<p>List readers,</p>
<p>I would appreciate hearing back (either on this thread or by PM) from anyone who either attends the University of Minnesota's Guthrie BFA Actor Training Program or has a kid who attends that program.</p>
<p>I just have some general questions. </p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>NMR</p>
<p>NMR, I cannot help you with your questions. I just want to say that this past summer, I saw a professional Shakespeare production in which almost every actor was either a current Guthrie student or recent graduate and they were very good.</p>
<p>There was a very detailed post 2-3 years ago from a student - went on for a page or so. You probably saw it.</p>
<p>No, I didn't see it. Was it on the theater/drama schools thread?</p>
<p>NMR....I recall a long post too from a current student and it was on the MT Forum in a thread that was getting contentious...and I have done a search and it may have been this thread:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/324346-ncsa-vs-uminn-guthrie-acting.html?highlight=Guthrie%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/324346-ncsa-vs-uminn-guthrie-acting.html?highlight=Guthrie</a></p>
<p>I'm in a hurry and so that's all I can find for the quick moment.</p>
<p>Thank you! I remember this now, but my searching skills leave something to be desired. :)</p>
<p>I printed out a posting from a member called gc03 - student at MN. a few months ago.</p>
<p>It looks like it came from the Drama link part 9 page 7</p>
<p>stlouismom is referring to the drama thread where this was posted. The thread followed a discussion of the top theatre programs. The individual, along with someone from DePaul thought that these two programs are highly under rated on CC. The post followed the thread that some noted that they get 'gibberish' on the older drama threads. I was pretty impressed by the decription by the Guthrie person. Alas, it looks like my S did not get a call back - no phone call or letter. I assume that this means 'rejection'.
as noted by soozievt, the Guthrie program is noted for doing classical pieces. Others have commented on the fact that Minnesota's BA program is more experimental, but that there is no comparison between the BA and BFA program. But I am merely stating the obvious.</p>
<p>Has anyone heard about a callback? My son felt so good about the response he got at his audition in Chicago and was very hopeful for a callback. After he did his 2 required monologues, he was asked to do his 3rd (a monologue for a character you would love to play but would never be cast for.) They then asked him to sing for them. I don't know if that was in response to his resume or they knew he was also doing MT auditions. Then they asked if he had any other monologues so he did a 4th monologue for them. He also felt his interview was very positive. Like BrianSteffy, I am beginning to think it's a rejection.</p>
<p>I know of at least 3 kids who did not receive the call-back e-mails and phone calls that went out from Guthrie last week. At this point, it appears that if you haven't gotten such a contact, you are NOT being called back. I suppose if you call them, they'd let you know if there are more to be sent out. It is getting late for making travel plans. . .</p>
<p>And, it was interesting that the Guthrie folks asked the kids to sing. That requirement was NOT listed anywhere, and, apparently surprised the straight acting students! Thank goodness many had to prepare songs for Purchase and NCSA so they were able to come up with something! For those auditioning next year---REMEMBER TO PREPARE A SONG even if you are going for acting and not MT. You never know when you might need it. Thankfully, these programs prefer that you sing without accompaniment.</p>
<p>I think that letsfigureitout is correct. Given the need to make traveling plans, if a student has not heard yet, one can assume no callback. My son too did 3 monologues (as warned) and a song. He felt that it was his best audition, but he also knew that the competition was tough. In Chicago their line was long all day long. Purchase was also very well attended in Chicago.. Guthrie and Purchase were our 'far reach' (might as well do it) auditions. This is not a knock on my S and any D/S not called back, but some programs are very difficult to get into. For those who got callbacks, are you aware that the U. is reducing its nonresident tuition to a rate of about 4K per year greater than resident students, which makes the U. the cheapest Big Ten school. Congrats to those who got a callback.</p>
<p>My d got a callback last week (Wednesday) and she knows of 2 other boys and girls who were also calledback. All of her friends in San Francisco were asked to sing and many were asked to do more than just 3 monologues - they were asked to do something from their resume as well - however, not all of these kids were calledback. But just to put things in perspective my d also made the first round callbacks at Juilliard last week (Tuesday) and then found out (Friday) she did not make the final cut. Thanks for the info on the tuition break Brian - good to know as flights to Minneapolis are HUGELY expensive from the West Coast.</p>
