<p>I know I can get into Western Michigan (I have a 3.8 GPA and a 28 first time taking the ACT), but i am worried about getting into their Musical Theater Program. How many people audition and how many actually get in? Same questions about the Acting program. I’m a junior right now and trying to prepare for auditions next year. Any other tips? Thank you!</p>
<p>My son was just accepted to WMU’s BFA MT program. He thought it was just as competitive as any other liberal arts BFA MT audition program (he did not audition for any conservatory programs). I know I have heard/read WMU is more of a “regional” program. I don’t think that is true any longer from the kids we talked to at the audition. Their current freshmen class has students from Chicago; NYC; California. I think they said they auditioned around 400-500 this year and accepted 14 into MT. At WMU you do your monologue/singing audition and they will immediately call you back for the dance call or dismiss you, so you have an idea if you are “still in the pool”. My son knows a lot of very talented kids who did not get accepted to WMU but were accepted into other programs. I would no longer classify Western as a “safety” school as I think it may have been considered a few years back. My son is deciding between WMU and one other program. I am hoping he chooses WMU! I think it is a fantastic program. </p>
<p>Have you visited WMU? </p>
<p>Hope this helps. I would definitely keep it on your list!</p>
<p>musictheatre,
I’ll tell you a little story. Admittedly, I didn’t know a real lot about WMU. I live in the East and my D, nor any of her MT friends from around the country had applied there and I had never had a student apply there until this year and I did look into it more this year than I had in the past. Also, last year, when my D went on a national tour, one of her castmates was a graduate of WMU and she was quite good. </p>
<p>Anyway, a few weeks ago, I was in NYC to see my D’s show. The night of her dress rehearsal, I was alone in the city and my daughters had bought me a ticket to a Broadway show as a birthday present and so I took myself out to dinner before the show in the Times Square area and went to a restaurant I had been to before. The way the tables were set up was like about less than one foot apart. I was sitting alone and of course my table was quiet, LOL. Seated within inches of me were two men and of course, I could hear their entire conversation because it was like I was practically sharing a table and there was no talking at my own table. So, the whole time one man was sharing with the other one what obviously was some sort of MT class with students and he ran down every single student and what they sang and what someone had to say about their performance and the other man knew each student he was talking about. Finally, I could not help myself after hearing the whole conversation and I just said, “excuse me, but do you teach MT?” And lo and behold, one man was the director of the BFA in MT program at WMU and the other was a vocal teacher in the program! Ironically, my one student who was applying was auditioning there about a week later. I explained what I do and that I also have a kid in the field (and mentioned their graduate who was in my D’s former cast, who they of course knew). They were also heading to a Broadway show (I was seeing La Cage aux Folles and they were seeing Priscilla). The reason they were in town is that they had brought the seniors for their MT showcase, but also the seniors were getting to do some workshops with casting agents and such and that was the event that the director had just come from and was describing to the vocal teacher as he had not been in it (he was rehearsing for his own performance in fact in NYC). So, the students, like at many programs, were being coached on songs by industry people and that was what he was describing. The director did say that all the seniors got agents but what I think he must have meant is that they got agent interest and appointments because based on my experience, you don’t get the agent at showcase but are called in by some agents and may be offered representation after those meetings and so I don’t know that all these kids got representation offers immediately if they just had the showcase. Anyway, he shared some things about the program. Yes, he did say that while they drew more regionally in the past, that it has become more competitive and has drawn many students from around the country (I still believe it is more known in the midwest but obviously it is becoming more known beyond the region for MT prospective students). A lot of what he shared sounded positive to me and I thought the director, Jay Berkow, was a very nice guy. It was just a funny coincidence given that I advise many MT applicants that I was sitting next to him all through dinner and chose to strike up a conversation as it became very obvious they were involved in working with MT students!</p>
<p>I am accepted into Western Mich’s MT program this year(they call it MTP, Musical Theatre Program). Their Acting program is known as the TP program(Theatre Performance). I know a bunch of people in my class now, and a ton of current students.</p>
<p>For auditions they are looking for personality. They say the dance call isn’t a big deal, but I think it was. Not for a “dancing” aspect of your auditon, but if you can have FUN, ACT the dance, and IMPROV. Western Mich’s dance call was a blast, and the most fun I had during all my auditions!</p>
<p>Best of luck next year!</p>
<p>Thanks sooo very much for the replies. I live about two and a half hours from there and I’m planing on visiting very soon. I have a friend that graduated from my high school that goes there and is in their MTP, he’s going to let me sit in on his classes. Honestly, I’m terrified about my future… This is everything I want to do with my life; I want to change lives with performing, reveal things about a person that they themselves didn’t even know. I know I have the drive, I’m not sure, however, if I have the talent to back it up. :/</p>