Diversity in MT Schools

College Majors Musical Theater Major
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<p>Wow...this topic so hits me in the heart, cause not only am i black, i am also very far outside of the united states, and cannot be classififed as an African-American....I am a West Indian, im from the Caribbean....ok, umm, so where should i start....im just going to state my own experiences, i dont want to judge what anybody is saying...</p>

<p>This summer..i spent 6 weeks training in Musical Theatre at CMU....which was a life-changing experience, not only did i come from barbados which has NO training in Musical Theatre atall, but i was the only black girl, and i was the only person from outside the united states...and becuase of my lack of training i was WAY behind...
I went there and in the first few weeks the teachers kept on reminding me that i am coming in way behind everybody else, cause everybody else had come from the states, and been in plays, had singing lessons etc....i had nothing...i had come from having nothing, so the first few weeks were HARD...and actually i went ot my first singing class ever when i was there...and could barely get through a song....between my nerves and my voice....my singing teacher there, said she didnt think that this was a wise career choice for me atall, becuase i was so behind and i would have to do college auditions in feb.</p>

<p>honestly, that completly broke my heart, but i didnt let myself down...i liked the fact that i was different and that i was experiencing something new that i loved and could never experience before....so i worked my but off..lol</p>

<p>it amazing when your put in a completly different enviroment, how you can change..i went thorugh so much when i was there, all my friends there had headshots, repitoire for auditions and had typed out resumes and everything.....i remember when i typed out my resume and handed it to my teacher i stayed after class to talk to him and i was like on the top of my resume it says actor/singer/dancer...but everything on my resume is about dancing things that ive done...and then he was jsut like...that means your walking into an audition with a clean slate....nobody know that you can do...so surprise them...and i just loved the fact he said that...</p>

<p>ok,this could so go into a long thing about how CMU has chaged my life...lol..but let me finish up...</p>

<p>The teacher that accepts students for the singing section in the audition at CMU is Gary Kline, and he didnt teach me over the 6 weeks, so i just wanted to meet and talk to him about what he think i should do because of my situation..and we decided to meet up after my final audition...</p>

<p>so i did the audition and i went to talk to him...he such an amazing person...he said how from the moment i started to sing, his mouth dropped opened, he said it was amazing and my toher singing teacher said i had a gift from god(mind you i was bascially crying during this time and was constantly saying thank you)...he said i had such an amazing prescence from the moment i walked into the room,i guess its because im tall, and all the teachers at CMU would also like me to pick up modelling....he said i did better than half the students there...and he was like...think about it....there is NOBODY here like you...do you know how many schools would want you...so many, your tall , beautiful and exotic...and he was like i definelty want you to audition for colleges and for CMU, and he told me to do the chicago unifieds, cause it was easiest in the case of cost etc....he also said that he wanted me to come back in december so he could train me...cause he knew i was goin back to barbados which has no training and he wanted to help...i think god sent his as my angel honestly..i think i was meant to go to CMU and go through all of that and learn so much from it...
i had to beg my parents to go....prove to them how much i wanted it,and they spent over $20,000 to send me there....cause barbadian money is twice that of US dollars...so i am so grateful...</p>

<p>i am so grateful to all the teachers that helped me over this past summer...when i was there also and i had my shakespeare classes...i was so not looking forward to them...cause im from barbados and i have an accent...so that and shakespeare do not match, at all....lol.....but i worked hard and one day we had to present our audition monologues to our styles teacher and i did a Lady Percy monologue, and during it my teacher started crying, she said it was amazing...and i did not realise how much talent was in me...and she told me part of a Nelson Mandela quote which i now have stuck up in my room 'We ask oursleves, who am I to be brillant, talented and fabulous...actually, who are you NOT to be'...she was like kayla who are you not to be, you are truely amazing and you dont even realise it...so she started crying and i hugged her and it ended up being a whole class hug from everybody, and then i left the room crying and called my mum...and just told her...</p>

