Theater/Drama Colleges Part 10

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
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<p>Bonjour! </p>

<p>I’ve been rumaging on the CC Theatre and Musical Theatre boards for a couple of months and seeing as I will be beginning my Jr. year soon I figure its time to kick my college search into gear. I have wanted to be an actress since Kindergarder and despite being told by several people that I’m “too smart to act” or that I’ll “be waiting tables for all of my life” I can’t convince myself that I’ll be happy doing anything else. </p>

<p>Alas, the college search seems like a giant brick wall in front of me. I am scared silly. I find myself constantly telling bad knock-knock jokes. </p>

<p>Any advice as I start my long journey?</p>

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<p>Don’t listen to the naysayers and follow your OWN path.</p>

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<p>Believe me, I’m the queen of following my own path. I didn’t go to High School Freshman year so my whole academic schedual is screwed up like you wouldn’t believe. Honors English, Senior Creative Writing, Freshman History, Freshman Health, Sophmore Health, Junior History, and a couple of classes over the internet (the first for my district). I thrive on following my own path. However, its difficult not listening to the naysayers when they happen to be your favorite teacher and acting mentor! However, whenever someone says “Don’t go into theatre” I envision myself as a travel agent. After I stop screaming in horror for hours I’m back to my old die-hard theatre self.</p>

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<p>What about Northwestern?</p>

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<p>AmandatheGreat-- just be sure to get a marketable skill along the way that you can use for a dayjob. Something where there’s a flexible schedule, good pay per hour so you don’t have to do it too many hours, and a short reasonable training requirement. I know working actors in their 20’s who are also:
tax return writers for H&R Block, Hebrew school teachers, emergency medical technicians, SAT tutors. Sky’s the limit, why not consider: dental hygienist,
xray technician. </p>

<p>The people who wait tables do it because it’s an industry where they decide your schedule one week in advance. A lot of actors don’t know when they’ll win an audition, so they can’t always tell you when they’ll be rehearsing/performing and when not. So the short-time scheduling of restaurants is very helpful. They also use their charm and wit to get better tips. </p>

<p>My S worked 20 hours weekly as a live-in nanny when he first moved to NYC to act. That ensured him a place to live and enough time to pursue the auditions. He’s in his own apartment now (sharing) and has done 4 different day jobs. He also has a few that he does “per diem” (on a one-day basis) whenever he needs a bit more money to meet the rent, or to indulge himself in a good ticket for a Broadway show. </p>

<p>I get tired of hearing about actors and waiting tables. A lot do, but that’s not all they do. When they do, they think of themselves as actors, not waiters, as their identity. </p>

<p>To be an actor, you have to be willing to live with uncertainty and rejection. As long as you have those two personality attributes, plus talent, training and drive, it’s possible to work after college as an actor. Some would add to this list “Luck” but I believe you make your own luck.</p>

<p>I can’t tell you beyond a few years, but my S is doing well in NYC. He schedules himself in shows so that as one comes down, he’s rehearsing for the next one going up. He’s never out of work. “Don’t give up your day job” is the way a lot of 20-somethings handle things, to see if their career will take off or not.</p>

<p>If not, you have the college degree to fall back upon to get other kinds of jobs. But that’s where the marketable skill really helps out a lot. You don’t have to take the 40-hour 9-5 job that’s for the BA generalist. </p>

<p>iIt also helps to be frugal. </p>

<p>If S doesn’t make it in his acting career, he’ll probably apply to Law School at age 30. Meanwhile, he’s trying to get there and each season he gets closer. ON a practical level, his definition of “getting there” is being able to earn enough to meet the rent and bills, and set up a personal pension plan. ON an artistic level, “there” means improving the craft constantly and gaining experience, growing in his acting, doing worthwhile shows with other good cast and crew.</p>

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<p>Your comments have been very helpful in my attempt to help my s develop a list of schools that are appropriate for him. (He is looking for an ACTING BFA program.) I am very curious about the main factors for choosing Rutgers from the long list of colleges to which you were accepted. Also, I am wondering just how the programs figure out acceptances and notify students. For example, if someone is accepted at 15 schools and turns 14 down, what happens at the other schools? Do they keep wait lists and turn to those? Know anything about Ithaca for ACTING?</p>

