<p>VikkiE--yes there are Las Vegas auditions. We are in L.V. on Feb.9 and 10 for Penn and Cincinnati.</p>
<p>Did you register for the LV Unifieds through the schools just like NYC? How can I get information about where they are located?</p>
<p>I think you would need to call the schools directly and speak with the sect'y of each theatre department in order to sign up for the Las Vegas auditions, especially if you have already requested an audition date somewhere else. I do not know all the schools represented at the Las Vegas Unifieds, so if your child has applied to schools other than Penn or Cincinnati, your only choice is to call each school individually. There is also a Unified Auditions website which I accessed through google by just listing 'unified auditions'. Hope this helps!</p>
<p>I think I need to add to my previous post....there is NO Las Vegas audition listed on the National Unified Auditions website. What I did was call the schools listed on the website and ask if they ALSO had Las Vegas auditions. Sorry I was not clear about that!</p>
<p>julie</p>
<p>Sareccasmom.....this is a very very minor point but I figured I would share it with you :D I gather you are from the West. Pennyslvania State University is referred to as either Penn State or PSU, but NEVER Penn. University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia (Ivy League school) is often called Penn or UPenn. </p>
<p>While it might not matter much, those who go to either school, are very aware of the mix up in terms. Same with the difference in the schools as they are not the same type of school either. Penn State is the state university and Penn is the Ivy League school. So, if you are at auditions or talking to anyone who goes to Penn State, you might wanna be "in the know" that nobody calls it Penn and they'll be confused with U of Penn and/or think you don't know the school well. </p>
<p>Again, this is NOT important but you might as well know if you visit Penn State or go to their audition, not to call it "Penn", wrong school. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Soozievt---thanks for the headzup! I guess I take a little too much liberty with abbreviations! I really appreciate knowing this before the audition--you have obviously saved us a lot of potential embarrassment!</p>
<p>julie</p>
<p>That was my hope! I didn't want you to look like you knew nothing about the school! It is a common mix up of terms, don't worry. Those at each of those two colleges, however, really know and pay attention to the mix up!</p>
<p>Here is another thing about Penn State....big school....NOT in the city like Penn. Penn State is a big football school and they are the Nittany Lions. The juniors and seniors in the MT program put on tail gate "cabarets" for alumni...these are worked on with the faculty/director of the program. I believe they may now be going and doing that at the Fiesta Bowl.</p>
<p>Make sure before your D has any interviews and even on applications, to read up on each school so she can articulate specifics of why she wants to attend. In this case, make sure she calls it Penn State, NOT PENN (they WILL notice!).</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Susan--great idea! We will start to make comprehensive lists about the pros (in her opinion) of each school. Right now her reasoning is too general: she has MT friends at each school and they rave about it, underclassmen can audition, etc. (not that these arent fantastic reasons, just that she needs to get more specific). Question: is saying "Penn State" the same as "PSU" in the interviewers mind, or is one title perferred over the other? Thank you so much for this help--actually every single thing done right in an audition is something not done WRONG! in auditions there is rarely a grey area--its all black or white!</p>
<p>julie</p>
<p>Penn State or PSU both work. For me, I only use PSU when writing about it. Orally, I use Penn State. I'm sure either are fine.</p>
<p>For each college, my kids and my clients write why they want to go and cite SPECIFIC reasons showing they KNOW the school and it is not merely another on the "list". As well, this is very important in college interviews, though interviews are not as common for BFA schools (though my D had one with an admissions officer for CMU) but even in auditions, SOME schools ask some "interview" type questions. Tisch did as one example. I am an interviewer for Tufts University and have done these for ten years and this is a topic of the interview and believe me, kids who can't articulate why they want Tufts, don't look interested enough as they have not bothered to learn about the school. Just saying, "I like Boston" is not good. The NYU application even asks kids to give reasons BEYOND that the school is in NYC :D</p>
<p>I once mentioned on the forum that at one of my D's auditions last year at a well known program, where they asked those at the audition to list on their forms where else they had applied, and my D listed most of her schools but did not put down NYU and at her audition, as part of the "interview type" segment, they asked her, "so, why aren't YOU applying to NYU?" To answer that, she had to know her schools real well, and she did and she contrasted the two schools...by explaining reasons why someone might NOT choose NYU, she was able to explain why someone WOULD choose this particular school. She got in.</p>
<p>Besides schools caring that you know their school and are interested in attending.....this is important for YOURSELF to have REASONS for each school....beyond that my friends like it there. I suggest for ANY kid, BFA or not, that at some point senior year, to brainstorm the pros/cons or just what they like or know about each school and jot it down. Sometimes when you are looking at it on paper, it becomes more obvious as to which one really fits what you want. They differ a great deal. All may be great schools but not all may be the best "fit". </p>
