<p>So I've been noticing a lot of stress around here lately. After visiting the MT thread about whether or not the process is fair, I've decided that one of the things about it that is NOT fair is what a burden the process itself is upon the people going through it. What if we were allowed to laugh about it more often? What if we treated it with some sort of irony? I know I find things easier to get through when I'm laughing at them instead of crying about them. To that extent, I have created this thread for us to share our silly, hilarious, or somewhat pathetic audition stories and bring a bit of cheer into an otherwise terrifying ordeal. I'll kick it off with three stories!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Boston University - As soon as I arrive, I start chatting with a girl who I learn is from the same state as me. Turns out we're both applying to Vassar as well. When we get into the info-session room, Paolo tells us to start chatting, because he's still waiting for a few people. We're silent. "What are your favorite movie stars?" he asks. The girl next to me says, "I LOVE Meryll Streep!" I go, "No WONDER you want to go to Vassar!" I should write a book called "100 Ways To Make Yourself Look Like A ******". She forgave me, luckily, but I felt HORRIBLE.</p></li>
<li><p>This isn't mine. At a friend of mine's AADA audition, she did not do a Classical piece. She finishes her two contemporary pieces and is asked, "Do you have anything with heightened language?" She pauses for a moment and answers with, "Do you mean, like... swearing?"</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The best part? She got in.</p>
<ol>
<li>This happened yesterday. My mother walks into my room and says, "I've had a vision! You're going to get into SUNY Purchase!" What? "I have foresight!" Okay. Seriously? My mother has just informed me that using her precognitive powers, she has foreseen my acceptance to Purchase. She even tells me how it all plays out: She's on a phone interview and I come running in and tell her. Except, wait! Purchase CALLS its accepted applicants, so there is no way we could both be on the phone at the same time. Oops, mother! (Now if I get in, you all can start calling my mom and asking her for predictions).</li>
</ol>
<p>Bogface, Your Mom may be on to something! I had a similar experience with my son, who applied early decision to NYU. As we got closer to the mid-December notification date, I started getting this image in my head of our postman delivering a large white envelope with purple border. On Monday, December 14 the mailman was later than usual. My son came home from school and headed up to his room without a care. I heard the postal truck come and go and I WAS SURE there would be a large envelope in the box. I stepped out to the box and there it was! Thrilled, I grabbed the envelope and ran it up to my son. Who took it from me and said, “What’s this? More promotional mail from NYU?” (Anyone who has applied to NYU knows they bombarded you with fancy promotional brochures!) I said, “No, silly. I believe this is your NYU acceptance!” This extraordinary look went across his face as he ripped open the envelope. And it was indeed his ED acceptance! </p>
<p>The moral of the story is, Mothers are true believers. So give your Mom a big hug for believing so truly, madly, deeply in you! </p>
<p>PS Funny, the actual envelope did NOT have a purple boarder around it, as in my dreams.</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone! And BvilleLady, you definitely wouldn’t find me complaining if my Mom was right, but… well, we all know about getting our hopes up just a bit too high. Especially when the facts point to a waitlist or a rejection from Purchase. Though I guess good vibes are good vibes no matter what!</p>
<p>Here’s my story: At the beginning of my DePaul audition, all of the auditionees and their parents were ushered into the house of the Merle-Reskin Theatre for an informational meeting. I was sitting there, listening, when I felt something wet on my knee. I looked down only to discover that I was bleeding profusely. I ran down to the bathroom and spent a good ten minutes trying to fashion a tourniquet out of paper towels before a nice MFA student went and found me a Band-Aid. By the time we got to the actual audition, I had bled through the Band-Aid and had to ask one of my auditors for another one. Luckily, they were really nice about it - but to this day I still have no idea how I scraped my knee so badly.</p>
<p>Maybe when you were on your knees begging them to accept you? (LOL) Sorry, just couldn’t resist – this is a great thread – thanks for starting it, Bogface!</p>
<p>Hah, julibelle! That’s fantastically strange. I actually remembered another one:</p>
<p>The week of my Carnegie Mellon and UNCSA auditions, I was horribly sick. Luckily I was mostly clear the days of the actual auditions, but nevertheless I felt pretty gross and I’m sure I looked it, too. At my CMU audition, I walked in and went to shake Kaf’s hand but then recoiled apologetically and said, “I’m sorry, you probably don’t want to shake my hand, I’ve been sick!” She seemed to appreciated this. Then, at the end of the audition, she reached out to shake my hand as I left and I took it. We shared a moment of realization and then I suggested she find some hand sanitizer, so she left the room and started asking around. The auditioners around me looked more than a little bemused as I sheepishly gathered my stuff and left.</p>
