation’s the leading musical theater programs. I think the decision between them should rest more on the schools as a whole, since there’s a good chance any student will change majors, and many theater students double major or minor in another field. The two universities also have quite different atmospheres, an important consideration for any prospective student.</p>
<p>Don’t let the online chat deter you from deciding on AU. MommaJ is right, the MT community at American is a very tight one. We are a growing program, and have teachers and students who are very dedicated to musical theatre. As you probably know, we recently got a new arts building which includes a recital hall, black box theatre, practice rooms, classrooms, etc. We also have a beautiful new proscenium theatre off campus. Just this year we had Dick Scanlan, the lyricist of Thoroughly Modern Millie, come do a master class for the leads in our production. We also did a new musical by Peter Lerman, a young composer from the DC area who is currently working with Cameron Mackintosh, the famous producer, on rewriting the lyrics to an old Boubil/Shonberg piece. One of our student groups just started an annual tradition with a new MT Cabaret. Anyway, the list of opportunities goes on and on. If you want more information, please PM me and I can give you my name and email address. If you or your daughter have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. If I don’t know the answer, I will pass your question along to one of the faculty members or other MTs. I know the college decision process is not an easy one, and I wish you good luck!</p>
<p>I just wanted to let everyone who’s been looking at this thread that I did decide to go to American! I went to visit the school, and I was extremely impressed. The campus is gorgeous and the school is very modern. I accidentally ran into the professor who was my auditor for my audition and he asked if I wanted to sit in on a class. I got to sit in on “From Scene into Song” and I really enjoyed it! The current students are very talented and they’re all super friendly and fun. They all introduced themselves to me, and told me how much they loved the program. One of the guys told me that his professor got him a job playing Joseph in Joseph and the Technicolor Raincoat in a professional theater in DC for the summer! I know you are required to take 4 semesters of voice and 4 of dance but most MT majors take more than that. I also know you can audition for shows in your freshman year. I’ll let you guys know more about the program as I go through freshman year!</p>
<p>MusicEtc, my daughter decided on American, too. You may have already run into her at the Facebook group American Class of '13–I know she’s connected with at least one other MT major. When will you be attending orientation?</p>
<p>Awesome! Glad to see other people are taking American seriously… I haven’t used Facebook to meet anyone but I have used their own social network aulink2013.ning.com so I may have met her on there? I’m attending the first session of orientation so I’ll be there June 18th-19th. What orientation is your daughter attending?</p>
<p>I know this is a thread from last year, but wondered if any of those students (or parents) who chose American can give a bit of an update on their freshman year. i.e. class size, voice lessons, performance opportunities, living in DC etc.<br>
I also heard there was serious dorm overcrowding this year, but so far that is not enough to deter my D (also rec’d the Deans scholarship):)</p>
<p>Reviving this thread once again. My D was just accepted to the Theatre performance track (she did not audition for MT) and was offered a very generous scholarship. We live in the area, so she initially was looking for something farther from home. However, with the scholarship, the prospect of being at a school in an exciting theatre city like D.C. seems worthy of more exploration.</p>
<p>Can any current theatre or MT students or families of students at AU tell us a little more about your experience of the department? Perhaps strengths and weaknesses of the program? Advantages/ disadvantages of the American University community as a whole? What is it like to be an “artsy” kind of kid at a school that attracts a lot of political science/ international study type kids (not that those things are mutually exclusive?) </p>
<p>We are going to see the show at the school this Thursday and are looking forward to seeing the students in action. Any feedback would be appreciated!</p>