NYU Tisch Studios

<p>As far as I know every applicant gets asked if they feel strongly about one studio over another or if they are willing to accept where they are placed. When my daughter was asked she was also told that indicating one studio strongly might limit your acceptance for admission. She said she would take any studio and then was actually placed this past year in her first choice which was NSB but she also auditioned for that. I know of some students that are freshman right now that initially were not that excited about their studio placement but accepted anywa,y and now most of them are very happy!!!</p>

<p>My D is in NSB and while it is a new program, she is very happy with the small class size, the level of instruction and with the people in the studio. Her room mate is in Playwrights and she also loves that studio. Tisch is a lot of work and the studio hours are long and both of them are exhausted at the end of the day. They have contact with kids in the other studios because for example, some of the students in production/directing will need the actors for student films etc. One important factor in deciding is that the “pulse” of the industry can be felt everywhere in NYC and in NYU and that is what you don’t get elsewhere as far as I know.</p>

<p>Posting for my sister, who was placed in Atlantic Studio. She understands the Practical Aesthetic approach, has been taught it in the past, and has even used that method with success in some previous roles. However, she is wondering how happy the students are who have been placed in Atlantic and was wondering why 2/3rds of them do not stay for the third year track at Atlantic.</p>

<p>For background, she has extremely high academic stats, is very focused and applied for straight acting, not MT.</p>

<p>Any insights, especially from current students in that studio, would be welcome as she tries to finalize her college choice. Thanks!</p>

<p>Alwaysamom’s D is a graduate of Atlantic and she may be able to help. Jbehlend’s S is a second year Atlantic student and so he may be able to answer questions. </p>

<p>Keep in mind that when students switch studios (from any studio) after the second year, it is often NOT an indication of dissatisfaction with their studio! My D did CAP21 studio for five semesters and then went into ETW for three semesters. Many students, my D included, were happy with their primary studio but wanted to take advantage of all that Tisch offers and this is one thing Tisch offers…the chance to train in more than one studio.</p>

<p>The kids I talk to love Atlantic but I think many (maybe even a majority) change studios junior year, for the variety of training. Can’t underestimate being well-rounded.</p>

<p>thanks for that insight soozievt. i have wondered what other kids have done because my D is a freshman in NSB and i was there when they explained to the new kids that they preferred(not required) that NSB be their four year studio-that that is the approach they are taking with the program…I think well rounded seems better but we will have to wait and see since we only have one year under our belt!</p>

<p>tutu, if you had told me that my D would switch studios while at Tisch BEFORE she entered, I would have said, “not likely!” But things evolve and she did just that for the final three semesters and loved ETW. CAP21’s program was six semesters of training and one semester that revolves around showcase and related things. In her view, she gave up just one semester of training in CAP21 and the showcase semester but she gambled and got into the audition-only Tisch MT showcase (which I guess no longer exists now) and so she got to showcase and only missed one semester of CAP21 training and gained three semesters of ETW (which has some singing and dancing) and at ETW, she got to strengthen acting (the one area she had the least training in before college) and got to do an independent project and had wanted to write/compose and be in her own original musical before graduating which she could do at ETW and not likely at CAP21. So, that’s how that happened. She loved both studios and felt she took advantage of so many opportunities that Tisch offers. Also, while in ETW, she got to be in a workshop with Moises Kaufman by audition in that studio. She felt she got everything out of CAP21 that she wanted to. NSB may be structured differently and be 8 semesters of training? That was not the case at CAP21.</p>

<p>I think with the NSB inaugural class there wasn’t yet a focused discussion of a four-year plan. It has been evolving as the kids move forward. As tutu has suggested, it is now being presented to the freshman and sophomores as such. I think my son had always intended to move on to another studio after his primary studio–for the fantastic opportunity to study in a different environment, which is so unique to Tisch. However, he feels very invested in the NSB program and is now planning to remain.</p>

<p>One thing the NSB students have been pushing for–especially if it’s to be a four-year program–is a study abroad opportunity. Of course it is really difficult to interrupt BFA training to go abroad for a semester and I’m sure the NSB directors are scratching their heads. There’s certainly the already existing RADA connection as well as the program in South Africa and Florence for straight acting. But where in the world would kids go to study music theatre abroad? They are already studying MT in the music theatre capitol of the world!</p>

<p>My son is also in the inaugural class at NSB and plans to remain. In fact, he was just chosen for the physical acting track in that studio. It was pretty competitive to get into that track and there are plenty who are on the waitlist. He loves NYU, loves his studio, and loves the fact that he will graduate in the inaugural class. I saw their training spaces this past February and they are really nice. I also met many of the students and they all seem to get along pretty well.</p>

<p>Supportive, what is the physical acting track at NSB? I know what physical acting is, because my son is interested in it, and I know it’s the kind of training ETW specializes in. </p>

