<p>I certainly know how critical song and monologue choices are for the college auditions. But as my D begins to prepare her auditions for UMich MPulse and Ithaca, how concerned should she be about the pieces she chooses? Since this is a great way to test the waters and summer programs are somewhat limited, I want her to feel confident and successful. If she auditions for these and doesn't get in, that would be a tough way to start this process going into next year. Fortunately, she has an amazing singing voice and is a wonderful actress (great comedic timing and instincts...a character actress all the way!) So we think her chances are good. But I would hate to think that poor choices on songs and monologues would keep her out. I know to follow any guidelines given by the universities, but any obvious do's or dont's come to mind from those of you that have already done these summer programs? My instincts tell me she should just go with what she does best and not worry if something is overdone, age-appropriate etc. Thanks for all your help everyone!</p>
<p>MTHeaded:</p>
<p>My S has attended the UMich summer program for the past 3 years. I would agree with your intsincts to have your D do what she does best and what she is comfortable with performing. That is what my S has done. He even once did a monologue from a play that appears on some "do not use" lists (without knowing it until after his audition) and used a Sondheim song. I would suggest avoiding those things listed on the UM website as things not to use for college auditions, but otherwise, go for it. Good luck to your D!</p>
<p>Does anyone know at least the dates for the OCU summer program for 2006? We are looking at schedules and considering various options, and it would be very helpful to have the dates even if other information is provided later. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>vocaldad</p>
<p>Kaysmom,
It sounds as if our D's experiences have been similar. Until this year when my D transferred to an urban, public arts high school (admission by audition only) from a private, all girls' college prep academy, my D was basically surrounded by kids from families far, far more affluent than our family is. Though we are comfortably middle class, many of these girls lived in what could be called mansions, and have servants, second homes, luxury automobiles and SUVs, expensive designer clothing, etc. (One father owns his own helicopter! And when these girls get their driver's licenses, many are given BMWs, etc.) Winter breaks were taken in the Mediterranean, Palm Beach and Mexico, among other places. (We always told our daughters to, when asked, say they were spending their break at "Camp Daddy." :) That's because my husband, a newspaper copy editor, works in the evenings, so is home with the girls during the day when they are on vacation. They always have fun: ice skating, going to the library, watching movies, etc. But they don't end up with a tan or hair in Bo Derek braids ... :)) In any case, being around such affluence did not so much result in our Ds developing expensive tastes as it did in them concluding that we are poor. :) This bothers me not so much because it insults my personal pride (it doesn't) as because I want both girls to appreciate how fortunate our family is to have two parents who have gotten decent educations, were able to get good jobs, have a nice home, etc. I just want them to be appreciative of what they have and not covet what other people have.
LD</p>
<p>First with regard to the CMU program and the very honest and thoughtful post by Peggy (she doesn't write a lot anymore, but when she does, it's always worth reading!):</p>
<p>I'm concerned that despite Peggy's very clear statement that the CMU program should not be held accountable for the financial management and first time independence issues that her daughter (and as a result their entire family) had to deal with, readers are still concerned that the structure of the CMU program is somehow at fault (hence the questions about intensity and the amount of free time, etc). My D and Peggy's D were at the program together in 2003 and actually were friends there so I know that the structure of the program they experienced was the same. I also have to concur with Broadway Wannabe's description of the program and her analysis of the different ways that the students choose to invest in the program. I think that the bottom line is that different children will always respond differently to the opportunities - and temptations - offered to them. Yes, we as parents want to have as much information about the situations into which we are sending them, but we also have to take responsibility for educating them BEFORE they go away and in so far as possible, make very clear our expectations for their behavior and their responsibilities and give them clear guidelines about their spending. Yes, they are going to make bad choices on occasion. That is an important and integral part of the learning process and is one of the reasons that sending them away for short periods of time before they go to college IS a good idea. I've always told my kids that making mistakes is part of being human and that as parents our hopes were that when these mistakes are made that they don't seriously hurt anyone else or themselves and that they try to really understand afterwards what the mistake was, WHY it was a mistake and learn from the experience. The big lesson? BEHAVIOR has CONSEQUENCE. Peggy's D learned this lesson in having to pay back her credit card debt. Her parents didn't bail her out, which would only make it easier to want to do it again.</p>
<p>Sorry this is starting to sound "preachy," but I just wanted to clearly articulate my belief in the CMU summer program and the security and support that is available to both the students and parents who send them there. </p>
