As we have just completed the audition season with our son, I had some thoughts that I hope will be valuable for future parents as they research this complicated process. Certainly on the more ‘chat’ oriented threads here, you’ll see advice concerning the application and audition process. But for those of you who have a year or more to go, and want to get set up for success, read on.
(I’ll add - while I’m not a professional performer, I have had the pleasure of spending a majority of my free time at the performing arts program where my son has trained for 5 years, volunteered extensively at the local schools for their shows, and was also a technical director of a local community theatre for a number of years. So I am fortunate to have more than just casual observation as we went through this year with our son.)
It strikes me that quite a number of the students who are discussed here are very talented individuals who have been fortunate to enjoy participating in shows while in high school (and before). In some cases, these are performing arts schools where the talent pool is high, and therefore the lead roles are competitive. In other cases, these are talented students in traditional schools which may be less competitive. And, yes, getting in a show is great. But contrary to popular belief, it’s not the most important thing. (Counterintuitive. But it’s true).
I want to impress upon future parents the value of training. Is your student working with someone at school, or outside, that is solely focused on the training of actors? Are characterization, particularization, truthfulness, and the like vocabulary words on a drama test or are they becoming a core part of your student’s journey? Does your vocal instructor spend more time on breathing and technique than on running the song? Does your dance instructor make your student do the same 4 bar combo a thousand times in a row until it’s perfect? Are they running scenework until they are insane? Is your student off-book by the time the first rehearsal comes?
Participating in a show is wonderful, and the manifestation of the art. But during the show, you get directed. You don’t get trained. And for many students who only get show experience, with lightweight training, the lack of that training really comes through when you’re reduced to 16/32 bars and a 30/60 second monologue. In the infamous Carnegie Mellon auditions, a student may move through multiple rooms. According to my son and others, what’s happening is that they are giving you direction and asking you to do things differently. Then they watch your ability to not only be directed, but will see the tools you have available as a performer to make those changes. That’s where training makes the difference.
Additionally, having confidence in your training also gives you confidence in your auditions. It’s no different than a ball player who spends hours in the batting cage vs a couple at-bats during a game.
I’m actually very concerned when I see posts that a high school student was in 4, 5, 6, or more shows in a year and had the lead in all of them. To me, that’s a difficult load to properly train, especially for a younger actor who has a lot to learn. There are always exceptions, of course, but for the majority of students, that won’t work.
You may read about how scary it is that schools are, in fact, casting specific types for their future shows in addition to selecting the students who have the right talent mix for their program. Totally and completely true. You may have the next Neil Patrick Harris in your son, but if the school is full-up on skinny Caucasian tenors then you’re not gonna make it. This is where training helps to seriously increase your odds of success. Imagine not only having the look checkbox, but also the ability to demonstrate flexibility in performance while in that audition room. Very powerful, and it’s easy to spot if you’re an auditor.
Future parents, please do not make the mistake and assume that just because your students got leads in a show, they will naturally get admitted to a musical theatre program. Stage performance, while fun and important, is not what they need to succeed in a BFA MT program. To become a true practitioner of the craft, they must embrace becoming a lifelong learner and constantly train. And let’s face it, school age kids in a show are surrounded with accolades and rarely given the real, raw feedback which makes them a better actor.
And don’t forget that what you’re paying for over the next four years is that very training. There is a reason that these programs take such a small number of students each year. It’s to have the ability to give them the extremely intensive training they deserve. I’m very excited about seeing my son in some college level productions, but first and foremost are the acting, dancing, vocal, industry, and brand classes he will attend.
So where do you find this training if you’re totally new to music theatre? Call around local arts academies, regional and local theatres, high schools, and ask for names. Find some local people that have kids who went BFA. Ask around on College Confidential For a very talented student, it’s possible to have 5-7 people who specialize in different areas. If that’s not in the budget, focus on one or two areas at a time and rotate. Attend the end-of-year showcase or recital for a prospective instructor and see their results. If this sounds like it’s time intensive, you ain’t seen nothing yet 