<p>Thanks MichaelNKat and Soozievt,
My daughter is applying to the CMU precollege and NYU/Tisch/Cap21 programs, but is still looking at perhaps a couple more just to make sure she gets in somewhere good. As Soozie might remember, My daughter went to Stagedoor last summer and LOVED IT. She really would have liked to have gone back, and I wish I'd heard of stagedoor about 5 years ago, but this being the summer between her Junior and Senior years, we kinda thought that a university/precollege programs (4-6 weeks) would be of benefit.</p>
<p>Also looking at the Ithaca program (we visited there on the way home from camp last summer and she really liked the school), OCU, and perhaps Syracuse or Uarts. I think her first choice is the NYU/Tisch/CAP21 program, just so she can spend the summer in NYC....lol but we'll see.</p>
<p>So for the Syracuse program, apart from the classtime, what do most kids do with their free time in the evenings, and on weekends? Are there structured events? That seems to be one of the nice things about the NYU/tisch program... Also, what's the Syracuse dorm/housing situation like?</p>
<p>In 2006, all of the summer program students (not just MT) lived in the same dorm, in one wing assigned to females and one to the males. My daughter's dorm room was a quad, 2 nice sized bedrooms and a large "living" room connecting them. Each room had 2 beds, 2 bureaus and 2 desks and each student had a hanging closet in the living room. </p>
<p>As to activities, there are structured activities on the weekends, ranging from outdoorsy activities to mall shopping. The MT kids also went to some regional summer stock. During the school week, there is a good bit of out of class work to be done so usually the students would just hang on campus, go to the gym etc. In addition, there are curfews that are strictly enforced. That being said, there is a good bit of free time which if not put to constructive use can provide opportunities for mischief. A number of students got kicked out that summer for underage drinking facilitated by older matriculated college students who were also on campus.</p>
<p>If your daughter is a city kid, give the UArts program a strong second look. My daughter attended it the summer of 2005. Technically a very strong program taught by the regular UArts MT faculty. Very supportive and collaborative environment. And Philadelphia is in many ways a smaller version of NYC. UArts is located in the heart of phila's theatre district and provides a very rich theatre, dance and music cultural opportunity. A gizzillion restaurants, shopping, musuems and literally the largest city park system in the world. The streets teem at night with students and young professionals and it's a very dynamic atmosphere. My daughter's summer MT experience at UArts was the ultimate final influence in her determining to attend there out of the other schools to which she was accepted</p>
<p>I am appling to Interlochen summer musical theatre program. I was wondering if anyone knew how selective the program is? Also does anyone know anything about Frenchwoods camp. And can you reccomend some other musical theatre programs that would look good on my college app. I was looking at CMU but i think i want to do it next year. I just want a camp that is good but colleges also reconignze or would give my college reseme a little pump. Thanks</p>
<p>Interlochen is by audition and French Woods is not. I have a child who is now 21 who attended French Woods from ages 11 1/2 to 14 1/2 if you have specific questions. </p>
<p>However, PLEASE try to understand that you should NOT pick a summer program based on which would look good on a college application. Pick activities and programs on their own merits and which fit what interests you and the rest will follow. Getting into college is not dependent on the name of what program you did before high school or what high school you attended for that matter either. Lots of kids get into top BFA programs who went to NO summer theater intensive! Colleges are not going to give you a "little pump" if you did CMU vs. did some local theater program. What matters is that you have gained training and experience in order to have the requisite skills. Find activities and programs that suit your interests where you can further develop your MT skills. It matters NOT where you do that. College will not care about that. They will care about your skills. </p>
<p>I have two children in college and neither ever once picked an activity or summer program with "what looks good for college" in mind. Ever. In fact, my kid who goes to a BFA in MT college went away every summer to a theater camp she chose at age 9 because she loved it. She never once thought about college at age 9 and never discussed what to do in summers to look good for college in the following years. She just kept going to the summer program she loved for the experience itself. My other daughter attended summer programs unrelated to the field she has pursued in college, at a top college. They did activities they wanted to do and would have made the exact same choices had they never gone to very selective colleges or any college at all. </p>
<p>Please understand, as I say this as a college counselor who advises students applying to college, including to MT programs. Find a summer program or activity that you WANT to do.</p>
<p>Seems excellent. I know NU doesn't offer the BFA, but this looks like a great program.</p>
