Stagedoor Manor?

[jg4892]

Posted: 11/6/06 at 11:08pm

I've searched all the other threads on this, but I'm still a little nervous.

I'm seriously considering going to stagedoor manor this summer (if there's still space) and I'm a little worried. I know this sounds stupid but I've never really been away from home before. Is the atmosphere comfortable there? Like, is it easy to make friends?

Also, what are the classes like? What's a typical day? Rules for the camp,etc? If anyone could share their experiences that'd be great. thank you!

[jg4892]

Posted: 11/7/06 at 10:41pm

bump

[Broadway Baby4]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 12:41am

I went to stagedoor last year- best summer of my life!!!
It was my first time at a sleepaway camp for more than a week. I expected the kids there to be a little stuck up...but let me tell you- they were not like that at all!! The rooms are arranged in such a way so that you are with your age group and if you are new, so is everyone else in your room. The people are so nice, and you'll make tons of friends. On the first day, you walk around and people are crowded by the differnt pianos singing broadway songs, and people are dancing and just having fun.
As for the classes, you pick 8 classes you want to take (you pick on the 2nd day of camp) and you alternate every other day. (so you take four classes one day and then the other four the next day and so on). When you pick your classes, you can pick audition classes, acting classes, voice, etc. or you can just pick a theater games class or free swim. You have classes every day except on Sundays. On a typical (Mon-Sat) schedule, you wake up, go to breakfast, and then go to your morning rehersal. Then you have lunch, two classes, and afternoon rec where you can basically just chill and do whatever you want. Then you have two more classes, dinner, and then evening rehersal. After that, you have evening rec and by 10:30 you have to be in your room. Then depending on how nice/strict your councelor that is assigned to your room is, your have to turn your lights out at like 11:00ish. Typically, the american councelors are much more laid back then the British ones. On sundays, you have rehersal in the morning, but it's shorter the normal. Then, you get to hang out and have rec all day. And sometimes, they take the whole camp to the movies.
Also, if you want to know about the auditions- You audition the second or third day of camp. You get a partner and have to read a scene with them, and then you sing 16 bars. They don't tell you what shows they are doing ahead of time, but there is a form thing for you to fill out where you write what shows you have been in, what shows you love/hate, so they try to fit your wants as much as possible and they won't put you in a show that you have already been in or that you hate. Then the next day all of the shows are announced and the cast lists are posted. When it comes down to it, the casting is pretty fair. But there are so many good people in the camp that you shouldn't get your hopes up.
So...i basically summed it al up...any more questions??

[MimiLovesRoger]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 7:28pm

That sounds like tons of fun!

This might be a stupid question, but where is it and for how long??

[Broadway Baby4]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 9:11pm

Stagedoor Manor is in Loch Sheldrake, NY. There are three sessions which are three weeks each. You can go to as many sessions as you want. If you go to more than one session then you have to audition again at the beginning of the new session, because you will be in another show.

[zoom]

Posted: 11/11/06 at 11:58am

If you really want a quality theater experience, I would highly NOT recommend Stagedoor. Highly overrated for no reason. Anyone is admitted...you don't audition. There are people there who have no talent whatsoever and they're then ones who's parents forced them to go.

It's way too expensive for what you get. The bunks are horrid and haven't been fixed in years. Just because it's a camp doesn't mean that everything has to be broken.

There are plenty of other summer theater and music theatre camps out there that are quality experiences. Look around.

[jg4892]

Posted: 11/11/06 at 4:43pm

It's stupid, but I'm mostly just afraid I'll get there, not make any friends and have an awful 3 weeks of homesickness. I'm very attached to my family so it's tough.

What do people do in rec time?

and Zoom, what other camps out there do you reccommend?

[Broadway Baby4]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 6:19pm

Zoom, that is absolutely not true AT ALL! There are tons of kids who are amazing at stagedoor! There are people there who have been on broadway, off-broadway, tv, movies, etc. Sure there are some who aren't as good, but they come because they love theater. And it's a good thing that it's expensive: most parents won't force their kids to go to an expensive camp. The people who go are either talented or just really love theater.
Also, the rooms aren't that bad. I have no idea what you are talking about. It's a camp- you are there to have fun, learn things, and be with other people who are talented and love what you love. Just because the rooms aren't as nice as your house, doesn't mean that everythings broken. In fact, when i went there was nothing wrong with my room.
Zooms, just because you may have had a bad experience at stagedoor, it doesn't mean you should ruin what could be a great experience for someone else.

