The Class of 2024 -- Sharing, venting, discussing! MT

College Majors Musical Theater Major
2041

@nanamama please don’t be offended! Totally understand and agree with your position. I don’t think the author of the post meant it that way at all. She was just stating reality and I believe she was referring to belters as the stylistic trend that is difficult for some artists right now, not diversity! It would be social suicide to post an intentional, racially polarizing comment here on this forum.

Belters of the world - don’t attack me! I have a belter!! Or kind of a reformed belter. She’s learned to sing in a whole new way to preserve her vocal cords for a (hopefully) life-long musical career.

2042

@NeensMom @AZperformom This will be my last post because I am now livid. These are such stereotypical replies. Period in a sentence are stop signs and often pave the wave for new thoughts. It read that she was no longer referencing voice type but in addition to her voice comments shared the shift also includes “theatres are desperately trying to find ways to cast POC in roles that normally go to traditional white ingenues.” Why is that approach seen as desperate?” This has nothing to do with sopranos or belters! Re-read the entire post. She then goes back to the voice dialogue to say “they” look different but sound alike. To be fair, the entire post can infer a lot but the tone illustrates her frustration as if it is more than voice. In the end, it sounds like if not my daughter, then there is a problem. Not fair. Not to mention the definition of ingenue could spark a heated reply as well. I am done. I have only been following for a nervous parent. I am glad we completed this process two years ago because I cannot live knowing what is going on in our country lives here too!

2043

@DramaLlama18 Thank you, but who said all POC’s are belters? How horrible is that if she was indeed only speaking to voice type? I am sorry but UH! Thank you.

2044

@nanamama - no one said that POC’s are all belters?! Certainly not me. The two things in the original post were diametrically opposed. Two separate trends that were being commented on in the same post, but not related to each other. I am on your side.

2045

@DramaLlama18 Correct. I was referencing the original post since you were being a peacemaker. I wanted to highlight if you were indeed correct…what does that say about someone who sees POC as “belters.” So, either my first response was accurate or the second one if I go with your explanation. Either way, the post has some strong racial “under” tones. That’s all.

No attack.

2046

@DramaLlama18
All is good. No worries. I am done. ?

2047

Wishing you all the best @nanamama! Please stick around. Your voice is important. It’s hard for everyone - especially during this lull where everyone is w-a-i-t-i-n-g. Yes I am trying- perhaps badly :wink: - to be a peacemaker.

2048

Your voice is important @nanamama. Please do stick around.

2049

@stanfordAI2019, I don’t disagree with your analysis, but I do think it demonstrates extremes. 99% will land somewhere in between the Yale Law grad making $500k and the MT grad with $150k in debt. And I don’t have statistics but I’d imagine many college grads with other degrees have major college debt and can’t get a job in their field.

And MT parents aren’t the only ones spending mega-bucks on their kids. Travel & club sports expenses make some of the MT figures look like a pittance! But we happily paid for our kids to pursue the activities they had a passion for…it kept them happy and out of trouble. My oldest chose not to pursue her passion (soccer) in college, but my younger MT daughters are all in, and so far, no regrets from any of us.:slight_smile:

2050

@anastasiasmom I hope they both stick around. I am sure that @WDWMom is mortified right now. It is not good that she made a “stream of consciousness” post which usually makes perfect sense to the writer but is pretty foggy to the rest of us. My gut feeling is that @nanamama is misreading the intent of the post and that @WDWMom conflated two different thoughts that should never have been in the same paragraph. Of course, I am not the one who wrote it. Only she knows.

Since both have the ability, I would hope that the two could converse privately about this. Without that kind of outreach between adults, understanding and forgiveness is pretty much impossible. The people in this group have too much in common not to at least try.

2051

@AmarilloTX

Yes, I hope they both stay.

2052

@AmarilloTX Please remember intent never aligns with impact.

How do we talk privately? I have never used that feature? Please advise.

2053

@nanamama That is possibly true. I will have to think about it. I do believe that intent matters in how you react to the impact.

As far as speaking privately, my understanding is that Junior Members can PM by clicking on the persons name and going to their page. I am not quite a Junior Member yet so hopefully somebody else will answer more fully.

