<p>WallyWorld, I figured that was what you meant, but you are such a lively writer and made the scene come alive for us, so I made a bet with myself that you would take my comment in good humor. Let's hear it for Uncle Jack and all the other caring relatives that help make our kids' lives safer. .</p>
<p>Is Jack really a professional boxer? How interesting. My job seems so pedestrian in comparison with performers and boxers .....</p>
<p>LOL - I was wondering what a plagiarist would do -- misquote someone??</p>
<p>Yeah those plagiarists are dangerous people Uncle Jack truly was a pugilist but many years ago. However at 78yo I wouldnt want to mess with him. Talks like Deniro. </p>
<p>Yesterday was placement audition day at NCSA. These types of things have in the past been difficult for D as she is a shy and humble and still has many insecurities. You know the type, she is very attractive and when she looks in the mirror she sees a nose that is 14 inches long and those mustache hairs that take an atomic microscope to see are hanging about to her chin in her eyes. </p>
<p>At any rate, she and I have done a lot of work on how to handle these types of things. Personal training and Pilates for strength and confidence. Visualizations, what to eat when, what to wear, what music to listen to to get pumped up, etc In the AM there was a movement audition in groups of 10 kids. She arrived early and watched the group before hers go (part of the plan). I said, how did they do? Good, one girl was very good so everyone was watching her. How did you do? Real well, I was that girl in our group, the one everyone was watching. Was it hard? No, it was fun but then movement is what I do, Im a dancer. </p>
<p>Thank you God! All of those years and thousands of dollars are paying off. That was a good breakthrough for her as everyone who sees her says she can act but selling herself in a group dynamic has been hard for her. In the afternoon they had their acting audition which was individual students doing a 2 minute monologue in front of two of the drama instructors. How did you do? I did really well. How do you know? Because I hadnt gotten three words out and the head instructor said good and wrote something down and they were laughing all the way through it (its a comedy). Turns out she got placed in the advanced group for both movement and acting. Thank you God again remembering those times leaving audtions with her in tears.</p>
<p>The ironic thing is (back to the plagiarist!) that she chose this monologue long before she planned to go to NCSA and we did not even know that Jack had moved to Greensboro. The first line of the monologue is, Ever since dear uncle Jack confessed to us..." ;)</p>
<p>Wally, how wonderful for your D! Doing well in a milieu like that is always rewarding, but especially so if your D struggles to assert herself in groups. Tell her that we all said "bravo!" and can't wait to hear more about her experiences at NCSA. I expect to hear about many more triumphs and successes. Celebrate! :)</p>
<p>L</p>
<p>It's wonderfull to hear about what's happening in the other programs and how kids are adjusting and responding. Scary report from you Wally, and not helping this Mom with the notion of my baby travelling home alone from CMU. There's a specific thread on the CMU thread about that summer program if anyone is curious.</p>
<p>Another member and I were discussing kids and summer programs off list. Since its kinda sleepy around here with the holiday weekend I though we might continue the discussion here. </p>
<p>In terms of camps in general we see changes (for the better) in our kids when they return from camp. A little more independent, confident, etc. We didnt have a plan as to how it would all work out but it has been the perfect sequence for her. Started with a 10 day Campfire program (at 13yo) then 2 week theater camp then 3 week theater then 4 weeks and this summer will be 7 weeks. </p>
<p>The first two camps we visited prior to sending her which was a good move. First, it gave us a chance to gauge the program and the security issues and second it was not nearly as scary for D to go cause she had already seen the lay of the land.</p>
<p>Generally speaking all of the camps we have looked at are on top of the childrens safety and security. They also do a good job of make it clear that they do not tolerate monkey business. Her first camp you could only access by boat. So we took our boat for an announced visit and were greeted at the dock by two counselors before we got tied off. Wally liked that.</p>
<p>The theater camp D spent 3 years at (CGST) does end of session performances for a pretty good audience of parents. They do a great job of balancing having a positive and fun environment yet being sure that everyone knows that rules for behavior are serious. They sent home the lead and another student the day before the final show as they were caught kissing. NCSA and OSF have also been very on top of that this year.</p>
<p>The kids are probably safer at camp than they would be at home. The risk to them is the travel to and fro and excursions. (Many of them have the Wal-Mart day, the mall trip,etc. ).</p>
<p>Since this is the first time she has traveled cross country by herself we utilized the airlines unaccompanied minor program. Which for an extra (I realize many of you know this but a lot of people dont) fee (in our case $75 each way) here is what you get. When the child checks in the parent is given a voucher that allows them to go past screening and to the terminal gate with the child. As you know now days only people with a ticket get past the screening. Then the child checks in at the gate and is the first one to board the plane. They sit in the back near the stewardesses. They are the last to leave the plane and they are accompanied by a stewardess. If they have an immediate connection they are taken to that gate and the escort waits with them until they board. If there is a layover they have a special room for these kids where they show movies, etc. (Note there is no food in these rooms and they are not allowed to leave to get any so be sure to pack a sandwich). Then at the destination the authorized person to pick them up has to show ID. This has to be set up in advance, dont try to do it at the airport. </p>
