I am auditioning for college this year for Musical Theatre, and I really want to pursue this furthering of my education in NYC or near. Thus far everyone has said “you don’t need to be in NYC to make it in music theatre” and I totally agree, but that is where I will be happy, it really has nothing to do with me thinking I will be on Broadway if I go there. Does anyone know of any schools aside from like NYU, Pace, Ithaca…? That I could look up and visit?
Manhattan Marymount
Thanks @astute12
Wagner in Staten Island. Also Montclair State just across the river in New Jersey. Ithaca is five-six hours drive from NYC BTW.
Look at the musical theatre forum. One of the threads at the top lists BFA MT programs by state.
Although you don’t “need” to be in NYC to make it, you’ll definitely have more opportunities.
-Colombia ®
-Julliard ®
-The New School
-CUNY Hunter
-NYU (great theater program)
-Montclair (Although in NJ, close to NYC w/ beautiful campus. My first choice school).
NYFA is a terrible school. Ithaca is hours away from NYC.
Wagner in Staten Island is also a good school. They offer a BA in Theater Performance. While it’s not a musical theater major, it includes musical theater training. You can also minor in Dance. My friend recently sat in on her freshman daughter’s voice lesson and was impressed by the vocal training as well as the storytelling training that this lesson provided. They also perform several musicals per year in the department. And Wagner is a very short ferry ride away from Manhattan.
You might want to post on the musical theatre major page if you are interested in MT as opposed to straight theatre. It’s a very active board as well. There is a school in NY that will have a new MT program this year…Manhattan school of music. It seems interesting. Here is the link to the discussion.
Best of luck!
Agree with mom2MTgal- though to be honest - I think most people on MT board check this forum too. Anyway- another option in NYC might be the audition BA program at Fordham
If you really want to be in NYC, another option that isn’t often mentioned here is to go to a (not expensive) CUNY school in NYC - in any major - and then with money saved, supplement your acting education with any of the very fine non-degreed programs in NYC. Either specific master classes, or actual classes at Circle in the Square & other top well regarded acting programs in the city.
Playbill ran a feature recently with Broadway’s’ Top 10 (current stars and which schools they came from). You can Google it. NYU was #1 but also in Top 10 were Fordham (in NYC), Julliard (NYC) Michigan, CMU and Florida State. There are also honorable mentions mentioned. Article includes names of all current stars and shows they are performing in.
Brooklyn College (CUNY) is a great school and I believe the program is 3 years saving money.