<p>My d will be going into her Junior year as an MT at CMU. She never attended the pre-college program, but I have heard wonderful things about it.
There is a very strong acting program, as well as an MT program. The Mt'ers have to take their own course load as well as ALL the acting classes that the actors take. The beauty of that is that you come out of the program with a DOUBLE major.<br>
They do many musical theatre productions throughout the year---much more than "1" production as someone mentioned. However, you are not in the casting pool until Junior and Senior year---lots of in class singing and acting opp's but not on the main stages until year 3 and 4.</p>
<p>We visited the campus last Spring and met with an admissions person. She was the one who told us that they only do one musical each year, later I heard she was very new and so maybe didn't know all the facts.</p>
<p>So IS there more than one musical per year? Even if they were student produced, it would be better than only one. Our big dislike of the program was that she would only have 2 opportunities to perform in college, and even though it's all about the learning not performing, you do learn a lot in each performance.
Do you feel like she is getting enough opportunities?</p>
<p>Actually, 2 students were offered admission directly out of last year's pre-college. One male, one female, both into the new Dramaturgy major. My son went for acting but fell in love w/ the drama lit & Doc Chemers & his new program and will be headed back to P-burgh Aug 13 for CMU orientation.
If your s/d is talking about the drama lit and is also a very good student, have them check into this option. Another exciting possibility for the right kids.</p>
<p>galwaymum...you are absolutely right about the dramaturgy students. I was only referring to the kids who auditioned for the mt/drama program not any non audition programs. Congrats to your son!</p>
<p>Hi! Good to talk to you. I didn't mean that to sound like a correction, but rather to make sure that kids look at the program. Most don't know about it going in & it's a fabulous opportunity for the right students. How's Kay?
Ready to head off? Good Luck!</p>
<p>Actually ought to clarify that while the auditions were not part of the dramaturgy process, both these kids accepted were pre-college drama students and introductions/invitations were based on that experience but also took much more into account such as grades, test scores, writing & research skills, etc.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if our experience is relevant since S opted last summer for Northwestern's Cherubs program instead of CMU's pre-college. He was accepted to CMU in MT for this fall, so I thought I'd share our thinking. His advisors during his junior year were encouraging about both CMU pre-college and Cherubs but felt Northwestern's program would be better for him. (They knew that CMU was likely to be his first choice for college but didn't see any risk in not attending pre-college.) Both summer programs are very demanding so much will be learned, either way. Cherubs is less focused on audition prepping but has "course" choices, as does CMU pre-college. It may have been "just luck" but during his summer with Cherubs (2006), there were two CMU rising seniors (one MT, one Acting) working as faculty associates. They taught or directed in his classes and he got to know them well enough that they hosted him when we visited last fall. That kind of networking is VERY helpful and these top summer programs often lead to such connections, from our observation.
Hope this helps.</p>
<p>kedstuff....to my knowledge, current students in CMU's BFA program are allowed to put in a word about any current applicants to the program. My D has a friend from her theater camp who attends CMU and we visited her when my D auditioned there. She said that faculty were interested in any recommendations or information that current students had about applicants and she was allowed to put in a word about ones she knew. Perhaps the seniors from CMU who knew your son were also allowed to submit something on his behalf. That was my understanding.</p>
<p>I also agree that networking is big in this field. The theater world is not that big. I see this happening now with my own kid's experiences in a BFA program, as well as continued networking with those with whom she attended a summer theater intensive for years. While this is NOT the same as someone who knows your body of work or talent, I recall when my D sang in her CMU audition, she immediately recognized the accompanist who was a student at UMich who she had spent some time with on visits there.</p>
<p>I also agree with you that the experience at any summer theater intensive is good prep for BFA programs and it doesn't matter if the summer program matches up with the college you wish to attend.</p>
<p>Can you explain a little more about this program? Do the kids get to perform? I am very confused about CMU's programs!</p>
<p>Alliesmom, my D is at CMU's Precollege Program as we speak, and loving every minute of it! It is not, however, a performance program per se, as the students are not in rehearsals for a final production of any kind. It is set up to be more like what the students would experience in a college-level BFA program, with classes in things such as singing, audition, dramatic literature, playwriting, directing, ballet, jazz, movement, voice and Styles (Shakespeare, etc.) There are two Drama tracks: musical theater and straight acting. The MTs also may take private voice lessons once a week for an extra fee, and there are workshops offered at night several times a week. (So far, they have offered workshops in Alexander technique and Feldenkrais, as well as Augusto Boal/Theatre of the Oppressed.) Some students apparently will perform in classroom demonstrations on Parent Weekend (three weeks into the program) and at a student-organized Talent Show (which apparently is open to ALL precollege kids in every area, including Advanced Placement/Early Action, Gaming Academy, Architecture and so on, as well as music and drama/MT), but they don't do a full blown musical or play, the way kids do at, say, the precollege summer program at Oklahoma City University and elsewhere. It's an amazing program and reportedly very intense. My kid is busy from the moment she wakes up until beyond midnight most nights, because there is substantial homework each night, as well as prep for the next day's classes. Most drama students reportedly are going into their senior years of high school, though there are a few juniors, apparently. Many students come out feeling quite well prepared for college auditions senior year.</p>
<p>nmr-
It sounds like your daughter is having a wonderful time...and very busy! D fell in love with CMU, Pittsburgh and her private instructor. D said that the MT kids, will most of the kids, are very busy with intense schedules...she would have loved to have a more intesive schedule. Hope the summer continues to be great for your d!!</p>
<p>notfromme, great to hear from you. I have been meaning to PM you, and the time just got away from me. I am glad to hear that your D has fallen in love with CMU and Pittsburgh, just as mine has. Yes, the MTs have a very packed schedule: I can see from the time stamp on my D's emails that she is up past midnight most nights writing and preparing for the next day's schedule. In addition to the MTs' regular classes (which are more numerous, by virtue of the singing and ballet and jazz dance classes, than are the class schedules of the straight actors), there also are those workshops offered at night. In short, the program is living up to its billing! Notfromme, has your D taken advantage of any of the weekend social activities/outings that are offered? Mine has gone on a few, and will do another this weekend, though she doesn't have the time (or inclination) to do something organized every weekend night. They do offer outings to the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, where the kids can see musicals and such. This weekend, they can see "White Christmas" and I know the "Full Monty" is on tap in the coming weeks. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Ah, some people have all the luck (and the right parents :))!!</p>
<p>Just to clarify the differing schedules of the actors and the MT's and to assure any actors that there's plenty of content for your curriculum: Both groups take acting, audition, styles (actors styles/improv) and drama literature.
