Is it time for this now???? Who all is ready for this crazy journey with our Ds and Ss?
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Class of 2020 (sharing, venting, etc)
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Open Jar Institute in NYC summer HS program
Anyone have any experience with the one week HS summer MT program in NYC with Open Jar Institute? Certainly looks fun and potentially great exposure but expensive for only a week.
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Beginning dance opportunities for high school students
Someone posted that they were looking for beginning dance classes for a High School MT student and this came across my FB feed.
Hope it's only to post the link. Rider is hosting a summer dance intensive for beginners.
I thought someone might be interested.
http://www.rider.edu/academics/colleges-schools/westminster-college-of-the-arts/westminster-continuing-education/summer-camps/summer-dance-institute
As I typed this I think the person who was looking for beginning Fabce was in a FB group.. hopefully someone here will find it useful
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Dean College
Hey everyone! After my audition for Dean College at Chicago Unifieds, I got an email yesterday saying that I was accepted into their MT concentration of their Theatre major with a really nice performing arts scholarship. Does anybody know anything more about their program? It seems nice and the faculty seem great (guy who I auditioned for was the one who used to be at Emerson and Yale, he was very nice and worked with me on my monologue), but the school itself doesn't have a lot of Bachelor degree programs, it seems mainly like an Associate's degree school and that was kind of odd to me. I just can't find too much on the MT program and the school itself. I want to go to a school that I love, not just a program I love. I'm planning on visiting all of my acceptances so we'll see how that goes. But if anybody knows anything, I'm very curious!!
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Any News from Moonifieds??
For those of you who had kids audition last weekend, have any of you heard from schools yet...either about program acceptance or passing pre-screens?
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Finding a good fit/growth in college
This is sort of two questions combined into one post. I'm a junior at a large high school (2000 people, 100+ audition for musicals) that favorites seniors. Over the last year or so I've had a few feature roles and a supporting one this fall at a theatre outside of school (before that I was strictly in ensemble since getting to high school). I'm one of a few students in my grade to have been in an honors choir since sophomore year, and people tell me I am good, but I know I am not professional yet. I know many kids have been leads in the majority of their school shows and some have even won awards or done professional theatre, but I always sort of figured (not to discredit anyone who does go to a small school), that I would get leads/more roles if I went to a smaller school. I've been watching senior showcases however, and the people in them are SO talented. Based off of people's experience, do students get to college already pretty amazing and just improve while there, or do they completely transform as performers? I know there are a few superstars who are at a professional level, but I am talking about the majority of students auditioning. Did they all get to college practically professional, or were they simply talented high schoolers who wanted to pursue theatre as a career?
My second question is: Are there any schools out there for kids who aren't at a professional level (if the majority of students walk into college already amazing/nearly professional). Schools that offer a good musical theatre education whose alumni have success working in the field but that have a smaller audition pool, or perhaps they accept a larger number of students? Thank you so much, and best wishes for everyone waiting to hear audition results!
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Waitlist Class of 2021
Share your stats, worries, and hopes
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Loyola University of Chicago Theatre Program / MT minor
Does anyone have any input or information about what opportunities or avenues pursued by recent students graduating from the theatre program at Loyola University of Chicago?
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Drake University
Anyone out there who has gone to Drake for theatre? My D is admitted to the BFA MT and we would love to hear from anyone who's attended regarding program, Des Moines, dance training, strengths, weaknesses, etc. The auditors and students she met at Chicago Unifieds were enthusiastic and very kind. She enjoyed the walk-in audition, and is looking forward to learning more about the program.
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School question LIU Post
Any opinions on LIU Post for MT?
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Why I've Grown To Hate The College Audition Process
Hey guys, I just published this criticism of the college audition process on The Odyssey. It is a realization that has slowly dawned on me over the last two years of auditioning for and attending a BFA MT program. Essentially, I loved the process when I was going through it, but in retrospect it seems unreasonably demanding (read: expensive) to the point of being elitist. After a recent in-class discussion about this (GO UARTS for letting us talk openly about these issues!!! I genuinely believe the people here are doing their absolute best to combat this), and an amazing article I read on the American Theater Magazine web site (I will link it below), I thought it was a necessary topic to breach with people who have been through the college audition process. Aside from CC where everyone is more or less anonymous, there is very little frank discussion of finances for artists or criticism of this arts education system that blatantly favors upper class students, even more so than in regular admissions. Actually, this is also the one place I've seen real complaints about the cost of auditioning for college. And I really appreciate that. So here's this article I wrote about it:
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/college-audition-process-****
And here's the article in American Theatre that partially inspired it: http://www.americantheatre.org/2017/01/24/how-to-make-it-as-a-poor-theatre-artist-in-new-york-city/
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Onward to NYC
My D did her NYC showcase and cabaret performances this past week in NYC, and the plan for her is to move there towards the end of the summer. She got a number of "contact us when you get to town" comments from different industry people at the showcase. I got very mixed opinions on that talking to people there and hearing input from students and others. From "without an agent you have no chance" to "I have worked continuously without an agent ever since arriving in NYC". Very confusing for a parent that knows nothing about the business. Also, my D's type is a classic musical soprano (think Shirley Jones), and while several classmates got meetings (ethnic with completely different styles), I heard the classic genre is making a comeback in NYC and elsewhere. She thinks right now she'd fit young mother type roles, and the woman who cast the showcase told her she's a few years away from fitting the roles she's best suited for (Eliza Doolittle, Marian the Librarian, and such). She is of course open to any options (regional, theme parks, cruises, etc, etc, etc). .