<p>I am just curious what it consists of at NSB…at what point it starts for the student, and how many years of instruction and that sort of thing.</p>

<p>I wish I could answer you better about the physical acting track. I have access to my son’s e-mail (which he allowed so I can see what’s going on and so I can access his Albert). I saw the e-mail about it and asked him. All he told me was that it was a good thing and it was what he wanted. I know he really likes the instructor, Orlando Plataboy. My son may be an actor and loves to be on stage- but off stage he is very quiet and doesn’t talk about himself nor his accomplishments. He did say they would study commedia del arte. When I find out more, I will pass it on.</p>

<p>Thanks, supportive. LOL I have access to my son’s college email too, and sometimes it’s the ONLY way I learn about things! </p>

<p>Right now my son is on a semester abroad in Italy, studying physical theatre and commedia dell’arte, and he has little time to communicate…but I’m certain I’ll hear all about it eventually.</p>

<p>My guess about Tisch is that since ETW (with its physical theatre emphasis) is so popular, and not everybody can study there – even as a secondary studio, because it requires an audition – this physical acting track at NSB is a way that others can be offered the same kind of training.</p>

<p>I was curious about that teacher you mentioned and I found this:</p>

<p>“ORLANDO PABOTOY teaches physical acting at the NSB. He has taught for the Juilliard School, the Graduate Acting Programs at NYU, UCSD, University of Texas in Austin,The Old Globe, Cal Arts, and USC. He has performed in Theater, T.V. and Film in venues such as The Met Opera House, The Public Theater, NYTW, Comedy Central, NBC, WB among others. He is a recipient of a John Houseman Award, Fox Fellowship and a 2003 Obie Award.”</p>

<p>We’ve spent the day walking around NYU today and it reconfirmed for my D that’s where she wants to be. She’s in Atlantic studio and heard nothing but raves about it. We had an admitted Tisch session and it was my d and one other girl. Luck of the draw, we had Bernadette who would be her advisor. On here everyone said she’s great, I’d agree. Walking around, Rosemary, head of the drama department stopped us, introduced herself and chatted. On the street with a kid she knew, one of the Atlantic teachers stopped ti chat.
My D big issue was wanting MT and ending up in Atlantic. The answers- voice- even though it’s speech voice, a lot is done about the physical methods with voice that helps the singing and speech. There are lessons available but generally upper classmen get those. However there are great teachers through Steiinhardt for $105 a semester
Dance-again there are a lot of movement classes through studio time that helps with dance. You can take dance through Tisch but classes aren’t leveled. She suggested taking at a local studio which makes it more flexible if you’re sick or stressed with tests and you can’t make it. One studio students frequent trades all the classes you can take on exchange for manning their desk.
One word of caution was not to overbook yourself freshman year ti adapt to college, have fun, enjoy nyc. Knowing mine, she’ll their that piece of advice out the window
Somewhere in here, someone mentioned you don’t have the same teacher for studio. At least for Atlantic, that’s false. It changes semester, like any other school, but not during the semester.
Classes, at least Atlantic, are capped at 16 for studio</p>

<p>Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using CC</p>

<p>My son is a straight actor and this past summer before he left for school, I had to buy him his first pair of dance shoes. It was so funny! I also had to buy him some thin black workout pants for dance clothes. He has never had dance or voice lessons but he does read music as a guitarist. It’s also funny that the two shows he has been in have both required him to sing and dance! I live too far away and it’s too expensive to make the trips up there so I have missed his shows. I met his voice teacher and he said he is trying. That’s another thing I really like about NSB, it has forced my son out of his comfort zone and he really needed that! He said all of the studios are great at NYU. Atlantic had Felicity Huffman, William H. Macy, I believe Phillip Seymour Hoffman. It’s great training. Considering NSB can only take 16 students, I think it’s great that they will place students in a different studio if they aren’t accepted for MT. Not sure how many other schools will do that.</p>

<p>Very interesting, and I would have said the same going into NYU freshman year-that no way would my daughter switch out of NSB. However, she also wants some film/tv specific acting so I am not sure if she will supplement during the summer or switch studios like your D did. Acting is also her weakest area and now she is looking for a female voice teacher for the summer because she has always studied with men and was told she needs to work with a female. Any good leads? I told her to go to Steinhardt and see who is teaching this summer…I don’t know much about ETW or the other studios for that matter and probably should read up on them. So glad it worked out for your D at ETW. What year did she graduate?</p>

<p>tutu:
I think your post 75 is addressing me and my post 67?
If so…</p>

<p>Before college, my D’s voice teacher was male. As far as female voice teachers, if you want to email me (click my name and then go to send an email option)…I can share the name of the private female voice teacher my D was assigned through CAP21, as she also has a private voice studio and you don’t have to go to CAP21 to train with her. My D trained with her some after graduating. Then she trained a bit with a different female voice teacher in NYC who has nothing to do with NYU and actually teaches at Yale, and I could give you her name. My D is not with any voice teacher currently (hard to afford as she is on her own now). </p>

