My wife and I feel pretty good about the whole audition process, but we signed on with a national coaching service to help with details we couldn’t cover ourselves or with our local teachers. For example, our daughter’s voice teacher doesn’t have a lot of experience with pre-1960s shows, and many schools require such a cut as part of their audition. So the coaching service is providing suggestions. There’s a ton of other details they will help with: headshot recommendations, essay content and polish, schools we may not have considered, etc.
We also are looking forward the the service’s direct, on-site support during Unifieds. That whole week in Chicago looks like a major stress-fest, so having the voice of experience there will hopefully help keep our tempers (relatively) even and our daughter’s energy focused on auditions and not the minutia of logistics and administration.
I’m bummed about the cost involved, but I look at the coaching as an investment to help give our daughter the best chance we can provide. Once she’s off to college, her future is largely out of our hands. This is our “last chance” (common phrase during senior year) to provide this kind of support.
We just signed on for coaching for the reason that this major is SO competitive. I feel that it may give my D an advantage. She has competed on a National level and still I feel having a coach will be beneficial. This process is so daunting and any help will be invaluable. We recently visited Ithaca, Rider, Montclair and Wagner. Ithaca said they only take 12-18. That I such a small number. I am hoping that with coaching my D will go into this brutal audition process very prepared. That will alleviate any anxiety on my part. I also look at it as an investment I don’t want to look back and say “I wish I had hired a coach”.
98% of our coaching was skyped. Met the coaches in person (but didn’t have any coaching sessions with individual coaches) at a mock audition event in NYC, and then scheduled an in person coaching at Chicago Unifieds. (a brush up before that week of intensity… so most major coaching had already happened by then). We were very happy with the whole arrangement.
For my d, who is attending a top tier acting program, the mock audition really really helped her confidence. She knew exactly what to expect going in the room and how to be prepared for the interview. Also the kids had to perform in front of each other, so she got a sense of what others were doing. Everything else she probably could have been fine without – she used a Shakespeare monologue that her coach suggested, but went with her own choice for her modern piece.
Thanks @EmsDad. Do you have to finish all the videos before you can sign up? Also do you remember the cost to attend Moonifieds. We live 20 minutes from Dallas so we plan on saving hotel costs.
@Mel2421 - check with Moo on the cost of Moonifieds, I think that the price has changed since 2014. Not sure what videos you are referring to, if you mean Mary Anna’s online coaching, then no, you don’t have to watch them all before you can sign up. As I recall, Mary Anna posted a complete set of information regarding Moonifieds as part of your personal online audition system with all the requirements for each school in September.
I would give her a call or email her with your questions.
I think it is great branding @theaterwork . It stands out and people easily know who she and her crew are. This is coming from someone who did not use her.
HaHa so true!
It is true about the new “cottage industry”. Lots of coaches and many families here are familiar. As well the older posters didn’t seem to use them. Pace has some good insight about talent (coached or not) winning in the end.
