Syracuse University

[cindy013]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 11:33am

Anyone go there, thinking of going there, have graduated from there? Opinions, comments on the school/faculty/students there? Also, is anyone going to the open house tomorrow(friday)?

[brdwaybaby17]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 12:39pm

I'm audition and visiting in a few weeks.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 12:48pm

Taye Diggs graduated from there.

[PJ]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 2:00pm

...and I believe Heather Headley did as well.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 6:13pm

I'll be going there for the next four years!

[cindy013]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 6:41pm

I'm going to the open house tomorrow, but 2 of my friends who visited last April keep telling me how much they hated it. Did you guys seem to think the people were snobby or that it was an unsafe campus?

[Aigoo]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 8:03pm

I dunno. Ask Taye or Julia Murney (she graduated from there, as well.) I'm just giving you the list of famous people they popped out.

[cindy013]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 6:45pm

Just in case anyone cares. I just got back from visiting, and WOW. I must say, I wasn't expecting it to be that great of a program despite some of the amazing alumni, but I was pleasently surprised. You can get equity points with Syracuse Stage, which i already knew since we see shows there for school field trips and stuff, but I didn't realize you could be in more than like 1 show for SS. Also, every Christmas they do a big-name musical I guess with the drama department, and you get paid if you do i think? Something awesome like that, beacuse you're 'staying' over xmas break, except i only live an hour away so i could drive home anyways, wee! Plus, the only class you take that isn't musical theatre related is writing, and that's only your first 2 years. The rest is musical theatre courses, and all the acting courses Acting majors have to take you take with them. Sounds awesome, and I loved the alumni board. This lady was taking us on a tour of Syracuse Stage stuff because that building acts as the drama department building too, and she was talking about the alumni and got to Taye Diggs and there were all these Chicago and Wicked articles and stuff on the board and I got really excited. I really liked the people too. The assistant dean of the dpt. was SO nice, and gave a great presentation saying both the pros and cons of the field, but still made me want to do it even more:) Plus, there's a senior showcase in NYC, a year abroad thing in either London or NYC, and idk, it was just a really good experience and a great atmosphere. However, they said they have too many student and want to cut it down to only accepting 25-30 next year as opposed to the 45-50 of the past few years:-/ It's only the 2nd school I've visited, but it really felt good. There were 5 other kids in our little drama tour group and they all seemed nice and like people i could become friends with. Very friendly and clam atmosphere, but you also know you're going to be worked hard so you perform well.
The end:)

[brdwaybaby17]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 6:55pm

Well, 25-30 is still pretty good... did they say how many people audition every year and if they are part of the unified auditions?

[cindy013]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 7:29pm

Oh god. It was like 750 Acting and MT people, and they take like 20ish for each:/

[brdwaybaby17]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 8:10pm

Ha, that's still pretty good... Carnegie Mellon takes about 10 and they have about 1000 people audition.
That's why we have back-up, back-up plans. But, ya know, all the schools have to take someone... and they all have to take someone DIFFERENT.

[cindy013]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 8:18pm

Heh, yeah that's true. And probably what I'll try to remember as I audition I think it's going to be a big plus having dance training, too, because only 1 other girl there did besides me and she was acting not MT, and the guy said that was a big factor for them too when they start narrowing down their applicants.

[Liz_Bennet]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:10pm

I went to high school in Syracuse and saw many Syracuse Stage productions and several SU ones. The SU productions are generally excellent. Bear in mind that the biggest role I've ever seen a SU student in at Syracuse Stage was the "collector" Blanche tries to seduce in Streetcar... just because you can get parts doesn't mean you're going to get a starring role. They usually only do one musical per season and tend more towards plays with small, adult casts.

If you have any questions about the city, I can probably answer them.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 12:29pm

Yes, we cleared that up...(through PMs). She left early for the Ragtime tour.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 8:22pm

I went to SU as well, but not for theatre.

Notably, BroadwayWorld's founder and editor-in-chief RobD did as well.

Not to mention some other famous poster with the last initial j. (he DID do the theatre program)

It is a fabulous school, and the theatre kids have a better time than most. Other than the long walk, it's a dream.

I'm also on University's Alumni Club Board of Directors, so if you have any other more specific questions, let me know. If you end up going, and can find my name on the wall in the Schine Student Center, I'll give you a cookie.