<p>With regard to summer audition material, I don't have hard information about the requirements for those programs that require auditions as my D only did CMU. However, my instinct tells me that while you shouldn't overly stress about this, every audition opportunity tells the auditors something about the candidate and every audition is an opprtunity for the auditioner to try out material that IS age/voice type/character appropriate. Yes, it is important to do material that you do well and that you love, but if you have the time, why not use these summer program auditions to "test the waters" with material you might want to use for college? Better to "fail" a summer program audition and learn from it than "fail" at the more important college audition. (sorry again - I know how everyone hates the "F" word......) Just my two cents. As always, better to check with each program about the importance of song/monologue choices for their individual auditions.</p>
<p>TheaterMom -- thank you for the nice words. I still lurk here occasionally, mostly just pop in once in a while to mention MILLIKIN University, just in case anyone does a search on that college. I've met several nice people through e-mail that are interested in Millikin and have questions.</p>
<p>I do want to repeat -- none of my Daughter's problems were because of CMU. I think she would have reacted that way to anywhere she went for six weeks. And I was very naive at the time. It never occurred to me that she would use her spending money to buy clothes that she knew we would not let her wear back home. Or that she would come back with the independent attitude that she did.</p>
<p>As for when she had time to go shopping, it was mostly weekend, not during the week. She took every extra class she could, including tap and directing. She absolutely loved directing class! She also had voice lessons. She knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so she put a lot of effort into every class and opportunity. There were many organized activities on the weekend, and she participated in all but one. But they did have some free time, especially on the weekend. And Pitt Univ (?) was within walking distance. Lots of little shops! For a county girl that loved to shop, this was Heaven!</p>
<p>The amount of freedom they were allowed was about what I figured -- they had curfews and were not allowed to ride in private cars. And they were required to be in every class. No cutting! (She would never have cut a class anyway. This was Theater! Her dream!) They were, however, given bus passes that took them anywhere in the city.</p>
<p>Please, I don't want anyone to NOT send their kid to a summer program because of our experience. The theater aspect was awesome, more than she would ever have imagined. Just be aware of the downside of giving them that much freedom, than taking it away. </p>
<p>P.S. She would kill me if I didn't mention this, but while she was there, she met a lot of people, not just MT's. One was a guy majoring in design. They kept in touch after CMU and have been together (what we used to call "going together" or "going steady") for almost two years now. She is in Mexico right now, with his family. They are talking engagement rings.</p>
<p>Just got back from Colorado-Merry Christmas everyone!!!</p>
<p>...talked with Perry-Mansfield staff while I was there. There are a couple exciting new additions to their programs that I wanted to share:</p>
<p>8-day MT Composer's Stage Project 10th grade thru College
8-day Composers Stage project for Professionals and Emerging Professionals
6-day Dance Teacher Intensive for Ballet & Modern Teachers [college credit available]</p>
<p>For information on these and other programs offered, please go to <a href="http://www.perry-mansfield.org%5B/url%5D">www.perry-mansfield.org</a> or private message me.</p>
<p>janp - there is a whole thread somewhere on this forum where people talked about Stagedoor Manor quite a bit last year. I think Soozievt may be out of town and away from the computer, but she would be a good source of information on this.</p>
<p>vocaldad - I believe that OCU is planning to do their 3 week program in June this year, but their web site has not been updated. I'm about to send an e-mail to them asking for the dates and when they will update the web site, since several people are interested. Somewhere previously on CC someone posted Jobeth Moad's contact information, but it can probably also be found at okcu.edu under school of music and performing arts academy. I think they are closed right now for a 2 week break. Jobeth is your best source of information.</p>
<p>Broadway Theatre Project</p>
<p>Last year around this time, there was discussion on the continuing thread for musical theatre (part 40 and back, I think, before we had all the different MT threads) concerning BTP. We have explored this as an option. Most people seemed to love it, but some thought it was too intense (maybe for some of the younger people who went, although we know someone who went at 16 and loved it). I think there is not much down time, they are busy all waking hours. It may focus more on dance than anything and on preparing for the ending show, although there are many classes and many Broadway people who come in to teach. The classes are in all areas of MT. I also remember them saying that many of the students they take are in college programs already, maybe Point Park and others where dance is heavy. I think it is rather hard to get in.</p>
