<p>On the current BFA & Grades thread there is a discussion about schools having to choose between "two kids of equal talent," and how grades and test scores might be what tips the balance.</p>
<p>I think that is an excellent thing to keep in mind, and I'm sure being chosen on the basis of academics in such circumstances sometimes happens. However.....I could be wrong, but I had the idea that many schools try for a class that represents a range of physical types.</p>
<p>I guess it depends on how high a priority casting for shows is at the institution in question. I mean, if you wanted to mount a plausibly professional seeming show, you wouldn't want, say, five short dark guys and three tall redheaded girls in one small class, probably.</p>
<p>But if it were a program where training was a much higher priority than performances, maybe physical type would make next to no difference???</p>
<p>I would really be interested in knowledgeable individuals weighing in on this. One thing kids say, when they are trying to rationalize being declined is, "well, they probably already had the tall blonde girl for their ensemble.....look,that short red-headed boy got called back and I didn't!" (or whatever).</p>
<p>Are students who say such things just fooling themselves, or is there much truth to this? People on these forums have talked about schools wanting a balanced class. I am sure that does not mean just the male/female ratio. Could it mean physical attributes....plus qualities that are far more subtle as well?</p>
<p>I believe there IS much truth to the building of a diverse group of “types” in a BFA program. Just like a regular college wants a variety of kids…the bassoon player, the fencer, the newspaper editor, the activist, the cheerleader, the community service leader…a conservatory program for Acting or MT wants a variety of types…in terms of looks and acting/singing types. So, if you audition for a MT program, they don’t want all blond ingenue legit sopranos or all leading man types…they want comedic character actors, a contemporary belter, and so on. Then there are looks…don’t want the entire class to be blond and tall. So, in essence, when you audition, you are not audiitoning for ALL slots in the class but rather the slots for your type. Same in an acting program. </p>
<p>I recently attended my D’s program’s MT Industry Presentation and what struck me was the wide variety of types in this showcase. I kept thinking…while talent will get an agent to consider you…that each student wasn’t really up against the next student because their types were SOOO different. It was a matter of who might want your type as they were all talented. </p>
<p>Same goes for casting, as you know. When you hit the high level of casting…say NYC or LA…there are more people who are talented than can be cast and once you pass the “talent” bar, it comes down to who is right for the part…who is the right type and the right look. And you can’t control that aspect. It is really good to know your type. In my kid’s showcase, rather than showing a range of skills…she played to her type…her strengths…</p>
<p>And so it goes for BFA admissions…there are more kids who have the requisite talent than can be admitted and so it can come down to (in the final considerations) building of a class of a variety of types and whether they need someone else of your type or not. After all, highly talented kids get into some programs and not some others and so this must come into play.</p>
<p>Thanks, Soozie. It makes perfect sense, of course, about wanting to balance vocal types in MT and all that. </p>
<p>I was wondering about some of the top acting conservatories, like Juilliard. I have been reading posts about Juilliard, and at that school it seems like they might care more about whether the person is a good fit for their extraordinarily intensive and demanding program than what their type is.</p>
<p>For most schools, one reason they would want a variety of types may simply be that the industry <em>needs</em> a variety of types, as you pointed out.</p>
<p>My understanding is that CMU accepts more guys than girls in both MT and acting, and that the reason for this is that there is more work in the industry for men than for women.</p>
<p>By that reasoning, I wonder if a kind of trend could conceivably exist where, for example, programs would give some slight priority to admitting, say, hispanic-looking applicants if there were suddenly a trend toward producing shows and plays featuring hispanics? Perhaps they would not fine-tune their acceptances like that, but it would be interesting to know if it could happen.</p>
<p>Possibly when these types of programs were new, there were not as many African American students accepted as now? There seem to be far more opportunities in the industry for AA actors now than, say, thirty years ago. </p>
<p>When my son auditioned for BFA Acting programs this year, Purchase was the only school where we met a number of freshmen. The freshmen were certainly a rainbow. :-)</p>
