The beginning school year report

College Majors Musical Theater Major
1

<p>As promised on the main thread, here is the “report” from University of the Arts. </p>

<p>Anyone reading this throughout the year, feel free to email me with questions. (I prefer email to private messages.)</p>

<hr>

<p>Here is my summary of events. </p>

<p>Thursday:
Left for Phildelphia in the late afternoon. It’s about a 2hr and 15 minute ride from where we live (suburbs NYC). The school (for those of you who have never seen it) is located on Broad Street, which is known as the Avenue of the Arts. The school owns several buildings on Broad Street (including the magnficent Mirriam Theater, an equity theater that the kids get to use also), and several dorms a block in either direction. </p>

<p>The feel for the city is less congested than NYC (what isn’t?) </p>

<p>Friday morning:
We got up early so we could quickly get through at registration. Thanks to being this early we were completely done --signed up for Internet, ID photo taken etc. – by 7:30. We went back to the hotel, got my husband and the car and drove to the dorm – fearing the worse as there are just 2 very small elevators and she is on one of the top floors. </p>

<p>However, it went very smoothly. The upperclassmen did all the work, unloaded the cars, organized who got the elevators and we had all our stuff upstairs very quickly. At UArts all the dorms are apartments, with their own kitchen and bathroom. My daughter has a large “stdio,” with one roommate. Others have one or 2 bedrooms shared by 2-4 people. </p>

<p>At 5:30 there was an opening orientation session where we heard from various people and then a reception. Clearly you got the sense that this is an arts school, not a school with an art division. It was a very nice feeling. Everyone said all the right things, it seemed. We also heard from the Dean of Liberal Arts, who discussed the importance of kids being exposed to lots of things outside their art. </p>

<p>Saturday:
Students had orientation stuff begin at 9, we had “family orientation” begin at 10. After lunch we left. </p>

<p>They have more orientation activities today (Sunday) Monday and Tuesday as well. Classes begin Wednesday. </p>

<p>Some general impressions:</p>

<p>There are 20 kids in this year’s MT class, I think, 10 boys and 10 girls. </p>

<p>We had a very good feeling about the place. I had never spent anytime in Philadelphia, and I know it has its bad parts, but this part of the city is really vibrant. The school is in the heart of the theater district… four or five theaters right there next to or across from the school – with some (maybe all???) offering $10 student rush tickets. Currently, the entire avenue is lined with The Lion King stuff, as that show is playing.
In addition to the theater theaters, the school is across from Philadelphia’s version of Lincoln Center, so it is near dance, concerts, etc. </p>

<p>Thanks to this prime location, the school apparently gets many professionals to come give talks or master classes. Last year Maureen McGovern did it when she was there with Little Women. The school expects to have Tony winner LaChanze (who attended Uarts) give a talk of some kind this semester. Also Richard Thomas (John Boy of The Waltons fame) who will be starring in something – 12 Angry Men, I think. </p>

<p>So apart from feeling a bit lonely without our daughter, we are upbeat. And as I said, Philly is just slightly more than 2hours away. </p>

<p>I will report back more once classes start.</p>

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<p>Loved the report, thank you! Ah, your baby has flown the coop! Sounds like it is going to be a great place for her. I am from Philly, so I know where you mean. She will enjoy it, I'm sure. </p>

<p>It is great to get some inside perspectives about UArts as we haven't really had MT students/parents from there much on the forum. I have several students applying there and so I will be watching for your daughter's or your's updates! </p>

<p>I can't believe this day has come for your daughter! Remember a year ago? Well, I can believe it, as her time has come. Enjoy!</p>

3

<p>Just a short posting to say how very pleased my daughter is with her classes so far and with Philadelphia in general. </p>

<p>She loves being located basically in the "back yard" of the theaters. The other day she got student rush tickets to The Lion King. Her assignments from several classes require (ha ha) her to go see shows, including some at the Fringe Festival now underway in Philadelphia. </p>

