<p>Just to add a bit to the discussion about guaranteed casting and CMU, even though my son is now two years out of school. CMU does have guaranteed casting junior and senior year, and all students get meaty roles, if not leads. Although they are not cast freshman or sophomore
year, there are plenty of scene studies they do in front of classmates, cabarets and other opportunities to perform. I feel it made the students feet safe in experimenting, seeing what works for them and developing a high degree of collaboration without competing with each other for roles. And then there is Playground, an amazingly creative week where students devise their own work along with designers etc. Playground has led directly to what is becoming a successful career for my son and six of his classmates who are still devising their own work, performing in New York, Chicago and Boston, and touring as a band.</p>