<p>Any tips for a value-added visit to UArts? We're thinking of late September or so. Will try to coordinate with a student production if possible. Goal is to get son to "experience" the school not just go an another campus tour... Thanks.</p>
<p>Our experience was that the UArts tours (housing and program) were a little different from other tours in that the guides actually try to connect with each prospective student. It was, hands-down, our favorite tour. </p>
<p>The housing tour actually covers the history and culture of the school as well as housing. This is the sort of thing you usually get first from a representative of the admissions office speaking to the whole group in a classroom or auditorium but our friendly, funny guide made the facts part of the tour so we could see what she was talking about. By the way, UArts handles room and board a bit differently than any other school we’ve seen because the students actually cook their own meals. I suppose you’ll either love or hate this idea. We loved it because the students learn self-sufficiency. </p>
<p>The program tours are split into visual and performing arts which narrows the focus to begin with and then the tour guide speaks to each student about the program he or she is considering. Our guide was knowledgeable in all of the program areas we were interested in and could answer all of our questions. For each student, she took us to the spaces each would actually use if he or she went there, explaining how the classes in each space fit into the program curriculum. In answer to our questions, our tour guide also spoke openly about her own decision to go to UArts and some of her experiences.</p>
<p>We had a very positive experience of the school and my daughter is planning to apply. </p>
<p>Please let us know your experience. Since we are seriously considering the school, we would like to know as much as possible.</p>
<p>This is unrelated to academia or acting, but if you are in philly there are two places you must get cheesteaks at. Or at least one of them.</p>
<p>Either Jim’s, which is at 4th and South Street - South Street, Philadelphia ph.</p>
<p>Or Pat’s King of Steaks at 9th and Wharton Streets in South Philadelphia, where you must be sure to order your steak by just saying “whiz with.”</p>
<p>I know that probably doesn’t help you but those restaurants are delicious, lol.</p>
<p>Also, although I never visited UArts I was accepted into their acting program and they were some of the nicest and most engaging people I met in the audition process so you should have a great time there.</p>
<p>Check the websites for the Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, Walnut St Theatre, Wilma Theatre, Arden Theatre, Suzanne Roberts Theatre and of course UArts to see what shows, ballets, opera, and orchestral performances will be running. Take a horse and carriage ride of historic Phila departing from the Independence Hall area at 6th and Chestnut Sts. Visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Academy of Natural Sciences and Franklin Institute along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Top it off with Italian food at La Viola, Cuban food at Mixto or Alma de Cuba, or gourmet Mexican food at El Vez, all within a 5 minute walking distance from UArts.</p>
<p>Also, arrange for your student to sit in on some classes. Acting studio classes are closed to visitors but the others are generally accessible.</p>
<p>FWIW, I can also attest to the kindness of the students at UArts. I know quite a few and all of them are so kind and engaging! Always helpful and polite…it seems like they really focus on learning there rather than cut throat competitivness. I really do think UArts is one of the few schools that actually looks into the personality of their students and looks for those who are personable and open.</p>
<p>Interesting story: I was on a train ride coming from Philly. All the carts were pretty much packed, but there was one empty seat next to me and a lady asked to sit there. Before the train even took off, we were having such a relaxed and cool conversation about college, theatre, acting, plays, shakespere, etc. (don’t remember how we got on those topics though). But I only soon found out that she was a recent alum of UArts! It was a really neat train ride home to say the least!</p>
<p>Just thought I’d throw my two cents in :D</p>
<p>When my son and I visited UArts we did the tour provided by the admissions office. We also were able to meet up with a current student and took her out to dinner so we could sit and casually ask a lot questions and have an actual conversation. There is a UArts thread on the Musical Theatre forum; I just asked on that forum if anyone would be willing to meet with us and then we made arrangements via PM. On our short visit to Philly, we spent a lot of time on our own just exploring and “getting a feel” for the city and the area around UArts. Since there is no typical campus, walking and exploring Center City is a great part of “experiencing” the school. And we did get to see a UArts production and were able to get complimentary tickets from the admissions office. All those things “sealed the deal” for my son and he will be starting his sophomore year as an acting major at UArts soon. Flying back to Philly tomorrow as a matter of fact. He’s had enough of small town Wisconsin!!!</p>