<p>My D graduated in May 2009 and so has been out of college almost 3 years, though she is just 23 now. </p>

<p>She thought ETW was an amazing experience and she currently performs in NYC with several alum who went to ETW. Also, being able to create her own musical at ETW has since led to so many opportunities for her both with that musical and with more work in that field that has come about unexpectedly.</p>

<p>Btw, ETW studio has a summer program in Amsterdam that so many of my D’s friends did and everyone raves about it. My D could not do that as we could not afford summer programs once in college, and so she did ETW for three semesters during the school year. But the ETW Amsterdam program one summer is a great option to look into (it is by audition).</p>

<p>Can someone clarify? I called Admissions to ask who I could call to ask my questions. The girl I spoke to there said she could answer my questions, based partly on her roommate’s experience, it would seem. She said that the Atlantic studio is a 3-year program, that the academic (non-theatre) courses become more difficult and involving each year, and that for their senior year, most acting students are taking basically all gen eds. So I called Atlantic directly and spoke to someone there who said that yes, Atlantic is a 3-year program. I am confused. I have seen the listing of required academic courses and this just doesn’t make sense. I have read that many students that start in Atlantic switch to another studio for their third (fourth?) year to get training in another approach. Can someone tell me what typically happens in the fourth year?</p>

<p>I can’t answer specific to Atlantic but in the fourth year, a student could do all academic semesters or opt to do an advanced studio such as ETW, Classical Studio or Stonestreet, to name a few. </p>

<p>When my D attended CAP21 studio at Tisch, the training program was 7 semesters in that studio and so in the final semester, a student could do a different studio, all academic semester, an internship, study abroad, etc. My D opted to stay in her original studio for five semesters and did an advanced studio at another studio for three semesters. My D knows some kids who opted to graduate a semester early as well.</p>

<p>PS, please realize that at Tisch, academic classes comprise not only liberal arts (that you are calling “gen eds”) but also there are 7 required Theater Studies (academic) courses required to graduate, on top of studio training.</p>

<p>The first two years of “professional training” have to be four consecutive semesters and all at the studio in which they were assigned on admission. Most of the studios run a three (or four) year program, but the students are NOT required to stay with that studio for advanced training. Depending on the studio, the students can take it semester by semester for advanced training. For example, continuing with the assigned studio first semester junior year, but then taking the spring semester at Stonestreet, for example, or even taking an “academic” semester (meaning: no studio) at NYU or abroad. (or do a professional training program abroad). Then, the student can return next semester to professional training again. </p>

<p>I am not entirely clear on whether you can go in and out of all the studios like this once you’re in advanced training, but there is flexibility, whereas the first two years there is not. (I also don’t know whether advanced studios requiring an audition, eg., ETW and Classical, can be entered in the spring, and whether if you’ve left your primary studio to train in another but then want to return, if that’s possible. It might be, i just don’t know.)</p>

<p>Students are required to have two semesters of advanced training, but can take four. </p>

<p>There are also acting electives that are offered for two credits each which can be done any time.</p>

<p>I should add that one reason students sometimes take an academic semester is to access courses that are only offered on Monday and Wednesday (when studio is in session) and / or to complete a double major or a minor.</p>

<p>SDonCC’s explanation above is excellent.</p>

<p>I will clarify that there are advanced studios that can be entered in the spring. For example, my D entered ETW’s transfer track in spring of junior year, thus doing three semesters in that studio. It does require an audition to be admitted and so you can’t fully plan it all out ahead of time.</p>

<p>I don’t know that you can then return to your original primary studio after switching into a DIFFERENT advanced studio (of course you can stay in your primary studio for advanced studio years). I will say that at my D’s primary studio (CAP21, which is no longer an NYU option), my D missed the sixth semester of training, which would have left only their showcase semester and was told by the head of that studio that she could return for a semester in senior year for the CAP21 showcase semester. She ended up not choosing to do that because she liked ETW so much and also wanted to do what ETW offers which is called Independent Projects in senior year (she wrote and staged a musical for hers), and took the chance to audition for the Tisch -wide MT showcase which was only by audition and only 15 kids got into it, knowing she might not get into it, but ended up being cast in it, whereas CAP21’s showcase was a guaranteed showcase. The Tisch-wide MT showcase no longer exists to my knowledge. Anyway, that is just one anecdote.</p>

<p>SDonCC gave many of the possible variations. Also, an academic semester, for some kids, like she says, is one way they fit in a double major or minor. My kid did not double major or minor and was just theater all the way.</p>

<p>PS … if someone is comparing Tisch’s BFA to another BFA, one difference is that Tisch’s program has a bunch of flexibility and options within it more than some programs.</p>