<p>Her first week at camp was pretty good and she is getting settled in. Loves the acting classes, I will share more about them later if there is an interest. </p>
<p>The other question was, is our D interested in attending a school like NCSA and is the fact that it (or other target schools) are thousands of miles from home an issue? Its a huge issue for us. An intense acting (non MT) conservatory is exactly what she wants and there are not any in our part of the country that are satisfactory. (dont get Wally started on the financial end of all this since there are two respectable universities within a 2 hour drive from us that she would receive a full academic scholarship to attend either. I was forced to admit to her that both of their theater programs suck though)</p>
<p>Our family is close and we enjoy the kids in our life and having them that far away is unsettling for us and them. These kids are so busy these days with this lesson and that rehearsal I have been very involved in keeping up with the paperwork and so on, so she is not that independent yet. I have been building the sets at the HS, wife sews costumes, etc. Maybe we grow out of this, I dont know but I did bring up this subject with my wife as to what our options would be. Moving with her seemed over the top to us (surprisingly I think she would love the idea) and we couldnt come up with any other ideas. More later.</p>
<p>Thanks for posting, Wally. You and your wife sound very organized as far as your D's progression and needs are, and I was very impressed at how, year by year, you found summer programs that fit her needs and nurtured her growing independence.
I am a little teensy bit surprised that a camp would send home two kids the day before a big show (or anytime, frankly) because they were kissing! :) (I admit I don't know the ages of the kids involved, and I think it's great that the camp had strict rules of conduct. But a kiss? Was the camp worried that kissing would lead to other things, just like my mom warned me?! :))
Well, that's off topic.
I, for one, would very much like to hear more about your D's summer acting experience at NCSA as she goes along.
Re: serious acting programs closer to home for you. It's hard to believe there isn't at least one in the state of California. Have you looked? I know you are going to say yes, as you are very organized ..
Lisa</p>
<p>I only wish we were as organized as you think.
It was more like making out in a secluded location rather than an innocent kiss. And they are very up front that this is all about the ensemble and it is not the place to be hooking up as they feel that can not only lead to things your mother warned you about but is distracting to their mission. </p>
<p>CGST is not what you would call an intense summer program but it is a great camp for what it is. They actually draw kids from as far away as Europe and check out where their alumni have worked and gone to school. <a href="http://www.cgst.com/alumni.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.cgst.com/alumni.htm</a></p>
<p>At first she had trouble making friends at NCSA partly because of the setting and partly because she can be shy in group settings. At the camps she has attended previously they would be housed in a group dorm. One of the girls group dorms at CGST might have 30 kids in the same room at NCSA she has a private dorm room. And, there are kids on her floor in other programs (music, dance, etc) and some of the drama kids are in different classes. </p>
<p>On thing that was a bit stressful for her is that you show up and are on campus for 2 days not knowing what you will be doing or what your schedule is because of the placement they do on campus. Sunday is arrival/orientation, Monday auditions and Tuesday morning you know what your doing.</p>
<p>The numbers are 500 kids total in the summer program, 80 in the drama session to which they break them up into classes of 16 with placement determined by a movement audition and an acting audition on the first day. She says everybody is nice except the girls in the ballet program to which she used the word stuck-up. </p>
<p>The dorms are a bit dated; food is good and plenty of choices. There are a large number of extra curricular activities that can be signed up for. From music and voice lessons to they are currently at an outlet mall, on the 4th of July they will be going to a baseball game and fireworks and there is a picnic on campus. Most of the stuff is either free or cheap. Baseball game is $5. Private voice lessons (which she loves says the instructor is top notch) was $150 for 5 one hour lessons.</p>
<p>She loves her classes especially the acting portion. They have several movement and voice classes in the morning that start at 8:45 then acting from 2 to 4:45. One example of an acting class exercise is this. They were instructed (one at a time) to leave the classroom and return. As they entered the classroom door they were to act as if they were returning to their home. They were to convey where they had been, what the weather was like outside, what they would normally do upon just getting home then they would find a note/letter from the landlord that was conveying something extreme (happy or sad) and they needed to convey that emotion. The kicker is, no words are to be used. </p>