<p>NJTheatreMom, I think this is also true for Acting programs and not just MT ones. Look at any of the classes when you visit or the showcases. As I said, I just went to a showcase for Tisch…the students in it were from both the MT and Acting studios. They were all very different…included…Hawaiin, Latino, wheelchair-bound, African American, tall/thin, short/chubby, all hair colors, and so on. I think these programs indeed build a range of types into their program and that is indeed what the industry also needs. And yes, CMU takes more men than women and they also have fair number of African American actors. </p>
<p>I don’t think most programs accept types based on specific casting needs for their own productions because their production season is not figured out for four years ahead of time…but they do want a wide variety of types. And types is not just looks but also…comedic, character actor, serious/emotional, mature, youngish, leading man, ingenue, etc.</p>
<p>Very interesting about the showcase. It would not have been all MT since it included kids from the acting studios, right? Were there dramatic vignettes interspersed with MT type song-and-dance numbers, or what? Did each student participating get to shine individually? </p>
<p>Were there ranks of industry professionals taking notes or something, lol? Or friends/relatives and industry people all mixed indistinguishably together? Open to the public?? In any event, it was probably packed.</p>
<p>With regard to the acting and MT programs looking for a range of different types…as you said, “types is not just looks but also…comedic, character actor, serious/emotional, mature, youngish, leading man, ingenue, etc.”…and then - for MT - you add in the consideration of different types of singing voices and the need for good dancing ability as well as acting chops, it helps to explain how crushingly difficult MT programs can be to get into. </p>
<p>I think this is one reason it is good for kids who love musical theatre to apply to schools where the acting students have a degree of MT opportunities. Being admitted to an audition-based BFA or BA Acting program is not easy, but at least there are fewer variables.</p>
<p>Susan, as an aside, I’m so happy to hear that your D’s very talented wheelchair-bound friend was in the showcase. Seeing her perform in summerstock a few years ago (along with jasmom’s very talented son!) was truly one of the most interesting and enjoyable theatre experiences I’ve had, and you know how much theatre I see! Would love to hear details of your trip and of the showcase, when you have a free minute (haha!) drop me an email. :)</p>
<p>NJTheatreMom…speaking of the Tisch showcase…First, it is actually called Tisch Musical Theater Industry Presentation. They have a second showcase that is a Tisch Acting Industry Presentation. You have to audition to be selected for either showcase and casting directors from the industry were part of even the audition selection process as to who got into the showcase. For the MT showcase, you could be from an acting or MT studio. At Tisch, many who are in the Acting studios are also MT performers. But this was a MT showcase, not the acting showcase. </p>
<p>What I saw was a special showing just for family and friends on the day before the two real Industry Presentation Nights. I only saw the MT showcase, not the Acting one, but again, students were from both acting and MT studios. My own kids was in the MT studio for five semesters and is now in an acting studio for 3 semesters. Some have only done an acting studio but happen to have MT talent. Some have been in CAP21 their entire four years at Tisch. Since this was a MT showcase and not the acting one, there were no monologues/scenes. There was a group opening number and a group closing number (my D happened to be the musical arranger of that number). Each student (there were 15) performed two songs back to back. There was no dance. So, it was all vocal but I have to tell you that a lot of acting was demonstrated in that each actor truly acted their songs…it was not like a “recital.” So, yes, each individual got to showcase their talent. </p>
<p>Those in attendance at the real Industry Nights were agents (who represent actors) and casting agencies and others from the industry. Each industry person was given each actor’s headshot and resume. There was a program with contact information as well. </p>
<p>Casting agencies may file those they like into their casting files. </p>
<p>Agents then contact whichever actors they may be interested in representing…these are individualized contacts. Those who get responses from agents, then are called into meeting with them in their offices to discuss representation. Those who got a response are doing that now following the showcase :). </p>
<p>Again, there is also a straight acting showcase that would be more monologue based, rather than singing. </p>
<p>You are right that being admitted for a BFA in MT is trickier than for Acting (though acting is no easy feat either) because it involves three skill sets…acting, singing and dancing. They may admit applicants who are skilled in two areas but show potential in a third area, but being a triple threat is an advantage. But it does take training in a variety of areas.</p>
