<p>Hmm Dizzy are there forms other than the initial application??
That had barely any space to write what she has done so we just listed a few things.</p>
<p>She is on the waiting list which is long..so I am sure its slim she will get in but this stuff is good to know for next year if she opts to do it.</p>
<p>I'm not Dani, but the answer to that is when the child goes to audition on the first day of her session, there is an audition form on which she can list her experience. The application to go to the camp does not really need that on it as you do not audition to get into the camp but rather audition once there to be cast in a show. Everyone is cast in a show, however. </p>
<p>Just so you know for the future, I am pretty sure the camp was sold out, particularly for girls, back in December or so. This is late to be signing up for an overnight camp. My suggestion is if you are interested in a spot next year, to sign up and put down a deposit in early fall. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>My son attended SD for two summers and loved every second of it. He did not return last summer because he was offered a part at a local professional theatre - but he often thought about SD and talked about missing his friends. The kids come away with quite a bond. He has visited SD friends in other states and has gone to see their productions. He even took one SD friend to her prom. For what it's worth - kids come away with very fond memories and great friendships!</p>
<p>Yes Susan as I noted in my prior post, I know its sold out this year.
Sounds very popular!</p>
<p>Angstridden, I knew YOU knew it was sold out already when you signed up for the waitlist. But my point was for NEXT year, I wanted you to know that it sells out sometimes as early as the holidays so to gauge your decisions with this information. Returning campers tend to sign up by Sept. 15 even (we did). Just so you know, that's all. Trying to help!</p>
<p>I think people looking into day camp type programs, as you are nearby, sign up at this time of year. But for overnight programs, and I am not just talking Stagedoor Manor, people sign up by early winter often times. I have sent my kids to other summer programs, such as French Woods and travel programs and did so before the holidays. </p>
<p>My sixteen year old is creating her own musical theater program for kids this summer and going to have kids start signing up this month. For a day program, this is about right. But for any overnight summer camp program, this is late (other than some of the pre-college programs it appears). </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Is there an optimum age at which you (any of you who have been there or have children who have gone) believe a child would get the most out of the Stage Door Manor program? It sounds like a program my D would love to attend, but because of the cost, she may only be able to go one summer (she's in 6th grade now). So, if a child could only go once, when would be the best time?</p>
<p>Hmm, that is a tough question to answer. I think she would get the most out of it at any age but get something maybe DIFFERENT out of it depending on her age. My child has gone to SD since age 9 1/2, the summer she was entering fifth grade. She had been to a two week overnight camp prior to that by the way. She is now 16 1/2 and entering college and returning for her eighth summer, so I have seen her experience now at every age of the spectrum (the camp goes from ages 8-18). The same opportunities are available pretty much no matter one's age at SD. They purposely have some theatrical productions aimed at the younger ages attending, so that even young kids can play significant roles and not wait until they are older. There are no strict age guidelines but roughly they tend to have some shows for ages 8-13 and sometimes a more "middle" aged show where kids might roughly be ages 11-14ish and often shows where the majority of the cast is 13-18. But they have no strict set ages for any show but this is just a general scenario. Sometimes, depending on the show, a cast needs many ages....say Secret Garden or Oliver, or Music Man. But a child YOUR child's age, can most definitely play a significant role at age 12 in one of the younger productions. My child has even been a lead there at age 10. I think some of the classes tend to be for the younger half and some geared toward the older half. The dance classes are by placement, so a younger kid with dance experience can definitely take the most advanced dance classes if appropriate. There are Master Classes in Acting and Dance (at least) and those are by audition and I know for Acting, those tend to be more teenagers. But in every other respect, the experience for any age there is quite similar. There is a building that houses girls up to about age 12, then they live after that in an older girls' building but one floor is roughly for girls ages 13-15 and the other for 15 and up but again, this is very rough and usually one's roommates are their own age (though admittedly my D's roommates have always been older than herself but this has been an issue her whole life in school too). The cabaret troupe (by audition) is made up roughly of selected kids ages 13-18. Sometimes there are a couple 12 year olds who get in it but that is not too common. There are no hard and fast rules on the age thing there. My child has been in the cabaret since age nine but the entire time she was in it, everyone else was about 13-18. </p>