<p>By the way, the issue of undergraduates auditioning...is a nonissue at many BFA programs. At PSU, the MT program is for undergraduates. At Tisch, no graduate students are in the drama/MT productions. There are way more like this but please check that out each place but it is not an issue at many programs. There are OTHER big differences between them, however.</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Susan, thank you so much for all the information: it will be put to good use I can assure you! One point tho is that my D was looking into schools that have a liberal policy in letting UNDERclassmen audition....i probably used the wrong nomenclature again!--what I meant by that is some schools don't let kids audition until they are juniors and so forth-- of course you already know this. At UofA for instance, the policy is no freshman can audition for a show (they are doing their own production), yet I know of some who were cast in shows anyway--this is a liberal policy! I was not speaking of graduate students--sorry I was not clear in this!</p>
<p>julie</p>
<p>OH sorry, I did think you were talking undergrads vs grad students. </p>
<p>Yes, some programs do not let freshmen do productions. Some just don't let freshmen do productions first semester. One I know (CMU) has a no production policy for two years. Some let freshmen do shows. </p>
<p>Let me tell your D this....my MT daughter has been in a show of one kind or another CONSTANTLY for as long as I can recall. She was always working on a show. Now, you might THINK that she would be beside herself not being in a show for nine months this year. BUT NO, that is NOT the case (she is at CAP21). She has never once said she misses not being in a show or is unhappy about that. In fact, she says she thinks all the VERY talented kids she has met in her program are benefitting from the training and aren't "ready" yet for the shows there. She is busier than you can imagine. I think she has other "performing outlets" so to speak. One....they do "perform" in class....be it choreographed dance numbers, scenes, songs. While she has to miss it due to conflicts with her crew assignment this week, her freshmen class is performing with Brian Stokes Mitchell at Lincoln Center. My D auditioned for and got into Tisch's selective coed a capella group (this is NOT classical, it is hip and contemporary "rock out" music, LOL). She rehearses six hours per week with them and has performed in concerts (has one this week), at a HUGE event at Georgetown where they apparently were a very big hit, will again at Brown this March, also performed at a club, CBGB's in Greenwich Village, so she does have that...not a musical but it is still performing and with other theater kids who she says are amazing. While not at NYU itself, her internship turned into a job where she has not only assisted in children/teen's classes in MT, but now is "performing" in scripted interactive Broadway themed birthday parties in NYC with the company she works for. She sometimes subs for their pianist as well. That's not like a show per se, but it is still performing. She also performed in a cabaret as part of her "service" at a chidren's hospital. I believe she may be getting involved in a new start up group of musical theater showcases, run by other Tisch Scholars (she is one herself) to benefit Broadway Cares, Equity Fights Aids. Not sure the deal on that yet. Now, she was asked to be the pianist for The Full Monty at Tisch. No, none of these are being IN a musical but combined with all her training, and seeing shows as well, she seems happy. She entered having just come off being in two musicals this past summer and hopes to be in summer stock this coming summer. Then she can audition for shows at NYU next year (who knows if she can get in any, that's the unknown). Somehow, the issue of not being in shows freshmen year has not become a big issue as we or you might have thought going into this process. A Broadway director who was directing a show at CAP and had seen my D in something else over the summer, wanted to cast her in the CAP production and told her so and went to ask the head of CAP if he could but we knew all along that this was an impossibility due to the no freshmen in shows policy and she entered that program fully aware of that and accepts it and would never ever expect an exception to the rule. She was not upset at all to not be able to be in the show though the opportunity would have been wonderful for her, a small town girl, to work with these Broadway Equity Actors and a Broadway director. So, even with THAT, she is fine with no shows this year. And even so, they talked to her about contacting her when they do the show next, outside of Tisch. Just the people she has met, the training, the other teachers, the other kids in the program, the experiences at NYU and in the city overall, have been more than she ever could wish for. NOT being in a show right now has not even come up as an issue! Thought your D might want to hear how another girl who ALWAYS was in a show, HAD to be, loved it immensely, is still SO happy at her BFA program where freshmen can't be in productions. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>oh of course you're so right---and i know that having observed my older D in MT school try to juggle all the xtra performance ops she has--but it is very difficult for these kids to see just how full the future is going to be for them...they cant possibly imagine how many wonderful things are going to present themselves as they enter this new world! I have no doubt the days and nights will be chock full--my D is basing her assumptions on high school theatre which is such a world apart from MT college! I have tried to steer her towards schools I know will work well for her and she has compromised with me a lot on this--but one of her greatest joys in being 17 ("almost 18, mom!!") is being able to have an opinion about her college plans--which is very fair--and I have my opinion--which is where our loving mother/daughter compromises come in!! At any rate, i have to say your D's life at NYU seems absolutely wonderful--what MT kid wouldnt enjoy such total immersion! Thanks for this post very much--it is a joy to read!</p>
