<p>Hi Everyone. I am new to this forum, but I feel that I can clear some things up, as I spent my summer at the Emerson Summer Stage MT program and have asked or heard all these questions myself. There is a senior showcase. Studio time means time in the specific "Musical Theatre Studio" class, not classes in the theatre department as a whole. Cuts aren't generally a surprise. They mostly consist of the kids who don't attend class or put in any effort, or those who voluntarily leave the program for the B.A. program or decide to study in another field. Primary acceptances to the program range from 20 to 40. However, by the time orientation and first classes roll around, there are only about 20 to 25 kids in the program. After a re-evaluation at the end of the sophomore year, the program tends to reduce to about 16 to 20 students. The Castle program is now available for B.F.A. MT students, but ONLY in the fall semester of their sophomore year or as a summer program. This program is now offered because the university working with Emerson there has agreed to introduce voice and dance classes in addition to their already existing acting classes and other theatre courses. While the Castle program is allowed, it is not advised, as it takes students away from Emerson pretty soon before the re-evaluation. Participating in the Castle program DOES NOT lessen any students chance of advancing past re-evaluations. As I have previously mentioned, some students do chose to move to the B.A. Theatre program or to study in a different field. An option that Emerson offers, unlike most other MT programs is that if a student is not accepted into the program or wishes to change his/her program, that student may continue as a student at Emerson college if he/she is qualified academically. Many grads go onto theatre careers, whether it be onstage or off. One of the more notable alums currently working is Gabby Garza currently playing the role of Anna in the first National Tour of Spring Awakening. Jordan Kai Burnett and McCaela Donovan have both recently been cast in a professional Boston production of Cabaret, and they just graduated this past June. Jordan from the B.F.A. MT program, and McCaela from the Masters program. </p>
<p>Thank you all for reading
-mt13</p>