<p>Last year there was a dorm hall meeting that I think was about 6:00 or 6:30 and parents were expected to gone by then.</p>
<p>I have a couple questions:</p>
<p>what is the dance audition like at the start of the camp?
I'm going for musical theater and I was wondering if I only room with musical theater kids? Or is it all the kids jumbled together?</p>
<p>merci beaucoup</p>
<p>Anyone have a suggestion on where to stay in Pittsburgh? We are getting there the day before and I dont know if its better to stay Downtown or in Shadyside</p>
<p>Shadyside is closer and nicer than downtown. The Courtyard by Marriott in Shadyside is in a great location, really close to CMU and even closer to great shopping (Walnut Street, very upscale) and restaurants! :) I've never been in the actual hotel but it looks very nice from the outside and Courtyards are usually good.</p>
<p>Another cool place to stay is the Sheraton Station Square, a bit further away from CMU but still close and right on the river, next to a really neat shopping/restaurant area called Station Square, built around a converted train station. It's one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh and you can get rooms with gorgeous views of the city - which is especially pretty at night, with many lighted bridges spanning Pittsburgh's 3 rivers and all of the lights reflecting off the water.</p>
<p>How about the Renaissance? Read great reviews on trip advisor. I know its not as close to CMU as the Courtyard but it seemed like a great hotel. Or is the courtyard actually walking distance from the shops!</p>
<p>The Renaissance is gorgeous inside but in a very blah location compared to Shadyside or Station Square - downtown Pittsburgh is generally NOT hopping at night, sadly, and there is NO shopping near there in the evenings - it's not like NYC, Philly, etc. (Can you tell I love shopping? ;)) Oakland/Shadyside (home of CMU, Pitt, Carlow University and Chatham College) is much livelier. And yes, the Courtyard is THREE BLOCKS - short ones! - from Walnut Street!!!</p>
<p>I love shopping as well. I guess its the Courtyard hands down!</p>
<p>Check out what awaits you on Walnut! :)
<a href="http://www.shadysideshops.com/home.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.shadysideshops.com/home.html</a></p>
<p>I love the Sephora and the Apple Store, although they are small compared to bigger city versions. Shadyside is a very wealthy area, although it also houses many CMU students, so the boutiques are REALLY upscale and pretty hip. You should have a blast!</p>
<p>When we went to CMU, we stayed at The Shadyside Inn (it was like a suite type unit). It was very close to the college. Also, it was in walking distance to the shops/restaurants on Walnut in Shadyside. Pamela's for breakfast was the "in" spot.</p>
<p>travellinghopefully - </p>
<p>Since you like shopping, you should also check out Carson Street in the South Side, also not too far from CMU (although you'd have to drive). It's very funky - kind of East Village-y, with make-your-own jewelry shops, imported Indian clothing shops, consignment store and cool thrift stores, etc. - and has a wide assortment of restaurants. There is a fairly new addition to this area called South Side Works, which has a big Urban, a big Joseph-Beth Booksellers, and other well-known shops - but I like the local, individual shops most!</p>
<p>Sounds like my kind of shopping! And I will have a car.....</p>
<p>LydDel, The dance audition is the first day..not the opening day, where we all move in and have orientation, but the first "academic" day. Which, for us, won't be very academic :D (And I'm not in the least sad about that lol)</p>
<p>And the dorms are a mix of "majors."</p>
<p>My d lives in Shadyside one block from Walnut Street (until she graduates in 3 weeks!) and every time we have gone to visit, we have stayed at the Residence Inn in Oakland. It's four years old, clean, and very reasonably priced. The rooms have a small kitchen and an eating area. It sits high on a hill and overlooks Shadyside and a part of Oakland. It's 5-10 minutes from CMU and Shadyside, and to get there you drive through a small "not too great" 10-15 block area on Centre Street. (Not that big a deal.) The breakfasts are included and have everything you could ask for, including a do-it-yourself Belgian waffle machine!</p>
<p>If you go out for breakfast, Pamela's in Shadyside is definitely the place. Their specialty Strawberry Pancakes are to die for. Be forewarned that there will be a line forming before it even opens for breakfast so there can be up to an hour wait, they do not take reservations, they will not seat you until your entire party is there, and they do not accept credit cards. It's on Walnut Street next to Prantl's Bakery which has some of the best pastries I've ever eaten. </p>
<p>You can go across the street to sit and have your coffee from The Coffee Tree (I think that's the name). They have free wireless and you can sit in the open air and people-watch. There's also a Starbucks if you are addicted to the name! Some of the very best Chinese food we have eaten is from The China Palace on Walnut Street. Again, I think that's the name. I'm on auto-pilot when I walk that street. I just know what I want and where I'm going. :) </p>
<p>If you park in Shadyside be sure to observe all signs. They love to give out parking tickets and, just like the stores, they aren't cheap! </p>
<p>There is a Whole Foods store and a totally remodeled, enormous Giant Eagle on Centre Street as well as a Panera. Shadyside Hospital is also on Centre. All are just on the other side of the train tracks from Shadyside. </p>
