Does the "Perfect" program exist?

College Majors Musical Theater Major
1

As we are weighing out options, the pros/cons list is growing. Seems like each school is missing something. Not the right financial fit, less dance than we would like, voice leans more classical or contemporary instead of both (or one or the other), number of performance opportunities, etc. The list goes on an on.

So my question is, does the “perfect” program for your DD or DS really exist. Or do you chose the one with the most boxes checked and then make the program into what you need by seeking out additional training, performance opportunities, scholarships, etc?

Would love to hear from people in the same boat and from parents that have already been through this. If the program was missing a checkbox or 2 and your child still went there, how did it turn out once they were there training?

2

I think this is a great question and I’m going to give a wacky answer: they are all perfect programs and your list of requirements is probably too long. LOL!

I have a kid in the class of 2022 and I’ve observed that Senior parents (understandably) evaluate a BFA program from a High School parent mindset - will she get cast? Will he get dance training appropriate to his level? Will they be nice to my kid and loving when there’s a problem? Can my kid pursue what they are passionate about now? But once the kid is in college a lot of what they actually face is really DIFFERENT from what the applicant considers “critical”. The work doesn’t stop with BFA acceptance - their journey has just begun - and they change, a lot. A kid who never loved ballet suddenly finds it her salvation. A kid whose voice took them effortlessly through high school is told they need to relearn how to sing because their technique will destroy them. A performer who hates math has to figure out music theory. Experienced actors find themselves dreading acting class because the feelings are too hard to take. Argh! I can’t tell you how much work it is. But here’s the thing - whether the kids got into their top choice or their “safety”, they blossom. They grow and they branch out into new skills and interests… and the criteria you are using now to find the perfect program may be unimportant to them after a year or two in college.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be choosy! I would say - take a look at that list again and ask yourself if you’re sure those “requirements” are truly requirements. Are they needed for long term career growth or just what your high schooler loves now? When you say there’s not enough dance, for instance, what are you comparing it to? Has the school produced fine dancers? Then there’s enough dance. All of the MT programs are designed to train professional performers and there might be more method behind their madness than you understand right now. No one program will be perfect in all things but they all plan their training to their own “perfect” balance.

Here are the reasons I have seen for specific individuals leaving MT programs:
Money problems
Not enough academics
Too much academics
Not enough chances to audition professionally
Too far from home
Not challenging enough in their strong suit (dancers)
Environment (personal / professional) didn’t suit them

Oddly enough I don’t think I’ve heard of anyone leaving because the curriculum didn’t fit their interests sufficiently. Maybe people can prescreen for that so it’s less of an issue after matriculation. I would make sure none of those above (money, academic balance, location, environment) are on your “no match” list. If you can find a program you can afford, with the right arts/academic balance, in a good location for your family and an environment where the MT applicant is comfortable/happy/excited to be there - imo you have a “perfect” program for them.

3

One of the best pieces of advice we got up front was to not be too hard on criteria up front. Definitely have priorities and considerations (like amount of dance, location, etc), but cast a wide net.

We learned that regardless of reputation or info available on the web, that personal interaction is a powerful way to discern fit and it will impact how you feel about them and they you. You can take a harder look after you go thru auditions and based on your acceptances. Vetting too hard early might mean counting out an option that might work for you. Also, given the extreme competition/selectiveness it’s only so much in your hands at the front end at least!

4

The perfect program exists…and it has some pretty straightforward pre-screen requirements:

First Monologue - classical, shot from the left ankle up to the top of the head. Only acceptable submission will be from a Shakespeare play written between May 1st - May 8th in the year 1610. Character should be age appropriate, meaning no more than 3 months older or younger than you. Acceptable verse only in Old English (not middle or new English), Swahili, or Aramaic.

Second Monologue — must be shot from a Go Pro on top of your head by looking in a mirror, but showing only the waist up, and make sure the Go Pro isn’t visible. Must be contemporary, and exactly 77 seconds long, including slate. Use elevated voice to show character engagement, but don’t be too loud or you will activate the automatic “no” letter generator on our computers

First Song - Any contemporary ballad written by a female songwriter with Midwestern roots during a leap year. Must include accompaniment, preferably a live piano and prerecorded oboe and harpsichord background overlays for effect. Bonus points if you can get Lady Gaga to perform live with you on the harmonies.

Second Song - web site says any up tempo contemporary song will do, as long as it’s 90 seconds and includes beat boxing. However, email from school says absolutely no beat boxing, must be 60 seconds with acapella preferred. Also, preferred songs will be from the 1990’s band Mr. Big’s catalog…but only B side tracks will be considered, and accompaniment will need to only come from the novelty sound effect buttons on a 1986 Casio CLK Keyboard.

Dance Video - feel free to provide any video that shows good movement…as long as it follows exactly this 9 minute routine that’s prerecorded. Learn it perfectly, and in the middle of it, State why you only want to go to ONLY THIS SCHOOL so we know you can’t use this prescreen anywhere else

Wild Card - any video that shows your creativity and ingenuity. Preference will be given to fire juggling, extreme origami, or motocross jumping

I think we got a chance! ?

