We went my daughter’s junior year to audition for a summer program. Also stayed a couple of days so she could check it out. That sure came in handy this year- little less intimidating…
@ParachuteBoy 5 times??? Omg.
I did spend a lot of times in the hallways between auditions keeping my head in the game but by the fifth time I heard the chorus “here I go…” It was almost comical. I may have gone insane by the end and was just hearing things.
Programs like TPAP, Artsbridge and Broadway Dreams were at the Palmer House. Juniors could have been looking at those programs.
Thanks everyone! And yes, my junior D was not doing anything official although she did audition for some summer stuff. We had heard it was overwhelming so wanted to scope it out this year. Happy to say it wasn’t! I’m sure those hustling around actually auditioning might have felt differently - saw a whole group running frantically out of a dance call that must have ran late, etc. - but the setup was fine and the elevator wait (even on the non-executive floors) was never that bad. Actually it was much calmer than we expected. Saw a few upset kids but overall the whole group seemed pretty happy with how things were going and we overheard a lot of kids who had all positives to report. Only thing that was a problem was room service - 2 hour wait one night - so we know to eat out and are ready to go next year!
There were definitely a handful of emotional/upset kids. I also noted lots of parents babysitting there kids and trying to listen in through doors when their kid was singing.
I saw a few upset kids, too. Heartbreaking :-(. One girl was sitting on the floor near the elevator - slumped over like a rag doll - with big tears streaming down her face. It made me tear up. This process is not for the weak at heart!
I saw a lot of happy excited kids. Lots of tired kids, too, as there is nothing more exhausting than spending days in hotel corridors. Overall, I thought the kids were really nice to each other and generally positive about their experiences. @parachuteBoy, I have to admit to standing near the room during one of my kid’s auditions–but I think moms can do that, so long as their kids don’t see! I didn’t listen to anyone else’s kid though.
UNCSA was at same hotel with NYU. CMU was someplace, too.
Syracuse was at the JW Marriott again this year. Challenging dance call, and what my daughter called an “awkward” audition. Lots of writing, so auditor either had a whole bunch of great feedback to write, or he was making a very long shopping list for the weekend? Very impressive presentation and Q&A handled by faculty including Dept. Chair.
I hope the kids that were upset had an adult there for support. That’s heartbreaking. I have never tried to listen by the door when my daughter auditions anywhere Lol @claire74 . Doesn’t it make you more nervous? I sorta don’t want to know what happens if that makes sense!
@theaterwork, I usually try to walk away, but sometimes the mother hen inside takes over…in this instance, my excuse is that we were in a very narrow corridor. @parachuteboy, I heard lots of "Astonishing"s, too. Have to say, though, they all sounded amazing–I guess you don’t go for that song unless you know you can kill it…
Yes, everyone I could hear sounded phenomenal which of course only made me more intimiadtated. There was one mom that tried to stick her ear in the open space between the door and the proscenium threshold of the door. I also noticed no school was running right on time, half were running late and half early. At my CCM dance call Monday morning they were like oh you guys got through the choreography quickly guess we’ll start the first singing/monologue now and that was 20 minutes early.
Lol my D sings “Astonishing” quite well and she could definitely nail it in an audition but was always told to stay away from Sutton. It is odd you heard a lot of it. so much for the overdone song lists lol.
I am not picking on you for the mother hen thing @claire74 I get it 
My D is auditioning for a summer program this weekend and I am dying to listen in!
I am curious as to people’s experiences in the (Chicago Unifieds ) audition rooms for Michigan, Penn State, Carnegie Mellon, CCM, Texas State, Ball State, etc. Did you feel that they were interested in you and how did they show it? Thank you!
@theaterwork, since I made a promise to my son that after Unifieds I would never again say to him, “Shouldn’t you practice?”, I can let myself off the hook for listening just once at the door! It might have been the last I ever get to hear! (at least, those audition songs–and since he switched his main song in at the last minute, I don’t even have a recording of that). Sighs the sad stage mom who has outlived her purpose…and anticipates her doom.
@mtgirl225 I auditioned for CCM at Unifieds. They are extremely packed and have more and more auditioning every year than before. They are not open for walk ins and don’t have an open block of a half hour to get to hear many songs and interview each kid.
At the dance call Aubrey Burg talked to us all before and after we danced about the school, the admissions process, and how the audition will go.
They recorded your song and monologue but I noticed that to be pretty common at Unifieds. They seemed genuinely interested in hearing everyone despite the high numbers. They ask me (and I think everyone who they were interested in) why they were interested in applying to CCM.
@claire74 - it may not be over yet!! Once she got off to school my D has developed a habit of running songs/monolgoues for me via facetime before auditions - to get an outsider’s viewpoint. And that was NOT something she did in HS…
The Carnegie Mellon auditors were unbelievably nice and supportive. I felt it was the most fun I had during all of my auditions which is saying something considering it should have been the highest pressure. They seemed like they were having fun watching all the students’ work. Ball state was quick and painless- they were all smiles and though didn’t say much, still shook my hand and made me feel like they cared I took the time to audition for them. Hope this helps!
@mtgirl225 CCM did seem genuinely interested in the people auditioning. They were very attentive during my audition and overall were very nice! Ball State was quick but they could not have been nicer! They asked me some questions afterwards and seemed to genuinely be interested in what I was presenting.