<p>Just wanted to post a note of thanks to the forum for the wealth of knowledge we gained here as we have now sent our third child off to his school for theatre training Had it not been for CC, none of our children would probably have attended their respective schools. We actually had never heard of some of the schools we eventually explored until stumbling across this site. Each of our kids situations was different, BFA for MT, BA for Theatre involving a transfer, BFA for MT with differing selectivity (in our opinions.) Two have graduated and would consider their college years successful. One is two years out of school and has been a working actor consistently since graduation.</p>
<p>So, to pay it forward, as they say, we are listing the schools we explored to a significant degree in case any prospective families are searching the school names and would like some input. Keep in mind that ours was a 7 year process and, of course, its all subjective. We know were indebted to those who consistently contribute here, even down to which hotels to use for visits/auditions. Break a Leg to all!</p>
<p>Baldwin - Wallace, Carnegie Mellon, Denison, Dickinson, Elon, Franklin and Marshall,
Ithaca, Kenyon, Monmouth, Montclair, Muhlenberg, Ohio Wesleyan, Otterbein, Pace, Penn State, Syracuse, TCNJ, Tufts, University of Michigan, Washington College, Wesleyan University.</p>
<p>Of course, the first thing I want to know is which schools did your children attend? The ones on my son’s list to visit (so far) are Carnegie Mellon, Ithaca and Otterbein.</p>
<p>Son #1 attended Otterbein, our daughter went to F&M for one year, then switched her major to theatre and attended Muhlenberg, and son #2 starts off this year at Otterbein.</p>
<p>As for the list above, we also looked into Northwestern.</p>
<p>theatremomma - to gauge the character of the program, you may want to look up posts by doctorjohn, the head of the theatre and dance department at Otterbein. He is the author of my all-time favorite post, shown at the top of this thread:</p>
<p>Thanks EMSDad. I guess I should have asked abparent what her son thought of the school environment, dorms, relationship with the other kids (since it is such a small program). Was he in any productions. What did he think of his professors? Did he love it? What is he doing now? Thanks!</p>
<p>theatremomma, Emsdad is correct - doctorjohn’s post gives excellent insight into the mission of the department at Otterbein. As for my son’s experience, I believe he would say it was excellent. Otterbein is a small school in Westerville, a suburb of Columbus, and a beautiful quaint town considered one of the best American towns in the US. Knowing he would be attending a small school, my son wanted somewhere beyond the campus to go, and there is no shortage of antique shops, coffee shops, restaurants, taverns, etc. There is also the nearby Easton Shopping district which has just about any retailer a college student could imagine. The small faculty/student ratio means that attention to the student is intense and teachers quickly understand students’ areas for development. Faculty have a presence in the surrounding area and so students are open to opportunities in Columbus and other parts of Ohio. Our son was fortunate enough to be in student directed plays, straight plays (including Shakespeare), three musicals (once with a leading role) and two dance concerts. He definitely grew substantially as an artist especially in acting and dance. Students bond pretty quickly and understand the cooperative attitude towards their training at this school. Because the numbers are so small, freshmen wind up in productions with all classes including seniors. Our son is a firm believer that strong competition can challenge you to train even harder. Dorms are average or better, nothing is too far from any campus building. They have traditional dorms, apartments, and additional campus housing off the traditional campus which the school has purchased. Most options are very nice. There are times when the school might feel a bit too small to some students, but that feeling is far outweighed by the level of training and nurturing environment. Plus, they get to spread their wings a bit when they intern in NY during their senior year. Our son knew his preference was for a more intimate environment and Otterbein fit the bill. He has had 5 long term paying jobs since graduating in June 2010 including regional theatre from Philly to Florida, Shakespeare, and most recently the national tour of Beauty and the Beast where he performed with a fellow Otterbein alum. We finally have him back in his home town, where he now has his own apartment. He continues to audition and see where it leads - he feels quite prepared to succeed in the industry. Finally, I would certainly suggest you read the sub forum for Otterbein. Good luck as you continue your search!</p>