<p>Hi, does anyone know anything about the Theatre (acting) or MT program at TCU? My D was accepted there and we haven’t had time to visit the school and may not be able to before May 1. Thanks.</p>
<p>What it TCU? Texas?</p>
<p>Yes, Texas Christian University. They are well know for there division one sports teams and are considered a tier one University for education. I know they have been doing plays since 1945 and there most famous alum is Betty Buckley.</p>
<p>I can't help much with theater but they have a very impressive music department so if your D can get voice lessons from one of the teachers there, that would be a huge plus.</p>
<p>Cartera45 - Thanks, any teacher in particuliar?</p>
<p>No, I don't have specifics, but I'll PM you about another forum that might be of help.</p>
<p>I love Fort Worth! Don't know much about the MT program, but like cartera45 said, TCU is well-known for their excellent music department.</p>
<p>TCU is my alma mater and workplace, and the theatre dept. is one of my graphic design clients, but I'll try to be objective. <g></g></p>
<p>Dr Harry Parker, a former classmate and friend of mine, came on board a few years ago and has been building a wonderful program. He instantly scoped out the professional theater companies in the area including regional biggie Casa Manana and some of the small equity companies like Circle Theater for co-productions, providing TCU kids with lots of good connections and opportunities. He jumped into the theater community with both feet and is a popular director at some of the area houses, as are other faculty members. Though there is only one musical each season (they are planning on adding another in future seasons), there are many nice opportunities to work in professional theater during the year. Harry goes to London each summer where theater kids take classes.</p>
<p>This was the first year they held auditions for the MT track. My daughter ADORES Dr Parker, who is very caring and all about the students; she likens him to Dr. Herendeen at OCU. If she were not focused on going to school in the northeast, she would have loved to have attended either OCU or TCU. </p>
<p>TCU is a lovely campus in a nice neighborhood in Fort Worth, which offers a lot in terms of quality of life, great weather (the summer heat is not for amateurs, however!) and wonderful cultural offerings. It's a popular destination for parent visits who don't driving or mind renting a car (public transportation is admittedly lacking.) The new dorms are super posh and if there is any way your family could get a quick visit in, I highly reccommend it. They offer a lot for the tuition and housing, in my book. TCU is known for friendliness and personal attention, balancing the feel of a big Division 1 sports school with a unique small school culture. </p>
<p>TCU's school of music is excellent, though I'm not sure how much crossover there is between departments. My daughter's first really great voice teacher (who now lives in NY and has a nice career going) has her BA and MA from the vocal department there. I found her through Dr. Sheila Allen.</p>
<p>TCU also has a strong dance program and was the first school in the nation to offer a ballet major. </p>
<p>The theater facilities are very nice, newly redone in the past few years. Not huge, but nice.</p>
<p>Please feel free to PM me for more details, but I do think it'd be well worth a visit. My daughter got in at all her first choices in the Northeast, but often tells me she thinks she could have been completely happy at TCU.</p>
<p>Plus, our mascot is the horned frog. You gotta love that!</p>
<p>Visit their website to see some lovely production stills: Department</a> of Theatre - Texas Christian University</p>
<p>I feel it important to add that despite the name Texas Christian University, TCU is by no means a bible college; rather, it has a long historical relationship with the Disciples of Christ church from the last century, much like SMU and OCU have with the Methodist church. It has an open-minded attitude toward all faiths, and the curriculum requires only one religion class, which can be something like "Religion in the Fine Arts" or "Survey of World Religions" class. While the school is very big on producing "ethical thinkers" there is not a lot of "bible thumping!"</p>
<p>Also-- TCU's BFA theater program is very flexible - you can get an emphasis on MT or education and kind of customize your track.</p>
<p>My understanding is there was a man named Christian that the name comes from. Not a Bible college at all. Most colleges started out with a church association but not a conservative college like Baylor. My niece is going to be a freshman there and I have been told very open minded college. (Both her parents went to Baylor but she wanted something different.)</p>
<p>Dramama - thanks for all the info :)
I think a little religion is good for the soul but I certainly wouldn't want it shoved down my children's throat. If my children or anyone else prefer to pursue that I'm okay with it. I don't recall if it was the website or the people we spoke with at the school but it was clear it wasn't what someone referred to as "bible thumping" school, not even close.</p>
<p>Dramama- you said "This was the first year they held auditions for the MT track". So is this the first year that the MT program is available? Was it Theatre performance only before and were there auditions required for that?</p>
<p>I don't think the program changed this year (nor is MT new there) but simply they now require auditions for the MT track.</p>
<p>Soozievt, did any of your students go there? Also, how does it work if auditions are not required? Does that mean even if you don't have a lot of talent you could graduate from the program?</p>
