<p>My son is interested in technical theater/management, but is adamant about staying in the Mid-Atlantic region. He has experience way beyond the normal student so he needs something challenging and a school with or near employment opportunities. His grades are good, but SATs need improving. So Tisch is not on the list, and unfortunately, he doesn't want to consider Emerson or Hartford.</p>
<p>So far, the short-list includes: Muhlenberg, University of Maryland, Drexel, Rider and Rowan. We will be visiting Towson next month.</p>
<p>Any thoughts on the schools mentioned above or any others we should consider?</p>
<p>I teach at James Madison University in the School of Theatre & Dance… although not in the technical or management areas. We are located in northwestern VA about 2 hours from DC and 6 hours from NYC.</p>
<p>Many of the students at JMU come from northern VA, MD, PA, NY, DE, NJ, and the school has a decidedly “mid-Atlantic” feel. </p>
<p>In the “shamelessly proud of students” department – JMU student technicians and managers are successful in securing professional work over the summer and post-graduation (Santa Fe, Glimmerglass, Weston Playhouse, PCPA, etc…) . Over the past four years a JMU stage manager has twice (2007 & 2010) won the USITT Stage Management Award – presented to “a young stage manager who has demonstrated excellence or outstanding potential in the area of stage management in the performing arts while pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree.”</p>
<p>If your S has any questions about JMU, or would like to schedule a visit please have him PM or email me.</p>
<p>Other schools in the Mid-Atlantic region you may want to look at – Rutgers (Mason Gross), SUNY - Purchase, SUNY - New Paltz, Vassar.</p>
<p>Thank you for your quick responses. He visited Mason Gross with my husband who is a Rutgers grad and neither felt the program was what he wanted - unfortunately, the price and location are perfect. From what I understand, SUNY Purchase is a commuter/suitcase school (does any one know if that’s true?). JMU’s program looks great, I did check out the website, but it’s too far. I think UMD is the furthest he’ll go. Can you tell me anything about UMD’s program or the other’s we are considering? Thanks!</p>
<p>UMD has a beautiful arts center. There are graduate design students on campus… not sure how this impacts the opportunities for undergraduates.</p>
<p>I just spent the weekend interviewing technicians for the summer theatre at which I am artistic director. I saw a few portfolios from Towson undergrads and the portfolio materials were quite good.</p>
<p>Check out UMBC (U of Md Baltimore County). They have a good theater program, but they are really picky about SAT scores, even if you have good grades. My daughter went to a performing arts day for MD high school students last October, our tour guide was majoring in stage management, I think he was a senior and he was getting plenty of work at local dinner theaters, and was very happy with the program. UMBC also has some really generous scholarships. I’m not sure if the scholarships are for out of state, but the Linehan Arts Scholarships can give up to 20,000. They also have the only BFA program in MD, they like to brag about that, it’s a portfolio review for tech. The BFA is non-audition for acting, you apply in the second semester of your freshman year and must be approved by the faculty to get in, but from what they told us, most of the people who apply for the acting BFA get in. UMBC is a great school, I think it gets overshadowed by UMD. </p>
<p>My daughter auditioned for the acting track BA at Towson last weekend. My husband went with her, both of them were impressed with the program. I’m not really sure about the tech side, but they both liked the faculty and they said the theater was really nice. </p>
<p>Goucher College in Towson might be another one to check out. They don’t use SAT/ACT test scores for their admissions, which is helpful if you’re not a good test taker, and I’ve heard they’re generous with scholarships. I don’t know much about their tech program though. But if you’re going to be visiting Towson, Goucher College is right next door.</p>
<p>Salisbury and Frostburg Universities are MD state schools and both have theater programs, but I think that Towson and UMBC and are better programs. Frostburg is up in the mountains in the middle of nowhere in western MD and Salisbury is near Ocean City.</p>
– JMU student technicians and managers are successful in securing professional work over the summer and post-graduation (Santa Fe, Glimmerglass, Weston Playhouse, PCPA, etc…) . Over the past four years a JMU stage manager has twice (2007 & 2010) won the USITT Stage Management Award – presented to “a young stage manager who has demonstrated excellence or outstanding potential in the area of stage management in the performing arts while pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree.”</p>