<p>@CollegeSearchDad - I assume amtc means the question of when/if to take an Equity card. I think she’s saying it’s harder to get professional work if you don’t already have solid professional experience on your resume, and it can be easier to gain that initial experience if a wider range of jobs are open to you (i.e. without an Equity card).</p>
<p>@amtc - correct me if I’m misunderstanding.</p>
<p>I don’t know when it is this year, but last year Montclair’s senior showcase in NYC was April 15th.</p>
<p>Hartt 2014 Senior Showcase will be </p>
<p>Monday, March 17
1 & 6 pm
The Studio Theatre
410 West 42nd Street
NY, NY </p>
<p>Ithaca’s showcase is tonight (March 10th).</p>
<p>Break a leg to all the kids about to showcase their talent!!</p>
<p>Wait, Flossy, if agents say they invite 1%-5% to meetings, and there are 50 agents attending, then a lot of kids are going to be going to a lot of meetings, right?</p>
<p>That would be nice! A couple of things spring to mind. First, I’m not sure there are 50 agents who matter at most of these showcases. Also, I would be surprised if there were 50 agents worth meeting with in LA or NYC. I am happy to be wrong, however. But, I do know there is such a thing as a useless agent which can be worse than no agent, at all.</p>
<p>Most firsthand reports from showcases tell me that if a couple of kids get interest that is a successful showcase. And, frequently those kids would have gotten interest with or without the showcase. My feeling is that more and more schools offer these because of student and parent demand more than anything else. And, they are just not the way most students are going to get representation. Maybe someone can report in with this years results.</p>
<p>
I suspect this is true for some schools, but my impression is that at Northwestern many, if not most, kids who do the NY showcase get agent meetings, some kids get upward of a dozen meetings, and many (most?) sign with agents as a direct result if they decide to move to NY. But I haven’t been directly involved so I could be wrong.</p>
<p>There are a LOT of schools on our list already, and I know many are still missing, so I’d guess there is a lot of variability in typical results from various showcases. I hope others with more firsthand experience can share their experiences from past years, and that those involved this year will keep us updated.</p>
<h3>2014 SHOWCASES - NYC</h3>
<p>******** March 4th (Tuesday) *****************************
Muhlenberg – 7pm</p>
<p>******** March 10th (Monday) *****************************
Ball State – 4 and 7pm
CMU (MT/acting) – 3 and 5pm
Ithaca – 3 and 6pm
U of Miami – 5 and 7:30pm
Missouri State – 7pm</p>
<p>******** March 11th (Tuesday) *****************************
CMU (MT/acting) – 12, 3 and 5pm</p>
<p>******** March 17th (Monday) *****************************
Hartt – 1 and 6pm</p>
<p>******** March 24th (Monday) *****************************
CCM (acting only)/Otterbein (MT/acting) – 1, 3 and 7pm
Northwestern University (MT/acting) –
Otterbein (MT/acting)/CCM (acting) – 1, 3 and 7pm</p>
<p>********* March 25th (Tuesday) *****************************
Northwestern University (MT/acting) –</p>
<p>********* March 26th (Wednesday) *************************
Northwestern University (Songwriters) –</p>
<p>********* March 31 (Monday) *******************************
UC Irvine (BFA MT/ MFA acting) –</p>
<p>********* April 1 (Tuesday) *******************************
UC Irvine (BFA MT/ MFA acting) –</p>
<p>********* April 3 (Thursday) *******************************
Cal State Fullerton – 1 and 6:30pm</p>
<p>********* April 7 (Monday) *********************************
Baldwin-Wallace/IU – 7
CCM (MT) –
Coastal Carolina (MT/Acting) – 3:00, 7:30
IU/Baldwin-Wallace – 7
Kent State/ Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – 4 and 6pm
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland/ Kent State – 4 and 6pm</p>
<p>********* April 8 (Tuesday) *****************************
Kent State/ Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – 4 and 6pm
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland/ Kent State – 4 and 6pm</p>
<p>********* May 5th (Monday) *****************************
FSU (MT) – 4 and 7:30pm
Fordham – 6pm</p>
<p>********* May 6th (Tuesday) *****************************
Fordham – 6pm</p>
<h3>2014 SHOWCASES - LA</h3>
<p>********* April 7 (Monday) *****************************
UC Irvine (BFA MT/ MFA acting) –</p>
<p>********* April 8 (Tuesday) *****************************
Baldwin-Wallace/IU – 2:30 and 7pm
CCM (acting)/Otterbein – 1, 4 and 7pm
IU/ Baldwin-Wallace – 2:30 and 7pm
UC Irvine (BFA MT/ MFA acting) –
Otterbein/CCM (acting) – 1, 4 and 7pm</p>
<p>********* May 5 (Monday) *****************************
CMU – 3 and 7pm</p>
<p>********* May 6 (Tuesday) *****************************
CMU – 12, 3 and 7pm</p>
<p>********* May 8 (Thursday) *****************************
FSU (acting) – 3:30 and 7:30pm</p>
<p>********* May 12 (Monday) *****************************
U Miami – 6 and 8pm</p>
<h3>2014 SHOWCASES - CHICAGO</h3>
<p>Northwestern University (MT/acting) – </p>
<p>Yeah, Northwestern! And, yes I think the reputation of the school is a huge factor here. But, that one that brought 53 kids to the showcase. Call me skeptical. </p>