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<p>amandathegreat: I am a 55 year old father who is encouraging his S to follow what his passion; acting and directing. I have no choice, as it is what I did. I was in the lower fifth of my HS class and never exceeded 1100 on my SAT (I thought it was a waste of my time and stupid, a feeling that is even stronger today). The ‘plan’ is to follow your bliss, though the path may change a number of years after surmounting this and that mountain. I ended up going to four different colleges - interupted by the military. And my HS stats? Over the past three decades I’ve taugt at 3 universities/colleges that turned me down as a student at some point along the way. The kicker; I was once awarced a National Science Foundation Grant to study just how bad aptitude tests like the SAT are. Remember, the purpose of the 25th High School Reunion is to provide empirical proof that HS stats predict little. Bravo to your post. The only advice I would give. Do not go heavily into debt for your undergraduate degree. Do not let debt close doors.</p>

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<p>I just found this forum and what a godsend. My D is a JR and has always loved MT. She attends a small private school in a rural area and does every theater event she can. This spring and summer she hopes to branch out to community theater. Grades are excellent. She has acknowledged her desire for a MT major and we are beginning to look at colleges. We know it will be incredibly tough. She has a very limited dance background. Do people out there recommend tap? Jazz? She has been a competitive figure skater/ice dancer and is very good. I just want her as well prepared as possible. Thanks.</p>

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<p>Welcome khsstiches. Just so you know, you are posting on a thread that is primarily about colleges for drama/theater. There is an entire forum devoted to Musical Theater Colleges with many threads on many subtopics located here:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/forumdisplay.php?f=501[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/forumdisplay.php?f=501&lt;/a&gt;
You may wish to read through threads there (it will take a very long time to do) and I really feel you will learn a lot about all things related to musical theater. You also can use the “Search” function on CC to search a topic of interest because many of the aspects have come up over and over again through the years. </p>

<p>For instance, your question about your D taking some dance has been discussed a whole bunch on the Musical Theater forum. </p>

<p>But a quick answer for you is that if you can only fit in ONE dance class, most would say that ballet would be your best bet as it teaches technique which is the basis of all the other dance forms. If your D has time for two classes, then taking jazz would also be beneficial. Many college auditions involve jazz and many also involve ballet. Both are skills needed in this field overall. If your D truly has time, then also adding tap is good. However, sh e could learn to tap at college. But the college auditions will require ability with ballet and jazz, rarely tap, though tap is important to learn in this field. </p>

<p>Welcome to this process and you are in for a ride. I also have a daughter in this field but she is already in college for musical theater. She also grew up in a rural area. She also took figure skating for 8 years, though singing/dancing/acting…musical theater…has always been her main thrust. She never was involved in very competitive levels of figure skating, but was involved in skating for years (even did Theater on Ice for a year). The fact that your D is a skater correlates because there are some similarities with dance and surely with performance.</p>

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<p>I’m currently making up my list of schools to transfer to… So far I’m auditioning at many of the more Prestigious theatre programs. My mom made a good point that I need safety schools. So does anyone have any good ideas for safety schools (theatrically and acedemically)</p>

<p>Thanks!!</p>

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<p>Without knowing anything about you, your background, grades, training, passions, schools to which you already plan to apply, etc… it is impossible to suggest “safeties”</p>

<p>More info, please :)</p>

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<p>Why sure :)</p>

<p>Ok, The schools Im already applying to are:</p>

<p>Rutgers, Fordham, UCLA, LMU, Cal State Fullerton, Point park University, Roosevelt, NYU(a really far reach but w/e), UCSD, UCSB. </p>

<p>Im at a small private two year college in Southern California and my GPA is around a 3.3. I have a pretty good resume including leads (daisy from baby with the bathwater and humbug from the phantom tollbooth) and good supporting roles (Vincent Pimperton from strange bedfellows and Dale Harding from One flew over the cockoos nest) and there are many many more. I was president of our theatre club and was in the auditon only honors theatre class in high school. Ive taken classes with Second city comedy troupe here in LA. </p>

<p>So thats pretty much most of my background, if anyone could also tell me how competitive the programs I want to audition for are and any safetys as well.</p>

<p>The only safety Ive heard of from a friend is Drew University in New Jersey</p>

