<p>Hello </p>
<p>I've looked thru the sticky about summer MT programs, but it doesn't quite address what I'm looking for. And I haven't found the answer at the Music Major forum.</p>
<p>I'd like to find a summer musical theatre program, domestic or international, stationery or touring, that uses student musicians for the performances....</p>
<p>Any suggestions or ideas on how to find this?</p>
<p>Thank you -</p>
<p>Well, one of my daughters attended French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts, which is in the Catskills of New York. Some who attend focus on musical theater and upwards of 70 theater productions are put on every summer. Some who attend are there to study music and therefore, all the musicals are accompanied by pit orchestras made up of the music students. </p>
<p>[French</a> Woods Festival of the Performing Arts summer camp - circus, dance, music, theater, magic, skateboard and more.](<a href=“Error”>http://www.frenchwoods.com/)</p>
<p>You may also wish to check into Interlochen Arts Camp. They have both music and musical theater programs and I think their musicals have pit orchestras and I am assuming that the music students are in those pit orchestras, but cannot confirm that. Someone here may know or otherwise, contact the program. </p>
<p>[Summer</a> Arts Camp | Interlochen Center for the Arts](<a href=“http://camp.interlochen.org/]Summer”>http://camp.interlochen.org/)</p>
<p>mtpaper, is something like this what you are looking for? [College</a> Light Opera Company - The Company](<a href=“CollegeLightOpera.com is available at DomainMarket.com. Call 888-694-6735”>CollegeLightOpera.com is available at DomainMarket.com. Call 888-694-6735) It is by no means instructional from a performing instrumentalist’s standpoint. In effect, it is a paid gig, playing in support of the productions.</p>
<p>If you are interested, pm binx, whose son did CLOC as a horn player a few years back. Mine was considering it at one point a few years ago, but other options arose. A quick summary <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/4330498-post6.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/4330498-post6.html</a></p>
<p>thanks soozievt and violadad - I’ll look into those links.</p>
<p>@soozievt - I agree, I have been assuming that musical theatre programs (school year and summer) would use the musicians from the institutes music programs. But I am starting to think I’m wrong about that assumption, and so I was looking for 1st hand experience.</p>
<p>@violadad - I’ll check in with binx after speaking with my dd. I’m not sure yet whether she would prefer a program that was instructional paired with performance, or a ‘paid gig’… At this point, we’re trying to learn about options (this will be our first summer off the lacrosse tournament circuit!)</p>
<p>EDIT: @violadad - CLOC is EXACTLY what I had in mind! I will check in with binx</p>
<p>Update: Interlochen does not use their music students in the pit orchestra for their musicals; they use faculty and staff</p>
<p>French Woods DOES use their music students in the musical theater production pit orchestras and I know this to be fact, as my kid attended for four summers and so this may be a place your D wants to explore. While that D of mine played two instruments, she did not do music at French Woods but was IN the musicals on stage. </p>
<p>Now, you seem to be looking for “programs,” right? </p>
<p>But if your D is a very skilled musician, I know that some community theaters, for example, pay their musicians in the pit and that is a paying gig your D could explore for the summer. </p>
<p>My D is a skilled pianist and is paid to accompany classes, productions, and to musically direct. In fact, she is doing that at this very moment. It pays very well. So, if your D is good at her instrument, she may be in demand for musicals.</p>
<p>mtpaper, isn’t your D in high school at present? It seems CLOC is more for college students in the summer.</p>
<p>My D is a senior in high school. I’ve started contacting local community musical theatres, to see what opportunities are available locally.</p>
<p>I’ve just barely started thinking about this, and have barely even mentioned it to her… my preference is that she find musicals to play with/for this summer - with or without instruction. Or perhaps, if she’s local, she’d continue instruction from her current teacher…</p>
<p>It’s somewhat complicated because her summer plans might vary depending on where she’s accepted, and I know we cannot wait until April to plan…</p>
<p>CLOC looks very close to what I would like for her… it will be interesting to hear her reaction. As to whether or not they’d accept her, that’s a different issue to explore. It might be something for a different summer. Seems to me, come this summer, she’ll be a college student anyway, and would be eligible (to at least apply).</p>
<p>If your D is a senior (I didn’t know that) and she wants to earn money in the pit orchestra for musicals, I suggest she works and not be looking for programs (most programs you pay to attend). I’m not sure so sure she’d be considered a college student, but she can find out. </p>
<p>But in many places, including where I live, even if a theater is community theater and the actors are not paid, the musicians are all paid. And often they are looking for musicians. If your D is good and has played in pit orchestras in high school and has a resume, she could possibly get work playing for musicals at theater in your region that are not high level professional theaters. I know she could do that here. And this is a good summer to earn money for spending money in college too.</p>
<p>Also, if your D is looking for paid work (versus your sending her to a program), it is much better if she is the one contacting these places as it doesn’t look good when a parent does that when it is for a job.</p>
<p>One more idea…what instrument does she play? By chance is it piano? She may want to look at children’s theater camps (day or boarding) and inquire about being hired as accompanist for their shows.</p>