<p>Maybe we were the weird ones as I don’t recall my kids or myself examining specifics about graduates of the various colleges they were considering. But I observe that this is something many do look at very closely.</p>
<p>I think my kids just picked schools that fit the experience they wanted. And I really think it is the person who achieves success a lot more than which school they went to. However, at certain schools, you might find helpful networks and such, that play a factor.</p>
<p>I have to day my DD did not consider who was on broadway or in dance companies in her decision, for her it was much more about what felt right. Some schools we elimated right away because of finances or her academics, but I have to tell you as she is finishing her freshman year she KNOWs she made the right choice. She sent me this email today (she isinjured and can’t dance so apparently emails to mom are more interesting)</p>
<p>"I really like it here (at point park) The people are great and i love how talented everybody is. And the people I am friends with are so nice and helpful… Im glad i chose to come here… "</p>
<p>PPU was not the school I wanted her to pick, but I couldn’t be happier that she is so happy. I sleep better at night knowing she is happy - tomorrow, well it will work itself out.</p>
<p>Keepingcalm, I feel exactly the same! My kids are done undergraduate school and reflecting back on it, they both chose truly perfect fits for themselves. We were so happy that they just loved their schools and thrived there and we really never looked at what the grads were doing and stuff like that. They chose a place to spend four years and to get everything they could out of the experience and we really think they did. We figured whatever came in the next stage of their lives would play itself out when the time came. It has been fun to watch. It didn’t matter that much what other grads were doing. They were picking a place to spend four years and to get an education and to gain a lot from the experience and they did! Now, they are on the next adventure in their journey and new sets of goals. I figure if your kid is happy at their chosen school and doing well there, can’t ask for much more. I never really looked at college as being mostly about what job it might get you. Likewise, we never looked at their high school (nor chose the high school) in terms of what college it could get you into. My kids went to colleges not too common coming from their HS. I felt the kids got into their colleges and it didn’t matter what high school they came from.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Momcares, that’s strange. We have a couple of friends in that tour and one of them sent one of my Ds a Playbill, since they’ll be coming here to Toronto this summer. Looking at the list of bios, these schools are mentioned:</p>
<p>Otterbein, AMDA, Univ. of Illinois, Univ. of Michigan, Shenandoah, Wright State, Univ. of the Arts, Carnegie Mellon, and SMU.</p>
<p>One thing to keep in mind with Playbills too…some actors didn’t go to college and also some older actors no longer list their college in their bio and I think that is more common for a younger actor to include in their bio.</p>
<p>If anyone wants to see…
The 9-5 cast and their bios can be found here:</p>
<p>[9</a> to 5 The Musical?Official Site?with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton: Cast and Creatives](<a href=“http://www.9to5themusical.com/cast.php]9”>http://www.9to5themusical.com/cast.php)</p>
<p>Not all cast members listed a college but the colleges I found were:
Otterbein
AMDA
U of Illinois
U of Michigan
Shenandoah
Wright State
UArts (dance)
Carnegie Mellon
SMU (dance)</p>
<p>(similar to alwaysamom, but figured I’d provide an online link to the bios)</p>
<p>BTW, for MomCares, I know that Ryah Nixon (a CMU grad), who is in the cast, is from your city!</p>
<p>Thanks - it was fun reading the 9-5 bios!</p>
<p>B’way is the standard we requested, not because there aren’t great actors on tour (there certainly are!), or that there aren’t other useful ways to measure “success,” but because in our large city, if you aspire to a leading musical theatre role in one of the fine regional theatres here, you’ll have much better luck with a B’way (or off B’way) credit or two on your resume.</p>
<p>We also like to see the particular roles that graduates have earned, because that suggests that a school has the training in place to produce a particular type, and my D certainly has a particular type or two in mind. If a school doesn’t produce her type, then it’s time to look elsewhere.</p>
<p>So… was I on drugs when I was looking at the 9 to 5 Playbill, or what? Now I have to see if anyone in the family saved a copy. All I noticed were agent names. Maybe I just picked a bad page?</p>
