<p>University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)</p>
<p>Currently considered the top musical theatre program in the country, CCM has become a household name amongst casting directors and agents. They are known for training triple threats The complete musical theatre performance package. However, what CCM is really known for is putting out magnificent singers. The opera program at the conservatory is one of the finest in the nation, and musical theatre students train with the finest voice teachers in the school. The performance opportunities at Cincinnati are endless, and their shows are constantly winning awards. Their recent production of Crazy For You won the award for the best show in the city this season, beating out the Playhouse In The Park (where Stephen Sondheim currently serves as a visiting artist). CCM grads have recently been seen on Broadway and all over the country in Wicked, Sweeney Todd, The Producers, The Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Spamalot and The Light in the Piazza. Graduates of the program include Shoshana Bean, Aaron Lazar, Ben Magnuson, Ashley Brown, Karen Olivo, Sara Gettelfinger, Sarah Jane Everman, Randy Harrison, Faith Prince, Lauren Kennedy and countless others. At the end of four years, CCM seniors travel to New York City to perform the annual Senior Showcase, attended by Broadways top agents and casting directors.</p>
<p>CCM is not for every one. The environment at the school is as competitive as being admitted to the program, and can sometimes be rather cutthroat. There is little time for relaxation, but CCM graduates are always prepared to face the real world.</p>
<p>In reference to what I said about CCM's rankings among theatre schools: That is the opinion of many casting directors that I have spoken with regarding theatre programs. I have also been told this by numerous teachers, coaches, and other people in the business. Since this is an opinion forum, I would like to save us from any drama by saying that this is my opinion. Thank you.</p>
<p>I'm glad you clarified that you are posting your own opinion. It is important to distinguish opinions from facts. Some readers are contacting me that rather than state that a certain school is number one, as just an example, it would be helpful to just let readers know why YOU liked the school and chose it over your other options. Tell it from a personal perspective of what you were looking for, what you found out and from who at the school, and why you made the choices you made. Your personal experiences and input are valued. It is more helpful to hear expressions of opinions when they come across more as opinions than hardcore information about a school, and then of course back up how those opinions were formed. It may appear as a subtle difference as we know posts are statements by an individual poster but we want to make sure that it is clear what is opinion, what is hearsay, what is factual and where that information came from, as we have readers who take statements as facts when not realizing they may be someone's personal take on a program. I know you mean to share what you know or your opinions but be aware of how you state them and discern between facts and opinions IN the posts. If you can back up the opinions with where you obtained the information, all the better. Thanks for your contributions and your efforts to want to share what you have learned with others. </p>
<p>For readers, please remember that just because someone posts something, that doesn't mean it is fact. Research schools for yourselves and attempt to talk to several faculty and current students to find out many takes on a school. Look at who is posting and where their perspectives are derived from. Are they a parent? A current student? An applicant? A professional in the field? And so on. </p>
<p>Some posts on CC contain facts and information, some are opinions, some are personal experiences and some are even hearsay.</p>
<p>Thanks again, Matt, for posting that your post on the CCM forum is your opinion because the original post came off as factual. Some of it WAS indeed factual and some was opinion, as you later clarified.</p>
<p>I can see why you would prefer to not rank schools in numerical order. After all, there is no official rating system. It would be ridiculous for someone to go around giving musical theatre programs grades. But why do so many people agree with MattSingsAlot in saying that CCM is the #1 program in the country? If you think about it, the whole reason a performer would go to college is so that they will have the ability to work and making a living performing. In musical theater the top performers work on Broadway, London, Chicago, and National Tours. The reason many people believe that CCM is the #1 musical theatre school is because they are constantly dominating these performing circuits. All schools can say they have had students perform on Broadway, but I challenge you to find a school that can say they had more leads in Broadway and Off Broadway shows last year that CCM did. Stephen Schwartz, a song writer who among many things wrote Wicked, refers to CCM as the Wicked Factory because so much of his cast came from there. It is just plain and simple. If you go to college to learn the skills you need to work, wouldnt the school with the most kids working be considered #1? </p>
<p>Be it that I am not a college student, I feel that I have a non open-minded opinion. There are many amazing schools out there. Each one is extremely different and therefore, different schools are better for different people. </p>
<p>But can you build any connections in ohio? It's not a major theatre district, so you get great training, but no connections to start you into the theatre world, and you need as many chances as you can get.</p>
<p>It doesn't matter that much where your college is located in terms of future career opportunities. Many who attend BFA programs in MT will head to NYC upon graduation and do the audition circuit. In fact, CCM has a showcase in NYC for its seniors with casting directors and talent agents and many get representation from that or are seen and that can be an initial transition into the industry. Talent will get you the jobs. Having CCM on the resume can't hurt, that's for sure. While there are some added benefits if one attends a program in a major theater center such as NYC and making connections while in school, it is definitely NOT a necessity. There are "networks" anyway for someone coming out of CCM in New York. And then there's the showcase. </p>
<p>I see many prospective students who seem to think they HAVE to go to school in a place like Manhattan but this is simply not the case. The training matters and it can be anywhere and then upon graduation, one enters the audition circuit like everyone else. Believe me, going to CCM in Ohio is not a drawback and their graduates often do great. That said, my kid happens to go to a BFA program in NYC and already feels connected to many in the industry but while that is an added plus, it was not what drove her decision to attend that program and again, is not a necessity in attending a fine MT program. Someone coming out of any great MT program will have some degree of "connections" through their program and also many programs hold showcases. In the end, the geographic location of your program is not that important. There are some added plusses perhaps, but these are not essential in the long run.</p>
<p>I would also say that Cincinnati is a very connected regional theatre center. As soozievt says the program does showcase in NYC and is connected that way, but there are also two equity theaters in town, with producers and directors who work on both costs. They also hold regional unifieds here that bring folks in from St. Louis, Lexington, Louisville and others. It may not get you set up in NYC immediately but there are many opportunities to work regionally and build an extended network. Chicago is 5 hours away, so it is possible to hook into some of the equity auditions there. D did and got a job in Wisconsin.
I guess it is a different sense of networking and getting connected but you can build a healthy set of regional connections in Cincinnati.</p>
<p>According to DAvid Petro and Levi Thomas who are noted as the top casting directors and hollywood and New York. </p>
<p>CCM has 24.7% more grads working---- making them the top Musical Theater dept. in the NATION!. And this is the only way to measure it. Take Julliard or RADA, the top two conservatories in the world! if none of their grads were working how would you know of these departments. this has nothing to do with opinion....its FACT!! In my opinion, I think you could study MT anywhere. especially when broadway, which is what we are going to school for, employs over 3000 non-musical theater majors a year! so if you are coming to ccm or umich, which in my opinion are the top two depts., and you dont get work, the status of being number 1 doesnt mean a "hill-of-beans".</p>
<p>Another question I have is regarding cuts. I've read that CCM cuts some students each year and I'm wondering if that happens frequently in the musical theatre program and what is the decision based upon?</p>
<p>theatregirlx0x0 - There has been a great deal of discussion on this very topic recently on the thread "CCM or OCU" on the main MT discussion page. You will find lots of information and opinions on it there.</p>