Since the Musical Theatre School list above has become completely useless after the format changed and you can no longer follow discussions going on there with the On Buttons, an idea came to me today that I feel I would have found useful last year. On another site in which I participate, parents with kids in different programs are posting what it is they love about the program, why it was a great fit for their kid, specific attributes that make it special for them and it dawned on me that a thread like that would be very helpful here, especially for those parents and students trying to get a good overview of all the different options that they might otherwise overlook. It’s hard to just see a list and pick a school - but much better when you get some sense of what the curriculum, environment, performing opportunities, vibe and setting are at said school. Also, this thread would provide a place where people could ask questions about specific programs that are way more likely to be seen and actually answered then up in the wasteland of the specific school threads. So lets dump all the info here where everyone can benefit from the great amount of knowledge out there from parents with kids in the programs who can actually provide an educated overview about them and answer questions.
So I’ll get the ball rolling with the info I posted about The Hartt School where my daughter is a freshman.
The Hartt School - It was hard to send my baby girl clear across the country but that school and program have been a dream come true. First it is a beautiful campus and not too big, not too small but just right in the best kind of way.
She gets to be in a great college setting while getting amazing conservatory training. If intense focus on your craft is what you seek it is the place to be. Out of the 137 credits required for graduation, 127 are performance related. She will truly be a triple threat when she walks out that door, but most of all she will be an actor - because Hartt absolutely views that as the core skill and basis of everything. Great actors first who are also great singers and dancers.
And the staff, lead by the wonderful Alan Rust, is truly amazing - all working professionals themselves. But they care so much about these kids and truly take an interest in them. The kids are all super talented, but very nice and close knit, supporting each other all the time. And since it is in the conservatory she is surrounded daily by dancers and musicians as well - creativity, music, and productions going on constantly. There are tons of performance opportunities within the theatre department, both plays and musicals. Seems like a performance going on every weekend almost. Plus a great film production department where she plans to minor in Cinema and hopefully do a few student films. Students can also take advantage of extra dance classes at Hartt’s Community Division for a modest fee as well if they are looking for extra dance training. Both the MT and Acting students have travel opportunities to London and Italy. In fact, the Actor training students get 10 weeks in London included in their curriculum and tuition. It is just overall a superb environment for budding artists.
Also there is a bunch of great professional theatre opportunity there with the Hartford Stage, Monomoy at Cape Cod and the Goodspeed Opera House. They also have a world class Theatre in Hartford, The Bushnell, where the kids can see Broadway tours and NYC is just a 1 1/2 hour train ride away. It truly has turned out to be everything and more that she ever wanted.
Cons might be that freshman don’t get to perform. They do, however, work behind the scenes as techs, in costume and in makeup. My daughter actually got assigned to be stage manager for tone of the fall musicals which she is very excited about. The school itself is beautiful, but small and a bit out of the way in a more suburban area. But Ubers are easy to get and there is a shuttle that goes from the school to all the main shopping areas. The main performing arts building where the bulk of the performance classes are held is just off campus, about a 5 minute drive and there is a shuttle that goes back and forth regularly, but it could be considered a bit of a hassle. But it is a beautiful, brand new facility so that helps make up for the distance issue. Merit aid is non-existent for Hartt students who only qualify for talent grants which can be pretty low by comparison to merit aid, so not the most inexpensive option for most families.
I’m sure some of the other Hartt parents here can add to this and answer questions. Now all of you parents lets here what you love about your kids’ programs!