Emerson BFA MT Questions, PLEASE READ!

<p>For current MT students, it seems like a lot of the threads out there are about auditions.
So I just wanted to put my questions out there about your college’s BFA MT program. Please give me as full of an answer
as you can, the more detailed, the better…</p>

<p>-What is the relationship between the theatre students like?
-What is the relationship between the theatre students and faculty like?
-How much of the required currculum is Theatre/Music/Dance related? How much of other academics?
-Please discuss your favorite professor in the theatre program and how he or she teaches, what you like and don’t like about him or her, and what makes him or her unique?
-What is the average format of the courses in the program?(class size, one-on-one student attention, performance, written work, home work, etc.)
-What is the most important thing you learned about Acting in your time here?
-What is the most important thing you learned about SInging in your time here?
-What is the most important thing you learned about Dancing in your time here?
-What are your school’s theatre productions like?
-What are the three most encouraged characteristics of a Musical Theatre Actor in your school?
-What are the three most encouraged characteristics of a Human Being in your school?
-What is the one thing about your school’s MT program that makes it unique from any other?
-How many and what performing oppurtunities do you have at your school?
-Are there oppurtunities for studying abroad? If so, please give a recent example.
-Talk about your most recent Master class
-Any things you wish your program had?
-Any things you wish it didn’t have?
-Are you having fun?
-And lastly, describe how your time at your University affected yourself.</p>

<p>You can answer one or all of the questions if you’d like, I’m really just looking for answers in general.
I must thank you all in advance for all of your help and time taken to answer these questions, it really means a lot
to me.</p>

<p>-What is the relationship between the theatre students like? </p>

<p>All of the MT’s are close. I don’t wanna speak for all of us, but I feel our class creates a very safe and supportive work environment. </p>

<p>-What is the relationship between the theatre students and faculty like?</p>

<p>The answer to this question actually surprised me about Emerson. Within the first month I had already had a one-on-one meeting with the head of the department. Our entire faculty strongly encourages us to meet with them. I wasn’t expecting for them to have as much interest in getting to know us right off the bat. From working with Stephen (the head) on family weekend showcase I know he is very honest and expects a lot from his students, but is also great about being almost a father figure to the department. </p>

<p>-How much of the required curriculum is Theatre/Music/Dance related? How much of other academics? </p>

<p>My current schedule as a freshman is as follows: one 3 hour acting class (movement one semester then voice and text), chorus/ensemble singing, dance (either jazz or ballet), one weekly hour long voice lesson, one college writing course, And Local Action/Global Change, which is my gen ed. (next semester I will have Languages of the Stage, a gen ed of sorts for the performing arts department, in place of another gen ed). Each of these classes takes place twice a week. Keep in mind this is only for your freshman year. Your schedule will slightly change sophomore year and then drastically change junior and senior year if your make it into studio. </p>

<p>-Please discuss your favorite professor in the theatre program and how he or she teaches, what you like and don’t like about him or her, and what makes him or her unique?</p>

<p>The three main musical theatre faculty are Scott LaFeber, Stephen Terrell (head of musical theatre) and Scott Wheeler. I don’t take class with them until junior year, if I make it into studio, but I have met with all three of them individually and I’m very excited to work with them. The professors I have class with now are all excellent. From Professor for my gen ed to my voice teacher I feel very privilege to take class with all of them. </p>

<p>-What is the average format of the courses in the program?(class size, one-on-one student attention, performance, written work, home work, etc.) </p>

<p>Every class I am in, even my gen eds, have less than 20 people; therefore individual attention is automatic. Workload varies for each class. I have performances projects in acting about every other week, one chorus concert a semester, and dance mock auditions twice a semester. </p>

<p>-What is the most important thing you learned about Acting in your time here?
-What is the most important thing you learned about Singing in your time here?
-What is the most important thing you learned about Dancing in your time here?</p>

<p>Okay, I’m going to answer all of these questions together. I’m not the best person to answer this question because I’m only a freshman and the answer will vary for each individual. All I can say is that from what I have learned so far and what I have observed and heard from upper classmen about future training, I am confident Emerson will provide me with phenomenal training, catering to who I am, individually, as an artist. </p>