Oh, and Jg, at rec time people go swimming, go to the canteen, practice their dances, learn their lines, or just hang out and talk.
Don't worry about homesickness. Stagedoor flys by so fast, you won't even realize it. And you'll have your entire room (which is usually 5 or 6 people) who have never been to stagedoor and are probably feeling the same things as you.

[jg4892]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 7:09pm

Thanks broadwaybaby, that makes me feel better about going. I think I'm definitley doing it, I'm just going to have to deal with the fact that I'm probably gonna be really homesick!

[Broadway Baby4]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 7:54pm

Trust me, you'll be fine. :) Do you mind me asking how old you are?

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 8:37pm

Stagedoor is great. Updated On: 11/12/06 at 08:37 PM

Posted: 11/12/06 at 10:28pm

I always get so excited when I see posts about Stagedoor Manor.

Definitely worth it - best summer of my life.
I was really nervous before I went, too...but being homesick immediately leaves you after the cast lists go up and you start rehearsing and making friends and taking classes. I went two years ago and I still keep in touch with the SDM crew.
And if theres a show theyre doing that you totally don't want to be in - they respect that. When I went, they were doing "The Wiz" - and my friend wrote "NOT THE WIZ" at the bottom of his audition sheet. He ended up getting a lead in Little Shop....so if you have any concerns about the show youll be in, just write it in at the bottom. However, you totally can't choose which show you want to be in. But it helps to list musicals that you like that are similar to the one youd like to be in. They were doing Chicago that year and I listed musicals like Cabaret and Sweet Charity (other Fosse shows) and I was cast in Chicago. So be systematic about your audition sheet - thats the advice I have haha.

As far as friends - youll make a TON. Everyone knows and loves eachother by the end of the summer.

Such a great great great place. Can't say enough about it. I definitely wish I could go one more time before college!

[wackjack132]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 11:10pm

Not knocking Stagedoor because I haven't been there. But another alternative (which someone mentioned) is Long Lake Camp for the Arts.

Don't give up on Stagedoor because I've heard nothing but good things. But LLC is probably my favorite place on Earth. No classes, just periods with normal camp activities. They do about 9-12 shows a session (3 weeks) plus a dance production and a circus act. It's really awesome and you can check this website out for more information: www.longlakecamp.com

There's pictures from the shows we did this summer, some of which were: A Chorus Line, Urinetown, Bat Boy, Once on this Island, and The Foriegner.

Posted: 11/13/06 at 3:46pm

Zoom..breathe. She was not angrily telling you anything. Nor was what any of she said pompous.
What does it matter if you have to audition to go or not? Shouldn't it be about a passion for theatre? Who cares who gets to go and who doensn't....it doesn't make it any less reputable because they want to give everyone a shot to do what they love. You are simply suggesting that anyone who is not "good enough" should not be able to do something that they might love doing. Thats why they let anyone into SDM...everyone should have a shot to do theatre if theyre passionate about it.
And if you happen to be exceptionally good, they will certainly recognize it.
There are politics everywhere - but not EVERYONE who goes year after year get leads...I know a lot of people who are continuously put in the ensemble, and certainly a lot of newcomers that got huge parts.
She was not telling you what your opinion was. She was merely defending her point of view.
We can respect that you didn't have the best time there. I'm sure Stagedoor isn't for everyone.
But let me say that I only went one year, was cast in an ensemble/strictly dancing role and I still had the time of my life.

I went to a college program this summer and didn't get the same experience.
It depends on who you are, I think.
Just chill. No one is out to get you.

Updated On: 11/13/06 at 03:46 PM

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 11/13/06 at 3:47pm

Well I'm not old enough to do a summer program, so any other suggestions?

