advice about colleges for theater

[IveGottaBeME]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 3:02pm

Hi.. i would love to get some advice...
i'm auditioning at Point Park, Univ of the arts in Philly, Marymount Manhattan and Wagner...
I was wondering, what is the best college??
I'm already in Pt Park and Univ of the Arts and i still have to audition at the others. I know MM doesn't offer musical theater major, but i still am very interested in this school.

[ShuQ]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 3:07pm

Princeton Review ranked Wagner number one for best theatrical productions.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 3:13pm

Depends...

Do you want a school that has 1,000 other students auditioning for the same roles you are, or a smaller school with only 100 other students also auditioning?

[IveGottaBeME]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 3:14pm

I really don't know what I'm looking for.. I just want good training, have good experiences and fun. I love NYC so i really want Marymount but that's kind of a bad reason lol

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 3:19pm

UArts and Point Park are generally thought to be better programs than either Wagner or MMC.

[edenespinosalover]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 3:22pm

Point Park has a really nice dance program. Well, I guess I don't know that, but almost half of the "Fosse" cast on tour graduated from there.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 3:31pm

If you don't know what you're looking for, then that is the first step. KNOW what you want.

Make a list of all the things you will look for in a theatre program. Also include things you look for in a college. Finally, things in a city.

Then, put each listing into a priority. Once you have a prioritized list, begin your search. Once you have some schools that seem to go along with your list, go visit them. See how they are up close. Audition for their theatre programs, even if you're not sure you want to go there. Stay overnight with a student. Attend some classes. Visit all theatre spaces.

Here are some general things to look for:

Theatre Program:

-Size (How many freshmen enter each year? How many in program now? How many acting students, compared to tech and directing/stage management?)
-Classes (How many acting classes? What special topics? What are the requirements to obtain your degree?)
-Spaces (How many different performance spaces are there? Rehearsal spaces? How technologically advanced are they? Do they get good sized audiences?)
-Shows (How many shows are done each year? Plays vs. musicals? One-acts?)
-Students (How friendly do the students seem? Would you fit in?)

The College:

-Classes (What classes not related to theatre do you need to take to obtain your degree? What is an average class size?)
-Size (How large is the campus? Would you need a car?)
-Facilities (What facilities are offered? How is the cafeteria food? How many places to eat are on campus?
-Cost (How much is tuition? What scholarships will I get? How much federal aid will I get? Grants? Loans?)
-Construction (Find out if there are plans for renevation. Will this affect any theatre buildings? Your schooling? Your housing?)
-Parking (Enough parking? Need a car?)
-Housing (How are the dorms? Big enough? What is offered in the dorms? What furniture is given? What will I need? How many roommates will I have? Internet? Heat? AC? Lighting? Policies?)

The City:

-What professional theatres are located nearby? What other colleges are close by?
-Are there recreational places close by? Theatres? Movie Theatres? Clubs?
-Closeness to shopping areas, such as malls, restaurants, banks, etc.
-How large is the city? How would I get to the city? Bus? Drive a car? Get a ride from a friend? Easy to get lost?
-How safe is the city?

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 3:46pm

That's great advice, CapnHook, but this person is already in the application and audition process so it's a little late for her/him to be doing that research. She/he should have done all of that long ago. :)

[CapnHook]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 3:54pm

Not too late. Do the list, then see if the schools you are applying to correspond to your list. You don't want to go to a school where you will be unhappy.

I don't care if it is Yale, Oxford, Harvard, NYU, or whatever. Doesn't matter how good the school is or how established. The main thing is - will you be happy? THEN will you get a good education?

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 4:29pm

I will soon be attending The University of Montevallo in Alabama and it has a excellent Theatre program the are a Liberal Arts School and Rebecca Luker was also a graduate of the school.

If you really really really like Theatre then you'll love there Homecoming.
On each Homecoming the school splits up into two groups the Purple and The Gold and they each do a musical production on the same night its AWESOME I went this past Friday.
The musicals are written and produced by the students. I was amazed at the quality of both shows each groups sets were really good. It's very competitive and each group puts alot of energy into there productions and there choreography was something to see.
So if you really really really like theatre I think Montevallo might be the choose for you.