<p>Last summer before senior year my son wanted to focus more on music / singing and preparing for college auditions and chose the OCU summer program instead, which was the perfect choice for that summer. The 3 week summer program at OCU was for HS students and not college students. (OCU had a one week vocal camp for HS and college age). He did local dance intensives to prepare for the dance part of auditions.</p>
<p>His dance studio owner likes the BTP but recommended that he could do this later, since it goes from ages 16 up into early 20s. We have given some thought to him auditioning for this summer, between HS and college. We've heard enough positives that he is definitely interested. The debate is whether to pay for a program or to try to earn money this summer!</p>
<p>Several of the "biggie" summer programs are not listed on the data list thread and I am guessing that there are even more pre-college programs than that as well.</p>
<p>I want to encourage people with an affection for their favorite program to add that program's info [at least name, dates, and a weblink or phone number] to the list. Just cut and paste the existing list and add the info at the bottom then submit. Or feel free to pm me and I'll add it.</p>
<p>Thanks! This is an incredible tool for kids prepping for the coming years.</p>
<p>Hello, all! I have been a lurker here for about a month, and finally decided to joing and post :)</p>
<p>This is a wonderful thread to have. I am currently in my junior year of high school, and musical theater is my passion. I am very interested in being a part of a summer program, but there is a problem. I have auditioned at a local theater for a production of West Side Story they are putting on this summer (I know, early auditions). The show's closing night is July 9, and I see that most of the programs begin prior to this date (I am sad to hear that OCU is planning to begin their program earlier! I was really interested in this one.) What programs would you suggest to me? Thank you all for your wonderful insight, I have learned so much from you all - even if you don't know it!</p>
<p>Jamie.</p>
<p>My daughter attended the Performing Arts Institute at the University of Miami last summer and loved it. The dates worked perfectly for her -- we were able to squeeze in a much needed vacation before it started, and she was able to attend her beloved theater camp after the program ended.</p>
<p>I don't think they've posted the dates for 2006 yet, but you can check out the website here:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pai-miami.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.pai-miami.com/</a></p>
<p>Thank you, jersey44! It looks like a wonderful program :) And excellent because I was looking at the University of Miami to attend.</p>
<p>You're very welcome. Miami is very high on my dd's list also -- she LOVES it there.</p>
<p>If I can not participate in any of the summer programs listed (for either geographical, financial, or any other reasons), what do you all suggest a current junior in high school do to prepare for the tough year ahead? Thank you all for being so helpful!</p>
<p>Jamie.</p>
<p>Jamie,</p>
<p>A summer program is absolutely not a necessity. There are plenty of other things you could do. Do you have a good community theater in your area that may be offering summer classes? How about a summer ballet class? I know that my d has always kept up her voice lessons over the summer....that would be great in order to get some songs and song cuts together for fall/winter auditions. Is there maybe a high school drama teacher who would be willing to help you with monologue preparation? I think there is so much that could be started in the summer to help you with applications and auditions so that you are more prepared for the fall.</p>
<p>My d does want to attend a summer program but she will also begin writing her essays for applications, getting monologues together and songs for auditions. She was asked to be choreographer for a camp session at our local community theater. So I am thinking she will stay pretty busy. Good luck to you Jamie.</p>
<p>I agree - start working on your applications and essays and monologues! Take voice and dance locally, if available.</p>
<p>Thank you to kaysmom and Ericsmom! For the past two summers I have participated in local theater productions, and intend to be a part of their production of West Side Story this summer :) I will also continue with my voice lessons (and piano!). My voice teacher is very active in the theater and I am sure he can help me with song and monologue choice as well! I'll get on reading a bunch of plays. Thanks so much to both of you. I don't feel so bad about not attending a summer program anymore :)</p>
<p>Jamie.</p>
<p>Yes, do read plays - I forgot about that. My son read countless plays to try to pick the best monologues.</p>
<p>I'll tell you - application deadlines will come before you know it. Essays are very time consuming. Auditions will also be here before you know it, and preparing at the last minute for songs and monologues would be stressful at best.</p>
<p>I can't help but echo what these folks are saying - if you have time on your hands this summer, and you're a rising senior, get those essays written! MT students seem to apply to more than the usual number of colleges, and they ALL want essays (just about all of them, that is). You will be too busy fall semester of senior year to have much thoughtful time to write careful essays from scratch. Get started in the summer! that's a great use of your time (along with the community theater idea, keeping up with voice, reading plays - all VERY good uses).</p>
<p>I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the proper format is for a college essay. 12 pt...single spaced, double spaced, etc. My d just finished her CMU pre-college essay and she was trying to find out what the best format is to print it out in. Thanks for your help!</p>