What are some good Musical Theatre Conservatories.......

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 4:26pm

in NYC? I've been advised against AMDA so not even looking there. Also can anyone give me info on Circle in The Square Theatre School and The New York Conservatory For The Dramatic Arts? Are they good schools or just scams? Thanks.


Updated On: 2/14/11 at 04:26 PM

[Orangesaretuesdays]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 4:28pm

I think your best bet is the student section of the forum

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 4:35pm

Thanks, I tried there but am not having any luck.

[phantomvegas2]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 4:47pm

What is wrong with amda?

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 5:06pm

I know people who have gone there and they find the training is not that good especially for how expensive it is. My acting coach has also advised m against it.
Updated On: 2/14/11 at 05:06 PM

[ILuv2shop531]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 5:19pm

Circle in the Square will give you some of the best training possible in the city. I did their summer program for MT this past year and feel I definitely got my moneys worth. All of the teachers have been in the business for a long, long time and know exactly how to teach and tell you what to do right. You have everything from physical acting, speech, scene study (with the AMAZING ALAN lANGDON), and dance for actors (which you take regardless of acting or mt as your focus). You get so many opportunities from the cabarets & scene nights and there are always seminars from people in the business. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me

[Just_John]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 5:20pm

It really doesn't matter where you go. It's about your talent and how hard you work at crafting it. But the "best" musical theatre schools are not in NYC.

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 5:24pm

It's not letting me pm you but thanks for your response.

[wickedfan11]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 5:35pm

ILuv2Shop- Your PMs are turned off.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 6:18pm

Why don't you look into conservatories at universities. I don't know if you have any plan in getting a degree, but having a bachelors, no matter what it's in, will help you, especially in your starving artist days.

NYU has a musical theatre studio through Tisch's BFA program- it's The New Studio for Musical Theatre. Alternately, the Steinhardt school, which has NYU's music programs, has a vocal performance program, where you can concentrate in musical theatre.

Pace also has a musical theatre BFA program, which is small and fairly new, but from what I hear, very good.

There is Marymount Manhattan, which has a decent theatre program, but that school is kind of looked at as a joke.

I think Fordham has something, too, but nothing very acclaimed.

Also, you can check out Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music. Not sure about their programs, but it's worth checking out.

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 6:29pm

Thank you for all the recommendations, my problem with University programs is that when I was in H.S. I missed a lot of days (because my aunt had cancer) and so my GPA suffered, on top of that my parents credit is not good and no one else will cosign for me for loans.
Updated On: 2/14/11 at 06:29 PM

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 8:29pm

The non-degree conservatories are also expensive. Look into scholarships, fill out the FAFSA, etc. In the long run, you'll get a better job with a degree. If money is an issue, you may want to hold out on moving to NY for a while. Look into smaller schools, state schools, etc. If worst comes to worst, go to community college for a year and pull your GPA up.

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 8:32pm

I'm already in NY so I don't want to go out if that makes sense.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 9:20pm

Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music don't have musical theater programs as far as I know, both are classical music schools. Juilliard does have a drama program but it is EXTREMELY competitive.

Why not look into one of the CUNYs? They're quite inexpensive in state. I'm not sure if any of them have musical theater programs (I don't think they do) but a few have pretty good straight theater/drama programs.

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 2/14/11 at 9:45pm

Thanks, I'll definitely look into that.

[wicked4l]

Posted: 2/15/11 at 12:28am

Definitely check out NYU, Julliard, and Marymount Manhattan.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/15/11 at 1:19am

As perfectlymarvelous stated Juilliard has pretty much zero focus on musical theatre. Their theatre program is devoted to straight drama, and there is virtually no cross-over between the dance, opera, and theatre departments there.

[Boq101]

Posted: 2/15/11 at 1:00pm

I lived right by NYC for a long time and many people have asked me why I chose to go to school away from the city. My explanation was that I wanted a view of regional theater outside of NYC, since quite frankly most of the work we can get at first isn't always in NYC. I go to the Hartt School of Music which is a conservative in the University of Hartford and I'm getting a BFA in music theater. There's a lot of regional theaters nearby that give us free tickets and internships such as Hartford Stage, Goodspeed, and Theaterworks. People drive down to NYC all the time to audition, as well.

Living so close to the city I know what it's like not to want to leave it, but there is great theater happening in other places as well.

[Tom1071]

Posted: 2/15/11 at 1:23pm

As another poster suggested, fill out the FAFSA forms for financial aid. You would be surprised at what you qualify for. I paid for college myself with no financial support from my parents. It was combination scholarships, grants and federal loans (which I am still paying). Finances should never be the reason for you not to get the education you want. Where there is a will there is a way.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/15/11 at 2:05pm

Just from what I've observed, the kids who grew up in NYC and went to college outside of the city often seem to be more well-rounded individuals than those who grew in the city and have never left the city. This comes from both seeing them audition as well as working with them in the rehearsal process. There seems to be a certain narrowness to their focus and personalities from those who have never left the city and are truly unaware of what life is like anywhere else in the rest of the country. This is of course not universal to everyone who grew up in the city, but common enough that I've recognized the pattern in my own encounters.

[singtome8]

Posted: 2/15/11 at 10:44pm

CAP 21.. it was a part of NYU until last year, and now has its own two year conservatory. It is very intense and time consuming- you get zero academics(which i think is important for an actor) but it is well worth your money.