Good Musical Theater Colleges?

[aspiringguy715]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 9:39pm

if anyone knows of any good musical theater colleges in the US please post them here, i've recently been changing my mind to persue musical theater instead of music education...let me know of good ones

[brdwaybaby17]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 9:49pm

I had a post about this a few months back with some good responses. If you just search for threads..... I think that was mye exact title too.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 10:16pm

Rhymes with Muliard and starts with J

If you want just plain Music that is

Updated On: 4/6/04 at 10:16 PM

Posted: 4/6/04 at 11:03pm

I've had friends rave about the University of Michigan and Syracuse University. Good luck with your search.

[~*Triple Star On Broadway*~]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 11:06pm

Look in New York for some colleges. I know lots of people going to different ones and different people like different criteria of the schools. You just have to pick one that you feel is good for you.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 11:19pm

It is possible to pursue a double major and combine musical theater and music education. One possibility is NYU's Steinhardt School of Education as a Music Theater major.

[broadway86]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 11:25pm

Five Towns College in Long Island has a recommended musical theatre/acting program.

[scooter38432]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 7:35am

University of Michigan

I'd avoid Emerson College...

[emonkeygirl]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 8:02am

Carnegie Mellon. Very stiff competition, but amazing program.

Posted: 4/7/04 at 10:25am

Now that I think of it, didn't Gavin Creel go to the University of Michigan?
And I know that the one "I Wanna Be in Rent" guy goes there.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 10:34am

Many of my most talented friends graduated from CCM (Cincinatti Conservatory of Music) they have (or had, anyway) a hellish good musical theatre program, judging from the people they turn out - check into it. And Carnegie Melon (sp) turns out extremely talented people.

Updated On: 4/7/04 at 10:34 AM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 10:53am

North Carolina School of the Arts

NC has great theatre schools. East Carolina University and UNC-Greensboro are also great choices.

[Bwaybaby109]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 11:43am

I major in musical theatre at Shorter College in Rome GA and I the program must be finest in the SOutheast! We have many people who graduated from here on Broadway tours, cruise ships etc. The education is 1st class and we put on amazing shows. I've been wanting to come here since my sophmore year of high school and I have loved my experience so far! Go to www.shorter.edu and take a look! Hope that helps!

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 12:16pm

I went to North Carolina School of the Arts for Drama and it is a tough-ass school. Also Carnegie Mellon, Boston University, SUNY Purchase, NYU...

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 3:22pm

Trust me when I say I understand. I have spent many nights over this decision, and haven't been able to come up with a good answer other than double major in music ed and music theatre. But believe me, it is not for the weak of heart. It is an extremely demanding load, and I have wanted to pull my hair out at least a hundred times a day.
I recently recieved some advice that helped me a great deal though. You might want to consider getting a BA in MUED and then go to a really great graduate school (such as NYU) for an MFA in MUTH. Just a thought! Best of luck to whatever you decide to do!

[Broadway Pixie]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 4:56pm

Elon in North Carolina has a good musical theatre program.

[Techieboi]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 5:37pm

Write State University in Dayton Ohio.
Oklahoma State
Florida State
University of NY ( I think)

[starlight2]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 8:08pm

I think you mean "Oklahoma City University" known for their Opera, Musical Theatre, and Dance programs as well as their Miss America Pageant winners located in Oklahoma City, NOT Oklahoma State University, known for their Basketball and Football programs, Vet School and Engineering School, with very little to offer in the performing arts for "serious" students. It is located in Stillwater Oklahoma. I also agree with Carnegie Melon, N. Carolina, Tisch at NYU, Julliard, Ithica and Michigan.

[rclocalz]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 8:32pm

Awesome program at Middle Tennessee State University for the southeast part. And it's not as expensive as these other schools.

[Techieboi]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 8:53pm

ur right.....im sorry im just a techie!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 9:19pm

Really? Elon University? I heard their Music program was good, but theatre was just average?

[aspiringguy715]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 9:24pm

oooooohhhh lord i've looked at all of them and i'm stressing lol
my parents already gave me the "it's a risky career choice" speech
"And while a major in musical theater is no guarantee that you’ll see your name in Broadway lights, you’ll learn a great deal about this art form and you’ll definitely have a very good time."
ohhhh isnt the princeton review soooooo encouraging, and my parents will surely be happy to spend tens of thousands of dollars on me having fun and taking a chance (not)
Cincinatti sounds the toughest out of all of them, carnegie mellon sounds good, as does ithaca and NYU Updated On: 4/7/04 at 09:24 PM

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 9:49pm

Just throwingt in a dose of reality. The number of really talented people who audition for a small number of spots at alot of these schools is astounding. Take, for instance, Carnegie Mellon. According to an official at a CMU audition, they see about 900 people for 28 spots...of the 28 spots, only 10 to 12 are for musical theater, Not really very good odds, no matter how talented you are. My daughter was rejected for musical theater, but they would take her for acting. The problem is, her greatest talent and passion is as a singer and $40,000 is a lot of money to spend and not really be able to do what you love.

Other "big" name musical theater programs seem to have similar odds. The day we were at Ithaca, there were literally more than a hundred people auditioning. (And this was just one of several audition days.) Call me crazy, but I'm thinking that everyone starts to look the same by 3 pm, if that's when your 5 minute audition spot happens to fall.

I'm not saying this to be discouraging, just trying to put things in perspective. My advice would be to shoot for the stars...why not... but audition for several schools and do it early; don't wait until February. By then a lot of spots have been filled.

One other thing...SUNY Purchase doesn't have musical theater. It's focus is on opera.

Good luck!

[aspiringguy715]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 9:54pm

yeah i agree, the talent pool of these colleges is enormous, plus they stress dancing too, and heaven knows i've never had any dance training, my focus is vocally as well and i'd love to make it, but the chance is so huge, seemingly impossible, and my parents won't be too open to paying that money for me to keep trying and trying and trying if i dont make early

[Gatesy2]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 10:30pm

I am currently a Musical Theater major at SUNY Cortland (it's in central NY). Although we are a small program we are building a reputation as an outstanding program. Our past two mainstage musicals were "Chicago" and "The Mystery of Edwin Drood". Both of whom were the talk of the community as well as neighboring cities, which says alot because we are in the shadows of other theater/music schools (ie Syracuse and Ithaca). We also do a straight play every fall. This year we had the debut production of "Round O and Crooked S". A show I'm sure you will hear about in the near future. We offer a BA and our graduates have had a high success rate once they leave here out in the real world. One of our future grads (leaves in May), just got in a production of "Beauty and the Beast" as Gaston and another Graduate finished a year long tour with Sesame Street Live. We're a small program, but we're slowly growing and offer a wonderful theater/liberal arts education