Anyone with any recent experience , visits, or auditioning at Western Carolina? All the threads I found aren’t really current. Seems like a good program from what I have read …
My D auditioned there last year.
The campus is in an absolutely beautiful area. It’s gorgeous.
But it was her worst audition experience - well outside of her breaking her foot at Millikin. The MT kids were nice - they had a panel and parents/kids could ask questions. But once D was in the room, the profs were super rude. No warm fuzzies - or even professional courtesy.
Also, the dance portion of the audition was interesting. The parents all sat in a room and watched their kids (and everyone else) audition.
Hmm. well that is not positive. Also weird to watch the kids as parents…never seen that! Well. if anyone has an experience from this years auditions I would love to hear it! It is on my D’s list for southern schools.
My daughter wouldn’t let me stay … she told me to get the heck out of there.
=))
What other southern schools does she like? W.Carolina is beautiful.
@mtgirl225 I think we have down Coastal Carolina, Western Carolina, William Peace, Catawba, Northern Kentucky, Winthrop Univ, SC School of the Arts at Anderson Univ, Valdosta, maybe Belmont although that is looking like it may fall off. Birmingham Southern, i think that is it! the Virginia schools on the list I am not counting as southern really.
Add univ of alabama/tuscaloosa to your list. Great school!
If you are looking for Southern schools, you might consider Western Kentucky as well. It’s less than an hour from Nashville and has a BFA MT degree.
@vvnstar is western Kentucky a program that you have to audition for the BFA later on? I feel
Like I discussed this before with someone and we ruled them out because of this.
Yes, you audition for the BFA at the end of the 3rd semester. My daughter successfully auditioned into the program in December.
@theaterwork – I will defer to @LoveMyMTGirl for questions about Western Kentucky. We know a number of kids who have gone there who love the school. It is a great size. And I think the program is nice. But I don’t know all of the specifics. I don’t really understand the auditioning in Sophomore year part myself but maybe she can explain.
Western Carolina has undergone a huge overhaul over the past few years. I would venture to say that 80%+ of their performance faculty is in their first or second year.
@theaterwork, I know a girl who is a Senior at Western Carolina, and she’s had a tremendous run. She has had a lot of opportunity to perform every year. She has also worked closely with Terrence Mann and Charlotte d’Amboise who are very involved in the program.
@TheaterHiringCo an overhaul in a good way? lol …They are on the list to be at SETC next week so we will have to check them out. Thanks @limbo2019 that is good to know someone there with a good experience. They actually have a summer intensive but we arent really considering it right now
@theaterwork - I don’t know. I am a fan of the students at Western. The old professors were really talented (I think their dance teacher was incredible), but just didn’t mesh well together. The new people are all friends (I actually think they brought each other to the school). They are young, fresh, and have their pulse on whats up and coming. I don’t really know them, but I think they will do well there.
Terrance Mann is really involved, much more than he was. He actually brings students with him to other gigs, which is huge, obviously.
Anderson university does not have a good MT BFA they do not have a strong acting program to back it up. Trust me I live 30 minutes away and I’ve worked in a play with a girl who goes there. (not a good experience…) they called themselves the South Carolina school of the arts but they don’t have a strong acting program and Anderson is in the middle of no where ville. I mean at least Western Carolina is beautiful. Anderson is just a small town full of nothing.
I’m auditioning for Western Carolina in March. I auditioned for Coastal and I love it. I love in Greenville and so many people who come from my theatre program go to Winthrop and they hate it there. My friend visited her friend who studies theatre at Winthrop and then her friend told her “DONT COME HERE.” Because she was so miserable. So I hope this helps to take Winthrop and Anderson off her list.
Coastal Carolina and Western Carolina are good programs keep those on The list.
@hopeful1212 I appreciate your input. Those schools we would yes have to investigate further. Do you know any kids or any info on William Peace or Catawba? We’ve heard positive info on both previously. Yes coastal is definitely a contender for applying and looks like western will stay on list.
My best friend got into William peace and it was his first choice. He got into the MT BFA and he had an amazing experience. He’s already decided to go there. I’m not sure about the program but it does have good supporting alumni on Broadway I’m not sure who but he said so. Catawba i don’t know much about.
We know someone that did some summer stock near us that went to William peace. It’s very small but I love that it’s right in Raleigh. My D has said she wants to look into it further
When my daughter auditioned two years ago we went to Western Carolina, Alabama and Coastal (as well as many others) and loved each of them. She is currently in her 2nd year at Coastal. Love the instructors and love the program. Most of their instructors are still working in the field and they use those contacts to help the students. Wonderful atmosphere there…they lovingly encourage the students but they will not drag them along, but most there would not need to be forced to work as most of the kids I know there are highly motivated.