My daughter went to Stagedoor for 2 summers. She was on the waiting list for 18 months before she even got in. When she finally got to go it had been 2 years since we first tried to sign her up, so it’s not as easy as just deciding to go. However, it’s not audition-based (but the talent level is pretty extraordinary anyway). Once you’ve been though, you get first sign up with other attendees so you’re not on the waiting list anymore.
She just auditioned for TPAP, so hopefully that will be an option this summer. She really needs something that’s more focused on college auditions, rather than just show production.
@stage16mom My son LOVED Stagedoor too but you are absolutely correct, it is production-focused. He had wonderful experiences with the shows, the staff and the camp overall so I am glad he had the opportunity to go 4 summers. In hindsight, we should have had him do just 1 session at Stagedoor and a session at Artsbridge (or a similar program) the summer between his junior and senior year (a fair number of Stagedoor kids do both that summer). We both felt he was well-prepared for the audition season but having some experienced insight into the process before the start of senior year would have been even better. My D is in the process of planning her junior-senior summer and we are only considering pre-college programs and/or programs where she can build her audition rep (vs. straight production programs).
Agreed @artskids! My daughter loved it so much that even though she didn’t attend last summer, we went up there for show weekend session 2 - just so she could see some of her friends in their shows. Those connections are so special!
Though Stagedoor does not help prepare for college auditions specifically, the experience there is hugely beneficial for kids considering a life in theater. Aside from connections (some of these kids will be the future stars, choreographers, directors and producers in the business, though of course you can say that about a lot of good summer and college programs), the experience was invaluable to my daughter in so many ways. Everyone talks about how amazing it is that the Stagedoor kids put on full productions in 2 and a half weeks (the time left after they learn their part/show), but it is not often mentioned that in that time they are usually in SEVERAL shows, sometimes even while directing/acting in an original play that will be published. If they are lucky enough to be cast in the Our Time Cabaret, that is an hour-long (amazing) production that the kids learn/perform in addition to their main show, and then there are the dance shows and other drama productions that kids are part of, all in the 3 weeks they are there. All this to say that this is EXCELLENT training for the real world, where having to learn things sometimes almost overnight is expected. We had a taste of this when my daughter (less than a year after her last Stagedoor session) texted me from her summer stock job last summer that “Having been at Stagedoor is really helping me with this!” And though we complained about the housing at Stagedoor - cramped (6 to a room) and hot (no a/c), this also is not uncommon in summer stock, as we are now learning! So yeah, we added Artsbridge and MTCA for college prep, but I will always think of Stagedoor as where my daughter learned to be a professional performer.
With no disrespect to summer performing- which is fantastic- I would strongly recommend a college program (esp summer between junior and senior year) if possible- particularly one which is a model of what BFA classes. I have known several kids who were accepted at top BFA programs who struggled (some even leaving) b/c they didn’t understand the intensity of class work. It has been hard to know how hard those kids worked to get accepted, and then see them unhappy.
^^^While I think summer pre-college programs are great for many reasons including the one you mention, too wonderful., I have to say that the intensity at a place like Stagedoor Manor is certainly there. The kids work day and night in training classes and rehearsals. The program really is a feeling of professionalism, given what is required to succeed there.
There are so many more excellent summer opportunities than there are summers available in high school to take advantage! I’m sure you can’t go wrong with any of the choices mentioned in this thread or elsewhere on the board. What your kid wants to get out of their summer program can guide you as to which to choose. I will say that OCU offers a hybrid of classes all day plus rehearsals at night for a fully-staged production. They are doing Legally Blonde this summer.
@soozievt I can attest to the intensity and professionalism at Stagedoor. The kids do work day and night and the results are fantastic. The reputation of the camp is such that professionals, agents, casting directors and college auditors will often come out to observe rehearsal, catch a show or teach a master class. You don’t necessarily know going in what may occur but my son was fortunate enough to have experienced all of those things at one time or another over the course of his 4 summers there (and he got an agent via the networking). There is the added bonus of having worked with fellow actors who are now sprinkled throughout the country in BFA programs and also in the business. They tend to watch out for one another (a really good thing in a highly competitive industry).
I have to chime in with a vote for TPAP also. I can’t fully express the impact this program has had on my daughter. As MTMom2015 mentioned, the kids got to work with faculty from many college programs in addition to some pretty amazing actors and Broadway stars. (D almost fainted when Steven Pasquale called her by her name)! I have never experienced or heard of a more supportive environment for a program. “Fail Forward” is the much repeated theme. The program ends with Parent’s weekend which was wonderfully entertaining and educational. There was a parent seminar about the college audition process from Dave Clemmons that was extremely informative. And, the friendships that D made during this program has kept her upbeat and happy throughout the crazy college audition process as she’s had reunions with these friends during auditions. Cost-wise, it isn’t cheap, but it’s definitely in line with other camps and workshops out there. Highly, highly recommend considering it, especially after junior year in HS.
My daughter did a two week summer thing at AADA in Los Angeles and it was meh. If you are from California I highly recommend the California State Summer School of the Arts – CSSSA. Highly competitive program that my d did between Junior and Senior year. Lots of auditors at Unifieds asked her about her experience, which was intense. It is a process, not performance type program that runs for 4 weeks at CalArts. They do accept about 20 out of state students every year. They work on audition monologues.
Our D did a USPA camp in DC but it was 6 or so years ago. I’m guessing they may have changed considerably over the years. At the time, housing was at George Washington University. Classes were at the Kennedy Center. Depending on what the goal is for attending a summer program, I may or may not recommend it. D was quite young and not college focused when she attended (it was summer between 8th and 9th grade so she was just entering high school) It was a fun and good experience for her. But I think there are more intensive musical theater camps out there depending on your age.
Look at ArtsBridge Summer program. S good freind went to this program in Boston not last summer,
but the summer before. She made so many connections to schools and was given great confidence for her auditions. It is worth the $ according to her and her mom… What impressed me most was the connections she had before all the audition and apps process…she even passed a pre- screen (with out having to submit) because of meeting the faculty)
I have heard of all these programs and looks them up like interlochen and artsbridge. They are not anywhere near is however we are in maryland. My D is not into going far away right now so no Calif camps etc. East coast only. Plus the expense of Stagedoor …wow. I should just save that money for college fees it seems. She did a camp in NYC & had a good experience but I know next summer for college she needs college prep. I did see the Savannah camp mentioned online and it looks appealing.