[Broadway Baby4]

Posted: 11/13/06 at 4:12pm

thank you Play It Cool. :)
I didn't mean for Zoom to take it the wrong way. I was just defending my camp, that's all. I am sorry if I came off stuck up, I didn't mean to. But I certainly was not lying.

[RockyRoad]

Posted: 11/13/06 at 7:29pm

Honey, defending is one thing. Calling someone a liar as you did (I believe you said "it's not true at all")is you making a statement that the person is a liar. You caused the problem honey. I love it when those who cause the problems suddenly act innocent.

And Playitcool..so noble that the talent factor should not enter into the fact of who should get into a musical theater program. I guess talent has very little to do with the business. I guess being able to carry a tune or even act is not a requirement. After all, Stagedoor never pretends top be a real world training program. Oh...wait. Yes they do. They pretend to be the launching pads for Broadway careers. Just ask them.

Any SERIOUS musical theater program is audition based. Period. After the horrors I have seen on the Stagedoor stage, you better believe talent should and needs to have something to do with being admitted. But Stagedoor is not the serious kind of training place. You go. You do a show. That's it. That's not being serious about your craft. That's having a lovely little vacation and fitting a play into it.

As another poster said, look for serious programs...programs that offer real training instead of "training" by doing a show. And a show that has lots of people who shouldn't be there.

Updated On: 11/13/06 at 07:29 PM

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 11/13/06 at 7:54pm

Again, I'd listen more closely if someone could point me to these REAl programs...stagedoors the only non college program I could find that looked interesting.

[Broadway Baby4]

Posted: 11/13/06 at 9:48pm

I was not trying to start a problem when I said that. And I definatley am not trying to act innocent. People can have diferent opinions. But you shouldn't put Stagedoor down until you've tried it. I have been to a camp where you had to audition to get in, and personally I didn't like it as much. The people there all thought they were the best.
Whatever. I am going to drop the topic now. I don't want to start a huge fight. I'm sorry.

Posted: 11/13/06 at 9:53pm

RockyRoad - They certainly don't give you false hope. If youre awful, they arent going to give you a lead. Agents DO see the shows and they notice the leads...the people who ARE talented enough to be auditioning.
Other than that, its a summer camp for kids. I understand like anyone else (currently auditioning for countless colleges) how important talent is. But its a summer camp. Talentless kids just shouldn't be able to perform...ever?
Stagedoor is there for everyone to learn.
It "launches" the people who perform well and get the leads.

No, its not "serious" training. The person who started this thread asked about the experience because theyre not used to being away from home so often. If they had started it off with "I want to be the next Patti Lupone, and Stagedoor must be the place to achieve that" then we all would have had a different response. No one said anything like that. We're jsut saying that it is a good theatrical experience. No one here said "if you want to make it on broadway then stagedoor is it".
Everyone needs to chill out. The thread was to tell this person the positive things about SDM so that they wouldn't be nervous when they went. Not to bash everything who says something nice about the summer camp.

[RockyRoad]

Posted: 11/14/06 at 11:21am

Oh I see. So only positive things can be posted? Other people's opinion don't matter? If I have an opinion to share I will, got it?

And Broadway "Baby" (how appropriate), for your info, I have been to Stagedoor. But then again you assume anyone who's opinion different from yours hasn't.

Whatyouown...check out the thread labeled "Reputable Camps"..it has some great ideas for real places that give real training. Not little high school cliques that think they are always right (see what I mean??)

Posted: 11/14/06 at 3:52pm

The same could be said about anyone pompous enough to assume I'm "forcing" my opinion on them or that only "good" people deserve to perform.

When exactly did I say the exact words "You are not allowed to post your opinions".
I said we were trying to make this person more comfortable about a decision they had already made. You certainly are good at blowing my words out of proportion.
And please point out when I said "Everyone who hates stagedoor is wrong". I would be interested to see where I said that. In fact, I'm pretty sure I even stated that we respect that you and the other poster did not enjoy the experience.

Sometimes I wonder why the people on this website are always looking for a fight.

Posted: 1/3/07 at 3:01pm

I sent out my application a little before Christmas.

I hope I get in! It sounds like so much fun!