BEST COLLEGES BFA MUSICAL THEATER — Page 2

Elon has a GREAT musical theatre program. I attend a small college in South Carolina for vocal performance, but if I had gone for musical theatre, Elon would have been at the top of my list.

University of Arizona at Tucson--very good--I did some Master Classes there this year and it is very good. Marsha Bagwell is on the faculty there, and she is magnificent. A brillian performer in her own right, and a great teacher.

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That is true, but it is an excellent institute.

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I go to Rockford College in Rockford Illinois. If you're looking for personal attention you'll DEFINETLY get it! we have only about 10 people in the MT deptartment, and we have one of the best vocal coaches I think anyone could ever have (I've seen incredible improvements soooo quickly!), and everyone on the staff is so fantastic. We have some great dance teachers, but I'd say that area is slightly lacking in our school, It's less intense then you would get at other schools. But they're still great. I love my school. It's awesome.

And we desparetly NEED guys, so come on down guys you'll be guaranteed roles! our school does really good musicals and plays, ones that haven't been done to death. My first year(this past year) we did Ruthless! (the musical), an Original play written by a faculty member called THe Pick Up, Angels in American part 1, and Smoke on the Mountain (musical). In addition you can direct, produce, mount your own play, whether you have written it or not, you cast it, get a small budget, etc. Those are called 3 pennies (you charge 3 pennies for admission or a donation). So in total we do about 8 shows a year. :) The theatre depts also take 3 trips a semester to shows, we recently saw Sweet Charity (pre-bway), I am My Own Wife (w/ Jeff Mays), Sunset Boulevard, and Finishing the Picture (Arthur Miller's last play) we had good seats and you don't pay for them, it's in the tuition.

and Heather Headley's voice coach is coming to work with the voice students 1st semester this fall. Thwyla Tharp will be speaking 2nd semester.

and second semester we're doing Urinetown....:)

don't you wanna come now? lol

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Updated On: 6/15/05 at 03:23 PM

brad, not to belabor the point. I'm aware that OU has a program but it certainly does not have the reputation that OCU's does. That's all I'm saying. You may not have heard of OCU until recently but it's very well known in the 'biz' as being one of the top programs. OU may have a very fine program but it's not considered in the same group as OCU and others.

U of M
AMDA
CMU
Shanendoah (?)
Florida State has a good program from what I hear.
Tisch
NYU
Northwestern
Boston Conservatory
Syracuse

I love reading these threads. It's great that so many people have a passions for a school. But unfortunately there's always some misinformation.

You gave me a great laugh, briarbrad when you said that University of Oklahoma has one of the best MT program. You also represented further lack of credibility when you said you had never heard of Oklahoma City Univesity or other universities. So I assume you are a student there. OU does not have the capability or the excellence of teaching staff to even come near Oklahoma City University. As an industry professional, I know the kind of excellent training that OCU provides. OU has never even help to develop someone of a Chenoweth or O'Hara. If you are indeed at student at OU, I recommend you look elsehwere if you are truly interested in working in this industry.

And thanks for providing a link for us to see the grandure that is University of Oklahoma. After reviewing your "beautiful" web site, I loved seeing that your graduates have all secured work on crusie ships. And it seems the last time any of them worked was 2003.

For those of you who'd like to see what a real music school web site looks like, click here: http://www.okcu.edu/music/index.asp

My other MT suggestions:

U of Michigan currently the top school
CCM if you can put up with the attitude
Boston Conservatory

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Updated On: 6/15/05 at 05:57 PM

Thank you..I'm trying to sex up BWW

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Updated On: 6/15/05 at 06:02 PM

My uncle taught at Syracuse back in the day, and he had Taye Diggs in one of his classes (and he said he was one of the sweetest guys ever and extremely talented) If you don't mind upstate NY, Ithaca and SU are so good.

Thanks, briar.

Although I do find it odd that a non student would go posting links to other schools.

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Eliza0114- I'm not sure how attending Ithaca would be getting out of a small town. I'm from Ithaca, and I can assure you that it's a small town. A very nice small town with a good theater scene. But a small town. I went to high school in Syracuse, which is a medium size but not very exciting city. However, Syracuse University's productions are generally excellent. So are Ithaca's for that matter. But don't come for the culture in Syracuse, because there ain't very much off campus. In Ithaca, there is stuff, but it's likely to resemble off-off-Broadway.

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Updated On: 6/15/05 at 07:44 PM

NYU is probably gonna be regarded as the top drama school in NYC. (Columbia has a great GRADUATE program, though). I've heard that Marymount Manhattan has a good program, as well. Can anyone speak on the quality of Hunter College or Hofstra? I've heard of people going to these schools for drama/musical theatre, but I'm not very familiar with them. Also -- Fordham @ Lincoln Center.

Updated On: 6/15/05 at 07:55 PM

What about schools under the CUNY/SUNY system?