<p>oh my gosh i could go on about this experience..lol...but im goin to end it with this...this summer really tested me and who i am, becuase i was put into an environment that i was completly foreign to, and form the beginning people were saying i couldnt do it....but i did, and in the process became close with so many teachers and so many friends...it seemed like everybody there wanted to know me, know about me and where i came from...i made soo many friends...and not just like distant-ish, call every once and a while kind of friends....but i made about 40 EXTREMLY close friends (i know the number...cause i just sent out 42 postcards to them in the mail..lol)..and druing the whole time, they helped me and believe in me, even at time i ddint believe in myself...and now i talk to them allll the time..lol..the phone calls and messages are constant....i took 1020 pics when i was there...i needed memories that will last me a life-time..and even a whole bunch of them are planning on coming up to barabdos for sprink-break 07 :-)..lol....and also the teachers...they became my family..whe i was there i could talk to them about ANYTHING, any health problem, anything..and they were always there with open arms.....they have changed my life...and evey day i think about what they have done for me.....
for me it doesnt matter really if i go to a diverse program or not...i will make my footprint there, and it will stay....before the summer i went from being an extremly quiet person, not sure of herself....to believing that everything is possible, you just ahve to work hard, and know that you can do it...i ahev the kind fo personality where i love everybody, i dont discriminate against anybody and thats just how i am...and i guess that why i left with so my people who may be physically far away from me..but they will always be here in my heart...i love them...</p>

<p>so there is my story :-)....sorry about it being so long, i got carried away...</p>

<p>and here is the full Nelson Mandela wuote...i know that some of you guys here are parnets and so teenagers like mee..lol..but also believe in yourslef no matter what situation you are put in...</p>

<p>“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”Nelson Mandela</p>

<p>thanks you guys!...now i have to continue my applications for colleges..lol....the stress! :-)</p>

<p>*Kayla</p>

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<p>Kayla, we are ALL so proud of you and happy for you. We all knew you were amazing: we're just glad that now YOU know it, too. You go, girl. :)</p>

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<p>Kaylagurl,
Your post is just beautiful. Reading your heartfelt words are so enriching and uplifting. Your gratitude and appreciation for the gifts you have been given (by God and your mentors) make me glad to be alive and reading CC today! Your attitude will take you just as far as your talent. I hope you keep us posted with your college application/audition process this year; I know that we will be rooting for you to end up at the best possible place for your spirit and your talents to expand in.</p>

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<p>Kayla.....there's just no way to top that story. Thanks for taking the time to share yourself and your summer experience with us. Best wishes on your upcoming auditions. Something tells me there's an even greater story waiting to unfold for you. :)</p>

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<p>You know we love you and you just reminded me why! Thanks for the great post (tell your mom and dad, hi from me and maybe let them read what you wrote?!)
Evasmom</p>

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<p>Kayla, </p>

<p>I loved reading your post and all that you expressed in it. It is so wonderful to read about where you are at now that you had this experience because I remember very well your posts this past year asking questions, looking into summer programs, fears about lack of singing training, and so on. Now, look where you are....it is only the beginning. Keep believing in yourself, keep seeking goals and you're gonna make it. Good luck and keep us posted on the next steps you take.</p>

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<p>Kayla,
You are such a breath of fresh air! Sometimes I get really jaded, annoyed and frustrated with members (adults, mostly) on CC and then someone like you (or Shauna) come along with promise, honesty, and no agenda. Just love it. I, too, can't wait to hear about your auditioning experiences and about where you finally decide to go....I see many opportunities in your future!!!!</p>

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<p>Not Mama Rose, to answer your question about clarifying my previous comment (many pages back!), the minority MT students that we have been blessed to know personally have appeared to me to be the most outstanding students within a group of peers. They have been well prepared in all areas of MT. I don't know why that is, but we've been very impressed!</p>

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<p>Ericsmom, that makes sense. We haven't been thru the audition process yet, but my D does a lot of community theater and in her hs acting program, kids of all ethnicities just routinely blow me away with how talented and passionate they are.</p>

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<p>The freshman MT class at Otterbein this year is comprised of two black students and eight white students (one of which is from Canada, does that count?). There are a number of other black students in the theatre/dance department. Does this help?</p>