<p>Thank you for any help!!</p>

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<p>i really want to pursue directing later in life (or maybe education as a fall back) and i was wondering what are the best schools for undergraduate training. i dont know if i want to get a master’s degree so i was wondering if any schools offer a ba or bfa in directing or have really good theatre arts programs with a focus on directing. im thinking a lot about depaul and northwestern and i dont really want to go to school in new york.</p>

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<p>These days most professional directors go to graduate school to receive an MFA… and/ or spend years after undergrad assistant directing on large projects with bigger name directors while directing their own stuff (self produced) in little fringe theatres and second spaces. If they are coming from the performance side they may work for years as a performer before transitioning to directing… that experience and those connections can help them make the transition. </p>

<p>For the most part no one will hire a 22 year old director just out of undergrad… there is a lot of dues paying and years of additional training… whether or not it is an academic setting. </p>

<p>Northwestern is a wonderful liberal arts college with professional theatre training. It is very difficult to get into academically, but sounds like a great school for your list if you meet the admissions standards. </p>

<p>There are a few undergraduate schools that offer a BFA in directing… I think NCARTS might… It looks like the BFA in Theatre Arts at Depaul might give you the broad based theatre education within a conservatory environment. At any school in which you are interested I would find out what kind of directing opportunities are available for undergraduates.</p>

<p>Some directors come out of performance training and experience… some come from more of the design side… and others a more broad based background in theatre, art, dance, music, etc… </p>

<p>I have my MFA in directing and advise young directors at the University where I teach. I also have a lot of friends who are directors. I would suggest going to a strong BA or BFA program (although my bias is toward the BA, even though I have a BFA in performance… PM me if you are interested in why) where you will have lots of opportunities to direct… Hampshire College in MA comes to mind… I believe that Sarah Lawrence also has lots of directing opportunities… although they may go to more of their graduate students… check with the dept. Penn State - University Park has at least four student theatre groups on campus… possibly more. I teach at James Madison University – We have an incredibly active student group that (under the guidance of the Theatre dept.) produces 10 - 12 student directed projects per year, plus a festival of 10 - 12 one act plays that come out of the fall directing course.</p>

<p>Many young directors I know choose to double major or minor in English, History, or Art History. In order to develop a strong voice as a director you need practical theatre experience in all areas, a knowledge of theatre history, and a knowledge of world history, architectural, and artistic trends throughout history. </p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

<p>PS. If you want to teach on the college level you will have to go to graduate school. On the HS level, public schools will require you to be certified… some states also require public school teachers to obtain a masters degree for permanent certification.</p>

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<p>As always, a big thanks to all who are so free with their info on this site and the MT site. I do have a straight theater question, and thought this a better place for it.
My son is a graduate of WVU (not theater), and has told us time and again to look at the program. Seems WVU offers a BFA, with audition into the complete program coming during doph year. This seems like a good “safety” net for my D, but I have never seen anything about the program on these boards. I have called the school, will visit, itc, but I admit to beeing a CC “junkie”, and wanted input from any of you out there!</p>

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<p>I love acting and i would like to have an advise on what collages i should enter if i would like to have a succsesful career as an actres.</p>

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<p>KatMt</p>

<p>I agree with you that when yoy apply to any college you need to have in muind security issues.</p>

<p>But anyhow you follow what you are intrested in</p>

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<p>Hi alpearson – I am not sure where I gave the idea that I think people shoulc have a fallback. I was responding to Ronit’s comment that (s)he might like to teach down the line as a fallback… combined with the fact that (s)he mentioned that (s)he didn’t think he wanted to go to graduate school.</p>

<p>I completely advocate that people should study in college what they are passionate about.</p>

<p>I wasn’t suggesting that a director double major or minor in english, history, or art history to have something to fall back on, rather because those are all areas of knowledge that are helpful to a professional director in their work. :)</p>

<p>As far as your question… there are as many paths to become a professional actress as there are people. If you supply more information I am sure that you will receive feedback.</p>

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<p>Katmt by the way my name is Alexandra…</p>

<p>I completly agree with you that people should study what they are passionate about… Thats why im trying to find a college that specializes in acting because im really passionate about this</p>

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<p>alpearson, you should go back and read this thread, including the early parts. There is a ton of information on it that should be helpful to you.</p>