5

HAHA @StanfordAI2019 not sure they allow links but reminds me of this classic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5jNnDMfxA

6

LOL @StanfordAI2019!

Another thing to consider: can the missing criteria be made up in other ways? For example: if there’s not enough dance in the MT program, ask if you can take additional dance classes from the dance department, perhaps as electives. Or take additional dance classes at home during the summer. So something like that might not be a dealbreaker.

But if you’re a city kid and want to be in a big city for college, and there’s a college in a tiny rural town far from anything, THAT might be a dealbreaker. Or if you’re from Florida and hate cold weather, a school in a cold area that gets two feet of snow every year might be a dealbreaker. There’s no way to make a rural area city-ish, and no way to make a cold climate warm.

You have to figure out a) which criteria are MOST important to you and which you can live without, and b) which missing criteria can be made up in other ways and which can’t.

7

@CaMom13 your post reminds me of the strong HS athlete going to the next level, say D1 sports, and “having to learn the game” because they don’t really know anything yet". And when they get to the pros they have “to learn the game because they don’t know anything yet”. It’s the performer’s version of everyone’s bigger, stronger, faster at the next level and most of these kids were tops from where they came, but now they’re in a world where everyone is tops.

8

The perfect program is the one that accepts your kid with talent money.

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@MTisNutz what if that program with talent money accepts you BUT NOT to their BFA program??? oh wait im confusing threads now…I posted that elsewhere, never mind

10

We kind of had this conversation with my kid today, reflecting on the audition process and whether he still thinks he made the right decision about which school to attend. His observation is that he thinks every program out there gives students training sufficient to “make it.” The difference maker is what effort the student puts in.

His program is far from “perfect” but he (and his dad & I) continue to think it was the best program for him weighing all of the criteria he used to make the decision in the first place. The things that aren’t “perfect” are less important than the things that make it work for him.

11

@mindatwork Amen (and well said).

12

Fantastic response @StanfordAI2019 Couldn’t agree more and I was hoping that was the answer :wink:

13

That is the discussion we are having. Get the first semester under your belt, decide IF they things you were worried “might” be lacking are actually a concern. They may not be once you get there and understand the process better. And if they are, we supplement where needed. I just wanted to hear from a veteran parent that it is ok to say yes to a program that might be missing one little check mark. In other words, rarely do you find a program with every perfect check mark in place and that is ok :slight_smile:

14

I love this thread and I love your response @CaMom13 . And @StanfordAI2019 , I am laughing so hard right now. Great stress relief. ?

15

@StanfordAI2019 I just cackled out loud at my desk at work–so now everyone knows I’m not doing my job this morning! :smiley:

@mtmama2024 another thing to keep in mind is whether your kid is motivated to take the initiative and make things happen. My son’s high school friend is a senior at one of the top two theatre colleges in their theatre tech program. He is getting excellent training for sure. But this is also a kid who makes things happen. In his senior year of high school, he was stage dooring it at a Broadway show and had such a love for theatre tech that he recognized the stage manager as the guy exited the theatre. Practically no one at a stage door recognizes anyone coming out of that door unless it’s one of the lead performers. This kid was excited to see the stage manager and talked to him, authentically complimenting him and asking questions. The stage manager invited the kid back to shadow/observe, an opportunity that the kid jumped on. He made a connection with that guy and others while he was there. Every single summer, winter break, and spring break since then, he has worked behind the scenes on Broadway shows, from Clockwork Orange to Beetlejuice. He comes away with connections, experience, and even gets paid because he reached out and didn’t miss an opportunity to climb the ladder.

Whichever program your kid chooses, if he is hungry for it and REALLY wants this profession, regardless of which program he chooses (I’m sure you’re weighing all aspects to find whatever might end up being a great program for him), he will take all the classes that will help him, audition for all the shows, seek feedback even if it hurts, even audition professionally during college if his college allows that, network with people he can learn from and truly likes to work with, and (as Thoreau and Dead Poets Society preached) “live deeply and suck out all the marrow of life!”

16

@lovetoact you just described my daughter for sure! She will make things happen whether they are available or not. She has done that repeatedly in high school when no options or opportunities were given to her. She just focused on her training and it has definitely paid off during auditions. Which is why I was hoping people would say it is ok to go where not every single box is checked. That it is possible to get what you need from a program if you love everything else about it and you just work hard :slight_smile:

17

@mtmama2024 Sorry that I said ‘he/him’–didn’t pay attention to the fact that you’re talking about a daughter!

She’ll do great in any of the choices that feel like home then for sure!

18

No offense taken! I do the same thing all the time. LOL!

19

Finding a “perfect” program is kind of like finding a “perfect” relationship. What makes it perfect is not that it is flawless and ticks every single box, but that it is perfect for you despite its flaws.

20

@MTDad27 – good point. I thought CMU was the ‘perfect program.’ But they ‘swiped left’ on us