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<p>I think people who are minorities who are involved in the arts are just that much more passionate about what they do because many of them have had to overcome adversity in this screwed up world we live in. On a day to day basis, we take for granted the simple little luxuries we have as MT kids. I know for me... I personally have had a harder time over the past year because I have been forced to pay for alot of my training. Luckily, I have supportive mentors and emotionally supportive family members, despite the fact that they are unable to financially support alot of my training. Imagine having to deal with racism amidst all that? It makes me appreciate what I have, for certain</p>

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<p>Thanks so much you guys for your comments :-)...and hiii evamom!...i miss eva so much!...so much! she is such an amazing and talented girl :-)...and i cant wait to hopefully see her in easter..yay:-)</p>

<p>yea MTgeek being a minority does make it harder, but if i have to work harder to make my dreams come true, i'll still do it! and it sucks that there are still epople in the world who are racist, i experience racism, and my sister who is now going to Uof T...is experiencing it very badly with two of her roomates...its really bad, but you just have to learn to ignore and believe in yourself...</p>

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<p>Rock on Kayla. I'm going to be rooting for you this year. I'm not sure if you'll be in Boston at all this year or if you're auditioning for Boston Conservatory. If so, send me a message and I'd be more than happy to take you around. I'm also attending NYC unifieds as well as an on campus audition at Hartt. Maybe I'll see u around!</p>

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<p>I am currently in a straight acting studio at NYU, and can definitely attest to chrisnoo's post. There are 77 freshmen in my studio, and I can really say that there are not two people who really look alike.</p>

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<p>thanks MTgeek, and im still working on my list of schools, ive gotten the essays covered, but i just want to make sure on the schools...lol...</p>

<p>and also, i just spent a while on the CCM website, and i realised that there are no black people in their 2007 class nor in their freshmen...is there a reason for that? cause that is a school i was looking on applying to...</p>

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<p>Kayla,
There are two A-A students in CCM's class of 2007. One of them, a boy, is pictured in the photograph taken after the freshman showcase last spring. The other, a girl, does not seem to be in the photo, though I know she performed in the showcase. I was there and saw her. She was a regular CC poster (Broadway32nd) during her senior year of H.S.</p>

<p>I do not know who is in this year's freshman class. I am not sure how you would know that there are or are not any A-A freshmen from perusing the CCM website. There are no photos of this year's freshmen. They have only been in class for 4 days!</p>

<p>CCM does accept minority students into their MT program. Not all of the students accepted choose to attend CCM. I personally know of three minority females who chose to attend other schools. One is in my D's class at Florida State. CCM has graduated A-A students in recent years. Off the top of my head, I can recall a boy from the Pittsburgh area who graduated two years ago and a girl from Houston who graduated around three years ago. My D and I were well acquainted with both of these students.</p>

<p>It is true that CCM does not have large numbers of minority students in their MT program. The program usually comprises about 50 to 60 students. If the MT program were 10% minority students, that would be only 5 or 6 kids. If you want to see large numbers of minority students at CCM, you should visit the music program. There are huge numbers of Asian students.</p>

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<p>Benj- are you in Writing the Essay at 1230 with B.C.?</p>

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<p>ok, thank you dancersmom, tell your daughter that i say hi :-)...i hope that she is getting through with all her applictions etc.
and sorry for the mistake, i wasnt talking about this year's freshmen, there is a pic on the website of a MT freshmen class, probably from last year and that was what i was talking about....thank you though!</p>

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<p>Does anyone know how many students CCM accepts into its MT program for their freshmen class each year?</p>

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<p>Lisa, I think they shoot for a class of 20. I'm talking about yield, not acceptance numbers. Someone who attends can tell you for sure but that is pretty close in any case. </p>

<p>The photo on CCM's site of the freshman showcase was last year's freshman class. There is a student who is African American in that class. I've met her and she used to post on this forum. If you look at their alumni pages, even just in recent years, there are other students of color. Last year's graduating class are all Caucasian but who knows how the class started. This is the graduating class after cuts. It is not as large as the entering class.</p>