<p>I don't know what is the best age. If your child craves to be immersed in theater, to be with other kids who share that passion, learn from professionals in the field in various classes in all aspects of singing, dance, acting, and so forth, and be in a very professionally done youth production, it would be "right" for her at any age. Unlike the "precollege" musical theater programs discussed here, this is not a program aimed at preparing kids for college auditions and the like. So, the program is similar at any age, but a kid is at a different place in their lives or own training, obviously, at different points in their lives. I would caution you that once your child goes, she will be begging to go back (that is THE problem! LOL...cause they get hooked and then it costs so much!). Kids are brand new at all ages. More younger kids are new than older ones but many older ones are brand new. I have a 16 1/2 year old niece going for her first time this summer all the way from Alaska. There is also a ten year old in our community who is going for her first time (and is currently paying my child for vocal coaching). One thing I can say is that for MY child, she would say that SDM has been a defining experience in her life. She would have said that back at age 12 but now looking back on all these years, she says it has been the most significant impact on her life of just about anything. It has influenced her greatly in her field and has been a catalyst to her pursuing the field beyond what we ever imagined when she first went. You could get THAT out of it at any age or perhaps it will be more defining in the middle school years as she starts exploring "direction" in her life as to what she might want to pursue in college and so forth. That is a point in a kid's life when they start picking a choosing a focus with their Extracurriulars and so forth. So, I guess I would not opt to wait until junior year in high school to go for the first time but maybe you might want to consider it for next summer. Age thirteen is kinda in between....often play leads in younger shows or often ensemble in the older shows. </p>
<p>Only you can say at which age it might be the right sequence in your child's summers, depending on where she is at with this interest and so forth. Maybe the interest is minor and she can use a summer at SDM to see how much she truly likes this field or not. Maybe she has already done a bunch and wants a more intense immersion for the summer. Either way, I think she would get a lot out of it. Kids go to SDM with a wide variety of background experiences and then come away with whatever "stage" they are in and go to the next step with it, if you know what I mean. </p>
<p>I am not sure that helped or not but that is my take on it. Sorry it is not a black and white answer cause I am not sure there is one. My child absolutely LOVED it at age 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and now is begging to return at age 16, even though she is graduating high school.<br>
Susan</p>
<p>Tks Susan. It sounds wonderful. I hope my daughter can go one of these summers! How is your daughter doing? She must be making pretty good progress if she is trying to return to Stage Door for one more summer?</p>
<p>My daughter was sitting next to me, so I had her read your post, pointing out this part in paticular--"If your child craves to be immersed in theater, to be with other kids who share that passion, learn from professionals in the field in various classes in all aspects of singing, dance, acting, and so forth, and be in a very professionally done youth production, it would be "right" for her at any age." I asked her if that was what she was looking for. She just looked at me and said "yeah." LOL. Maybe we'll shoot for sooner rather than later . . . And now, to bed!</p>
<p>I am curious about something else..lets say daughter wanted to take tap and had no experience..and they do the initial placement and they are in beginners..would they also consider age..or could a 15 year old be in with 8 year olds and no other 15 year olds.</p>
<p>Also what do you do for shoes for the shows..? Do they supply shoes or do you take a variety with you? And as for the dance shoes..if you take tap you would need tap shoes but could you double pedinis say for ballet and jazz?</p>
<p>Soozievt which session is your daughter going to?</p>
<p>And one last question..do you all honestly think that a new person can get a lead or major role..when there are so many talented kids that are repeats that they know and they are older?
In other words are the auditions equitable..or does some of who you worked with before at SDM play into it?</p>
<p>Thanks all!</p>
<p>I meant to say when they are older..kids who are first-timers and are older.</p>
<p>I am happy to answer your questions but remember, I am only a parent and you may want to ask these questions directly to the camp.</p>
<p>"I am curious about something else..lets say daughter wanted to take tap and had no experience..and they do the initial placement and they are in beginners..would they also consider age..or could a 15 year old be in with 8 year olds and no other 15 year olds."</p>
<p>Dance is not by age. Other classes, however, are divided into younger half and older half. A beginner tap class likely has several ages in it. HOWEVER, I HIGHLY doubt you are going to find a fifteen year old in a class of 8 year olds. For one thing, there are very very few 8 year olds who even attend SDM. There are way more 15 year olds, for instance. My guess is that it might be a range of kids 10 and up in a beginner tap class. I have watched the videos of countless dance shows at SDM and the various class performances have a range of ages. I know that just like you might wonder about a 15 year old in with a ten year old in a beginner dance class, I also have had a 10 year old in with 18 year olds in an advanced one. But in most other classes, AND with the actual productions, there are groupings roughly based on general age ranges. The ten year old is not in the same voice or acting class usually as the 16 year old. Dance is a little different. But rest assured, I have seen NUMEROUS teens in beginner tap class in the recital video. </p>
