Ok so I am wondering , how important is it to go to a school that offers either a senior showcase or a chance for seniors to be seen by agents senior year, like maybe they bring in people rather then going to NYC Etc…I would like some opinions on this as I don’t know if that needs to be a factor in school selection…
This is simply my OPINION…
I think the availability of a showcase or else when agents do visits to a campus program, can be beneficial, but not necessary and would not be hugely significant in my choice of a college MT program. It might be a factor, but likely a secondary one in terms of importance. In other words, a nice plus, but not required.
Here’s the thing…getting agent representation is VERY helpful in markets like NYC. Having an agent helps in getting submitted for private auditions and not attending open calls, for example. HOWEVER, just because a student is in a college showcase or just because agents visit a college program, there is no guarantee a student will be offered representation. So, if you realize that, a showcase is just a CHANCE at possibly having an agent sign you. It is not like all a graduates obtain an agent. The percentage who do get that opportunity are likely higher for the entire cohort at the tippy top programs. So, if you are in a showcase, you may or may not get an agent out of it. Of course, such exposure is always a positive thing!
But keep in mind that a college showcase is not the ONLY chance of obtaining agent representation. Sometimes, once a person has more professional work under their belt, they may even be in better shape to get an agent. Also, try to remember that what happens in terms of one’s career right out of the gate of college graduation is not the end all and be all of what can happen with TIME. It takes time for most to build a career in this field. Instant success is unusual.
Anecdotally, just speaking of my own kid, who graduated a BFA program 6 years ago. She did get an agent out of her college showcase. That agent is no longer her agent and she obtained another one a couple years into her career. While she has worked consistently ONLY in music and theater since graduating, she would say that it has taken time to build up her career. Another thing with my own kid…she went to NYU/Tisch. At the time, the MT program was CAP21 and they had a showcase for all seniors. She switched out of CAP21 for her final 3 semesters to do Experimental Theater Wing studio, knowing she was giving up the guaranteed showcase in CAP21 (though she was invited back to do it, she didn’t want to because she was in ETW). At the time, Tisch ALSO had a Tisch-wide showcase for MT (and a separate one for Acting) but that one was by audition only and was tough to get into because any Tischie from any studio could audition for the approx. 15 slots in the MT showcase (and there are MT kids even in the acting studios). So, she chose to give up a guaranteed showcase without knowing if she’d get into the audition-based showcase. So, that says something right there. She did end up being selected for the audition showcase for all of Tisch and did get an agent. Still, this was not critical to my daughter in selecting a college program or even the choices she made while in the program.
And even getting an agent is not the end all and be all. The agent has to submit you for things. And of course, being cast is difficult at the upper levels or in markets like NYC. Having a showcase or even obtaining an agent is not going to be all it takes to make it. It is one helpful option but it is going to take a lot of work on the graduate’s part no matter what.
There are several existing threads on this topic:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1467889-senior-showcase.html
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1278114-the-power-of-nyc-showcases.html
I think you can find the proof of that statement in most Playbills.
Anecdotally, students at D’s school (Northwestern) had a wide range of experiences in getting representation. Quite a few kids arrived on campus with strong representation which they’ve kept, some got agents during their 4 years of college through exposure during professional shows, some were cast in major tours or even Broadway and opted not to get representation (they didn’t want to give up a % of their salary since they were already employed), some chose to skip Showcases as they had conflicts with existing contracts (this happened to D) and many took agents after showcase. All of the kids I know of personally in D’s MT cohort (they graduated in June) who want representation have gotten it by now. My anecdotal experience might indicate that a Showcase isn’t needed for talented kids to land great representation, but that it can certainly help.
As @soozievt says, it is not uncommon for kids to switch agents as their careers progress, and it is important to understand that all agents are not created equal. I know kids who are rarely submitted by their agencies and others who have to turn down many submissions as they’re too busy.
I’ve also heard that college Showcases are becoming obsolete for many reasons but don’t personally have the expertise to say whether or not that’s true.
Best of luck in your college search!!
I think showcases are a nice thing and we went back and forth on the importance when looking at schools, but I have found that it’s even better when you are given the opportunities to make those connections while in school. My daughters school have had agents come to school and do workshops. It seems like they have a better chance to get to know you. They work with you and it’s on a more personal level.
I would agree with @broadway95. As the business moves more towards “digital auditioning”, having someone work with your group for an extended period on campus can make a greater impression and mean a more personal connection. Same goes for who you might get the chance to work with over the summer.