<p>We live in Nashville, Tenn., home to Belmont University which has a musical theater degree program that has been growing. Our son is going to audition for roughly 10 schools around the country, including Indiana U. Ideally he will audition there in March 2011. My husband and I were kicking around the idea of trying to help families save money on hotel accommodations during audition weekends.
We would be willing to host a parent and child for a Belmont audition weekend with the reciprocal agreement that one parent and our son could stay in Bloomington, INd., area at a family’s home for IU audition period…no more than a two-night stay.
IT might be a win win situation. if possible …no charges for accommodations on either end. We have a piano; a one-bedroom cottage behind our home that could be used by Nashville visitors at no charge; and we could provide transportation (or directions) to and from the Belmont audition. The reciprocal agreement would really just be a place to spend two nights to save hotel costs. email <a href="mailto:reginemcclain@comcast.net">reginemcclain@comcast.net</a> if interested. Belmont auditions have several dates starting in Nov. 2010.</p>
<p>What a great idea! I don’t have anyone auditioning this year, and am not really in a marvelous location for any of the schools where you posted this offer, but it will be very interesting to see if you get any takers, and can work out the logistics of who will be in which location at what time. Best of luck!</p>
<p>or if we can serve as a halfway point for someone driving thru nashville to a distant audition – that works too;
We are more than willing to save a traveling family at least one night stay in a hotel. we have a one bedroom cottage behind our main house that is available. no charge to a MT auditionee.
our son will audition, Jan. 8 in Cincy; Feb. 11 in St. Louis, Nov. 20 in Oklahoma City, Feb. 7-9 in Chicago(but we’ve already booked at Palmer House for that); and hopefully March 5 in Indiana. others pending.</p>
<p>Best wishes to your son. My daughter is Singing Actress. You can read her info in another thread. She is a freshman and adores IU. It has been a fabulous fit for a girl who never thought she would like a school that large. I love it too…I wanna go back to school! Lived in Nashville 14 years as a Vanderbilt student and after…she didn’t audition at Belmont, but many other places. I just can’t say enough about the quality of the program and the people and the fact that they really do want your child to do well…the productions are incredible. I would recommend the Crowne Plaza if the house swap doesn’t work or the Indiana Memorial Union…little on campus treasure…and even on campus apts. that rent very cheaply if they aren’t occupied. That’s what we did in October when we came for RENT. Just go to the Residence Life website on [Indiana</a> University Bloomington](<a href=“http://www.iub.edu%5DIndiana”>http://www.iub.edu)</p>
<p>Forgot to mention…Unifieds are very unnerving…I think if we had to do it all over again, she would have skipped it, prioritized her favorites and just traveled to those few schools.I would recommend you leave and go do the museums, the downstairs bar, shopping, etc. and just check back in with your son between auditions. I think they are less nervous this way. Also…we got to see “August: Osage County” with the amazing original cast. Great theatre town. Good stress reliever for the evening.</p>
<p>thanks for the note; making final preps now for chicago jaunt on sunday; son will have Boston Conservatory and Penn St. on Monday…one each on tuesday and wed.; looking forward to Indiana very much. The way things ended up we will get one night free because of hotel.com perks and many previous trips here there and yonder when we finally roll into Bloomington. When we were last there we saw a play at IU, I guess last year on a campus visit. Sara Ruhl’s The Clean House. great cast.</p>