2054

@AmarilloTX Got it! More than one person chimed in. ?
I sent you a test but if it did not go through, no worries. It was just a test message. No worries. Thanks.

2055

@nanamama I got your test and replied. I am just a bit slow.

2056

@Bogeyw – thanks. I’m one of the lucky ones that gets to experience both. I write most of these CC entries at my son’s travel soccer games / practices. That is the running joke in this world too. “I’ll spend $100K in Club soccer fees, clinics, and travel…so that my kid can get a $10K scholarship to a school nobody has ever heard of.” My S and I will be facing that in a few years with his aspirations to play D1 soccer.

2057

I speak only for myself. This is my first post. This evening alone I have read multiple posts displaying racial bias.

In 2015 the estimate of all minorities in the United States in the 18-24 age bracket is 45%. This number is increasing and the 2020 census will likely place combined minorities in the group at close to 50%. As an example from an earlier post today, if 10 of 26 spots went to minority applicants, this is a little over 38% meaning that minority students are still underrepresented.

Stating that, “theatres are desperately trying to find ways to cast POC in roles that normally go to traditional white ingenues” is simply not true and also hurtful. Theatres are not desperate. Some, are choosing to be more open-minded and cast the most talented person, but not all. The opportunities for young minority performers are still significantly more limited than for those in the majority.

Also calling bs on the tone in some of these replies. “However, it is also a statistical fact there are more white girls applying than any other demographic, so, logically, there are harder odds, just a math thing. My D and I applaud open casting, BTW. Progress.” This has a demeaning and unnecessary tone, implying that someone doesn’t understand math. This continues in the next statement by acknowledging, “Progress” which speaks nothing of years of unjust oppression and without any sense of urgency or responsibility to change the injustice. Maybe that isn’t what was intended but it is what was posted.

There are also WAY fewer spots available to any minority applicant! Let’s go back to that same 10 of 26 reference. 5 of those 10 will be girls. Probably 2 will be available for a black girl. Sadly, minorities get hit by the numbers game also.

It feels a lot like the privileged majority are concerned about maintaining the appearance of fairness while attempting to minimize the successes of minority applicants, as though the path has somehow been easier. Think that through!

Is no one else is able to see how many of the recent posts and replies are condescending backhanded compliments? I am a firm believer in forgiveness, infinite re-tries, learning, growing, and moving forward. But, holding ourselves accountable comes first. Writing off a concern as a misunderstanding is an attempt to invalidate.

(Start Sarcasm) Your voice is important unless we don’t want to really listen or acknowledge our error and bias. (End Sarcasm)

2058

@anonymommy Amen.

2059

@nanamama I want to support you in expressing your feelings and appreciate you for being willing to call out what you heard and keep talking about it in the face of peace-making. I also appreciate you @anonymommy for the same. It’s difficult to speak up about racial bias and I consider it a gift when people are willing to share their perspective about it, especially when they are people of color. I’m grateful for the work you’re both doing to shine a light on the racial bias. I hear you, and I see the racism in that post.

I’m white and I acknowledge that negative impact doesn’t require bad intent. Even with the best intentions I know I sometimes still negatively impact others. When I do, acknowledging my part and asking how I can repair the damage usually goes a long way.

None of us can escape the way that white supremacy shapes our perspectives; it’s the foundation of our society. Examining those perspectives is the only path forward toward deconstructing that white supremacy. The idea that you have to be a bad person or intend malice to cause harm keeps us from doing that examination and from acknowledging the impact of our actions. It also causes many of us to leap to the defense of the person who caused harm, explaining their good intent and (again, maybe unintentionally) invalidating the feelings and observations of the person who felt harmed.

I’m just going to post this now, even though I know it’s not necessarily the clearest/best expression of my support. If I wait until it’s ‘perfect’ and won’t offend anyone I’ll never post anything, and then nothing will change.

2060

@cruisemama4 On Marymount are you referring to a result from a live audition or a digital one? Most folks posting here said that for live auditions they got answers within 2-3 weeks but those of us who had to do digital seem to be being held until the end… Hoping your post means that they are finally getting to the digital auditions?