<p>I also got a callback and received the call last wednesday. it is really hard to know about the whole audition process... i auditioned last year and they had me to my three monologues then sing then 4 things off my resume and i didnt get a call back.. and this year i just did my 3 monologues and sang. congrats to everyone who got a callback!</p>
<p>Congrats, thoroughlymodern. Are you thus a transfer candidate? Also, how cold it is there in Minneapolis in the early weeks of March? :)</p>
<p>Yup, I am a transfer :) And I am actually currently in the BA program at the U, so I have been experiencing the coldness of the University campus firsthand.</p>
<p>And I wish I could say its not going to be cold during callback weekend, but the way its been, I am guessing it will be cold. Yesterday the windchills were around -20, although today its about 12 degrees out, and I am sure it will not be quite that cold in March. During last year's callback weekend there had just been a huge snowstorm, so with Minnesota you can never really tell!</p>
<p>I cannot even imagine -20 degrees. I wonder if I could even breathe in that climate. :) (I spent much of my childhood in a suburban-rural area outside Syracuse, which was very snowy. But I don't recall it getting that cold.) Wow. Someone told me that there are tunnels beneath some Univ. buildings so kids don't have to wade through snow or freeze to death on the way to class. Is that true?</p>
<p>That is definitely true.. although unfortunately some of the tunnels are not necessarily the safest way to travel around campus (this is not to say the U is not a safe school, its just it is in an urban area and the tunnels are warm and they arent checked all that often by security). But besides the tunnels there was lots of buses and shuttles and indoor walking options available. </p>
<p>And for those in either the BA or BFA programs the dorm is literally right across the street from the theatre building, it takes less 2 minutes to get there (and all BFA classes are conducted there or at the Guthrie). But even with the sometimes freezing weather, Minneapolis is a great place to live!</p>
<p>spent three years at the U . It is cold. also lived in Syracuse; lots of snow, but not as cold. It could be cold in early March; it's likely. But people from Minnesota get into it. The tunnels exist, but they are sometimes populated by people other than students.
I loved Minneapolis. It's a city that works. Public transit is incredible - bus travel. Yes, I plugged in my engine block at night, but that's Minn. Start ice skating and get into Minneapolis weather-machismo. Everybody talks about the weather, which makes for great small talk with strangers.Lots of people begin cross country skiing on the many city trails.
It's a dry cold, as they say when it's freezing; when the temps go to 30, you might just wear a shirt and pants. Cold is relative. Just buy a good coat, long underwear, gloves, and a funky warm hat. Minneapolis and the U. are worth it. After living there, the northeast looked uptight and neurotic; I prefer Minneapolis to Boston, and NYC? no contest. The twin cities is a well kept secret and I regret that my S did not get a callback. Now I do not have an excuse to visit. My opinion.</p>
<p>Chimming in here...
I have lived in the Twin Cities twice and currently travel all over the upper midwest as it is my territory for work (and play). Only one time in 45 years have I ever "plugged in" my engine block for fear of the car not starting in the morning and that was in way-northern MN (near Canadian border) when it was -30.</p>
<p>Minneapolis is a very interesting city (in a good way) with an unbelieveable mix of metropolitan AND outdoors culture. Winter in the upper midwest is about nothing more than the right clothing, which is very easy to come by.</p>
<p>Brian- "After living there, the northeast looked uptight and neurotic;..." after also living in your neck of the woods (OH/PA-which I also LOVED) I couldn't agree more (LOL).</p>
<p>Oh BTW-
D has a close friend who was in all the HS shows with her that is in his second year with the Guthrie program and is very happy with it. A few words of encouragement for all of you auditioning:<br>
When this young man went for his callback he was a bit intimidated as he had never attended any camps, schools, workshops and only performed in four-six HS shows, additionally his singing voice is not that strong (no biggie really since he is going for straight theatre); MANY of the kids auditioning at callbacks had all of the things I just mentioned and there were times he didn't even understand certain "lingo" and the auditioners graciously explained things to him. Having been a long-time reader/poster here on CC, my heart went out to him because I thought he probably was up against terrible odds. Yet his raw acting talent shown through and he was accepted. He returned last year to D's HS Drama banquet and the maturity and growth as an artist was very apparent. And not all the students have stayed in the program, according to him it is extremely intense.</p>
<p>So good luck, trust your talent and do not be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand something you are asked to do. Remember they see something in you and they are just trying to confirm that. If you were a "finished work" there would be no point in studying.
Break a leg!</p>