<p>"Also what do you do for shoes for the shows..? Do they supply shoes or do you take a variety with you? And as for the dance shoes..if you take tap you would need tap shoes but could you double pedinis say for ballet and jazz?"</p>
<p>This question is two fold...with regard to dance classes, you need to bring your own shoes. For tap class, yes, you need tap shoes. You might be able to get a pair of tap shoes from the costume shop, however, pretty sure. Since my own child takes dance at home, she already had tap, ballet, point, jazz shoes, jazz sneakers, etc. I do think you can borrow these from the costume shop but it helps for something like dance class to own your own. I don't know what "double pedinis" means in your question. For ballet ,most wear ballet shoes. For jazz, kids tend to wear either jazz shoes or jazz sneakers. For modern, they are often barefoot. I suppose you could use jazz shoes or ballet shoes interchangeably if need be. You asked about shoes for the shows.....most kids bring along character shoes to camp because frankly, if you are involved in theater, those are handy to own. It is sorta like owning soccer cleats if you play soccer. That said, it all depends on the show. Not every character or role or play/musical would need character shoes. The camp has EXTENSIVE costume shop including extensive array of costume shoes. They will provide the right shoes. I can think of times my child had to wear spray painted silver heeled tap shoes...no, we don't own those! The costumers provide that stuff. But that said, they usually assume most kids own a pair of black or maybe even nude colored character shoes. Rest assured, however, even if your child's role needs character shoes, the costume shop has numerous pairs to loan and also kids borrow from one another because maybe their show is at a different time or their role does not need character shoes, etc. </p>
<p>"Soozievt which session is your daughter going to?"
While my daughter normally attends for six weeks (two sessions), this year she is only going back for one session, first session, as she needs to earn money (has created and will direct a childrens' musical theater cabaret camp and is also in a professional production). </p>
<p>ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS IN TWO POSTS, to be continued....</p>
<p>"And one last question..do you all honestly think that a new person can get a lead or major role..when there are so many talented kids that are repeats that they know and they are older?
In other words are the auditions equitable..or does some of who you worked with before at SDM play into it?"</p>
<p>The auditions are definitely equitable. New kids have been cast as leads. My own child has had that experience as well as many we have seen over the years. That said, as in any program or school or similar thing, it is common to base casting decisions on having worked with someone in the past, beyond the audition itself. It is only natural to not be able to erase in your mind having seen someone perform in the past or known their work ethic, and so forth. So, returning campers have played leads but again, so do new kids. I would caution you or anyone, however, to be fully cognizant that being cast in a show at a place like SDM, where often some of the most talented kids from many different communities all land in one place, is not like being cast at home. You kinda get the leads from everyone's school or community theater musicals in one location. They all then cannot be leads, even if they are used to being leads at home. There are just more talented kids in one place in this situation. So, if you go and expect a lead, you will come away possibly disappointed. My own child has played ensemble parts sometimes, leads sometimes, supporting roles sometimes at Stagedoor, even if she normally plays leads at home. Also, often if a kid is a lead one session at camp, they may not give them a lead the other session they go that same summer, that has been a frequent trend as well. Also, there are 13 shows that go up a session, and that means a lot of significant parts to go around. As well, they keep the cast sizes to approx. under 22 kids per show and they provide an opportunity for every kid to shine on stage. It is not like rows and rows of kids in a crowded ensemble on stage. You can see every kid. Some musicals are even revue style with many solos to go around. Sometimes a kid comes for the first time and gets a smaller role and wows them and returns the following summer to play a lead. Sometimes someone comes who they have never seen and is a lead. Sometimes, someone who has gone a long long time and has handled certain roles in the past, gets a good role again. So, while it is all done equitably, and new kids have as much of a chance as anyone else, there is something to be said in casting when you have worked with someone in the past. This is not just at Stagedoor Manor. My suggestion is to go for the experience, the training, the friendships, the stage experiences. To go and set yourself up for a main role is a possible set up for disappointment. If you get a more minor role and wow them with your work, that bodes well for the next time you come too. I have seen that in school and community theater as well. It is pretty natural, if you ask me. Look at UMichigan's BFA program.....they take many talented kids whom they have never met or seen before, just based on a brief audition. But they also have taken some kids who have worked with the department chair in the summer program for high school students. Is this fair? In my opinion, you betcha. It is only natural that the program chair has in his mind memories of working with a kid, seeing him/her perform in a show, etc. For kids like mine who they have never seen before in a class or a show, they must make a judgement on just a short audition, which is completely fair, mind you. But it is what it is. It will always be this way in this field. If you audition in NYC, and we have been there, done that.....there