Hello! I plan to audition for Shenandoah this upcoming year as a mt student, but I really want to know more about the acting program too. What is the big difference? As a singer, would I still be able to participate in musicals? Please help!
I would suggest you audition for both, which is easy to do. We have a lot of students that begin in one program and end up graduating from the other. Actors can audition for musicals and MTs can audition for plays. Voice lessons are not available for credit for actors, but many take private lessons with my wife off-campus. The musical theatre majors get acting, dance, and voice every semester. The acting majors do not get dance or voice training. If your career goals include musical theatre, then you are better off trying to be a music theatre major. The skills you will gain in that degree will prepare you to audition for plays and TV/Film too. If you primarily see yourself working as an actor with a few specific musicals here and there, then acting is probably the better choice.
~VT