<p>She has the task master as an acting teacher. Daughter said, I love her and cant take my eyes off of her but she scares me! So far, no regrets choosing their program. </p>
<p>.</p>
<p>Wally, thanks for the explanation about the Kiss That Led to Dismissal. :) :) Now it makes more sense. In fact, the "no hooking up" rule actually sounds like a good one, for a lot of reasons, including the fact that dating within an ensemble could get messy., </p>
<p>Re: the summer NCSA program. Thanks for the update. My D (who will be a high school junior next year) has NCSA on her "long list" of colleges to look into and a "shorter list" of programs to consider for next summer, so we really value your up-close-and-personal report. It seems a little odd to me (well, maybe not odd, but just not good planning!) to have kids arrive and have two days of their basically casting about to find a foothold. It would seem to me, from all kinds of vantage points, that it would be preferable to have a very specific set of activities for the campers as they come in, from planned (and mandatory) social events (so kids can get to know each other a bit) to some kind of orientation/class. But as I am not the camp director (just a bossy, "Captain of the World" type, as my dad used to call me! :)), what I think makes no difference.</p>
<p>The acting exercise your D was given sounds very much like the things my D has done in her acting classes at her arts high school. The kids in my D's ensemble did an exercise quite like this during a parent visiting day, and once the scene was finished, the class members would react/discuss what they had seen out loud, and often, the student actor would go back to do it again, with modifications. It struck me watching this exercise just how brave the kids are to do such a thing in front of a group of their peers, and then to be able to sit back and take constructive criticism. (One thing that also struck me, positively, was just how respectful and gentle, but direct, the peer actors were. But then again, without that kind of respect, the kids wouldn't make much progress.)</p>
<p>Keep the updates coming! I feel sure that, within days, you will be reporting that your D has made some wonderful new buddies in the acting program and is having a great time. She has a lot of nerve to fly across the country alone at her age. I give her props for that!</p>
<p>Best,
Lisa</p>
<p>Since others are checking in with news about their rising seniors' summer progarms, I thought I'd chime in with what little I've heard about S's first week at Northwestern. (As parents, we were impressed at check-in with the friendliness of college students working as RAs and with the efficiency of the move-in.) From S's limited reports, it certainly sounds like it's living up to its reputation (and honest program brochure description) for being very rigorous. S went first in the whole group with his monologue (random pick) but said it went well and by the time auditions were completed, he ended up in the parts he hoped for in "The Last Two Minutes of the Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen," a play I hadn't heard of but, now that I Googled it, am looking forward to seeing. He has "core" acting and movement classes and signed up for three electives, focusing on jazz dance and other movement-oriented options since he wants improvement in dance, going into senior year auditions. He sounds tired but like his time is being well spent. I had worried that this might feel too much like an extension of his performing arts school year but it seems that the new context and teachers (plus no "real" academics) make it different enough for him to appreciate. I'll check in if there is any news between now and the end of the 5-week acting program when we'll visit for his performance, and then at least once to share impressions about the 2-week musical theatre extension.</p>
<p>Well...here is my first CAP21 summer program update. I'll start with last SUnday - the day they checked in. We began by dropping off her luggage in her dorm (and waking her roommate- eek!) and then getting over to CAP. She is staying in an NYU dorm(call early to get a space!) which is walkable to CAP. Once there, they had a nice check in process setup and the kids were scheduled for the day. We were able to go and get D after the morning sessions of dance placement and to get her set up before she had to go back for voice and acting placement. All in all - it went well and my H and I were happy with how the day went. Waiting for her allowed me to chat with another CC'er who is lucky enough to be living in the city with her 2 D's! </p>
<p>Acting classes: She loves her acting coach and the class she says is great! She feels as if she is learning a great deal! SHe also likes her improv class as well(this is an area she has some but not lots of experience!). She was doing a scene today and was excited to be able to perform!</p>
<p>Voice classes - also going well. She placed out of music theory (as expected as she is a vocal music major in HS and is in the top theory class offered there). She likes her vocal coaches and she is happy that there is emphasis on classic voice technique (she was very afraid all she would be taught were belting techniques which her current coach would be very upset about!!). This also makes me happy!! </p>
<p>Dance: her biggest area for work! She seems to really like jazz and tap classes but she is not so keen on ballet. Granted she has not had any ballet so this is the area she needed to work on anyway. She says that they seem to have leveled students well (her friend there who is an outstanding dancer says his groups are challenging as well!)</p>
<p>Overall, she seems very happy with the first week. I am pleased with what she has told me and think this was a good investment. I am only concerned that this time in the city will merely solidify her desire to go to NYU.......