<p>Would be interested in people's impressions or comparisons of this NU summer program relative to the CMU PreCollege program and the NYU/TISCH/CAP21 programs. Not in terms of "what's best, etc.... (that's not what I mean) but more along the lines of What do they focus on.</p>
<p>I see that NU works the kids hard 7 days a week, but there's no voice lessons for the first 5 non-MT weeks. Also, I think I saw that the NU program doesn't focus on audition preparation whereas say CMU is noted for that.</p>
<p>any comments on the "Dance" components of each program, also comments on the respective faculty and facilities would be welcome. </p>
<p>Also extra-curriculars would be interesting as well (i.e. weekend/evening outings/shows/fieldtrips/etc)</p>
<p>KatiesDad, all three programs are excellent and I have worked with kids who have gone to each of these. I think CMU's is the easiest to get into. CMU has excellent training in all three disciplines and there is audition prep. NYU's program has all the training components in all three areas just like CAP21 does in the college program and then there is a theater studies class and there is college credit. CMU is six weeks, Tisch is four. Cherubs is a superb program too but is different in that the first five weeks are a Theater/Acting program and then you can apply for the two week MT Extension (by audition DVD). Tisch and CMU have no audition DVD (though the five weeks for Cherubs does not either). I know many MT kids who have chosen Cherubs and many find it is great to focus on acting intensely for five weeks. They do put on scenes and short plays and I think the MT Extension has a small performance (not a full musical). Tisch has no shows but does have "demos" at the end. CMU has that sort of thing too....not a show but like a performance of their audition material. All three programs are very intense and all three have excellent faculty. I know the Tisch program gets to see shows in NYC as part of the program as well. </p>
<p>I don't think you could go wrong with any of these. The MT Program at Tisch (summer) is smaller than CMU's. As far as dance....I know at Tisch, there is ballet, tap, and jazz, just like in the regular CAP21 program. Tisch is equally balanced with all three disciplines. I think CMU pretty much would be too and they also have the audition prep aspect. Cherubs would be heavy on acting for five weeks and then MT for two. Cherubs is supposedly physically intense as well. Again, many kids in Cherubs are MT kids. Those whom I know who have gone to any of the three of these have loved them. All three programs would be a taste of an intensive theater immersion. Perhaps your D has an interest in a particular college (for her college years) and so one way to decide is to sample which college she may be interested in. But also she has to see where she gets in. It is not THAT easy to get into the NYU/Tisch one. I have yet to meet anyone yet denied for the CMU one. I would definitely put in for CMU as a better chance but also to put in an app soon (earlier is better). </p>
<p>Also, read the threads that exist on all these programs in their respective college sub forums here on the MT Forum as all have been discussed and all have CCers who have attended.</p>
<p>My D LOVED the Cherub program. It is true that it did not specifically prepare her for "the college audition circuit" but it indirectly gave her unbelievable skills and confidence. There were some master classes in auditioning and she came home with some great monologue choices. Also, they had a "college" night where faculty from all of the programs discussed them and answered questions. My D says it was a life changing summer and still tears up when she thinks about all the memories!!! I think it was very intense physically and mentally. She got into the musical theater extension and for two weeks was immersed in musical theater. The 5 week program, however, is straight theater training (although she did take dance classes as electives). It really made her a stronger actor. Feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>On OCU application they ask for one minute monologue.
does it have to be theatrical?
or can it be from one of those books that have monologues.
she is 16 years old.</p>
<p>I went to the Ithaca one last year - I would say the same thing about it that Alliesmom said about Cherub. It really changed me and my approach at MT. I would DEFINATELY reccomend it, and this may be its last summer (the professor is retiring this year. he is amazing, i love him!) However, this is not the typical singing-acting-dancing thing, its whole focus (5x/week for 3 weeks) is on acting the song - you start out with one song, go through the whole process as a class, and then choose another song and to the same. It was eye-opening for me, but this may not be what you/your child is looking for. It was pretty intense, with written assignments every few nights that, to do well, at least, took quite a while, but the schedule itself wasn't too strenuous - we had class from 9:30 to 11:30 and again from 1:00 to 3:30 (I think? maybe I've got it wrong). Most of the MT kids hung out together, but there were also some non-mt kids in the main group (you can take everything from straight theater to journalism to sports management in that time period). There are weekend trips to amusement parks, the mall, etc, and optional activities almost every day.