<p>@SoozieVT – Yes, D studies with the same vocal coach as RN, and has worked at the same theatres, though never in the same show as far as I can remember.</p>
<p>One of my favorite Broadway stories….About 12 years ago my daughter was cast in a staged musical reading at the Lamb’s theater in NYC. She was the only child actress in a cast of what the critics called the “twenty somethings" of Broadway. </p>
<p>It was a fairly large cast of well-known young actors and actresses from mostly current Broadway shows. My daughter, being 10 at the time, was a typical MT kid. Precocious and fearless she managed to befriend most of the actors. One actor in particular was a well-known star and the lead in a show that was closing very soon. The whole family went to the show, and because of my daughter’s ”connections” we went back stage to say hello.</p>
<p>When we went back stage, the star was visible upset and I asked him what was wrong. He told me that the show was closing and he will miss being on stage. I attempted to console him and he politely told me; “you never know when you will get back to Broadway”. I was stunned by his answer and kind of shrugged it off. </p>
<p>Getting to Broadway for most of the young actors and actresses is a wonderful goal to aspire to. But for most, it will be a brief moment in a performers life. It’s usually a stop off in a very long journey.</p>
<p>Well, the actor was correct. He has not been on Broadway since. The actor was Anthony Rapp and the show was You’re a good man Charlie Brown!</p>
<p>It is true that you can be on Broadway once and then never again, as each job on stage is rather a short term job.</p>
<p>However, regarding Anthony Rapp…he has indeed been on Broadway since You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown in 1999. He was in RENT in 2007, 2009 and 2010. </p>
<p>And while not Broadway, he has also been in Off Broadway shows. For example, Feeling Electric was the original version before Next to Normal. He played Seymour on the National Tour of Little Shop of Horrors. He has been in several other theater productions, TV, and Film since then and so has done well!!! </p>
<p>As you mention Anthony Rapp, I feel compelled to share my D’s Anthony Rapp “story.” As a young girl in elem school (about age 8?), she was infatuated with Anthony Rapp and RENT. I recall her writing a fan letter at that time to Anthony. Skip ahead to freshmen year in college. She met him a couple of times such as an appearance he made in the city for Feeling Electric, and got her picture taken with him and chatted with him. Then, he came to do a workshop in her dorm one night. He worked with various students in the audience one on one and she was one of them. Then, as the workshop was ending and the pianist left, the students begged Anthony to sing for THEM from RENT and he said the accompanist was gone and he didn’t have sheet music for RENT with him and someone in the audience said they had it and my daughter said she could accompany and so impromptu, she accompanied Anthony on the song, Halloween, from RENT and I think she was in heaven (given her little girl obsession 8 or 9 years earlier!). Then, fast forward to almost two years out of college, a few weeks ago, as she was working as the accompanist for Song Performance classes in a BFA program, taught by another actor from the original RENT, and the regular teacher was absent and his “sub” was Anthony Rapp, and so my daughter spent the day accompanying all of Anthony’s classes. It was like a full circle experience! 
(he had no idea the past ones!)</p>
<p>^^^^^^ Read more: [Anthony</a> Rapp Theatre Credits](<a href=“http://broadwayworld.com/people/Anthony_Rapp/#ixzz1KJZH1qzv]Anthony”>http://broadwayworld.com/people/Anthony_Rapp/#ixzz1KJZH1qzv)</p>
<p>His only Broadway appearance listed after Charlie Brown is for a Rent reunion concert in 2006. He may as you suggested maid guest appearances from time to time. But the point of my story is how elusive Broadway is even for highly successful people. I did not mean to suggest in any way that Anthony did not go on to a very successful career off broadway, on national tours or movies. It was just so profound that a star of his caliber felt they way he did.</p>
<p>Rent [US Tour]
The Broadway Tour [National Tour], 2009
Mark Cohen</p>
<p>Some Americans Abroad [Off-Broadway]
, 2008
Henry McNeil</p>
<p>Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell [Off-Broadway]
, 2007
Performer [Replacement]</p>
<p>Rent [Broadway]
Reunion Concert, 2006
Mark Cohen</p>
<p>The 24 Hour Plays 2005 [Broadway]
Special Benefit Production, 2005
Trisan (“Pressure is a Privilege”)</p>
<p>Little Shop of Horrors [US Tour]
National Tour, 2004
Seymour Krelborn</p>
<p>Private Jokes Public Places [Off-Broadway]
, 2003
William</p>
<p>You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown [Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 1999