<p>My most is most out of all of them. Most out of the top 3 or top 5 is a different most. If that makes sense.</p>
<p>@Flossy - I think the great article that @mom4bwayboy shared supports your thoughts. It did mention that different schools have very different criteria for a “successful” showcase. Some seem to view it mainly as providing a learning experience for their students (and I’ll bet for many aspiring MTs the chance to perform in NYC for industry folks is a huge thrill), while others expect a large percentage of their students to end the year with representation. Hopefully schools set the expectations of their showcase participants accordingly.</p>
<p>@MomCares @amtc , that’s the equity question I thought you meant. Here’s what i don’t understand about that. People don’t find Equity cards on the sidewalk, and you can’t buy them like baseball cards. You earn the card either by working for 50 weeks of rehearsal/performances in Equity theaters that participate in the Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) program, you do work in a summer stock equity theater like the MUNY, PCLO or the like, or you are hired for a big enough role in an production for an Equity company that gets you the card. If you have earned the card, you did quality work for a quality company that jumped thru plenty of hoops to gain their Equity status too. If an agent has a choice between two actors who are equal in every way and one has the Equity card and one doesn’t, the agent is going to take on the actor with the Equity card. </p>
<p>I’d bet you that even if an actor had one role that bagged him his card and another actor refused the card and did some other non-Equity work since then, the agent will still go with the Equity actor. </p>
<p>If a kid is a couple of years away from going for it in New York, or you think you will be limiting the amount of work you can do, maybe there is wisdom in refusing the card (I don’t agree with that, but mabye some do), but if you want to do this for real, then I don’t see any circumstance when having an Equity card would not be to your benefit. </p>
<p>@flossy, you say “But, I do know there is such a thing as a useless agent which can be worse than no agent, at all.” Man, I’m sure that is true. Even though it is hard to get an agent, and even though these are young adults going to meetings who are hungry (sometimes blindly so) to succeed, they need to know that an interview is a two way street, and they need to ask questions and do their homework on the agent and agency as well.</p>
<p>I agree, go Northwestern! @MomCares, you will have to let us know the stats after all is said and done. I would really be interested in numbers for any of the programs. Speaking of numbers, one thing to remember is that agents do already have rosters with good numbers of clients. And type is another component. If a student is a certain type and the agent already has a client or two of that type and those clients are doing well, it will be harder to get a meeting all other things being equal. Upcoming shows may also play a part in this. If they know there will be certain types needed in the upcoming year or so, these types may have an edge in this particular showcase year. And every year thousands of new theatre and BFA grads move to NY or LA to give this a go. It would be so wonderful if there was enough work and great agents to go around for all our talented kids and everyone else, too.</p>
<p>I’d bet you that even if an actor had one role that bagged him his card and another actor refused the card and did some other non-Equity work since then, the agent will still go with the Equity actor.</p>
<p>First I am not an expert. However, I don’t think this is necessarily true because a top-level agent should have no problem finding a way to get a client booked into an Equity show if the goal is getting a card. It’s not that hard. There are schools that pretty much accomplish this task through relationships with Equity theaters. </p>
<p>flossy, you said that you would be surprised if there were 50 agents worth meeting in NYC and LA. If that’s true and you also think it is “not that hard” to get cast in an Equity show provided you have a “top-level” agent. No matter how you slice it, it comes up very difficult. </p>
<p>It is hard to be cast in an Equity show. If your first statement is true, then just by pure numbers it’s very difficult to garner a “top-level” agent. And agents aren’t magic. Even if they can pull strings and get a non-equity person seen, they can’t circumvent the processes in place for auditions in Equity theaters. Equity members audition first. In many cases, EMC (Equity Membership Candidates…people who are working towards their 50 weeks as mentioned in my previous post) are seen next, then non-Equity are last. And the EMC and non-Equity are not even guaranteed to be seen. </p>
<p>Heck, people are hired from that last group sometimes. That happens. But man, it seems like it makes more sense to take the chance to be in that first group if you have the choice. </p>
<p>Webster’s NYC Senior Showcase is Tuesday, March 11th at 5:30 and 7:30.