<p>She has made many friends in different majors, but of course there are NO math or science majors here (although there are math and science classes). </p>

<p>Urinetown will be performed the first 2 weeks in NOvember. Freshman are not in it. </p>

<p>Anyone seeking more information about the school, don't hesitate to email me.</p>

4

<p>Hello! My mom told me to post on here sharing my experiences at UArts so far. I've been here 3 weeks and a day and I love it!</p>

<p>One of the things I really love is how I am being taught to REALLY act here. Our acting studio classes are 3 hours twice a week and they have acting majors and musical theater majors in this class together. My studio class is great and it's awesome that I will learn how to act, but not at the expense of my singing and dancing.</p>

<p>Freshman take the following courses this semester:
Voice for Musical Theater (musical theater performance class where our teacher has worked with Sutton Foster!!)
Voice for Musical Theater Lab (an Alexander Technique class)
Acting Studio
Private Voice Lesson
Music Theory
Piano Class
Ballet
Jazz
Scene and Lighting Technology
Survey of Theater Arts (a theater history/dramatic literature class)
Freshman English</p>

<p>electives are available as well, although they do not encourage overload. I am also taking tap this semester.</p>

<p>Another awesome thing about this program is how we are right in the center of the theater district in Philadelphia. You walk outside and there are tons of theaters that bring national tours. Spelling Bee is coming next month and I'm very excited. Survey class requires that we see all the shows that UArts theater department puts on and we have 2 sets of 4 and we must choose 1 show in each set that are shows going on in Philly, either national tours or resident theaters. Voice for Musical Theater requires us to see 2 musicals in Philadelphia. This is an amazing "requirement" haha. We are also required to usher for one performance of a UArts show first semester. Last night my friends and I saw a one-man show at UArts that a faculty member performed based on Sherlock Holmes. The professor was fabulous!</p>

<p>The work has been VERY demanding, but it is fun work, so I'm not complaining!!</p>

<p>Another thing to note, all UArts dorms have their own bathrooms as they are converted apartments.....so no communal bathrooms! woo hoo</p>

<p>so i encourage everyone to look closely into this program. it's pretty exciting because all the faculty are working actors themselves and are directing and performing in things in philly and beyond! i'm loving it here so far!!</p>

5

<p>It is so great to hear from you! I'm happy at how well it is going and that you are enjoying it so far. Wow, seeing shows is such a rough assignment...hehe. The curriculum you are taking sounds great. Glad you found a way to also fit in tap. The location and dorms sound good. As you have experienced, it is easy to get caught up with all the programs in the application/audition process but once you do arrive at a program, usually one finds it to be excellent and it all works out. There are so many fine programs out there. I am grateful that you have taken the time to post from the "inside" as many prospective students are considering this school. </p>

<p>BTW, my D has a very good friend who is the understudy for a couple roles on the Spelling Bee tour, but who knows if she'll go on in Philly or not. </p>

<p>Will be interested in more updates as the year goes on. </p>

<p>Have fun!</p>

6

<p>Hi just read your comments about uarts, we are considering it for next year, my daughter is a senior, we are probably neighbors, I live in Roslyn, anyway I'm worried about sending her to an art school, will it be well rounded enough if broadway is not immediately awaiting? also did you have any concerns about getting a BFA as opposed to a BA, we have several friends currently in UArts, I'm sure your daughter knows them,anyway how is she doing now, still feel this is the perfect choice, what other schools had you considered, I heard the school is pretty good with merit money, do you or did you have any concerns about an urban environment as opposed to a more college like atmosphere, had you thought about Penn State, thank you I really appreciate you help as all this is so overwhelming, one more question if this is our favored school should it be our first auditon or should we wait, is it better to do audition in the city or at the school, is it better to see the school at the upcoming open house or is it better to see it during a typical school day, thanks again, shelli</p>