are other kids with Broadway credits up against newbie, there are kids who the casting folks have seen at numerous auditions in the past. It is what it is. Sometimes those kids DO have an advantage. But new people can always have a chance (I mean how else do people get experience, right?). Once my kid went to her first agent submitted audition in NYC and got the part and had never been seen before and there were kid with Broadway credits auditioning. So it happens. Then we have seen other instances at auditions that those the producers knew and who had the credits, got picked over new kids. That is just how it goes. Equitable? I think so. Once my child auditioned in NYC for a musical that was going to be tried out in a west coast city before possibly bringing it to Broadway. It had been first done regionally with these very producers and directors and the girl who played the role that time had since gotten too old/tall for the part but they let her come audition in NYC for them along with other kids. It came down after all the callbacks to that girl and my child. They let that girl keep the part. I think this is fair because they had already worked with her in the prior run of the show and knew her. That is just how it goes. </p>
<p>By the way, the shows at Stagedoor are sorta grouped roughly by age. In that way, a ten year old CAN have a lead. If there is a show ages 8-13, a younger kid can be a lead....my child had that experience several times. If that same 13 year old is in a cast ages 13-18, maybe she won't have the lead. I recall when my child was 11-13 at SD, a couple times she put in a request to be in an older show because she PREFERRED ensemble in a more challenging production than the leads she was getting in a younger production. There are chances for every age at this program. I can think of shows ages 13-17 or so where my kid played a lead at age 14 and 15. So, they don't go by seniority at SD (or at our high school either...she played leads in the high school musical at age 12/13), but they do have some broad age groupings so as to make opportunities available to kids of every age. In other words, you do NOT have to be age 17 to get a lead at Stagedoor, far far from it. It is pretty talent based. But just remember, I know kids now at some of the best BFA programs in the country who played leads at SD but also took their turn some sessions in ensemble. You can't expect to be the lead every time no matter how talented you are, not at a place like Stagedoor. Going to SDM is an eye opener. It was to us the first summer....to see how many very talented kids are out there! It just is not like at home. It really lets you see the "playing field" a bit on a more national scale and that is a good thing to experience if you have any vision of going onto college in this field and beyond. </p>
<p>I hope that helped you some.</p>
<p>Yes very much. </p>
<p>Is there a pretty even distribution of ages? Or is it more younger kids?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Susan not sure if you saw this question...In your experience did you find there was a fairly equal distribution of kids at SDM or is it more say 12-15..(which someone told me it was)</p>
<p>Angst, I saw your question but am having a hard time keeping up with the threads and am shirking backlogged personal email to do so. I feel compelled to answer these questions because it is a public forum and I obviously have a child who has attended this program and so want to make sure I pass on the information. This forum is for such sharing of experiences to be sure. But I also encourage you to contact Stagedoor Manor by phone or email and ask some of these factual pieces of information. As you know, this year the enrollment was filled in late fall and I have no idea the length of the waitlist or where your child is on it (can you find out?) but my guess is that at this late date, there is a list above her name and you are looking at next year....do I have that right? </p>
<p>Anyway, there IS an even distribution of ages at Stagedoor Manor. If there is any one "grouping" where there are fewer kids, I would say in the ages 8-11. Remember that the theatrical productions are loosely grouped by age so elementary school kids are not going to be in a show with your daughter. Your daughter is fifteen or sixteen? She would be in productions that likely are either roughly ages 13-15, 13-18, 15-18 or something like that. For classes, she is going to be in classes where kids are roughly over age 13. For living, she is going to live on a floor where girls are roughly ages 15-18. Whoever told you there were more kids ages 12-15 was not accurate. I would say it is pretty even and then slightly more from 12-18 than any other group. There are not that many 18 year olds but there are some. There are PLENTY of kids ages 15-17 that your daughter would be with in shows and living with. In terms of living, the number of rooms for the floor that houses girls in the 15-18 year old age grouping is the same size/number as the floor that houses girls approximately ages 13-15. I recall in my daughter's production of Nine last summer, the entire cast was ages 14-18 except the boy playing the nine year old and he was even age 13 (but small). I can think of many kids from last summer who just finished up with their college process. I know kids who return to Stagedoor after graduating high school. Last year, a lead female in Nine was 18 and heading to Tisch. A lead female in A Little Night Music was brand new and age 18. I hope that helps.</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Ok Susan, thanks you must have posted same time as I posted my concern (in another thread). She was called and offered a spot and so wanted to make sure its appropriate for her.</p>
<p>OH, well that is great...which session? Maybe we'll meet ya if it is session one.</p>
<p>How far is Stagedoor from Pocanos..?</p>