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 4:41pm

I certainly hope Wagner has improved vastly from the horrid productions I saw there in the late 1990's.

Even Randy Graff doesn't like her alma matter.

How much money was Princeton paid?

[Aphexis]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 4:44pm

What do we know about North Carolina School of the Art's Drama Program as well as Otterbeins? I have a friend interested in these schools.

Joshua

[kelzama]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 5:29pm

Shenandoah Conservatory (Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA) has produced an incredible number of working actors.

One thing to consider: How soon do you get to perform? Many colleges don't allow Freshmen and Sophs to perform.

Another: Do you get working exposure to all aspects of performance, in addition to the books?

[tcb122]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 6:44pm

I go to MMC as a theatre performance major and a musical theatre minor. pm me if you have an questions.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 6:45pm

point park- very good program (MT and dance)

mm- its either acting/ MT minor, dance/ MT minor

dunno about wagner

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 6:57pm

I am auditioning at Wagner and I am very impressed with their program.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 7:24am

Mr. Tuttle, that comment that Wagner keeps quoting from Princeton Review was the result of a student survey about student productions on campus. It had nothing to do with the actual theatre department and anyone who knows anything about college theatre realizes that Wagner is not even close to number one in theatre.

Aphexis, PM me and I can put you in touch with the head of Otterbein's theatre department. He's a great man and will be happy to provide you with any information you or your friend need.

[Blair]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 9:32am

I had no idea Rebecca Luker graduated from Montevallo. I'm pretty sure that that is going to be one of my in-state choices. Unmasked, do you think you could tell me a bit more about the program?

[Jamie Hat]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 12:28pm

Try to find out if each program you go in for does a SHOWCASE for "people in the biz" (most of the "good" schools do)

[Adoannie925]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 9:23pm

Since I'm finishing up this process, I applied totheater schools that would give me the most intense life as a theater major, those being-
Juilliard (Did not get in, but they rarely take high school students anymore)
Cincinnati Conservatory
SUNY Purchase
NYU

I wanted to be near NYC, too, and the only reason I applied to Cincinnati was because of their intense reputation and showcase.

Rutgers in NJ is supposed to be AMAZING. I missed their application deadline, or else I would have applied.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 10:07pm

Sure, Blair

The University of Montevallo was is one of twenty-one member institutions of Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and may well have been the nation's first college designated as such.

The Division of Theatre (BIG at this School)
Is first-rate theatre training. If you study theatre there (which I will), you will be part of a growing yet highly accessible department of approximately 85 majors. Enrollment in acting classes typically ranges from 8-15 pupils. They have 3 performance spaces (Chichester Theatre "Black Box", Palmer Auditorium and the newly renovated Reynolds Theatre.

If you want to know more about there theatre program check out there website @www. montevallo.edu/thea

Distinguished Alumni:
Rebecca Luker(The Phantom of the Opera, Secret Garden, Show Boat, The Sound of Music, Passion, The Music Man, Carousel Concert.)
Polly Holiday(well-known for her role as Flo on the hit TV Series "ALICE")
Greta Lambert (Alabama Shakespeare Festival)
David Harwell(Won and Emmy for his scenic design on the PBS childrens show "Between the Lions" and professional set designer in Boston and NYC)
Patrick O'Rourke( Founder and CEO of Big Apple Lights, NY.)
Price Hicks

It's a very good school and I can't wait to go there !!!!!!

[Blair]

Posted: 2/15/05 at 12:22am

Thanks so much, Unmasked!

[RockyRoad]

Posted: 2/15/05 at 12:36am

If you are talking musical theater, then you need to look at Oklahoma City University..one of the top ranked musical theater programs in the US. Just look at the alumni:

Kristen Chenoweth Wicked,YGMCB, West Wing, everything
Julie Hanson current Broadway Christine in POTO
Kelli O'Hara Dracula, Sweet Smell of Success, Follies
Ron Raines Chicago, TV's Guiding Light
Stacey Logan Beauty & Beast, Sweet Smell, PBS's Polly in Crazy for You
Dan Webb La Bohem
and others in Oklahoma, Grease.

I don't think I need to say any more.

http://www.okcu.edu/music Updated On: 2/15/05 at 12:36 AM