Charlie Brow</p>
<p>Read more: [Anthony</a> Rapp Theatre Credits](<a href=“http://broadwayworld.com/people/Anthony_Rapp/#ixzz1KJZH1qzv]Anthony”>http://broadwayworld.com/people/Anthony_Rapp/#ixzz1KJZH1qzv)</p>
<p>Indeed, I understood your point and agree with you!</p>
<p>However, unrelated to your point, I was saying that Anthony has been on Broadway since YAGMCB. I believe he has reprised his role as Mark in RENT in the Broadway cast in later years (as well as on tour) but maybe I am wrong?</p>
<p>Actually, in my research, Anthony has returned to RENT on Broadway at times through the year 2008, including a stint in 2007 (past his performing in YAGMCB). By the way, his ten-week return to RENT in 2007 included a return of OBC member Adam Pascal too, reprising his role as Roger.</p>
<p>Here is one source, but not the only one I have seen this on:</p>
<p><a href=“Anthony Rapp – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB”>Anthony Rapp – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB;
<p>Not to mention, I recall when Anthony came back to Broadway in RENT years later after the OBC’s run of it.</p>
<p>Susan, you’re right. Anthony did, indeed, return to the Broadway cast. Although I agree with beenthereMTdad that most actors who are fortunate enough to book work on Broadway are unlikely to ever do so again, Anthony is not really a good example of the vagaries of this business. He is one of the very few who have been able to sustain, not only a good living, but an excellent living based on his theatre work. It’s true that he has done tv and film work (very lucrative) and he’s written a book based on his life as well as his early time in Rent but all have been directly related to his theatre work and much of it grew out of his luck in befriending Jonathan Larson many years ago. Anthony is a very busy man, unlike a lot of actors of his generation, or even others who shared in his Rent-related success. He also has spent a lot of time in developing his one man show.</p>
<p>Anthony never stops. He is constantly working, or developing his next project. He regularly does concert performances, often with Adam, at smaller venues across the country. You will often find him working at festivals in readings/concert performances/one nights. Busy busy busy! I know a lot of actors and I can’t think of more than a few who come close to working as much as Anthony does. </p>
<p>beenthereMTdad, the story about your D and Anthony is a cute one and interesting because Anthony had a lot of success as a very young actor. :)</p>
<p>Susan, how wonderful that she got to accompany Anthony all these years later. He’s great in this type of scenario in working with kids, very generous with the younger generation, which was evident when he returned for the last tour of Rent. He’s quite the poker player, too!</p>
<p>Is she enjoying working with Michael? He is truly a gem, in every possible way. I love him as a person and I could sit and listen to that beautiful voice all day long.</p>
<p>OK, I knew YOU would now the deal on Anthony and RENT, alwaysamom! I really did think he came back to RENT on Broadway again in later years. </p>
<p>I also agree with BeenThereMTDad on his point, but was a little surprised that Anthony Rapp was the example, as this is one actor who has successfully been working in the field for years and years. There’s even an article about him in today’s news on Playbill and an upcoming concert he is doing with Adam Pascal.</p>
<p>Hey, I used to make lists like this for Tony Nominees, but none ever made the main CC marquee! LOL </p>
<p>One thing I always suspected and now know to be true is that performer bios on playbills and whats available on the internet can sometimes be misleading. This is especially true for young actors who also have or aspire to have careers in TV and Film. Remember that the American public is youth-obsessed and just LOVES the myth of the natural; so, the agents, managers, and publicists who usually write the bios often studiously omit or fudge anything that can date the actor - i.e. education and training. </p>
<p>For instance, Im a 24 year old conservatory grad who plays early-mid 20s, but my agents assistant shaved a year off my age and completely left out my school when she did my IMDB bio. I also know a guy whos been doing really well playing teenagers. Youd think he was just some bumpkin kid that showed up in New York and hit from reading what his manager put on IMDB and his website when the truth is that hes 25, has a conservatory BFA and has been working in professional theatre since he was like 10. </p>