If you have questions, just ask!</p>
<p>Hey guys! I'm really new to this forum, but so far, I'm impressed by all of the extremely knowledgeable people who seem to know what they are talking about when it comes to summer programs.
I have a few questions based on many of the programs that I'm applying to for this upcoming summer:
1.) Is Boston Conservatory a good summer program? I haven't heard too much about it, but it seems to be a legit program from what I've seen from the website and by talking to the director of the program.
2.)Is it worth applying to the Oklahoma City University summer program is I did not make the first or second admission deadline? I don't want to have to go through the whole process of making a new audition dvd when there isn't a good chance of me getting in there on the third application deadline...
3.)Have you guys heard of Idyllwild? My voice teacher said she knew someone who worked there and she wanted me to look into it for this summer...</p>
<p>Thanks for your time! I really appreciate it!
-Sammi</p>
<p>to my (limited) knowledge, BoCo does a vocal program (classical-oriented) and a dance program in the summer, which is why you might hear less about it here-- people generally talk about the MT summer programs that offer training in all 3 disciplines. i know the dance program is strong, and the vocal program seems strong to me too, although i know less about it.</p>
<p>It's worth sending in a dvd to OCU. My daughter actually didn't apply until April last year and got in albeit probably due to some late cancellations. It's a great program. Good luck!</p>
<p>My D was accepted for this summer. It looks like a great 3 weeks and with you going back for a second time...that's positive too.
Could you tell me more about the program. D is thrilled and looking forward to attending.</p>
<p>congrats to your d! it really is a wonderful program...it's the most hectic, hard, and exhausting three weeks of life, but it's very rewarding and provides a lot of growth, not only as a performer, but it definitely builds a lot of character. i was actually accepted in 2004 when ann reinking was still heading it, but wasn't able to attend, but deb mcwaters has been the artistic director for the past three years and was on the directing board before that. the faculty is fabulous and the administration is so wonderful, and they bring in some amazing guest artists-last year we had neil patrick harris, jonathan groff, ben vereen, ashley brown, terrence mann, frank wildhorn, among a ton of others. in past years chita rivera and patrick wilson have taught as well. i don't know who exactly is coming this summer-the apprentices only hear maybe a couple of days before they show up, and then we definitely find out when we get our schedules.
first, everyone is grouped by age and dance level. (i.e. HS age versus college/adult, and then beginning, intermediate, and advanced dancers). there are separate levels for tap as well. last year there were 7 levels of tap and 7 main groups (group A/tap 1 represent!) classes go from 8:30am (sometimes earlier!) to 10:30pm. the block of classes after dinner are also times for rehearsals for the end-of-summer show that is at Tampa Bay PAC. everyone is guaranteed a minimum of 2 numbers in the show. classes are in every discipline-acting, singing, dancing, writing, plus we have q&a's after lunch with industry professionals. last year was a very hectic year because three broadway workshops (alice, havana, and the d'amboise workshop) were going on at BTP, as well as the fact we had a casting director come down and hold auditions for his current shows that are on bway and the tours. it normally is really hectic and some days you have no idea where you're going, so make sure she has everything with her. also, make sure she has RAIN GEAR. tampa is known for their downpours and lightening, and although we do have buses shuttling us between USF and the dorm for meals, we have to walk to USF every morning and walk back every evening. last year we didn't have bus service for two days and a huge thunderstorm came through and delayed the entire day because of all of the hail and lightening since we had to walk. we have dorm parents that help us out when we do target/dance store runs, plus they deal with health/dorm issues as well. we're housed based on age, and we have "focus group" every night which is basically mail/announcements/schedules/making sure we got back safely from walking from campus. you can also sign up for private lessons in acting and voice every day depending on schedule, and there are college reps that come give seminars and do master classes (last year Northern CO, CMU, CCM, Sam Houston, BoCo, Marymount Manhattan, and a few others that i can't remember came). if your d has facebook, there is a BTP 2008 group that i run, so please have her join! it has many of the faculty members and a bunch of returnees in the group.</p>