Being a Theatre Major... stress & venting- Page 2

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/2/04 at 1:23pm

"I'd love to go to NYU, but, the fact is: I won't be able to get in. My SAT scores aren't exactly high and I don't think I have the talent to break through into that school. < Ah well..."

Yes, same with me, except that I want to go in as a journalism/Spanish major. I should look into Fordham.

[Phantess]

Posted: 8/2/04 at 1:31pm

My SAT score was 1220 and I got into NYU...but I wrote a kick butt essay and had a nice resume too.

BU is Boston University
GWU is George Washington University

I love Marymount, but I decided to go to Boston before I auditioned for the theater program. I believe you need two different monologues. Definately check out their site.

[NYUstud]

Posted: 8/2/04 at 1:35pm

My advice is take the ACT instead. That is what I took and it is so much easier. My SAT scores were not at NYU standards, so I didn't even submit those scores. My ACT scores were above the NYU average and that what helped me get in.

Also some people have infered that the NYU program is so huge that it isn't very personal. Each year they only take 15-18 new freshmen for the musical theatre major (Steinhardt). Each student has 3 hours of private voice, very personal. And there are no classes bigger than 20-25 peoople. It is very intimate and personal.

[shesings]

Posted: 8/2/04 at 1:44pm

I think you should go with your heart. If theatre is the only thing you can see yourself being happy doing, then do it. My first day of school the teachers asked us "Is there ANYTHINg else in the world that you can see yourself doing? If so go do it. This is an extremely diificult biz and if you'll be happy anyplace else then do that!" If it's all you've dreamed of your entire life, then its what you have to do. I was lucky b/c my parents were incredibly supportive, and even let me go to a conservatory instead of a typical 4 year university. I don't know if this applies to everyone, but I know some schools will let you teach w/o actually having your degree in education. As long as your degree is in the field you are teaching. You can always go back later and get your masters in teaching. Go for theatre now. You sound too passionate about it. And you'll end up resenting you parents if you don't.

[Kelliexo90]

Posted: 8/2/04 at 1:47pm

Well said, Shesings.

[Broadwayballerina]

Posted: 8/2/04 at 2:57pm

You also might want to look into Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA (ignore the 42nd street stigma...) It's a small liberal arts school that has a fantastic theater program and also a great dance program. Robert Lafosse will be our guest artist next semester for Pippin'. It's small and there are so many other great options for majors. To give you a feel for how diverse the school is, academically (unfortunately, not ethnically) the two most popular major are...biology and theater. Look into it...www.muhlenberg.edu and I would be happy to answer any questions.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 8/2/04 at 3:11pm

I'm about to be a senior in High School, and the colleges I've looked at so far are:

Dickinson (Carlisle PA)-Nice School in general, and great for dance, but not acting. They only do one main show a year (yes year NOT semester) *No Audition required*

Purchase (SUNY)-At the begining of my visit I was happy with the school, but then we met the student who was giving our tour. He was not into the school that much (was just doing tours to make money) *Audition-2 monologues 1 song + interview

Wagner (Statten Island)-one word-------AMAZING. This school has a beautifull campus, kind staff, and the best college musical theater program I have seen. 6 mainstage shows a year (5 musical 1 dance) plus countless class and student run straight plays. *Audition-2 songs 1 monologue + interview*

I am going to visit Emmerson, Ithica, and Wilkes(My director teaches there) soon.

[Elphaba984]

Posted: 8/2/04 at 4:10pm

IUP (indiana university of PA) has a decent program. we do 4 shows a year. along with studio shows.

Carnegie Melon, West Chester, and Bloomsburg are suppose to be pretty good.

And yes i agree with what a few people here have been saying. go with your heart. if you think you'll be happy doing theatre all your life then go for it. i started off as a graphic design major and was miserable. so i switched over to theatre and i'm happy. although i do at times get crap from some family members not all but some, which you will learn to block out.

good luck.

[chauvelin128]

Posted: 8/2/04 at 4:58pm

I cannot recommend University of Michigan enough...so many people have come out of their program and stepped right onto the Broadway stage...it's almost scary. I know a lot of the MTs that graduated this year...most of them are exceptionally talented and destined for success...actually, one of my very good friends from the graduating class joins the cast of Hairspray this week...

Gavin Creel, Barrett Foa, Hunter Foster, Douglas Sills, Alex Gemignani, and countless others...all from U of M.

Posted: 8/2/04 at 5:11pm

i don't think i could get into the University of Michigan, unless i audition through theatre and get in... but i don't know if i'll do only theatre as a major.

[marincrazy11]

Posted: 8/2/04 at 5:20pm

you can only apply to the school of music at U of M. I'm thinking about (hopefully) transferring there after this year and that is my plan. My grades were one reason I didn't apply to U of M my senior year of high school, not that they were bad just not good enough, plus that I was just really disorganized because we were knee-deep in our state competition show right about time applications were due and auditions rolled around. I woul recommend it highly. Otherwise Western Michigan University also has a very good MT and theater program. But I've wanted to go to U of M since I was about 9 years old. Good Luck!

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 8/2/04 at 5:43pm

For anyone who's auditioned for Marymount... how many songs/monolouge do you have to perform?

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 8/8/04 at 11:47pm

although NYU's theater program is gigantic, i wouldn't call it a factory .. it's kind of a smaller pool of talent that you have to climb your way through before taking on the entire city. and you can switch studios if you really hate where you were put .. they're just trying to make sure you find your niche, not trapping you. also after your first 2 years of inital training you can switch wherever you want. also i feel like the more people i meet, the better.

as far as 'should i major in theater or not,' i think it was michael shurtleff who said something along the lines of "you should ONLY do theater if you can't even remotely imagine doing anything else with your life."

