Summer Programs - Discussion

College Majors Musical Theater Major
481

<p>I'm only answering this because of my UM loyalty not because I have any hard information. To be really safe, your best bet is to call or email the folks at UM and ask this question. Contact info is as follows:</p>

<p>MPulse Ann Arbor Contact Information</p>

<p>Dody Blackstone, Program Coordinator </p>

<p>MPULSE ANN ARBOR
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC
1281 MOORE BLDG
1100 BAITS DR
ANN ARBOR MI 48109-2085</p>

<p>TOLL FREE PHONE #: 866-936-2660
LOCAL PHONE #: 734-936-2660
FAX #: 734-647-0140
EMAIL: <a href="mailto:mpulse@umich.edu">mpulse@umich.edu</a>
WEBSITE: <a href="http://www.music.umich.edu/special_programs/youth/mpulse%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.music.umich.edu/special_programs/youth/mpulse&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>You won't have to worry if you get the answer from those who will adjudicate the auditions.</p>

<p>Break a leg to your daughter. It's a great program and Ann Arbor is a wonderful place to spend any time at all.</p>

482

<p>Thanks Theatermom! I will follow your wise advice and then share with everyone what I find out! My D is very excited about the prospect of attending MPulse this summer! I mailed all of the application materials today...just a hint of what's to come! Yikes!!!!</p>

483

<p>Wow! Can you believe I already got a response from Dody Blackstone at Michigan?! She checked with Professor Wagner and then replied...
"Your daughter's monologue will be fine. The directions were intended to mean that the monologue be an excerpt from a play (one act or two acts) as opposed to something in a monologue book which was written to be complete (like a comic sketch, etc.)." Once again, we are blown away by the supportive atmosphere at this university!!! No wonder you are such a loyal supporter Theatermom! We are ready to jump on that bandwagon!!! Thanks for your excellent advice!</p>

484

<p>I just checked out the MPulse program - looks like something my D would definitely be interested in. HOWEVER, it states that, while not a requirement, reading music would be very beneficial. My daughter does not know how to sight read - is this going to be a huge setback for her in the MT pursuit?</p>

485

<p>LAWoman....I think the key word is "beneficial". Your D won't have a "setback" in admissions by the fact she does not read music, though she WILL have to learn to do so once she is in a BFA program. However, to know music and to be able to sight read IS beneficial in the long run. In other words, it is not a requirement to get in and thus not a set back if she doesn't have it, as she will learn it once in a program as she'll need to learn these skills. I have to say however, that while this did not aid my child in getting INTO a BFA program, her musicianship (plays three instruments) and knowing music theory and being able to sight read music, has been BENEFICIAL in her work in musical theater itself. She did not learn these skills FOR MT, but is a musician. I can think of MANY ways where these skills have been beneficial in her MT life. So, in that regard, the information you read about MPulse is on the mark....NOT required to get in (same with the BFA) but would be very beneficial to have in terms of her work in musical theater. She will have to learn this at some point. I recall Brent Wagner, the head of the MT program at UMich as stating at the BFA auditions, if you can't play piano, start NOW. You don't have to know how in order to be admitted, but you have to know how to sight read music in this field at some point. So, in that respect, the sooner you learn, the better. </p>

<p>Susan</p>

486

<p>LAWoman,</p>

<p>Keep in mind that when they are talking about sight reading, they don't mean the ability to sit down at a piano and sight read the music to play the entire piece. I believe that in a case like the one you describe, they are referring to the ability to look at sheet music and understand enough about what you are seeing that you can pick up the melody of the music you are going to have to learn to SING in a short period of time. There is no question that the ability to play some piano, if only the ability to understand how to read a melody line, the notes, the rhythms, the tempos, etc., so that you can play it for yourself on a piano is an enormous benefit to anyone contemplating a career in musical theater. But for now, I believe the sight reading they are referring to in the MPulse info is that which will help the summer students learn their music in the short time they have to put on the revue they do at the end of the summer session.</p>

<p>There are quite a few MT students at UM, and I'm sure in all the good MT programs, who are accomplished accompanists and instrumental musicians and while these skills are quite valuable, they are not for admission into these programs. CoachC has written previously about the benefits of having these skills, but don't allow the lack of them to increase your stress about college auditions. All things in good time........</p>