<p>And when it's really hot, go to Squirrel Hill (on Forbes, about a mile or two from CMU) to Ruth's Ice or a similar name. They sell soft serve ice cream surrounded by flavored shaved ice. There will be a line there too, but it's worth the wait.</p>
<p>Sounds great! Now 2 new questions. First, does the MT program also do straight drama monologue preparation? My d loves MT but wants to apply to straight drama bfas in college. Second, I looked at the opening day schedule-do we stay for the lunch and dinner?</p>
<p>Well, the MT program thing is geared towards auditioning, so you choose monologues through that. And I'd bet that the monologues aren't specifically acting geared.</p>
<p>SO..I have a question. How important is a laptop? Will it just distract you, or do you actually need it for work?</p>
<p>Travellinghopefully,
IMHO, there is no difference in the type of monologues a student would use for a college MT audition versus a BFA acting audition. Students who audition for MT programs do not use monologues from musicals for their auditions. They use the same plays as students who audition for straight drama programs. The one difference is that many MT programs do not ask to hear a classical monologue (Shakespeare, Moliere, etc.), whereas, many straight drama programs do. The same modern plays would be appropriate for both MT and straight acting. My D auditioned for 2 or 3 MT programs that required both a classical and a modern monologue. Maybe someone who is familiar with the CMU summer program can tell you how much emphasis is placed on classical monologue choice and preparation during the pre-college program.</p>
<p>My daughter was an MT student at CMU PreCollege last year. In their audition class they worked on, among other things, preparing for the requirements for CMU's MT audition which requires 2 monologues, one from before 1900 and a modern one.(You can find a description of the actual requirements on the audition part of the CMU website). The teacher helped them select and rehearse ones that were a good fit for them. They also picked some extras. The did the same thing for the required songs in their singing class. The actual audition is the last two days of the program.
Also, on opening day, parents can stay for lunch and dinner, but you have to pay for the dinner.</p>
<p>ahhh..im extremly confused on what to do, which one to choose...</p>
<p>... i can seriously say i am in shock...about a month ago i was accepted to do the Syracuse pre-college MT program, but I didnt really want to go because i heard that it wasnt intensive...but i still asked my parents to pay the pre-payment, so that i could find out more about it...today i just got the brochure on the school..and it sounds extremly intensive...
this is what it says on one of the letters that was given...</p>
<p>"Our six-week program is an intensive, full time immersion in the theater arts and is designed for highly disciplined high school students. It is our goal to put you in touch with your own creative powers i.e your body, voice , imagination, thoughts and feelings in order to help you express yourself more fully through the process of acting/musical theater.</p>
<p>Because you will have earned six credits toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree upon completion of this program, the curriculum and grading of the MT program are based on college standards. Therefore, we expect you to attend all your classes, arrive on time , work hard in class, and finish any outiside assignments on time.</p>
<p>The following are a list of things that you will need to bring with you for this program:</p>
<p>1) Two musical theater songs that you have been working on (MEMORIZED)
2) Two contrasting monolouges (age appropriate) that you have worked on (MEMORIZED).
3) Loose fitting clothes(i.e warm up suit, tights, leotards, stretch pants) NO JEANS WILL BE PERMITTED IN CLASS. You will be moving alot this summer! Temperature changes from room to room, so prepare to dress in layers. Bring an umbrella in case of rain- it's hard to work out when your drenched.
4)Lock to use on the locker you will be assigned.
5)Jazz shoes and althletic sneakers/shoes for stage combat class. Kneepads are optional but can be very useful. (althletic supporters/dance belt for men)
6) A bound of loose-leaf blank book.
7) A three- ring binder with clear plastic inserts for your music.
8) Cassette tape recorder and three one-hour tapes for voice and musical theater ensemble class."</p>
<p>thats not everything in the letter....but bascially the most important part...how do you all find it sounds? im right now much more interested in going..cause they teach you acting, voice, improvisation, movement, dance, audition training,stage combat, makeup and scene study..and there will be two public performances....i know some people have already received the CMU brochure (i havent as yet)...what does it say?...i really need help trying to decide...cause syracuse now sounds really good and intensive.</p>
<p>but im still now sure....lol
what do you all think?..has anybody else applied or is going to the program?</p>
<p>CMU sounds great and now so does syracuse...i dont know what to do..lol</p>
<p>byee
Kayla</p>
<p>CMU IT IS!!!...im extremly excited :)</p>
<p>So, I called in to make sure they recieved all of my paperwork, and secretely to see if I got in. The lady told me I was addmitted and I would probably recieve the booklet early this week. That was last thursday. Has anyone recieved the new wave of booklets yet?</p>