The L.A. Showcase is being done differently this year. I believe they are setting up individual meetings with agents and casting directors during the week of May 13th. It costs a lot more to do that but it’s probably the best way to do it in L.A. these days. </p>
<p>BW students are thrilled that 100% have signed with agents after showcase two years running now. S is a freshman but excited for his class to continue the trend in three years. They have a Freshman Showcase in Berea on May 4th at 2:00. Can’t wait to see the whole class perform for the first time. BW sponsored a 5 or so day trip to NYC for people wanting to go to showcase that included transportation, lodging, some meals, touring and shows this year. Don’t know if they do that every year, but if they do, it would be great for this midwest Mom and Pop in three years. (Maybe in two years too, so we can get the lay of the land.)</p>
<p>I just heard that 100% of the Ithaca graduating seniors got representation after their showcase.</p>
<p>ColegeSearchDad - You are slightly misunderstanding my post. My understanding is that it’s “not that hard” for a top-level agent to get a non-Equity client cast in an “Equity” show. For the average grad it’s all very hard. </p>
<p>It would be great from anyone who is in the midst of showcases now!</p>
<p>@Ewanes – I hope someone with firsthand experience with NU showcases can answer your question. D’s not a senior yet, but I’ll let you know if I hear anything this year. I’m pretty sure that in past years at least some of the kids in the NY showcase have decided to live in Chicago or LA, and so I assume they chose not to sign with NY agents. I am not sure if every student got meetings, but all of those I have asked about in past years did. We live far from campus and don’t get to visit often, so I don’t always spend my (limited) ability to probe for info on things that don’t directly involve D. :)</p>
<h3>2014 SHOWCASES - NYC</h3>
<p>******** March 4th (Tuesday) *****************************
Muhlenberg – 7pm</p>
<p>******** March 10th (Monday) *****************************
Ball State – 4 and 7pm
CMU (MT/acting) – 3 and 5pm
Ithaca – 3 and 6pm
U of Miami – 5 and 7:30pm
Missouri State – 7pm</p>
<p>******** March 11th (Tuesday) *****************************
CMU (MT/acting) – 12, 3 and 5pm
Webster – 5:30 and 7:30</p>
<p>******** March 17th (Monday) *****************************
Hartt – 1 and 6pm</p>
<p>******** March 24th (Monday) *****************************
CCM (acting only)/Otterbein (MT/acting) – 1, 3 and 7pm
Northwestern University (MT/acting) –
Otterbein (MT/acting)/CCM (acting) – 1, 3 and 7pm</p>
<p>********* March 25th (Tuesday) *****************************
Northwestern University (MT/acting) --</p>
<p>********* March 26th (Wednesday) *************************
Northwestern University (Songwriters) --</p>
<p>********* March 31 (Monday) *******************************
UC Irvine (BFA MT/ MFA acting) --</p>
<p>********* April 1 (Tuesday) *******************************
UC Irvine (BFA MT/ MFA acting) --</p>
<p>********* April 3 (Thursday) *******************************
Cal State Fullerton – 1 and 6:30pm</p>
<p>********* April 7 (Monday) *********************************
Baldwin-Wallace/IU – 7
CCM (MT) –
Coastal Carolina (MT/Acting) – 3:00, 7:30
IU/Baldwin-Wallace – 7
Kent State/ Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – 4 and 6pm
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland/ Kent State – 4 and 6pm</p>
<p>********* April 8 (Tuesday) *****************************
Kent State/ Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – 4 and 6pm
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland/ Kent State – 4 and 6pm</p>
<p>********* May 5th (Monday) *****************************
FSU (MT) – 4 and 7:30pm
Fordham – 6pm</p>
<p>********* May 6th (Tuesday) *****************************
Fordham – 6pm</p>
<h3>2014 SHOWCASES - LA</h3>
<p>********* April 7 (Monday) *****************************
UC Irvine (BFA MT/ MFA acting) --</p>
<p>********* April 8 (Tuesday) *****************************
Baldwin-Wallace/IU – 2:30 and 7pm
CCM (acting)/Otterbein – 1, 4 and 7pm
IU/ Baldwin-Wallace – 2:30 and 7pm
UC Irvine (BFA MT/ MFA acting) –
Otterbein/CCM (acting) – 1, 4 and 7pm</p>
<p>********* May 5 (Monday) *****************************
CMU – 3 and 7pm</p>
<p>********* May 6 (Tuesday) *****************************
CMU – 12, 3 and 7pm</p>
<p>********* May 8 (Thursday) *****************************
FSU (acting) – 3:30 and 7:30pm</p>
<p>********* May 12 (Monday) *****************************
U Miami – 6 and 8pm
Webster – Private meetings during this week</p>
<h3>2014 SHOWCASES - CHICAGO</h3>
<p>Northwestern University (MT/acting) --</p>