487

<p>Whew...thanks again!</p>

488

<p>I agree with Theatermom.....this is NOT something to stress over and is NOT needed for college auditions/admissions. I also should clarify that my point wasn't instrumental music but an understanding of music theory, like Theatermom mentions....to be able to sight read, pick up music from sheet music, understand the various aspects of music, terminology, etc. in terms of learning to sing a song. You don't have to play an instrument. However, I was saying that for someone who does play an instrument, they have learned a lot about music itself and it carries over to sight singing and so forth....lots of music theory understanding, being able to arrange music, transpose, all sorts of stuff. It is helpful in a show or in certain situations, to be given music you have never seen before and to be able to look at it and pick it up. My daughter has been in audition situations (not college auditions) where she had to learn brand new music, sight unseen, in fact, not really a melody/song, on the spot. In both instances, the composers remarked about her ease in learning it so quickly and I'm pretty sure her ability to read music was a factor in those situations. Often when working on a show in a short rehearsal period of time, it is very helpful to be able to pick up the music when on your own. Again, nothing to stress about or it is not necessary for getting into programs, but music skills are very handy in this field. I don't know if your D takes chorus or something like that at school but that also would teach a basic understanding of sight skills. I know for things like All States here, part of the audition is sight reading (singing). So, your D does not HAVE to do this now. She won't be at any disadvantage if she doesn't learn sight singing now. But she'll be at an advantage in the long run to gain musicianship skills. She could even get a mini keyboard and learn to play piano book to learn some basic sight reading skills and music theory, but she doesn't HAVE to yet. It isn't the instrument skills that I was encouraging but merely that is one way to learn to read music and understand music theory but it also can happen in voice or choral classes. I know in my D's voice lessons, the voice teacher would give out some song, maybe classical, maybe showtune, and he didn't teach the melody or demonstrate the song first, but the students had to pick it up by looking at the sheet music. Reading music and understanding basic music theory is simply very valuable for a singer and ultimately your D will learn how but it is not necessary prior to college, but she could only benefit if she were to learn as it is never too soon, in other words. It is not required, however, for entry into a BFA program usually.</p>

<p>Susan</p>

489

<p>LAWoman: If you can get some piano lessons for your D now, it wouldn't be a bad idea.</p>

490

<p>A couple of you were already VERY helpful to S and our family last summer when your kids were attending CMU's program and we visited. I thought we were all set to apply for this summer when S started coming home from (performning arts) high school with less positive feedback from a boy who attended last summer. Here are the concerns: this boy indicated that he loved the program but that it was largely classroom-bassed with lecture format. From what I can see (and from prior posts) I thought classes engaged students in active, participative learning in acting, musical theater (acting the song), movement, etc. Can anyone provide more detail about the way the classes are taught? Are there options in setting up one's schedule that this boy might have selected that were more "classroom" style?
I'd hate him to lose the experience of working with CMU faculty in the summer before senior year since my understanding from CC is that the audition training is excellent.
I'm confused.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

491

<p>Thanks everyone. I am right on track according to the advice here. I talked with my daugher's voice teacher last night, and after we get through with her getting my D ready for the SETC auditions in March, we will work on some basic skills. I have already suggested to my D tht she take chorus in school next year. AND (my D thinks this is hysterical) I bought myself a keyboard for Christmas, because during all of this exposure to the music field, I find that I would love to learn to play the piano. That is now a goal on my "to do befoe I die" list!!</p>

<p>But seriously, my D knows that she is lacking in this skill, because when she has to learn a new, unknown song she has to hear someone sing it, then as her voice teacher says, she mimics what she hears. It is a deficiency, but as long as it won't keep her out of a good college program in the long run, she is eager and open to learn.</p>

492

<p>Your D will not be tested in this skill. They may look at her resume for past experience and testing, but you should not stress about it.</p>

<p>vocaldad</p>

493

<p>I am considering either MPULSE or OCU for summer programs. OCU is far less money then MPULSe and OCU does a full staged production while MPULSE does a revue of sorts. What is the revue like? Anyone attended MPULSE or both and have any insight. Also OCUs production is Babes in Arms. Does anyone know anything about this musical? I mostly likley will go to OCU, if I get in but I was just looking around and MPULSe looked interesting as I also want to apply to University of Michigan.</p>

494

<p>DG....</p>

<p>While I don't have first hand experience at either program and you will find posters here whose kids have gone to one or the other, please make sure you pick which program you like as to what the program is about....not as a "help" to applying to that college for its BFA program, and also not as to which musical they are producing this summer. </p>

