I’m currently a junior in high school, and I’m extremely interested in working in the tech theatre field (specifically stage management). The problem for me is that I’m still unsure of what university is the best fit for me. I narrowed down my list of universities to (in no specific order):
-UCLA
-UCSD
-USC (more of a dream though)
The problem is I don’t know how good the stage management programs are in the UC system, and if other UCs have a better SM program than LA and SD. Also I have heard that the UC system is often times focused on learning and studying than the hands-on experience (especially compared to USC). I would love to hear any kind of feedback regarding the schools listed, and also information on other schools that would/may have a better program.
P.S. Non-UCs (excluding private schools; I have a chance of going to a private if I somehow manage to lower the tuition cost) are out of the question for me, since my parents would like me to focus on UCs mainly, unless I am able to convince them that, for example, a specific CalState will be a better fit.
Have you looked at UC Irvine? They have an undergraduate Honors in Stage Management program, according to their website. I would also look at UC Santa Barbara. They have a Design concentration, which includes stage management courses. UC Santa Cruz does not offer a specific Stage Management concentration, but they have a webpage devoted to students who wanted to pursue stage management and they have a recommended course progression: http://theater.ucsc.edu/programs/stagemanagers. I would also take a look at the specific curriculum at UC Berkeley and UC Davis to see if either of those schools could meet your needs.
As for UCSD, they have an MFA in Stage Management (as does Irvine), but unlike UCI, I don’t see a specific undergraduate concentration in Stage Management at UCSD, so it’s not immediately clear that UCSD would be a better option than UCI, or even UCD or UCB, for example. I would research that further, if you haven’t yet. Also, note that UCLA says, “Students interested in stage management should know that there is no directed course sequence in stage management.”
Lots of good advice from @elsacc about UC programs. If your stats are competitive enough for UCLA then you should be able to get excellent merit money from other schools with Stage Management, though clearly few of these schools listed are as rigorous academically as the UC’s). I personally don’t know about aid at many of these, but maybe others will, and it should be somewhere in their website. Here is a list to check out:
Schools offering a BFA (in Stage Management or Design/tech with a concentration in SM):
Otterbein (less expensive and offers excellent merit aid and talent aid)
Carnegie Mellon
UNSCA
Emerson
Southern Oregon University
University of Northern Kentucky
Western Michigan
Shenandoah
Milliken
CalArts
Webster
Boston University
DePaul
Penn State
Viterbo
SUNY-Purchase
Rutgers
Long Island University-CW Post
TCU
SCAD
Point Park
Drake
Nebraska Wesleyan
Ohio Northern
University of Miami (FL)
UArts
Schools offering a BA: (usually a theater degree with a concentration in SM)
Pace
Manhatten Marymount
Ithaca
Elon
Baldwin Wallace
Colorado State University (also less expensive with good merit aid)
Willamette University (expensive but decent merit aid)
Fordham
One thing to be mindful of is if a school offers a MFA in SM then you might be competing with the graduate students for jobs. This is true at many, but not all, schools.
@toowonderful, OP said “I have a chance of going to a private if I somehow manage to lower the tuition cost”… and “unless I am able to convince them that, for example, a specific CalState will be a better fit.”
So I made a list of private and public schools with strong SM programs.
“P.S. Non-UCs are out of the question for me, since my parents would like me to focus on UCs mainly, unless I am able to convince them that, for example, a specific CalState will be a better fit”
which led me to think that only schools in CA were in play. There is a sentence I removed:
“(excluding private schools; I have a chance of going to a private if I somehow manage to lower the tuition cost)” But I interpreted that as privates in CA - not out of state. I could easily be incorrect - @currin - are you trying to stay in CA?
Meaning ABSOLUTELY NO DISRESPECT to @Reckless - who gave a very nice list of helpful information, one of my main pet peeves of the CC world (more prevalent on things like Parent’s Forum than here) is when someone will say "I’m looking for schools in the Northeast " and posters will answer back with things like “you should check out Tulane”.
But only the OP knows what the parameters are - so it seems like we would need more info to be helpful
@toowonderful you might be right that OP can only attend school in CA, but it’s interesting how we can interpret the written word differently. I was inferring that OP’s parents wanted him/her/them to focus on UC’s because of cost and academic rigor. Therefore, a strong private school would be fine if the cost wasn’t too high. There was also an outside chance they could attend a less academic school (Cal State or other) if OP could convince their parents that the SM program was strong enough.
I think the more information and options that are presented the better. What you think you may want or can afford can change drastically when you look at the wonderful possibilities that are out there. My daughter ended up at a very pricey private college that is less expensive than the UC’s and Cal States after merit aid. Don’t limit your options. Look at it all. You will be surprised at what’s out there.
Also, and I think @bisouu can speak to this, you can get good experience in stage management without attending a school with a dedicated SM program. ASM is one of the options to fulfill tech requirements at CCPA, and I know that at least one of my son’s classmates has done some ASM-ing at a professional Chicago theater during the summer with that experience.
Yes my daughter is getting wonderful training in SM at Drew and is currently working in NYC in an equity production of a new musical as a Jan Term student. She is having the time of her life.
@Reckless@toowonderful I’m mainly focusing on CA schools since my parents would like me to. I personally am okay with out-of-state, but since my parents are going to be financially supporting me, they have a strong say in where I go (I also prefer BFA, but at this point, I’m not too picky)
p.s. extremely sorry for such a delayed response, I have email notifications off and completely forgot about my post
