<p>I'm a junior in high school now, and I really am interested in studying musical theater in college. However, I have always focused on academics, and I just recently(this year) discovered my passion for musical theater. I haven't had any vocal training or anything. But I took piano for 3 years and I am taking drama this year. I know I am far less qualified than other people who are planning on studying musical theater. What(if anything) can I do to attempt to catch up with everyone else?</p>
<p>You need ballet and a head shot and some voice training and monologue coaching (maybe your drama teacher could help?) and practice auditioning for local shows...plus a WHOLE lot of luck! Not necessarily in that order...</p>
<p>Sing every day. And get a private voice teacher if at all possible. If you have the money, go to a summer training program like CMU Pre-college, Stagedoor, UMich's MPulse thing, or Interlochen (!!). Look at the summer programs thread for info.</p>
<p>Welcome to this amazing list! It's wonderful that you have discovered a passion that you didn't know you had. I am sure there are more experienced MT parents on this list (heck, I <em>know</em> there are!) but for what it's worth, the only advice I would give you is to be really, really sure that MT is what you want to study in college before heading off (next year) into the rounds of auditions, etc. I see that someone up thread a bit suggested that you get out there and audition for some musicals in your community, and that would be of benefit in several ways. Not only would it serve as experience and skill-sharpening and developing, but it would also (and probably more importantly!) help you decide if this is really what you want to pursue. (It might also, depending on the community theater or program, give you some idea how you stack up, talent and skillwise, with other people your age.) The other advice you were given -- get a headshot, a voice teacher and some dance training -- are important, though I am not sure why you need a headshot at this point. (Susan, someone with more experience than me: is a headshot a priority for a junior in high school? If so, why? Do most college programs ask for them?)
Others have said here that only way a person should pursue MT in college and in life is if they cannot fathom the notion of ever pursuing anything else. If that's how you feel, you should go for it, and know all of our best wishes go with you.
LD</p>
<p>on the lines of what NotMamaRose said, it is really important to NEED to pursue musical theatre, rather than to WANT to. not only will this save you frustration later in life, but if you really do need it, you'll always find a way to 'make the cut' so to speak. where as the people who just do it for fun, don't always have that drive: that's not something to base a career on.</p>
<p>it's hard to know for sure how much you need or want to persue mt, but here's an example: seeing a broadway show. does it entertain you? or do you feel almost depressed after the show because you'd give ANYTHING to be in it.
that's how i knew i needed to persue this when the musical theatre bug bit me. (during my junior year of high school as well.) examine this closely, and if you really do want and need this, then don't let anything stop you from getting as much help and training as is possibly available to you (and trust me, there's tons!)</p>
<p>it IS possible to jump into the mt track later (like me, jr year) but i will tell you first hand that its VERY hard work, physically and emotionally. i've been taking 2 to 3 dances classes at a time consistantly, voice lessons and worked with many different directors on monologues. all of this and i still have a ways to go. trust me, if you don't NEED to persue musical theatre, there's no way to handle all of the work it takes to 'catch up.'</p>
<p>i know it seems like people who say this are trying to pull you down (i've been there) but everyone just wishes the best for you, and want to make sure that this grueling path is one you're emotionally prepared for. good luck. :)</p>
<p>go to a summer program like CMU and work until then with voice lessons</p>
<p>Our experience would indicate that a professional headshot IS NOT a necessity for college auditions. You WILL need a picture that is an acuurate and up to date representation of your current looks, but the expense of a professional headshot, especially given the other training priorities you may choose to pursue, would not be monsy well spent at this juncture. Just one MT Mom's opinion........</p>
<p>Those good academics will serve you well, so keep it up! I think the main things you need are private voice / singing lessons and as many dance classes as you can manage - ballet first choice, jazz second choice. You can start reading plays and picking out monologues on your own. </p>
<p>Another summer program to consider is the one at Oklahoma City University.</p>
<p>molly, I am in almost the same situation as you. I did have some experince . Took dance from ages 4-8 (your little dolly dinkle school) and then was in a chorus for 3rd,4th and 5th grade and voice lessons in 7th and now again. Just know that if you work hard you can do it. Also realisticlly know your strengths and weaknesses. Im not a dancer by any means so you will never see me as Cassie in Chorus Line but anyway thats besides the point. Improve what your weak at and make what your good at better. Even the best things can always be improved upon, as I've learned. And don't give up your dream. </p>
<p>Also question: Is it essential to have a monolouge coach?</p>
<p>Also question: Is it essential to have a monolouge coach?</p>
<p>i'd say do what you can. but having a vocal coach doesn't just mean the kind you find in new york city, for example, but working with local directors that you've done shows with, or perhaps college directors if you can qualify as monologue coaches. just someone to give you an unbiased commentary on how you perform your monologue.</p>
<p>Trust me, as a mother of a Senior who's Junior decided to try for MT, you will be way too busy Sr. year to get professional headshots! We had to update hers from 5 years prior, when she had them done initially. I am a strong believer that your headshot is your calling card, especially at auditions when casting people will place them on a table along with other auditionees' to help make decisions. You will make a better impression if you have a good one, and will look more professional, even if you are just starting out. I can't imagine not wanting to present yourself in the most professional manner possible, even if "just applying" to colleges.