<p>The revue at MPulse to my knowledge is likely similar to what you saw in SDM's Our Time Cabaret...that is a revue style show....whole group numbers, small group, duets and many solos. That's the essence of a revue musical type production. </p>

<p>Here is a blurb/summary of Babes In Arms:</p>

<p>Babes in Arms</p>

<p>By Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart</p>

<p>SYNOPSIS:</p>

<p>"In Babes in Arms, young, poor apprentices are performing in summer stock theatre at the Surf and Sand Playhouse in Cape Cod. Led by the handsome Val, they have written a revue in order to raise money for the theatre's kind co-owner, Bunny. She has to work for the other owner, Fleming, because of the money her father owed him. However, the apprentices revue is almost not performed because Fleming decides to put on a horrible play, The Deep North. After stumbling through various romantic relationships, the apprentices unite to turn The Deep North into shambles. Thus, the show closes and they are able to perform their revue which turns out to be a great hit and raises the money for Bunny."</p>

<p>My older daughter was in this musical back when she was about age 11 at French Woods Festival. Most of the cast is meant to be young people working in summer stock. There are five significant female parts....Susie, a lead, who is a mezzo....she is one of the apprentices and is in love with Val, a male lead. Supporting female roles are: Terry (mezzo), a sexy apprentice in love with Gus, Bunny (mezzo) who owns the theater, Jennifer (mezzo) a former child star, and Phyllis who is Jennifer's mother. Some of the apprenctices have names and some lines and the rest are additional ensemble members. </p>

<p>Some songs you may have heard from this musical are....My Funny Valentine, The Lady is a Tramp, Johnny One Note. It's a pretty traditional musical.</p>

<p>Susan</p>

495

<p>To kedstuff, LAWoman, and Defying Gravity - </p>

<p>I also believe, like Susan, that a summer program should be considered for training and not for helping you get into the college MT program. The general rule seems to be that only a few from summer programs get into the schools for college, and the admittance seems to be based primarily on the audition, not on the summer program attendance.</p>

<p>That being said, my son had a most wonderful experience at OCU's 3 week summer program last summer. I would recommend it because it is a good mix of excellent "hands on" classes and producing a show, that is worked on primarily at night and on the weekends. This may be similar to Stagedoor Manor in that respect. At OCU, you would work with the excellent college faculty. It is also reasonably priced. </p>

<p>Other thoughts - We also are very impressed with the UM music theatre college program. We are not familiar with the summer program. I think the issue of reading music would not affect admittance to the summer program, but I do think that certain colleges value this ability and often ask about this in the interview at the college audition. Get her into piano lessons now!</p>

<p>Lastly, we have heard nothing but positive things from people who have attended the CMU summer program. It is different from OCU in that there is no ending show. I think the kids at CMU have free time in the evenings (unless taking a class) and on the weekends. OCU in summer keeps them fairly occupied all waking hours, even on the weekend. It would be a personal choice, but OCU is a shorter length and less expensive.</p>

<p>Feel free to send me an e-mail if you want more information.</p>

496

<p>For the first time ever, my parents are considering letting me go to a sleep-away camp, because of this new graduation requirement...thing...it's pretty complicated. Anyhoo, I'm just wondering if anyone knows anything about the Summer Program at Haverford College, particularly the Drama major program. If anyone has info, it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.</p>

497

<p>Hi. I am new to this site and want to first say how helpful it has been in providing a starting point for finding the right summer program for my daughter. By researching the summer MT programs discussed here, we are starting to narrow down the list and hopefully find the right one for her. Summer 2006 will be the summer before her senior year in HS. Ideally, she is looking for a program with strong dance (tap, jazz, ballet) as well as MT, acting and voice training. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has attended (or whose child has attended) a pre-college-type program where dance, at a more advanced level, is a part of the program. Thanks.</p>

498

<p>Anyone auditioning for the CAP21 Summer 06 program? Just wondering if anyone is and when you are auditioning - my D and I will be in the city this weekend. We are doing the NYU campus visit program on Friday as well. Anyone an ambassador for that? </p>

<p>Still looking for any comments or advice - other than to do her best!</p>

<p>Mikk's Mom</p>

499

<p>My d sent her application in around January 12th and they sent her acceptance today!! She is thrilled, and can now plan the rest of her summer. Anyone else heard?? Cathy</p>

500

<p>Hey, that's great! She'll have a terrific time. Nice to know already, right?</p>