<p>So everyone agrees UArts students are kind, friendly, relaxed, cool, and Philly is a really interesting but affordable city but can anyone speak to the academics, theater education, internships, performances, alumni networks?</p>
<p>I guess everyone has covered the friendly atmosphere and great city aspects. Agreed! We can add that we saw a final rehearsal for “Batboy” and were very impressed with the vocal talent and acting abilities of the cast. Since D will be a freshman MT this year we can’t comment much on your other questions, theater mom, but when she sat in on Forrest’s class she could hardly wait to attend classes at UArts. He was extraordinary in her view. Very exciting days ahead.</p>
<p>Thanks, oregontheatermom. My D is a techie so I’m wondering about the scenery, lights, costumes, and so on of the performance you saw. Care to comment?</p>
<p>Michael – thanks for the advice about seeking out additional culture and cuisine while in Philly. We will definitely contact the department to see what classes my son might be able to attend while there</p>
<p>AZKMom – thanks for the personal endorsement by you and your son</p>
<p>theater mom – glad to hear that you and your daughter had a positive experience</p>
<p>Any thoughts as to how well the male students adapt to the apartment style living from day one (i.e. kids whose mothers may spoil them just a little)?</p>
<p>Everyone, both males and females, seems to enjoy the apartment style living. There are plenty of grocery stores and supermarkets and even a farmers market in the area. In addition, there are loads of cafes, food courts and sandwich shops to grab a quick bite to eat. UArts also has a cantina. The absence of a meal plan does not at all inhibit groups of friends from having a meal together on a daily basis. The one problem with needing to provide your own meals is that often students feel pressed for time to food shop or cook with the result that many meals are quick grabs of whatever requires minimum preparation time. Lunches are either packed and carried or grabbed from a food court. Genaurdi’s Supermarkets provides for on-line shopping and delivers for a very modest surcharge at pre-arranged times which can really facilitate food shopping and save a ton of time (the closest full service supermarkets, Whole Foods and Superfresh are a 15 - 20 minute walk from the dorms and you have to lug all the bags back unless you take a taxi). In addition, everyone greatly values having their own private bathroom and shower in their apartment.</p>
<p>Theater Mom - In response to your questions, here are some comments. The theatre education at UArts is excellent. For techies, there are a load of shows each semester with plenty of opportunities for practical experience. Sets can vary from the elaborate at UArts’ Meriam Theatre (1800 seat proscenium) to minimalist (black boxes). There have been many renovations and upgrades to the various stages in the last several years so that there is a lot of new equipment and lighting. Costumes can also range from the simple to elaborate period costuming.</p>
<p>Philadelphia has a very vital and active theatre community, in which UArts plays a major role, and there are many opportunities for connections and internships if a student takes the time to work it. The main focus of students’ school year time is their class work and school shows until senior year when the schedule is designed to permit outside endeavors. UArts has expanded its alumni networking and senior showcasing activities over the last couple of years and there are now regular events of various types both in Phila and NYC.</p>
<p>As to academics, in the more “academic” types of departmental classes, such as theatre history, there are meaningful reading assignments and papers to write. As to liberal arts outside of the department, there is a great variety of classes. However, keep in mind that UArts is an “arts university” with a liberal arts department, as opposed to a “liberal arts university” with multiple departments each dedicated to a single area of liberal arts studies. The scope of higher level liberal arts classes at UArts is more limited than at other programs housed in a full university setting. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t meaningful, substantive liberal arts classes at UArts which require serious work, there are. What it does mean is that the opportunity to focus in depth in particular liberal arts subjects will probably be more available at other schools with a traditional liberal arts structure. Bear in mind, however, that in most BFA programs, the opportunity to take liberal arts is much more limited than in a BA program, so it is important to closely investigate the curricular structure at each program you are considering to determine if the different contexts in which liberal arts may occur have, in reality, any practical meaning. At some schools, such as NYU for example, it may. At other schools, the opportunity to take liberal arts in the BFA curriculum may be sufficiently limited so that the fact that liberal arts is in a full university setting makes no meaningful difference as compared to liberal arts through a more generalized “liberal arts department”. Ithaca and CMU are examples of a full liberal arts college and university where the opportunities to take classes outside of the theatre department are so limited that the fact that the liberal arts classes are housed in separate dedicated departments may be of limited relevance.</p>