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<p>shellipearl, I feel the same way my d is so talented...but is that enough..we haven't even looked into Uarts. She wants a college life football games, frats, beautiful campus. We hope they want her too. In a way I feel a BA would be better for her, but she wants a BFA. It's her dream and we will support her.</p>

<p>I'm from Brooklyn are you?</p>

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<p>Hello....the school is very good about merit money, definitely a plus.</p>

<p>I had similar concerns about being "well-rounded," but i can already tell you that i am becoming more well-rounded than i ever was in high school. my liberal arts classes are very current-events focused and i feel that i'm less ignorant and much more informed than i was in high school....the school of theater arts' philosophy is that we have to take intense liberal arts because "your job ultimately is to comment on the world around you. you cannot comment on a world you don't know."</p>

<p>while uarts is an urban campus, i really feel like we have a campus....philadelphia is not a sprawling city like NYC, so i see a lot of the same people on the streets everyday....the city really is our campus and i meet and see tons of people all the time. </p>

<p>in terms of meeting people who aren't art people, philadelphia has tons of other colleges...so if someone so desparately wants a football game, there are other schools to go to (i personally hate football, so that's not high on my list of things to do haha!) and whatnot.</p>

<p>but to be honest, i don't really feel that in any of these BFAs at either major universites or smaller ones will have so much time for frats, etc....i'm so busy with so much work that i really can't see myself going to a football game right now....the program is very intense (but good intense!!) and i spend a lot of time practicing and working. there isn't tons of down-time....and i laugh when talking to my non-theater friends and other universities who have such a different lifestyle at college than i do!</p>

<p>if this is a favored school, i definitely do not suggest doing it as the first audition. you get better each audition! i actually auditioned at the New York City unifieds and got in, so I don't think it really matters (i had seen the school previously, but all the audition dates conflicted with other auditions and other things)....but I encourage you to visit the school and audition there if you can! And I will be working at the auditions! So yay haha! </p>

<p>I think you'd like seeing the school on a more typical school day more than the open house only because there won't be as many people, so you have more time to talk to students and ask questions.</p>

<p>hope this helps!! :-)</p>

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<p>BW....you are so right that doing a BFA program is not exactly like the experiences as those who are going to regular college. The time commitments and intensity differ in many ways. I have to constantly explain to family and friends that my D's routine is that she is in school all day, rehearsals all night and weekends, practicing for studio classes, plus the liberal arts work, and other things (in her case she is also in a capella rehearsals, Scholars and an internship). The routine does not allow for much down time. Like you, she loves it. But for those who have no idea what doing a BFA program is like, they don't understand the person's schedule or unavailability (or why most calls I get are while she is walking from point A to point B!). I'm glad you are loving UArts. I have a student applying there this year and if she ever wants to talk to a current student, I know who to ask!</p>

<p>Susan</p>

10

<p>BW, I am so happy to hear that you are so happy at UArts! I was also glad to hear that your BFA program in MT includes some current events type things: I could not agree more with your teachers who say that you guys NEED to know what's going on to be good artists and good citizens of the world. (Yeah, I know, I sound like your typical adult! <g> Just ask my kids ...)
Re: visiting UArts on a typical day. Is the best way to arrange that just to call the admissions office? If so, will they allow prospective students to sit in on classes, etc.? My D is a junior acting major (they don't offer a MT major, though they do study MT junior year) at an arts high school and is interested in UArts, among other schools. We are beginning to arrange visits to some of the programs, and definitely want to get to UArts.
Once again, congrats on such a positive beginning. And thanks for sharing with the list. I have heard about UArts for years, and it's good to know that the folks on this list are becoming more aware of it, too.</g></p>

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<p>Hi! </p>

<p>The best way to visit uarts on a typical day is to call admissions and schedule a performing arts tour. I think the tours are everyday at 11 and 1. The tour shows the theater facilities (including the 1400 equity theater that uarts owns that is home to twelve angry men with richard thoms and george wendt who we met yesterday!!) and is very informative. I took it my junior year when i visited and it told me a lot of good information that made me really interested in uarts.</p>