<p>MTDad, no, none of my students have gone to TCU. For one thing, the school tends to attract more from the south and so I have had only one student who applied to TCU but she is from the South and I also have clients in the East, West and midwest and none of them looked into TCU. I don't know LOTS about TCU but I know some CC friends whose kids applied or got in previous years. I also know a CC member who is an alum and works at TCU. I know that TCU has offered a degree in MT for a while but that this was the first year they required auditions for admission. </p>
<p>You ask how it works if no auditions are required. There are quite a number of college programs in MT where no auditions are required, particularly BA in MT programs. I wish more kids put such programs on their list. When you say you could graduate without a lot of talent....perhaps so. But people make it in the industry whether they attended a BFA, a BA, no college, majored in something else, etc. You could be very talented and choose to attend a non-audition based college program. Even if you go to an audition based program, you still may not make it. I don't think a college degree program guarantees you a job in the industry. What it guarantees you is an education. If you want to study something, study it. Whether you make it or not in the field will be determined by employers or casting agents.</p>
<p>MTDad - have you PM'd Ericsmom? I'm sure she has lots of info.</p>
<p>Hey, I've been out of pocket for a few days, seeing Elon's wonderful Grand Night, among other things.</p>
<p>If you want to talk to me privately about TCU, please send me an e-mail and not a PM.</p>
<p>I am an alumnus of TCU (the business school), and I absolutely love everything about TCU and Ft. Worth. Dramama will be your better source of info about the theatre and MT programs as well as the school currently. The campus has really changed since I was there - really impressive facilities. I was able to go by there last summer, and the new construction is making it even better.</p>
<p>I do think TCU leans more toward the diverse / liberal side when it comes to religion. You will find many different denominations and religions represented there.</p>
<p>We visited the theatre dept. with my son several years ago when he was looking. They have, for a number of years, offered the BFA in theatre, and one can choose among several emphasis areas, among them, MT. At that time, auditions were only required for scholarship consideration. My son applied and was accepted there with excellent academic scholarships. He got into some of his top audition-based MT programs before Christmas his senior year, so he did not go back for a talent scholarship audition at TCU. When we visited in his junior year, we probably had the nicest visit day of any college campus (and we visited many places). The program, at the time, was very impressive, and it would be particularly good if one wanted to customize a program and perhaps add a double major or a minor. It was not quite as intensive as some of the other programs at that time and allowed much flexibility.</p>
<p>We live in an adjoining state. I've known quite a few students who have gone to TCU from here in recent years for the theatre or acting program (not so much for MT). They have all been very pleased with the training. The graduates from that program that I know are either in California doing film industry or in Dallas doing acting. I don't know anyone personally who has gone there for MT.</p>
<p>There is no doubt in my mind that one can get fabulous training at TCU. With the recent growth of the theatre dept., combined with the very top notch music and dance departments that they had even when I was there, it should be wonderful.</p>
<p>Of course, one cannot choose where one's children end up wanting to go, and my son has been incredibly happy in his almost 2 years at Elon. Elon was the right place for him. TCU was the right place for me.</p>
<p>Hope that helps a little.</p>
<p>PS - Soozie mentioned that most students go to TCU from the South. This may be true; however, when I was there my sorority was filled with girls from the greater Chicago area. My friends were either from Texas or from Illinois.</p>
<p>I think TCU particularly draws students from all over the Midwest.</p>
<p>MTDad - I saw where your D got into IL Wesleyan for MT and several other schools for Acting. She probably needs to decide what she prefers. I've heard good things about IL Wesleyan, and my son worked with someone very talented from there in summerstock last summer.</p>
<p>Nice to hear from Ericsmom! And I agree with SoozieVT -- many talented kids wind up at non-audtion schools and have a great college experience, and more should add a few of these schools to their list.</p>
<p>I hope more and more kids will consider checking out TCU; I think it's an excellent program that will continue to grow in reputation.</p>
<p>I'm glad Ericsmom and dramama visited and posted on this thread because those are the two people whom I know who would have insight on TCU. :)</p>
<p>To add again, many talented MT kids are at non-audition schools and so let's not assume that because a school has no audition, that there is not some great talent in those programs. If you look at the talent at Northwestern for theater/MT....you'll know what I mean as just one example. I know some hugely talented MT kids at Yale and Brown. Muhlenberg is another. Talented kids do not all land in or even choose BFA schools. BFA schools do not have a lock on the talent that is out there. Audition based schools offer something for those who seek that sort of college but they are not the end all and be all of preparation for a career as a performer.</p>