[itstheM]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 9:30pm

I'm going to SU in a few weeks as a freshman! The people that I've spoken to are really nice and I have heard good things about the program. Today I just looked up bus fare to Manhattan because now I live only 45 minutes away and Syracuse is several hours and lots of money away. They have a program in Junior year where you can study in London and a brand new program for Senior year where you can study in the city. Most people who get cast at Syracuse Stage are usually ensemble, but it's still equity points. I don't know much about the program because I haven't been there yet.

[Coondiggitydogg]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 12:23am

heather headly graduated from Northwestern! where did u hear that she graduated from syracuse????????????????

I personally hated Syracuse. The theatre department doesn't give any money, and for musical theatre you get a half hour voice lesson once a week. That is barely enough time to vocalize. If you are not part of the theatre or musical theatre program you CAN NOT participate in any of their stagings. I also hear that they pick favorites day 1 and it's impossible to get into good favor once they have chosen their favs.

On the other hand: they have great connections in the outside world, and the whole new york thing at the end of Senior year is how many such as Taye were discovered.

[Soozie]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 1:04am

I think it is great that people are offering perspectives on programs such as Syracuse and sharing experiences. But one must separate fact from fiction.

You mentioned that Syracuse's theater department does not give much money. I don't know if the theater department directly gives the scholarships but my daughter was accepted to the BFA in Musical Theater at Syracuse this past spring. She was awarded a Founder's Scholarship (merit based, not need) of $12,000/year for four years. She also got NEED based aid on top of that which included more grant money.

Also, while Syracuse may have taken seniors for a week to NYC in spring of senior year in the past, starting this coming year for the next five years (based on grants given to the dept.) they will be taking the entire senior class for their fall SEMESTER IN NYC, a very exciting new program. We thought their BFA program in Musical Theater sounded great though my daughter chose not to attend. But she would have been happy to have attended.

I just thought I would give some facts so people are not discouraged from applying to Syracuse because they DO indeed award merit scholarships to applicants for the BFA.

[Coondiggitydogg]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 10:02am

the founders award is an academic based scholarship. so your right. I was speaking specifically verses the music department whih gives 18 grand and full scholarship to some students. but if u are in the music program you can not take part in any stagings. The school itself will give founders scholarships on bases of academics ranging from 2 grand to 16 grand. That is why i said they give no scholarship becuase I needed a full ride. WHICH I GOT!!!, but i couldn't ever perform since it was for just vocal.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 3:36pm

Are you going to study communications?

If not, it is a waste of money with a declining rep.

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 7/29/05 at 8:01pm

I grew up in the 'burbs of Syracuse, but did not go to school there because I did not want to "stay home." That said the Syracuse Stage and SU productions I have seen have generally been excellent.

The neighborhood isn't the nicest, and I always felt the city lacked in culture, but its a good school. My friend went there for Music and he seemed to like it very much.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 6:16pm

Syracuse's Drama department DOES give full rides, apparently you didn't get one.

Also, non-majors are encouraged to audition for SU's shows, with the exception of Syracuse Stage. Being invovled with a Syracuse stage production is not only a course for majors only (with pre-requisites), but a priviledge. It's not a Syracuse University production. There are several other shows per year, and everyone on campus is welcome to join in.

[Coondiggitydogg]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 11:38pm

WOW someone is a little highstrung. I didn't audition for the theatre program because I would only be getting a half hour of vocie a week. I would have to pay for extra time, I couldn't perform as a freshman, and they stated that the program itself does not give money. I APPARANTLY DID get a full ride to the music program. I chose not to go because it did not fit what I wanted to do in college and I did not feel that the environment was the most nurturing and would help me. It was my personal decision Im sorry if my opinion has offended you trpguyy but read carefully and think before u type
-sincerely the kid who did get a full ride, but chose not to take it and doesnt feel like being belittled in a chat room

[cindy013]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 4:57pm

You definitely can't audition for shows unless you're in the Drama Department, and I'm 99% sure it's only if you're specifically Acting or MT majors. I just went to their open house and that's what the head of the dept. said, so I'm assuming it hasn't changed in the past 2 weeks

[Coondiggitydogg]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 12:28am

well there are a lot of talented kids out there who take acting classes where they find it available or are majoring in other areas such as music, communications etc. because their parents wont let them study theatre. or because other programs within a university offers more music. And if the actors are so much more advanced then a little competition by those outside of the program shouldn't scare them