@MarlboroMom my son goes to MCLA for education. It is a small school but the area is rich in the arts. The theatre program seems close knit and very active. I have also heard that Bard had a fantastic theatre program so I wouldn’t count them out. Good luck
My D chose her safety over her reaches when given the choice. It has turned out great for her. The safety was actually better in her area of interest. It seems like that might be the case for you as well. There are also many schools still seeking applications and there is a list the comes out in May for colleges that didn’t quite fill their classes and are looking for new applicants. If you give us a budget, you might get some better responses as well. I know there are schools like Hosftra, with excellent theater programs that are still accepting applications. It isn’t an audition program, but you do have to audition after the 2nd year to be accepted into the BFA vs. BA program. If you are looking for serious financial aid, that may not work, but they do seem to give out a good amount of merit aid.
MCLA has a theatre curriculum that includes at least three semesters of acting and classes in auditioning, directing, and play analysis, and their theatre season includes conventional several plays and a musical. On the surface, and knowing nothing about the program, I would say that this is at least “above average” for a student who wants to pursue conventional acting training within a LAC. It is not uncommon to find LAC theatre programs that focus more on the analytical, contextual, and experimental aspects of theatre than in pre-professional performance training, with seasons that in many cases consist mainly of experimental, post-modern, and absurdist productions (and their ilk). For a student who has an interest in conventional, pre-professional performance training, I can see where a LAC program that focuses outside the bounds of more conventional theatrical training with seasons that do not include musicals and conventional plays may not be a great fit (but for some, of course, this can be a good path).
No doubt that you are aware of this, but your d’s two waitlisted schools, Skidmore and Sarah Lawrence, both have excellent, conventional theatre training programs. Skidmore touts their pre-professional training.
If your student ends up taking a gap year, be aware that there are excellent theatre programs, both BA and BFA, based on conventional, pre-professional training at LAC-type colleges - although the list is much shorter for bona-fide LAC’s (and many of these schools are outside the Northeast). Illinois Wesleyan is the only top 100 LAC that I know that offers BFAs in Acting and MT.
Oh @MarlboroMom - I feel for you! It’s so hard for those of us who never had artistic inclinations to understand how to navigate the process with an artist child. I say - and this is generic - if she’s not happy with her choices there is nothing wrong with taking a year to reevaluate and reapply. MANY of the folks who have done this (especially in MT) think it was the best thing that ever happened to them. I highly respect Bard and SL and Skidmore but they would not have been pre-professional enough for my D. We visited schools when she was a junior and she gravitated towards the programs that trained working actors. She didn’t want the beautiful lawns and lecture halls as much as she wanted the sweaty rehearsal rooms. It really is a choice; everyone thinks there’s a happy medium and there can be … but you do give up some of one for the some of the other.
Chances are if she reapplies and this time looks for the colleges with strong performing arts that offer students with good GPAs merit aid - read the MT forum for suggestions - you’ll find a more conservatory-like atmosphere for her at a price you can (more) afford. If she spend some of the next couple of months prepping for auditions she can do an ACT/SAT test prep which will raise her scores. I know it sounds silly but those courses help by teaching test-taking strategies and every bit of improved test scores will improve her chances of financial aid.
@MarlboroMom My D was accepted to Sarah Lawrence (with a very nice scholarship), but declined their offer this past weekend as she wants more MT-focused training, which while both the theater and dance departments are excellent at SLC, is not a focus area of the school. I really hope that this might become a viable option for your D as it is a fantastic school, very strong in the arts, and the people there (both working at the school and the students when we visited) were amazing and kind. Best of luck to your D and please don’t blame yourself at all in this unpredictable roller coaster ride of a journey!
Thank you all so much for sharing your insights with me. I will be rereading your comments and taking suggestions. I do think we should contact Bard for another version of their theatre program, with very specific questions about the types of shows they are mounting as well as amount of time she’ll spend on theatre activities. We did stay for a show, and it was, indeed, experimental and a rather deep dive into the traumatized psyche, which was the cherry on top for d. One day we will laugh about this. I love many things about the school and I want her to have a broader and deeper education, and I believe she will miss it if she does a BFA.
I appreciate the positive comments about MCLA and we will visit, and she’ll do an overnight. The area is rich in the arts, and if the school has made good connections,it could be just right.
I am not sure about SL now… wondering about their theatre program and how fits on the conventional to edgy scale? Skidmore might be just right too, except she needs to get off the waitlist AND she needs fin aid. Bard would cost us about 15,000 including loans which will hurt but we’ll figure it out. I would be very lucky to get similar from Skidmore or SL I think.
I noticed Berea being held up as excellent for MT recently, and that is an interesting school, and tuition free as well.
And then there is the gap year and repeating the process (sadder but wiser!) which is daunting. But possible.
And, yes, it is her job to do. Thanks, and I am open to more advice.
Bard has a fantastic theater department - but it’s not going to be conventional MT. On the other hand, the current Broadway production of Oklahoma was developed at Bard, then performed in full production during their summer festival, then off-Broadway, and now on Broadway. My son, who graduated in '13, has a number of classmates who went on immediately to major roles in television series (think Mozart in the Jungle, Girls.) If Bard is affordable I would send her there in a heartbeat. The theater training will be top-notch - it’s just going to be serious modern theater, though - not something for a Disney stage. But there will be lots of networking and connections with the NYC theater scene.
