Wanted to share that my daughter went to visit 2 PA schools this wknd as a jr. We visited Muhlenberg College & DeSales University, both near /in Allentown . My D wasn’t really feeling it at Muhlenberg but I know it’s known to be a great program for theatre. We just felt maybe it’s more suited for Acting . The voice lessons are extra which is a bummer. The tech stuff there looks excellent and state of the art. You can minor in dance or voice to get your MT in, it just wasn’t a fit for her I don’t think.
DeSales is not really mentioned on this forum so wanted to say she really loved it! It’s a small school and Catholic and all the people we met were so friendly and helpful. We saw a show which was great and toured the theatre dept. it’s a BA with a MT conc. A lot of opportunities to pursue other things & asst direct shows etc. the underclassman are encouraged to audition and get cast. They have the PA Shakespeare Festival on campus in the summer which is a professional company & students can audition for summer stock & get Equity card points. Just wanted to comment on it. A proof that it’s really important to visit some lesser known programs and check them out!
Re: theatrework -> “it’s really important to visit some lesser known programs [e.g. DeSales] and check them out!”
Hmm…DeSales states on its website that “The Theatre Department at DeSales University is known as one of the premiere liberal arts programs on the East Coast”. Appears that claim is a bit exaggerated, no?
Really? A marketing claim being an exaggeration? I’m shocked! :))
@LookB4ULeap I am not privy to the marketing of the DeSales theatre dept or school . I think it is a known program in PA & my relative who lives in Allentown told me that everyone in that area considers it a well respected program . I think my point was that not a lot of people talk about it on CC, hence my post that others may be interested in checking it out if they aren’t familiar with it. Just trying to be helpful as we came away thinking that the program is a solid one & were happy to see a 2015 grad of theirs is currently in the Color
Purple.
It is a well respected program. Gets lots of kids from PA, MD, VA and NJ. They have had graduates on Broadway. The program was started 30 plus years ago from a priest, Gerald Schubert who graduated from Catholic U. It is a fine school. It’s about 2 hours from NYC. If a small catholic liberal arts college with a fine theater and dance program is what your looking for DeSales is a great choice.
Sounds great, @theaterwork. I have heard of DeSales, but never in an MT conversation. Thank you for the heads up 
Another program to put on your radar is the University of Memphis. They have a newer program with BFA MT, acting, tech, and dance majors. Memphis also has a lot of community and regional theatre opportunities and allows students to participate in them. My d has a few friends from her high school that have now graduated and loved the program. One is working now in NYC doing stage mgt. They also offer a few full scholarships and many partial scholarships!
@theaterwork, glad you brought this school up. DeSales is well respected in the Philly/South NJ/Pennsylvania region, particularly for its affiliation with Penn Shakes, a well regarded summer festival.
@connections yes we thought it had a good reputation from what my brother in law was telling us from having lived in the area for some time. My D is applying there this fall.
@owensfolks we had heard of it since we know someone who went there for something else. Then I looked up the MT track & we visited.
Definitely a school to consider if you’re looking at schools in PA etc
@stmama - nice to hear some good new about rarely mentioned University of Memphis. My D is headed there this fall to study in their new Commercial Performance major as a vocalist on scholarship. I’ll have to have her look into taking some MT classes which is also of interest to her. She’s traveling a long way from Connecticut and I’m interested in getting feedback from recent graduates or current students on the school and adjusting to life in Memphis.
@PopPrincessPop
I have never heard of a Commercial Performance Major. I will look it up but can you tell me a bit about it. Thanks
DeSales University used to be Allentown College of St. Francis DeSales until about a decade ago.
@stmama - sure the Commercial Performance major is a Bachelor of Music and not directly related to Musical Theater. I came across this thread looking for other parents / students headed to or at the University of Memphis.
Here’s link to the program (scroll towards the bottom) on UofM’s site http://www.memphis.edu/ugcatalog/collegeprog/ccfa/music.php
The major is new with concentrations in music theory, music business, and performance but all from a commercial music perspective instead of classical or jazz. My D is an aspiring Pop/Rock/R&B vocalist and was looking for a college program that offers that as a concentration and there aren’t a lot of schools that offer it.
She’s got some interest in MT and has performed some Broadway material.
@PopPrincessPop -Thank you for sharing. Sounds like a great program and I am sure they are few and far between.
Just another school to add, someone on this forum mentioned Bowling Green State U in Ohio and we checked it out. They have an interesting degree which is a BA in Communication specializing in MT. My D is going to attend their audition MT week long camp this summer. It’s quite reasonably priced and provides housing etc.
faculty was responsive when I inquired and beyond friendly and helpful in accommodating our check in times etc . Interested to see what my D thinks when she returns. Heard the school
has an excellent music program as well.
Looking at DeSales University’s MT program. Hadn’t heard of it except it was listed as a non-audition MT program on a listed provided by a NYC summer theater intensive program. (Not that the program endorsed DeSales, it was just one on a long list of theater colleges.) I would be interested to hear of anyone’s experience at DeSales, especially @theaterwork who visited there.
DeSales is an audition-required theatre program. I, too, came across some sources stating non-audition but one must successfully audition to be accepted as a theatre major (and only after getting admitted academically by the university).
@daughtersdream I pmd you but my message set up on CC is messed up and posting me as another user name lol . Check your messages and let me know if you got it . I included my email address also
Ok that is so messed up it keeps posting me as theatrerents! That’s not my user name on here! This is theatrework .
I asked the admin to change my email address with CC and I guess she gave me a new user name !
Ugh ok so now I tagged the wrong person!
@daughtersdreams I will pm you but the admin changed my user name to theatrerents when I wanted my email changed!