Another good thing to do is to spend a lot of time reading this entire forum, it is invaluable for information. You can most certainly "catch up" if you desire it enough :) My last suggestion is to see if you can recruit someone to help you get organized, a personal secretary is always helpful, especially if she's related--like your mom :) Good luck!</p>
<p>I agree with Melsmom on the personal secretary! I suppose I've been that for my son! The amount of time, effort, and expense is huge when going into the audition process. I've just been the travel agent, chaperone, and calendar coordinator. He has had the hard part of filling out volumes of papers and preparing audition material. It is very important to be organized early on in this process.</p>
<p>We got the headshot done summer between junior and senior years.</p>
<p>Monologue coach - no such thing as an acting coach in our part of the world, but my son has used resources from former directors and other actors, he has read MANY plays, and he has had previous acting training in local summer intensive programs plus quite a bit of professional stage experience over the past 7 years. It seems to be paying off so far, but he has never had one of these coaches. He has been taking private voice / singing lessons for about 5 years and taking dance intensively during high school. He thinks the more dance the better, and he has had to catch up since he didn't take it when younger.</p>
<p>Guess I should start saving up for those ballet lessons.</p>
<p>Hey, I just wanted to say that I was in that exact same position as you. I'm currently a senior, but last year was when I decided that I really wanted to pursue MT in college. I got involved in my first 2 plays ever, and my first musical (yes, that's right, I've only been in 1 musical in my life, and it was the chorus! :P). I've been taking piano and dance for 12 years, and I was in chorus but quit in 8th grade and didn't start up again until last year. However, I believe that if you really want this and are willing to work hard then you will find that you'll have some place to go for college that will be right for you. I just completed auditions at PPU, UM, CMU, UBuffalo, Syracuse and Ithaca, and if you had told me that I'd be doing that a year ago I would've laughed and thought it was impossbile. However, in the summer I got an acting coach and started taking voice lessons with a professor at the local state university, and just knowing that you're working towards your goal makes you feel so much more confident and prepared. Also, what I found comforting was the fact that no one really knows for sure that they're going to get into a top program, so the playing field is pretty much level. Sure, there are a lot of kids who are exceptional and bound to get in somewhere, but no one knows for sure where, and even then some extremely talented kids don't get in to the 'top' schools. The college audition process was actually not too scary for me, because everyone is a little bit nervous and unsure of what the outcome will be.
I agree with Melsmom that reading this forum is invaluable. I spent many nights and study halls (woops!) on here reading everything I could to become even more informed on this whole process. The people on here are just amazing and so filled with advice that I don't think could be matched by any other resource on the web. Ok, I'm rambling so I'll try to wrap this up. Definitely sing as much as possible, try to start dancing, and pick out audition material that you feel really comfortable with. Also, I've been focusing on academics practically all through school too, so I'm going to suggest that you also look into some BA programs and maybe not just BFA (not sure what you're looking for either...) Personally, I don't think I have too great of a chance of getting accpeted to one of the BFA programs listed above, but I'm actually starting to find BA's more appealing because they allow more of a focus on academics and possibilities of a double major. I know UM allows you to double major with their BFA, and another one I'm looking into, Northwestern, allows a double major with their BA. Just suggestions, I know there's a lot more choices out there too.
Sorry this was so long! I think my best advice would be not to look at it as 'catching up' with everyone else (I did that until about my 3rd audition though...). Think more about what you are bringing to the table that no one else will have...like your piano for instance, or some other unique quality about you, maybe your personality. I think that the auditioners can tell when someone doesn't feel confident about themselves, so go in there giving off the vibe that you deserve to be there just as much as everyone else..because you love MT just as much as they do and are willing to work hard to be successful in that field! Then all I can say is go for it, because you never know! (but apply to at least 1 safety, maybe a non-audition, just i case! :) ) Good luck with everything in the future, and PM me if you ever want to ask anything else, I'd be gald to help.
Cindy</p>
<p>Cindy,</p>
<p>Brava to you young lady!! What an incredibly mature and intelligent attitude you have about this process and how generous of you to take the time to share your experiences with another poster who is struggling with her confidence. Your approach to auditioning is healthy and smart and I will keep my fingers crossed that positive results are waiting for you that match your exceptional positive attitude and work ethic. Keep us posted!!</p>
<p>molly (that's my sister's name, too!) - </p>
<p>speaking from experience, as idealistic as a lot of people are making it sound, it's really hard to go up against all the other kids competing to get into the same schools whose parents have had them going to Stagedoor Manor or other similar programs/training for years and years. my family simply didn't have the money to put me into dance lessons AND voice lessons AND acting lessons, so i was allowed to choose one. i chose voice. i've gotten a lot of acting experience from doing local theatre and a few professional shows/operas -- and i would suggest the same for you. find out what's going on around you; i bet there's more than you think. as for dance, it IS super important, and when i'm at the dance auditions for schools i wish i had more dance training under my belt, but i know that i'm doing the best i possibly can with the training i have.</p>
<p>THAT SAID -- if you've got the drive, and you've got the passion for it (as i do), you won't be able to see yourself doing anything else. i didn't get in anywhere when i auditioned last year...but i'm sure as hell not taking no for an answer. my biggest advice to you (again, speaking from experience) is USE EVERY RESOURCE YOU HAVE. if you come from a family that has money - invest in a lot of training. if you have good theatre around you - try to get as involved as possible. don't pass up any opportunity thinking nothing will come from it, you never know what might happen.</p>
<p>feel free to PM/IM me and i'd be happy to talk with you more.</p>
<p>good luck!!!!!</p>
<p>maggie</p>
<p>Break a leg Maggie!!! I am so happy to hear that you are not giving up on your dream. Determination will out. You go girl!!!</p>
<p>I am curious, as a parent guiding a D, if you feel comfortable sharing that is, did you go to college last year and hope to transfer into an MT program, or did you spend the year focused solely on prepping for another go at it? Also, how are you finding auditioning the second time around?</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing your perspective, it is WAY appreciated!</p>