<p>I'm a freshman at a school that offers only a BA in theatre, and is not talked about usually as an option on this board. I ended up here because of financial and family situations that prevented me from auditioning last year as a senior. </p>
<p>At first, I was very upset with the program. They put on only two big productions a year, it seemed and the rest were staged readings and attendance to theatre productions were very very low. I have had and currently have some great professors who are still working within the theatre industry, but none of them really work together to make anything more of the program.</p>
<p>I began to go through the process of applying to transfer. I felt I could do so much better. Even though as a general school, i loved it, i was able to study abroad, honors college, so many great friends, i figured it wasnt worth staying if my major wasnt all i wanted.</p>
<p>The theatre council, a group of students decided to try and do some of their own stuff which put on the competition play in a day. The experience was great and fun, but under the theatre dept got no advertisement and barely anyone attended, though there were some great plays performed.</p>
<p>I joined a club that had just begun this year called the musical theatre association. it was a group of students who decided they wanted to put on a musical. literally, run by us. About 6 of us put everything we had, including money into the show. Auditions, practices, music, direction, dealing with getting a performance area. We weren't helped in any facet whatsoever. In fact, we got threatened by the performing arts center and theatre dept officials many times. This cemented my will to transfer, one of the only productions im enjoying isnt even recognized.</p>
<p>Anyway, despite all the struggles this show had, we put it on and sold out both nights! people wanted to come back and see it again! We had to turn people away, enough people to sell out a third night! People loved the show and we even had representatives from the local theatre that has the national broadway tours come and see us! The theatre department literally couldn't ignore us.</p>
<p>Because of the amount of work we put in we made significant changes to our department. I was part of the first musical of the college in years and next year, the department is putting on Caberet! They are now working with all of the students involved in that production instead of against us. They realized that if we got no help and still did that well, they should be looking to get any help they can. They had never thought of using the students own ambitions before and had never tried to cultivate our talents in such a way.</p>
<p>Being part of a change that is still happening is so exciting, our production calender for next year is much better than before and I forsee it improving each year! Who knows, maybe one day it will be one of the schools people discuss on here! I've decided not to transfer in the long run, though i havent received all my decisions yet, i feel it is much more exciting to be part of this, and its giving me some real practical experience on making the most out of what i'm given. </p>
<p>I think some people stressing out about college acceptances and auditions should read this and remember that no matter where you end up, if you have the drive to make it the best education and training, you can, you just have to pursue it no matter what. I feel like I've already learned more about theatre in general and how it will be as a business in the real world with my one year here at a no name ba school, than i could at a competitive bfa college, and i'm happier than ever.</p>