<p>AlwaysAmom, I cross posted. Will try to write you. That friend, who is VERY talented…already got an agent from the CAP21 showcase in Jan. So, she was not up for agent responses in this showcase since she has an agent on her resume but she did get a response for an audition for a casting agency. My D arranged this friend (who is one of her closest pals)'s final song that ended the show with the cast backing her up and my D starting it on piano. I really hope that this girl is cast (she has done very well up until now) and she makes an impact on the theater world. She is in my D’s a capella group and I have seen her perform in many musicals. She will be in the musical my D wrote this May as well. </p>
<p>Will tell you privately about my D’s responses. Thanks for caring.</p>
<p>Wow, it is interesting that the MT Industry Showcase involved no dance whatsoever, if that is what you are saying…no dance even during the opening and closing ensemble numbers? If so, that is a fascinating tidbit of information, as is the fact that the girl who uses a wheelchair (and who sounds like a wonderful performer) was in the MT showcase.</p>
<p>Maybe it is because in professional MT shows the majority of the dancing is done by professional dancers?</p>
<p>Do you know if the acting showcase is a combination of monologues and scenes, or just monologues, or what?</p>
<p>Anyway, I’m sure your daughter got a lot of responses and is currently taking a lot of meetings. :-)</p>
<p>I have not seen the Acting showcase…maybe AlwaysAMom knows as her D graduated Tisch for acting. But I would imagine it would be monologues. </p>
<p>This showcase did not show dance. There is also a CAP21 showcase…not sure if their group numbers showed dance. However, dance training is on the resumes…like my D has 16 years of dance training in all disciplines. Even if you attend a casting call for a MT show…it almost always starts with a singing audition, then in a callback, you might dance and/or might read from sides from the show. This showcase was not an audition to be cast but rather an audition to garner agent representation (agents respond and set up meetings with actors they are interested in repping) and/or casting agencies being interested in bringing you in to audition for shows. So, you are not necessarily being CAST from the showcase. You are either gonna get an agent out of it (hopefully) and/or be seen by casting directors who may call you in to audition for a show. You don’t really need to dance at this point in the showcase (but a showcase could show that). I suppose an actor could have chosen to do a song/dance number as one of their solos…but nobody really did any true “dance” in their number…they moved and acted the songs. </p>
<p>My D’s friend who is in a wheelchair is not only enormously talented but we think it is wonderful that Tisch accepted her for a BFA in MT program, and she was cast very well at Tisch as well as in professional theater and we hope she makes it big and changes the face of the MT stage. If anyone in her position does, it will be her. :D</p>
<p>It makes sense that the showcase would mimic the audition for a professional MT show, so if a professional MT audition does not have a dance component, neither would the showcase. </p>
<p>My son has been in auditions with dance components for amateur MT shows…and he has been cast in community theatre MT shows where the audition is a singing audition, with maybe sides as well, and then during rehearsals the people who are cast are taught to do the dance numbers as well as possible, with lots of hollering from the choreographer. 
That’s it.</p>
<p>The amount of pre-college training and experience of some of the kids who audition for MT and Acting BFA programs is awesome.</p>
<p>I’ll keep my eye out for news and reviews of the rising star who performs sitting down. I realize you can’t reveal her name here, but when I hear about her elsewhere, I’ll know she is your daughter’s friend!</p>
<p>My D’s friend is from your state in fact.</p>
<p>CrtnUp posted something on the MT forum that is relevant to this thread because it applies to auditions for acting programs also:</p>
<p>"One of the professors we saw said something that really stuck with us: The MT dapartments are essentially “casting” their freshman classes. This means that they might not accept the dark hair soprano triple threat with lots of experience because they already have three others in the group of freshman through seniors. In addition, we have learned that they are also looking for kids who appear to be open to learning and growing - and no one wants a diva, regardless of the skill level - they need these kids to live and learn together for four years, after all. People that come across as too self-impressed are just as much of a turn-off as those with no self-confidence at all… So, let your kids know that sometimes it is just the fact that they are not what a program is looking for (or needs) - it is not their lack of talent or enthusiasm…
…someone told us that it is not unlike an orchestra looking for a particular instrument: there is a balance that many want to strive toward…</p>