<p>Thanks, MichaelNKat, for your comments. Very helpful.</p>
<p>I was actually more interested in the academics within the Theater department. My D is considering your Directing, Playwriting and Production program, which represents a more intellectual approach to theater, and so I wondered if the script analysis, criticism, lit, and history classes were on a level with CMU, for example.</p>
<p>The only perspective I can give you is that of my daughter, who is a rising junior in UArts’ MT program, and based on what I have observed attending student shows. Her theatre curriculum overlaps, academically, with the DPP program in script analysis and theatre history. She found those classes to be stimulating, interesting and thought provoking, requiring extensive reading and much written work from writing of short papers to major term papers. The professors/instructors were all working professionals as well as academicians. I have no foundation to compare the level to what would be found at other schools. The only other thing I can tell you is that many of the student written or directed productions are excellent, reflecting that the program is turning out thinking, focused student directors and playwrights. Many student productions get entered in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival.</p>
<p>I thought you were on staff at UArts! Well, as a parent, I guess your input is a more objective. Anyway, thanks for answering my questions. Here is one last one: Is there anything you or your D don’t like about UArts?</p>
<p>“I was actually more interested in the academics within the Theater department. My D is considering your Directing, Playwriting and Production program, which represents a more intellectual approach to theater, and so I wondered if the script analysis, criticism, lit, and history classes were on a level with CMU, for example.”</p>
<p>That hurts. I’m not bent out of shape about it… but consider this a friendly “huh?!” Good actors, designers, others are very, very often as well versed and intellectually grounded as the playwrights and directors. I’ve always argued that in order to be a great actor you need to be a great thinker. And what the heck, I’m just a designer. hehe :)</p>
<p>Yikes! I did not mean to offend. </p>
<p>For what it’s worth, I’m a graphic artist and I was not saying that designers are not thinkers but, maybe, that it’s a different kind of thought. While the words are everything to a Playwright, for example, they are just part of what an actor uses. </p>
<p>Or do I have it wrong? You get the final word if you want it.</p>
<p>No worries. I checked my ego at the door many years ago. As a designer, I consider my script analysis different than a directors or actors, but just as in depth. I love actors who can talk to me about how they approached the world, just as I love directors who can talk about the world. We are all just parts of the process. No one is more or less important, nor does anyone have a more or less “intellectual” process (to use your term.) This art form is, like all art forms, highly intellectual.</p>
<p>There are different forms of intelligence (different models argue anywhere from five on up). I would argue that most actors have a better awareness of Bodily-Kinesthetic, Spatial and Musical intelligence (to draw from the Gardner model) than perhaps the general population. But then again, it is rare (student) actor indeed who seeks out a math class (Logical-Mathematical Intelligence). </p>
<p>In the end, to be good at this, you have to accept that the hierarchy suggested by years of stereotypes really doesn’t exist. The best I’ve worked with ask me questions about character development and blocking, just as I seek suggestions from actors about ground plan and color. We all live in the world of the play for several weeks (or longer) and we all draw different perspectives of that world. That’s what makes this fun.</p>
<p>And seriously. I was just ribbing you. I hear all the time that the directors are smarter, and that the actors aren’t intelligent. Just ask my students, I pick on actors more than anyone. But it’s all in good fun and at the end of the day, nobody respects actors more than I do. The courage and intellect it takes to do their job is overwhelming. For that reason, I thought I’d stand up for my fellow artists. I hope your daughter has a long and industrious career in the field.</p>