<p>Another thing to be wary of is those who seem to have studied primarily at Podunk State U or possibly studied something entirely different from theatre in college. Its pretty rare for someone to credit which New York or LA studios he or she has frequented over the years. Youd think that about the lead in the film I just wrapped from whats available, but he trained for two years post-graduate in the conservatory program at Michael Howards place (as expensive as college) and has also had a lot private coaching. Hes a bit older than indicated, too. :)</p>
<p>Did a little research and came up with just a few recent reps for Wagner College. There are many more but I don’t have exact names at hand except for those below.</p>
<p>*Wagner College theater graduate Scott Barnhardt ’01 has been cast in the Broadway company of “The Book of Mormon,” opening in February at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre.</p>
<p>*On that note… congratulations to Christina DeCicco, for her recent casting in the American premier Sister Act: A Devine Musical Comedy. She is also the understudy for Sister Mary Robert.</p>
<p>*Another congratulations to Renee Marino, who is cast on the ensemble for the Broadway version of Wonderland: Alice through a whole new looking glass.</p>
<p>*Wagner Theatre alum Haley Carlucci '08 takes lead in ‘West Side Story’</p>
<p>Past and Present of Wagner on Broadway:</p>
<p>Randy Graff ’76
Jim Kane ‘83
Mark Chmiel ‘85
Matt Lenz ‘86
Janine LaManna ’88
Kat Williams ‘89
James Moran ‘95
John Robinson ‘95
Kathy Dietch ‘95
Alex Bartlett ‘96
Danielle Huben ‘97
Brian Sgambati ’97
Kathy Brier ’97
Bret Shuford ’01
Scott Barnhardt ‘01
Christna DeCicco ‘02
Jacqueline Hendy ‘03
Renee Marino ’04
Emilia Martin ’07 (faculty)
Monette McKay ‘07
Haley Carlucci ‘08
Katie O’Toole '09
Carissa Massaro ‘11
Arturo E. Porazzi (faculty)
Michele Pawk (faculty)
Alan Smith (faculty)</p>
<p>“I also agree with BeenThereMTDad on his point, but was a little surprised that Anthony Rapp was the example, as this is one actor who has successfully been working in the field for years and years”.</p>
<p>My story was anecdotal, one I experienced, and felt was appropriate to the topic of fixation on people making it on Broadway. Anthony Rapp was a perfect example. Here was a guy, at the peak of his career, in his twenties, yet still worried about ever returning to the Broadway stage again (I guess he was lucky Rent stayed around as long as it did). The fact that he popped in and out of Rent a couple of time for the remainder of it’s run is of little consequence and one that escapes Broadway world dot com. It also sounds like it was at least 8 years before he came back (2007)</p>
<p>All this backs up the stark reality that most aspiring Broadway will face. As great and successful of a performer Anthony is, even his staying power came into question.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It depends on how you define “staying power.” In my opinion, Anthony Rapp has had staying power and has worked consistently on Broadway, Off Broadway, regional theater, National Tours, TV, Film, his own original show (NYMF), concerts, etc. </p>
<p>To me, a better example might be someone who was cast on Broadway and spent other years since then not working as an actor. </p>
<p>Broadway is just one venue for an actor and to define success or staying power by this one venue, in my view, is shortsighted. As well, not all successful actors have Broadway as their only goal, if a goal at all.</p>
<p>As an aside, there are a limited number of shows appearing on Broadway at any given time. Actors are partly at the mercy if there are even any shows currently playing that have any parts for their type. There are so very few parts available at any given time for a certain type of actor. That is why a goal “to be on Broadway” is very very very limiting.</p>
<p>It again points to earlier posts on this thread that to only learn about BFA graduates who are on Broadway, is not an accurate picture of successful MT graduates. I would want to know more about graduates who are “working actors.”</p>
<p>This point about working on Broadway is a very good one—thank you beenthereMTdad. A relative of ours made her debut in Rent (later part of the run) after having appeared off Broadway in “All Shook Up” and “Zanna Don’t” Once she got her Broadway gig she thought–OK now I have arrived. She didn’t work in a Broadway show for 2 years following Rent. Later, fortunately, she was cast in the original cast of “Xanadu” and then in other shows such as Avenue Q, but the point is that she has been lucky to make her living as an actor, singer, sometimes teacher etc. As Soozie has posted about her D–success should not be measured by being a Broadway performer but by making your living doing what you love to do. This can come in many different shapes and sizes and can happen in many different places. (I must admit though that I love NYC the best) However I am thankful we have theater all over the world:)</p>