<p>Also, mothers’ extra-sensory powers are not exactly the most reliable stuff. Rejection from Purchase in the mail today, as expected.</p>
<p>That would have been January 29 at Ripley-Grier Studios at around 10AM, right? I was sitting right next to the hand sanitizer dispenser when there was a sudden flurry of activity. Now I know that was because of YOU! Too funny!</p>
<p>Bogface, I’m so sorry to hear about Purchase. We Moms may not always be psychic, but our love and support is unwavering. You have a lot of fans on this site and a lot of good vibes being sent your way. Fingers crossed and best wishes!</p>
<p>funniest thing I heard so far: At the CMU auditions, they said that anybody auditioning for musical theater would automatically be considered for the acting major. (like, yeah, you’re not good enough to do MT, but maybe you handle Shakespeare.)</p>
<p>Perhaps we should rate the auditors! Who was most disinterested? Who really seemed to pay attention? Who really made you feel comfortable? What was the dumbest thing said to you? Worst direction? Best direction? Most surprising comment?</p>
<p>Who really seemed to pay attention? Kaf and Barbara</p>
<p>Who really made you feel comfortable? Kaf and Barbara from CMU</p>
<p>What was the dumbest thing said to you? Look below (nothing personal against him, but his method really wasn’t for me)</p>
<p>Worst direction? Emerson auditor - he had me do my monologue breathing till I was practically wheezing my monologue out my nostrils, then told me that it was so much more natural because “breathing is the most natural thing you can do.”</p>
<p>Best direction? Wow, a lot of them were great. In order of best direction: CMU, BU, USC, MMC</p>
<p>Most surprising comment? “That was fantastic, great interpretation of Queen Margaret” (Fordham) - this was my second Shakespeare. I didn’t expect to have to perform it, so I hadn’t even read the play…haha guess I got lucky!</p>
<p>“funniest thing I heard so far: At the CMU auditions, they said that anybody auditioning for musical theater would automatically be considered for the acting major. (like, yeah, you’re not good enough to do MT, but maybe you handle Shakespeare.)”</p>
<p>What is so funny about that? Plenty of other MT auditioners as myself were auditioning for BOTH MT and straight acting programs this year…many of us come from MT backgrounds who want to do both MT and straight acting after graduation, but would prefer solid acting training in college if our MT acceptances are schools that do not provide the in-depth acting training we seek. There are very little MT programs like the one at CMU where the MT majors have the same acting core as the Acting majors…that is why I sought out both MT and acting programs this year…</p>
<p>I know some who have gotten into CMU Acting and originally auditioned for MT…and these kids are very talented MT performers who have gotten great MT acceptances as well. Myself and many others would love to go to CMU either for Acting OR MT, so being considered for both was one of my favorite things about that audition.</p>
<p>Don’t get me wrong, I meant no disrespect towards the MT people. In fact, of the MT people that I’ve worked with, some of the best have had serious classical training. It just struck me at the time as a rather odd way of putting it.</p>
<p>I don’t think the CMU comment was odd or funny either. There are very few slots for MT students at CMU. For example, in my daughter’s year, they only took three or four girls. If the auditors think you have the requisite talent, but can’t fit you into the MT program, they may make an offer for acting. In fact, my D was put on the Priority Wait list for Acting at CMU, though had applied for MT. It doesn’t mean she wasn’t good enough for MT and so can do acting instead. A MT actor still has to be able to act. If the auditors think your acting is up to par, and even if your singing and dancing are too but they can’t accommodate you in the MT program, they may offer the acting program. This is true at other schools such as Tisch. I don’t think my D’s MT skills were not good enough as she got into five well known BFA in MT programs. So, I don’t think an offer for Acting necessarily implies that you are not good enough at MT and therefore you better just act. I think your inference that someone who doesn’t get into MT (which you must see as “easier”) would not then be good enough to tackle Shakespeare is harsh and disrespectful. To be honest with you, the odds of getting into MT (especially for females) are harder odds than for acting programs. The acceptance rates tend to be lower. Also, for CMU, in particular, even MT applicants have to do a Shakespeare monologue. Also, I know many who do BFA in MT programs who are still in dramas and plays and I know many who do BFA in Acting programs who are in musicals. Either way, you have to be able to ACT. As for my own kid, she chose to attend Tisch for MT but after five semesters, auditioned and got into an acting studio for her final three semesters and so even though she is a MT performer, I guess she can also act. :)</p>
<p>They are not the only school that does that. Some other examples are NYU/Tisch, Syracuse, and Ithaca. You have to do a MT audition, however, to be considered for both MT and Acting.</p>