[secret-soul]

Posted: 8/8/04 at 11:58pm

Fordham University @ Lincoln Center Theatre Dept.

[tapbaby2356]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 1:31am

ooooh more college talk... haunting my dreams ALOT. how i love being a hs senior... top choice as of right now is def OCU... but question, has anyone heard anything about wichita? my director suggested that i look into that school, but i really haven't heard too much... okla. city is still tops right now

[NYUstud]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 1:34am

my girlfriend is about to start at OCU. her voice teacher is florence birdwell and she is amazing. OCU was mos def. my second choice!

[NLiotta]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 1:35am

i am a b/c average and a 1210 sat
i am going to university of miami for musical theater
if you have talent they will take you as long as you haev decent grades

[tapbaby2356]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 1:42am

glad to hear good about OCU.. it's my home state and i feel like i'm not really looking outside ok that much... but i've really been hearing OCU's amazing. as far as the other okla schools... eeeh. i dunno. lol and birdwell's fab! love her! ha

[tumadre2]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 2:10am

Brava to broadwayballarina for mentioning Muhlenberg College. That's where I'm heading next year as a Theatre major. (To be doubled with something else.)

[dory the nun]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 1:27pm

Just to represent a program that doesn't get as much attention as it deserves...

you may want to also consider The Univeristy of the Arts in Philadelphia. (www.uarts.edu)

I will be a junior MT major in the fall and this is a very intense program... just as competitive as the other big boys in the business and often neglected because of its age (its a very new program- the acting program is 20 years old and the MT is around 10) and its location (not NYC)...

but let me just say- given the oppertunity to work as hard with a very professional and renowned faculty for half the cost of living in NYC is something worth considering.

the program is very competitive- they take about 20-25 (out of around 600-700 auditioners) every year... tho that number dwindles- we now have 12 Junior MTs...

and the emphasis is on the acting. we study all three but with the understanding that the acting is the most important part- you never dance without acting, and you never sing without acting. we study the Meisner method from some of NY's top Meisner teachers (for example my teacher was Sandy Meisner's 'right hand man'...)

there are lots of performance oppertunities and at the end of the four years there is an industry showcase where the seniors travel to NYC and perform for casting directors and agents.

from the last graduating class we have one person playing Mimi in the national tour of RENT, one originating the role of Randy Hastings in "Gemini: The Musical" (opposite Linda Hart from Hairspray), one in the European tour of "Grease" as Jan, one who just performed in "Pacific Overatures" with NSMT, one in the national tour of "Oliver", one performing and understudying the role of Peggy Sawyer in "42nd Street" on Broadway... and then of course tehre's Justin Guarini- lol if we can count that... and that chick Heather from The Blair Witch Project... lol... okay well maybe not them...




but in any event... its a really great program- I left high school DEAD SET on CCM or BC or CMU or Ithaca, Shenandoah, Point Park, Michigan... but then someoen turned me on to UArts and its been the best choice for me... (and it wasn't my only option-- I chose it)

you owe it to yourself to at least check it out and consider it.


good luck to everyone-- and if you have any questions about UArts or any number of things just drop me a line...

Posted: 8/9/04 at 1:59pm

Well, as an 'adult' I can name for you a lot of people I know who have Musical Theater degrees and have worked zero times since graduation. It's sad but true.

Get the teaching certification. Many of the required courses for the teaching degree can probably be used as electives for the MT degree and vice versa.

Like others have said, have a back-up plan.

As far as schools go, from the mamny community theater people I've known over the past eight years or so who have gone off to theater school this seems to the be paradigm: Big school equals never being cast in school productions until you're a senior but you have the school name recognition afterward. Small school equals you're the lead in everything, which makes a LOT of experience, but no name recognition.

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 2:58pm

Although my parents are supportive of me in the theatre, I made my own little gameplan. I don't really have a "backup plan", however I havent' entirely ruled out the option of teaching if I break my leg and can never dance again or something like that.
Go to university and get a degree. In Canada, you just need a degree to get into teacher's college. I'm not sure how it works in the States but I'd imagine it would be similar. That way, armed with your degree, should you ever decide to teach, you can always go back to teacher's college.
Make sure you have a "teachable" (minor in english or history or biology or whatever is of interest to you, and preferably a mandatory highschool subject) but get that theatre degree!
Also, in terms of school size...... a lot of schools are all in what you make of them, especially for the arts. I chose a university with the best reputation in Canada, but it also has a very small music program. The instruction is phenomenal and there are a ton of opprotunities because the program is small. As well, the profs tend to care more about you as an individual and spend more time helping you. I chose a small school (for music, but the school itself is huge), but examine what you value most in an education and go from there.
Good luck! Updated On: 8/9/04 at 02:58 PM

Posted: 8/9/04 at 8:27pm

Listen tell your parents its your life and you can decide. If in your heart you hear a voice that says "i want my name in lights" then there is no arguement go for your dreams. As elphie would say defy gravity and reach for the stars. And one day i'll be able to say i gave advice to a broadway legend!

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 8:32pm

". If in your heart you hear a voice that says "i want my name in lights" then there is no arguement go for your dreams."

Unfortunately, when I'm living on the street, I'm going to regret hearing that voice.

There's the reality, there are SO MANY people out there vying for the spot that you want. It's a once in a lifetime shot to make it. I think that one should definitely pursue theater while being practical. The double major concept would really help here.

[PJ]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 8:46pm

I agree. It's okay to dream and to want to see your name above the title on a marquee, but be realistic. Chance are, it most likely will never be there. BUT, as my mother has always told me, go for your dreams. Just make sure you have a backup plan.

I plan on majoring in theatre directing or acting, but I'm also going to pursue a minor in something like journalism or english. Just anything that I can fall back onto when the going gets tough.