<p>Although CMU has a "no productions" policy for their freshmen and sophomores, that certainly doesn't mean the freshmen and sophomores don't perform AT school!!! Their biggest performance opportunity is Playground, a week of student-produced work, with is a really big event at CMU. This year, many freshmen had LEAD roles in Playground productions, including at least 2 CC alums: productions included CLOSER (the play - at least one freshman lead), RENT "in concert," films, improv, etc. - the students choose what THEY want to produce. Last year, a freshman directed and starred in an abbreviated version of TABOO. These are just a few examples that I happened to see personally, but many others exist. In addition, if a class is motivated to do so, they can have freshman and sophomore cabarets - the freshman cabaret was several weeks ago, very well done, and VERY well-attended by upperclassmen, families, and friends - and it was recorded for CD! Underclass students (esp. freshmen) also occasionally play small "filler" roles in shows, such as maids - which is wonderful because it allows them to observe the rehearsal processes of the upperclassmen. </p>
<p>That having been said, I have also never heard any of my students who go on to CMU complain about the "no big mainstage opportunties for underclassmen" rule. They are far too busy to think about that - and they see how developed the performance skills of their older counterparts are!!! :)</p>
<p>Coach, thanks for mentioning Playground. I am aware of that great opportunity too at CMU. I was just giving the bare bones either "no freshman year" or "no first semester freshman year" or "no freshman/soph year" policies to be in the musical productions. But as you clearly bring up at CMU with Playground, in class performances, and cabarets, kids in these programs (as in my d's program) are performing in some sort of capacity anyway. That was the essence of my post and thankfully you chimed in about CMU as well. It is worth sharing this with prospies who may be "concerned" that they can't be in a show freshman year (Or whatever the policy is). Like your students, my D is not complaining about it either even though she did shows year round growing up.</p>
<p>sarreccasmom...I hear you about your D! I think the child (almost adult in your case!) SHOULD be the one to pick and choose their college. I did not care which college either of my kids picked but only wanted them to pick one they liked, have some choices, and have reasons why they liked it. I did not state a preference or first choice on my end and am not sure if I could if I had tried but I never tried or thought that way. I was interested to see how in the end it would all turn out and what they would pick. Also, I smiled when reading about your "almost 18 year old" D because my D who just turned 17 (the one at Tisch) is VERY strong willed and always has been. :D
(does that go with the MT loving territory, I wonder???)</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>LOL! oh susan--if my D's did NOT have strong wills, I would shudder to think of them trying to make it in show business-- as it is, i just shudder thinking of anyone ever attempting to discourage them from it! </p>
<p>julie</p>
<p>CoachC, I'm surprised to hear that CMU did a concert version of Rent for Playground, as the rights for even 'in concert' productions are not available in North America yet.</p>
<p>The Unified Auditions are indeed being held in Las Vegas. I hadn't realized that they weren't listed on our website at Otterbein. My apologies; that's now been corrected. The LV auditions are, however, listed at <a href="http://www.unifiedauditions.com%5B/url%5D">www.unifiedauditions.com</a>.</p>
<p>However, I need to point out that the Las Vegas auditions are run slightly differently. Unlike NY, Chicago, LA and San Francisco, where the auditions are private, in Las Vegas they are mass auditions, like Thespians or Northeast Texas, with each auditioner given a short time in front of the entire group. Colleges then call back students to work with them. It's not necessarily disadvantageous, but I wanted all of you to understand the difference.</p>
<p>Also, not all the colleges go to Las Vegas, so it's important to check with each college you want to audition for.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Dr. John,
Do you know why it is that the Las Vegas UNIFIEDS are run like that (more like North Texas Drama Auditions) where all students audition in the same space for the whole group of college reps?</p>
<p>Do they actually work with adjustments at the call-backs? Is that all in one room?</p>
<p>Thanks,
xxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>doctorjohn, will all the schools listed on the Unifides site go to all the Unifides? Because on the Hartt application, I didn't see a San Francisco option...</p>
<p>Another question to Doctorjohn...Do applications/appointments already need to have been submitted for Las Vegas, or could a student walk in, sign up and possibly be called back to schools that he/she hadn't even applied to?
(Although that would be risky this late in the audition season!)</p>