While the MT's take playwriting, the actors take directing. The MT's have singing and ballet while the actors have speech and movement. The MT's have the extra jazz class scheduled in the late afternoon while the actors have a variety of electives to choose from during that period.
So, the course schedules are both very similar and require lots of time, energy and work, but also vary for the two groups. It is a pretty good estimation of what the actual BFA programs would require based on the preliminary schedule we've rec'd for my son's fall semester classes. Good Luck everyone!</p>
<p>galwaymom, just a small clarification: from what I am able to ascertain, both MTs and actors can choose either playwriting or directing. At least my D had a choice of either one, and several kids she knows who are MTs are taking directing or no elective at all! I recall reading on this board that BroadwayWannabe, an MT, took directing. But your main point, which is that both actors and MTs have very full schedules, is no doubt true. Some kids in either discipline choose to take every evening workshop offered and others don't, which also makes a difference. As you said, it's a pretty good taste of what a BFA would entail.</p>
<p>My D is at pre-college, too, as MT. She says she hasn't taken any of the workshops because she she has so much homework and prep and reading to do. She is taking Directing as her elective as well as weekly voice lesson. Three times each week she has: Acting, Audition, Ballet, Singing, and Directing. The other two days she has Jazz, Dramatic Literature (classic Greek plays), and Styles (monologs, Shakespeare, etc.). She is in class from 9 - 6 or 11 - 6 every day. (Drama & Stagecraft kids are all in Dramatic Lit, I think Drama kids are also in Acting and Styles.)
She is loving the program, and just soaking up as much knowledge as she can. She has done a few of the extra events on the weekend - tonight she is going to see the Harry Potter movie, they rented an entire theater and the students could get discounted tickets.
She has been to the library a number of times to find suitable songs, monologs, plays, etc.</p>
<p>Has anyone heard from their kids as to what, if any, types of performances, etc. the MT students will be putting on during Parents Weekend this week? We've got relatives in the area who are interested in going, but we're trying not to bug our daughter with questions (well, not bug her TOO much anyway....) since it sounds like she's busy non-stop, just as previous CC posters said would be the case.</p>
<p>My earlier question was about CMU's BFA/BA options (NOT the summer program): dramaturgy, drama lit etc. I am very confused at how CMU is structured. In some programs, you can take general ed classes (ie, dramaturgy) through some kind of interdisciplinary program, but in Acting or Musical Theater you cannot??? Can you apply to more than one area?</p>
<p>Alliesmom,</p>
<p>I am not sure I can answer all your questions but I can tell you that regarding a BFA in MT there are only a couple of general eds and they are selected for you. There is no choice at all in classes. (At least not for freshman year). My daughter got her schedule which had exactly the same classes as the other MT kids. The program is so structured that there just isn't that freedom to pick different elective classes. I believe that the drama student are very similar as well but they may be able to choose an elective. </p>
<p>In terms of dramaturgy, I just couldn't tell you but hopefully galwaymom will fill you in on what that program entails.</p>
<p>I believe you can apply to more than one area. Drama and MT are done at the same audition. Let me know if I can answer anything else and I can try my best to help!</p>
<p>boulderdad, our family is heading for Pittsburgh tomorrow a.m. for Family Weekend and there <em>are</em> opportunities to see the precollege students perform on Saturday morning. Apparently, there are drama class demonstrations (so to speak) in Purnell from 11 to 12:30 a.m., with various kids showing some of what they do in class, from singing and dancing to acting. Then there is a luncheon with the students and drama faculty. As I understand it, there also is a student-organized Talent Show on Saturday evening. From what I can ascertain, kids from all over the precollege program (including gaming people, Advanced Placement Early Action, architecture, as well as drama and MT) perform in that. Boulderdad, you will have to ask your D if she is performing. I hear that most students do not; various kids volunteer or are asked by the instructors. I would imagine that your relatives would only want to come if they could see your D in action, which is understandable!</p>
<p>NotMamaRose,</p>
<p>Thanks! Turns out our D ended up singing in a demo. today at around noon (last singer in the group) but I guess they didn't find out who would be singing until late yesterday. Our relatives were able to attend at the last minute, which is good since now perhaps they'll have a better understanding of why D loves MT and why we as parents (who are new to MT ourselves) aren't trying to convince her to pursue something else in college. Heck, it's taken a lot before WE could understand that... </p>
<p>Just to reinforce what everyone else has said on this thread - it sounds like the kids are working harder than ever before, but seem to be thriving on it. Expect a few anxiety-ridden text messages at midnight though! Our daughter's being pushed way beyond her comfort zone (she says some of the instructors are "scary"), and learning to deal with that may be one of the best lessons she'll learn at CMU this summer.</p>