oh well!</p>
<p>Mikksmom, glad to hear it is going well. Just so you know, if your D should go to CAP21, as a freshman there is no belting, just legit singing technique both in Vocal Tech class and in private lessons. In soph year, when they take Vocal Coaching (not sure that is the exact title), they can work on any sort of songs. I wonder if your D has any of the same teachers the freshmen had. My D really liked them all. Also if she ends up there for college, they do music theory placement the first day and she could very well place out given her background as my D did too (though we don't have "Music Theory" at our HS).</p>
<p>Thanks for the info, Soozie! That is good to know about CAP as her voice teacher thinks little of NYU(she really, really wants my D to focus on opera). </p>
<p>As we get ever closer to this "magical"(see I am putting a positive spin on this so I dont go screaming off into the night!)year, every little bit of information helps!!
:))</p>
<p>MikksMom</p>
<p>I haven't posted for awhile, and when I did, it was on the MT thread. My soon to be sophomore is in a BFA MT program which she absolutely loves. Made it through hurdles-whew!
Alas, it is time to begin for the 2nd one. She is interested in both Creative writing and MT-would like to double major but realizes that a BFA wouldnt leave time for the creative writing major. Grades are good, PSAT score was good. Anyone have any suggestions? I've been looking around, and seem to only find the higher priced schools. 42K+ ugh.</p>
<p>Lisa and all: D continues to describe NCSA as amazing. She continues to have problems making friends though. (Unusual for her) She made some who left as their program ended and other previous friends now have boyfriends. Are kids really hooking up? Everyone is hooking up? I for one parent am happy that my kid realizes the counter productivity and futility of hooking up for 4 weeks at 17 yo. Kids at best squandering a valuable opportunity and at worst doing what your mother warned you about. So, when our D gets accepted to a good program cause she is spending her time drinking it all up, Studying, thinking, writing, working out in the gym and being the best she can be Parents of the kids hooking up please dont give me the randomness of the industry excuse. </p>
<p>Lisa said,</p>
<p>
[quote]
It seems a little odd to me to have kids arrive and have two days of their basically casting about to find a foothold. It would seem to me, from all kinds of vantage points, that it would be preferable to have a very specific set of activities for the campers as they come in, from planned (and mandatory) social events (so kids can get to know each other a bit) to some kind of orientation/class.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>D would tend to agree with you yet.. There were some mandatory social events such as an ice cream social and dorm meeting, etc. They were well received and well executed. My cursory view of this is that you could break these summer camps into, well, three camps. That would be, no audition, on site audition at the beginning of camp and audition to get in. We have been through the no audition experience and it tends to hold talented students back as they can be surrounded by those who will never see the college stage much less the professional. The audition prior to entry is a complex thing to run for a school and it seems like there are a lot of arts hs kids that go that route. Is that really what educators call enrichment? While the audition on campus in the first couple of days does cause some uncertainty it seems like a good compromise to me.</p>
<p>Wally,
Thanks for the update. I am sorry that your D is not making some good friends there, but as you say, the important thing (Priority #1!) is that she benefit from the training and experience. Please keep the bulletins coming.
Forgive me for being lazy, as I could find this out myself, but it's much more fun to talk with you! :)
Do kids have to audition to get into the NCSA summer program, or is it like many programs, where kids apply on paper and are accepted based on grades, teacher recs, etc.?
L</p>
<p>You can look at some of the SUNY's and Catholic U.</p>
<p>Just wanted to let Jr. parents know that not only is this forum WONDERFUL for the info that you receive, but you also get to know these people and their children....My d just received her housing assignment for next year-she was paired with someone she has been in touch with on this forum!! They did not request each other, it just happened! (They got to know each other on the college forum after the housing appl. was due!) So, talk about taking some tension off!</p>
<p>notfromme, that's great! People do like to criticize the Internet, saying it allows people to feel as if they are socializing, when, in reality, they are keeping people at a distance. But the opposite also can be true. I personally have struck up a fun email friendship with a handful of people that I have "met" on this board and elsewhere, and have met at least four of them in person.
It must be wonderful for your D to know that she is going into college already knowing (at least somewhat!) her roommate.
L</p>
<p>For those of you into scrapbooking, I did a search today to find some theatre quotes. The best collection I found was at <a href="http://www.aact.org/cgi-bin/webdata_quotes.pl?pagenum=1&cgifunction=Search&Category=Acting%5B/url%5D">http://www.aact.org/cgi-bin/webdata_quotes.pl?pagenum=1&cgifunction=Search&Category=Acting</a></p>