One should never let one tour guide turn off a student. Has she looked at the actual course lists to see what is offered? https://inside.bard.edu/academic/courses/current/ She can look at past semesters, as well. From the Theater and Performance page - to give you an idea of the program:
Areas of Study: The Theater and Performance Program offers courses in Context, Technique, and Creative Practice and Research, and students are required to take classes in all three areas of study. Context courses include the history of theater and performance, contemporary practice, theories of theater and performance, dramatic literature, world theater. Technique courses include skills-based classes in playwriting, directing, acting, voice, movement, dramatic structure, performance, and composition. Creative Practice and Research comprises productions, performance laboratories, master classes and specialized workshops. All courses carry 4 credits except where otherwise indicated.
Moderation Requirements: The following 5 courses are required for students wishing to moderate into the Theater and Performance Program:
- THTR 145 Introduction to Theater and Performance: Revolutions in Time and Space
- THTR 110 Introduction to Acting: The Actor and the Moment
- THTR 107 Introduction to Playwriting: the Theatrical Voice
- THTR 244 Introduction to Theater Making (spring semester)
- THTR 146 Introduction to Theater History (fall semester)
@Knowsstuff , we looked at Emerson and then ran the NPC. Crazy. We can afford Bard with the awesome fin aid and SL and Skidmore looked similar—however we are only on waitlist so can’t expect anything. MCLA should be affordable. Yeah, Emerson and NYU, crazy high. Hope your MT kid is happy!
@MarlboroMom - I wonder if someone confused Berea College in Berea, KY ( which is a well-respected tuition free school) with Baldwin Wallace in Berea, OH. Berea College does not have any sort of musical theater program whereas Baldwin Wallace is one of the top MT programs around.
You might find this list interesting:
http://www.playbill.com/article/big-10-the-10-most-represented-colleges-on-broadway-in-the-2018-2019-season
Many schools you would expect (NYU, CM, Yale, Fordham) but others surprised me–Oklahoma City, Point Park, Elon.
Many roads can lead to “Rome”
@4Gulls - tbh, none of the schools that surprise you are surprises on that list. They all have well-established and well-regarded MT programs.
@MarlboroMom. She is actually not in MT anymore. She is doing Cultural Anthropology with a Poly Sci minor. She’s going back to Indonesia to work with a film social justice company for an internship. She applied for a grant for this and was just awarded it. Kids change their career choices. She has had professional work in film and theater, she’s lucky but saw people in their 40’s still trying to “make” it and that spoke to her. She will be doing something with social justice and theater. She’s done theater for autistic children with a group in Chicago for several years. Many different ways to have a career and apply theater principles.
@4Gulls #4 on that broadway list, AMDA, is the conservatory she was accepted to, but would cost about 40,000 a year out of pocket which is not possible.
We have a scheduled overnight and class visits to MCLA, including meeting with theatre prof, and I have been told they have excellent connections with local theatre orgs like Williamstown summer stock. And apparently, students can take classes at nearby Williams if they need a higher level course not available at MCLA.
So, I’ll follow up with all the suggestions on this thread and let you all know how it goes!
@vvnstar I found the link to the Berea article! Yes, it is that interesting tuition free school in KY. Check it out. One of top 25 BA theatre programs, but not MT, sorry.
Hello everyone, and thank you all for your thoughtful comments. My d visited MCLA and didn’t feel it, and has decided not to go anywhere next year. I know she’s disappointed about not having $ for AMDA (I did try them again, lol, they said it was based on our EFC—which is under $5000 a year, so how is $40,000 a year based on that? Hah.) On a serious note, I think she is depressed and anxious and our priority will be to help get on an even keel and ready to make a campaign when she is feeling better. This has been a hard, hard year for all of us, and we will move forward from where we are. Many thanks to all of you, you are are a knowledgeable, helpful and kind group.
Good luck to you and your daughter.
@MarlboroMom I am so sorry to hear it but please do yourself a favor and read the 2023 ‘final decisions’ thread. Several of this year’s most successful auditioners were in your D’s shoes this time last year. A gap year can do wonders - and the stories really highlight how big of a difference a year can make.
@Knowsstuff @CaMom13 thank you. Life takes many turns. All will be well.
@MarlboroMom This is such a tough process. Sending positive vibes to you both!
@MarlboroMom I know that is a tough decision to make. And the next few months will be the hardest as classmates prepare to head off to college. But I think it is a brave and very good decision. There are many successful gap year stories on these boards. And I hope your D will share hers here next year when she finds her college home. In the meantime, I think the best thing you can do right now is help her come up with a gap year plan that you can start immediately. I know she may not feel like it, but I think if she sees a written plan and can begin taking proactive steps towards implementing that plan, it will give these next months purpose and give her meaningful work to do to achieve her ultimate goal. The good news is the work for the new audition season can start now, so there does not have to be a long wait to get working on her goal.
Summer is a great time to create a new school list, select new audition material and begin learning and polishing it. Go ahead and decide when and how you are going to film prescreens and plan on getting those in early so you have your pick of audition days/times. Be ready to hit the ground running as soon as those applications are available.
Also figure out what day to day life will be like. Will she get a job? Will she take lessons of any kind? Will you enlist help from a coach? Will she sleep in? Does she have a curfew? Having a good understanding of what your expectations are on the home front is key.
Also check around your area. Are there shows she can audition for in the next year? My kid was always happiest when part of a production.
I am sure right now you are tired and drained from the process. So definitely give each other the space and time needed to recuperate. But don’t dwell on this past year too long. Look towards a bright future and start taking steps, even if they’re baby steps, towards her goal.
Wishing you peace with your decision and much success in the coming year.