Viewing Videos of Recent Plays and Musicals Whilst Visiting Schools

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
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<p>We have just completed a three day visit to Boston, where we toured Boston University and had a roundtable discussion with one of their sophomores, toured Boston Conservatory and saw Closer, one of their senior directing projects (cast with sophomores), toured Emerson and had a roundtable discussion with a junior or senior (not sure) BA Theater, and saw Vox Lumiere presenting The Hunchback of Notre Dame in their Cutler Theater.</p>

<p>It was a very busy time, shuttling from one school to another. We had some misconceptions about each school that were corrected on this trip, definitely! Curiously, we were also given some information that was 100% incorrect during the information sessions, and I'm not quite sure what to make of that. And while we enjoyed Hunchback, for some reason I had been under the impression that the cast included Emerson students and it did not---but the students staffed the theater, so there was some involvement in the production. </p>

<p>The most helpful thing about the entire visit was the revelation (to us, anyway) by the BoCo tour guide that the school videotapes every single production, recital, etc. at the school and has the DVD's available in the school library for the kids to see if they've missed it, look at their own performances, etc. They film every performance of multiple-day shows. After that info/tour session, DS and I went to the library and they let us check out (to view there) two different recent productions. It was a great way to see the students' work since our visit did not coincide with a major musical production.</p>

<p>I just wish we had known enough to ask to see DVD's of previous performances at the other schools we've visited----all the NY schools and Carnegie Mellon. We'll do so from now on, but I wanted to let other people who are in the initial stages of visiting schools know that at least some places will let you view these DVD's. Obviously they are not for "public" consumption and are for educational purposes only, which I suppose is the reason they can't be sent out to prospective students or given out with the information packets. Otherwise they'd be GREAT recruitment tools, wouldn't they? :)</p>

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<p>Skipsmom,
What a great thing to share!
Yes, Boston Conservatory has been videotaping all of their productions, from small recitals to large musicals. Many schools are starting to add this to their program. For instance, Carnegie Mellon webcasts nearly all of their music performances as well as some theater so that parents who can’t make it can watch it live. Surprisingly enough, CMU, a school with such great technology programs, has very bad quality videos because they are made with a very small webcam. Boston Conservatory’s videos are of a better quality because they are not connected to an internet feed. Their library is very extensive. Unfortunately, with the big renovation on their theater next year, I don’t know if this program will continue or be suspended. Hmm…
Anyway, Hartt School of Music uses this for exactly the purpose you stated - recruitment tools. They send out a DVD to Admitted Students in Vocal Performance as well as several other programs, with video clips of past performances. It is very helpful in seeing the kind of work that they do.
I completely agree with you - I wish that more schools would do this. I’m sure there are problems with sending out copies of a show in terms of rights. But, as you said, videotaping for educational purposes (such as a snip-it of a video or a quote from a book) is completely legal.
Here’s hoping schools start taking advantage of technology!</p>

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<p>I sure hope that these schools are getting permission to do this when they secure the rights to the shows. Videotaping licensed material, even for educational purposes, is forbidden unless specific permission is granted.</p>

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<p>alwaysamom, I’m sure they wouldn’t do it otherwise. They are allowed to videotape for specific purposes and I think that educational purposes (showing the tape to those who were in it or others trying to learn acting technique) would certainly come under that heading.</p>