<p>i do not know if there is a way to watch classes. i would call admissions and ask. i don't see why someone wouldn't be able to, but i honestly do not know the answer.</p>

<p>haha i will continue to share as often as i can. i'm learning so much here!</p>

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<p>Richard Thomas .... sigh .... I admit to being a geek who had a huge crush on him back when he was JohnBoy Walton. (Yeah, how geeky can you get to have a crush on old JohnBoy.) He is apparently taking "12 Angry Men" on the road, as it will be in my town in the coming months. I <em>have</em> to see it. (I also like Norm from Cheers, though no crushes were involved. :))</p>

<p>L</p>

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<p>NotMamaRose - I will proudly stand and admit that I was a JohnBoy groupie too!!!!! My son was just cast in his school's production of 12 Angry Men. I'll have to see where the production will be for the next few weeks. Maybe we can catch it! Any chance to see JohnBoy!</p>

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<p>Lynnm, how cool it is to find another fan of JohnBoy Walton. I LOVED that show so much, and he was a big reason why. I definitely am getting tickets when 12 Angry Men comes to my city. (Hey, maybe we can form a group for adult JB Groupies .... <g>)</g></p>

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<p>Sounds good to me!!!</p>

16

<p>UArts and JohnBoy Walton.What an intriguing combination! I, too, was a big JohnBoy fan (I loved the "sensitive writer" persona.), and my d is a big UArts fan. It was (and is) her dream school. Unfortunately, she didn't get in (big disappointment!), but she's going to reapply. So, although she's attending a local college, and taking lots of drama classes and voice lessons, she has to prepare once again for college applications and auditions. But, congrats to the parents of the 10 talented girls (and guys) who got in. I'm sure that they will have an amazing year.</p>

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<p>Reading all the comments about JohnBoy made me chuckle. One of the first things I had asked my daughter was whether he still is as cute. Like Singalong Mom, the sensitive writer was so appealing (maybe because I am a writer). </p>

<p>Those with questions about Uarts, feel free to email me. (I prefer that to PM, as I don't check CC as frequently as I did a year ago.) </p>

<p>I know there were some questions people wrote on another thread about transfers. I am aware of at least one transfer student (a girl). However, I don't have the info on how many of her theater credits were accepted. I think they had told her this would be determined once she got to the school, and I never followed up. </p>

<p>Also, go to the Uarts website and sign up for one of the many livechats that are scheduled. This is a good way to get specific questions answered.</p>

18

<p>Hello. I'm just checking in since i know it's so good to hear about specific experiences at schools!</p>

<p>Everything at UArts is great....busy busy, but awesome. It's pretty cool because there's a show that goes on virtually every weekend at school. Last weekend there was "Venus" and this weekend is a couple of one-act plays....Then Urinetown is the first 2 weekends in November, which I encourage people to go to!! In addition, I've gotten to see so many great shows in Philly for SUCH low prices. I was able to get 10 dollar student rush tickets to "The Pillowman" (and awesome seats) and I got to see Spelling Bee last night!!!! Philly is seriously an incredible city for theater. I cannot emphasize this enough! And how awesome is it to be required to go see these shows for my classes? I have to write reviews about them for my Voice for Musical Theater class and my Survey of Theater Arts class...</p>

<p>I encourage everyone to apply here. It's just such a great program! The first audition is December 2....soon!!!! I can't believe how quickly the semester has gone by. We have been having midterms and I'm amazed how quickly time flies!</p>

<p>but yeah if anyone has any questions, feel free to contact me!</p>

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<p>Is this program considered one of the best? Do alot of Alumni go to broadway or national tours? And is this program considered up to par with CCM, CMU, etc? just wondering</p>

20

<p>Nate, as always it is very very hard to "rate" programs. You may be aware that LaChanze (former UArts student) won the Tony this year for the Color Purple. </p>

<p>All I can say is my daughter has found the training outstanding.</p>