<p>My Daughter has come to the decision that she would like to transfer out of her BFA MT program. because of limited performance opportunities.
Her Freshman experience in not that fun and she is getting a bit depressed with the monotony of it all. It is probably too late to transfer out to another program since the audition and app dates have passed? </p>
<p>1) What schools have the most performance opportunities for MT, and please do not include student run productions.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Is your D a freshman? Does you D go to a program that does not allow freshmen to audition? Is this something that will improve as she moves along in the program as sophomore, junior, senior year?</p>
<p>Does who only want to perform in musicals or also in plays? </p>
<p>The schools with the MOST performance opportunities seem to combine a combination of faculty/ guest and student directed opportunities. </p>
<p>Transferring into an auditioned MT program can be tough… although not impossible. However, even if she completes her sophomore year at the school she currently attends, she may need to take four more years in a new MT program. At the very least 3 more years. Very few programs will allow a student to transfer in and only spend two years. Many major courses will not transfer.</p>
<p>Freshman year in a program can be very difficult. Most of the students were the “stars” of their HS programs, and it can be difficult to be cast as a freshman and sophomore. </p>
<p>Is the only reason your D wants to transfer because of roles and casting opportunities?</p>
<p>KatMT, Thanks for your reply.
But Do you happen to know which schools have the most main stage performance opportunities for MT? Perhaps larger programs offer 2 main stage musicals per semester. </p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>The probability of being cast is not just about how many main stage performances are done. There are many factors involved:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The number of students in the program.</p></li>
<li><p>Whether or not the school opens auditions to students outside the program.</p></li>
<li><p>The casting preferences of the program and the director, if no particular preference is given to BFA students, then BA or outside major students may be very competitive for roles, especially at large universities.</p></li>
<li><p>The competitiveness of the program (and possibly the entire student body) vis-a-vis the process that they use for auditions.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>For example, Boco and UCLA typically tell students something like, “don’t come here expecting to be cast a lot in main stage shows, many students go through without ever getting cast, especially in a lead role.” I think the same can be said for many very competitive programs with relatively large numbers of admits (say 20+).</p>
<p>On the other hand, you have programs like Nebraska Wesleyan that say, “expect to be in up to six shows starting in your first year” (although they are not all main stage productions and some will be student productions). Some programs have connections with external theatres that offer performance opportunities early in the program. Other programs have lots of cabaret and revue opportunities. And so on, and so forth.</p>
<p>Because of the high cost of doing main stage shows, it is my impression that relatively few schools do more than 2 per year.</p>
<p>Side bar story. Girl goes to Boco for 4 years. Never gets a principal role in any of the main stage shows. Graduates in 2010. Goes on a national tour of Hair. Comes back, gets cast as the understudy (lead) in Once on Broadway. Lead leaves show, now going to take over the lead!!!</p>
<p>The moral of the story is…</p>
<p>I do not know of programs that do two mainstage musicals each semester. There may be some, but I do not know them off the top of my head.</p>
<p>However, as mentioned above there likely are schools that do more than one musical each semester (for example, the school where I teach does… This fall we did two musicals – one studio, one musical revue in the concert hall, and an opera. This spring we are doing/ did one manistage musical, two studio musicals, and one opera. Students also performed in cabarets, recording projects, plays, etc…)</p>
<p>College MT training is about more than being in shows. The classroom training is equally as important. I also believe that MT performers should train as actors and perform in plays. Ultimately, to build a long range career as a performer you are likely to perform in musicals, plays, commercials, TV, film, … The more diverse your undergraduate training and opportunities are, the more set up you are for pursuing all of these opportunities post grad.</p>
<p>Sorry I’m just getting back. Thank you for your replies.</p>
<p>Hartt does 2 or 3 mainstage musicals a semester, and as many plays. Each class works together as an ensemble so one musical will be the 3rd year musical and the next the 4th yr. Everyone is cast but needless to say not always in a lead. No performance freshman year, and sophomore year is shows performed only for the theatre dept, not the general public. But all are professionally directed, often by pretty amazing people. Rehearsal and performance are considered a big part of the educational process. So your D might want to consider that.</p>
<p>Wagner College (a BA Theatre Performance major with a concentration in MT) puts up 2 Main Stage shows per semester, a total of 4 per school year. It also puts on an additional 4 shows (Stage One) that mix plays and musicals per year. There is also a Dance Project every spring that alternates as a Main Stage/Stage One show.</p>
<p>Each incoming class averages 30, selected by audition. Every Theatre Performance major is required to audition for all theater dept productions, but may opt to have their audition considered for “experience only”, as ThPerf majors must also complete AT LEAST 4 productions credits (FOH, stage mgmt, tech/design, etc.) in order to graduate. Most students will get those required prod. credits out of the way in their first 2 years. Traditionally, most roles are filled by upperclassmen, but there are usually a few underclassmen cast in at least 1 or 2 Main Stage shows each year. Freshman miss out on the 1st semester Main Stage shows, as they’re cast in the previous spring semester, but are eligible for Stage One.</p>
<p>I believe transfer students have a separate audition date from incoming freshman, and all auditions are on campus.</p>
<p>While I believe it is important for a Theater major to stretch and hone their skills by performing in a production, there are many college programs where students can go through 4 years without EVER being cast in a Main Stage show. My S is actually more accepting of that possibility than we (as his doting and supportive parents) are, as he sees these years are all about his education. He feels there are still plenty of opportunities to perform in and outside of college, and hopes that he will have ample opportunities to perform in a college Main Stage show in his last two years (he’s completing his freshman year). </p>
<p>He’s also excited for the opportunity to study abroad next year (spring semester) in London, which would also mean foregoing performing that semester. The trade off for him is getting to study Shakespeare across the pond.</p>
<p>IMHO, these years should be focused more on studies and learning new skills/improving existing ones, and less about being in every show possible. Again, casting is all about being right for a role and fitting in with a company of performers, just as many college programs “cast” their classes, as has been mentioned on this board.</p>
<p>I’m sure with time and research, you’ll find some programs that may fit your goals and interests. The key is finding one that has a space for you. Good luck in your journey!</p>
<p>^^Oculus, I meant to your D in her journey!</p>
<p>Sent from my SCH-I405 using CC</p>
<p>Nebraska Wesleyan does somewhere around 16 shows per year (mix of plays and musicals, and I don’t believe any of those are student directed). Not sure what the breakdown of how many main stage shows there are out of those 16, but they certainly produce more shows than any other program I could think of offhand.</p>