<p>-What are your school’s theatre productions like?</p>

<p>Again, I’m not the best person to answer this question because I’ve only seen one Emerson Stage show and freshman year is a non-performance year at Emerson. The show I saw, Esperanza Rising, was beautifully done in the Majestic Theatre. It was a straight play, but many MT majors were in the cast. I was extremely impressed with the individual performances as well as the overall quality of the production. Scott LaFeber and Stephen Terrell direct the two musicals Emerson Stage produces each year.</p>

<p>-What is the one thing about your school’s MT program that makes it unique from any other? </p>

<p>A big reason I chose Emerson over the other schools I was accepted to was that I felt I would become a more well rounded and educated musical theatre actor than if I went to another school. In regards to the program, I believe that Emerson gives tremendous individual attention and doesn’t try to mold you into ANYTHING. I felt from seeing the work that Emerson produced and from talking to individuals from the school that Emerson honors the artistry of musical theatre and did work that went deeper than just being “fierce” (not that Emerson isn’t fierce haha). Also, Emerson has amazing acting training and I was looking for a program that put acting first.
As a college, Emerson is unique because it gives all of its programs a strong foundation in the liberal arts, including musical theatre. This contributed to my goal of becoming a well-rounded musical theatre actor. I also feel that since Emerson is such a specialized communications and arts school that the students are very focused and dedicated. Emerson has a thriving arts community in theatre and beyond. </p>

<p>-How many and what performing opportunities do you have at your school?</p>

<p>As a freshman MT major, I was required to be in Family Weekend Showcase, directed by Stephen Terrell, during the first few months of school. It was a fantastic experience to work with the head of the program, get to know my class, and most of all, perform on the stage of the Majestic. There are so many opportunities to perform in student run theatre companies, dance groups, comedy troupe, mini musicals, etc. outside of Emerson Stage shows. After freshman year I will be allowed to audition for the Emerson Stage shows, which include 4 straight plays, 2 musicals, a dance concert and a new works festival.</p>

<p>-Are there opportunities for studying abroad? If so, please give a recent example.</p>

<p>Yes, the Kasteel Well. I was accepted for this coming Fall. I can’t even describe. Go on Emerson’s website. I CANNOT wait to go. Emerson is the only school I know of that has a study abroad program where you can still take classes within a musical theatre curriculum.</p>

<p>-Talk about your most recent Master class</p>

<p>Joseph Leo Bwarie ’99 came and talked to us when the Jersey Boys tour came to Boston. He was playing Frankie Valli and answered some of our questions. Not a “master class” per se.</p>

<p>-Any things you wish your program had?</p>

<p>Many people say that Emerson doesn’t have strong enough dance. I have come from a relatively strong dance background and I feel that there are many ways to supplement your dance training here at Emerson, if you want more dance. The dance quality of dance class here is very high, but there are not as many levels as other programs (all freshman are in jazz or ballet 1) and you only take class twice a week. I take extra class on Sundays at the Boston Ballet, which is a ten-minute walk from campus, and have taken a few classes at Jeannette Neill’s dance studio in Boston as well. </p>

<p>-Any things you wish it didn’t have?</p>

<p>Not really. </p>

<p>-Are you having fun? </p>

<p>Absolutely.</p>

<p>If anyone has further questions I would be happy to answer them!</p>

<p>Just got back from a whirlwind trip to Boston and saw the winter musical, Illyria. This was one of the best musicals I have seen anywhere. It didn’t have the production values of Broadway, but it had inventiveness, freshness and skill. The director, S.T., likes to find shows that are relatively unknown so that the audience doesn’t have preconceptions and he can be free to do his own thing. His own thing was rather brilliant in this production. Yes, I’m terribly biased here, but I think the work stands on its own. At the talk-back performance, several members of greater Boston area said they always make it a point to see Emerson productions since they are the best in the area. And this production of Illyria was no exception. High praise indeed.</p>