So the journey begins starting probably in August. Any advice from the veterans out there?
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Drake University MT Program
I would love to hear from current students or parents of current students in the Drake University MT program. My D has just been offered a place in next year's program and I'm now on the hunt for more information and experiences with the program. Thank you!
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Alabama Birmingham's MT Program
Wondering if there are any current BFA MT students at UAB who can tell us what you think of the program. What do you like, wish you could change, do differently, etc?
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Arizona State University - Musical Theatre
Greetings,
My name is Brian DeMaris. I am the new director of the MT program at Arizona State University in Tempe. I came here just last year from Ithaca College, where I used to be the music director of the opera and musical theatre programs.
ASU is not prominently featured on this site, so I'd like to take a moment to tell you all about our MT program.
Some things I think you should know about the ASU MT program:
As a B.M. MT degree, this is a place where the musical training is rigorous. But we have also recently DOUBLED our acting and dance training in the degree, and added crucial audition training and career entrepreneurship courses, as well as multiple technical theatre courses. Students can study either or both opera and musical theatre, yet still be involved in all areas of theatre, film and dance and digital media engineering, across our incredible Herberger Institute - the largest arts and design school in the country.
Along with the Theatre, Film an Dance main-stage season, ASU produces nearly 20 full productions of operas, musicals, dance performances and plays each year, with almost half of it being entirely new works. ASU Film Spark produces countless films annually, many of which involve our MT majors. In addition to our main-stage season, we also offer student lab productions, new works readings, scenes programs, and two showcases each year. Our program also features formal collaborations and professional performance and study/cover opportunities with Arizona Opera and the Phoenix Theatre. ASU was rated #1 in Innovation for the past two years in a row by U.S. New and World Report, ahead of MIT and Stanford.
We’re the country’s largest public research university, which means we have courses in pretty much anything at all levels.
It's pretty easy to double major here and several of our MTs are double majors, many with their other majors outside of the arts.
We have an amazing faculty and staff in addition to numerous faculty associates who are active professionals regionally and nationally. All of our MT faculty are professionally active performers.
We have an incredible facility with shops, warehouses, rehearsal studios, offices, and our own theatre - five full stories dedicated entirely to our opera and musical theatre program.
Dozens of national tours come through ASU each year, and cast members talk to our students and even take our classes while they’re here. Music direction students observe performances from the pit and meet the conductors and musicians involved with each production.
Our tuition is among the lowest in the nation, we have plenty of scholarship, and our class sizes are small (about 10-14 students in each MT class). The entire undergraduate musical theater program has about 50 students combined. This helps us stay focused on individual student learning and provide abundant performance opportunities, both of which are our pedagogical priorities.
While our students have plenty of opportunities to take dance and acting classes, our philosophy of integrated training is seen in our team-taught classes offered every semester in every degree, which are aimed at synthesizing acting, singing and movement skills from the very beginning.
Through our formal professional collaborations, students can receive credit to participate in productions with Phoenix Theatre (where they can also earn Equity points). Our class and production schedules actually work around local professional production schedules in order to help you take advantage of every opportunity.

We perform for dozens of elementary and secondary schools each year through our specially funded outreach performance program, which brings students from across the region to see our shows in our own theatre, many gaining exposure to opera and musical theatre for the very first time.
We have a 50-member Guild that directly supports opera and music theatre students by providing grants for additional study opportunities, summer programs, and emergency funding.
We bring in numerous professional conductors, directors, designers and other guest artists from around the world each year to work with our students on productions and in classes.
Phoenix is the nation's 5th largest city and still growing. It's incredibly diverse, and so is our student body. It also happens to be a vibrant theatre community, with a lucrative professional musical theatre scene. Phoenix Theatre (our educational producing partners), Arizona Theatre Company, Arizona Broadway Theatre, and Childsplay, are just some of the nationally recognized organizations nearby where many of our currently enrolled students and alumni have been able to take professional contracts, even while enrolled in the program. Many of ASU's alumni are founders and leaders of the incredible theater companies here in the Sun Valley.
This year we will be launching a Phoenix Industry/Alumni Night Showcase at the Phoenix Theatre, and we will also be taking our graduating students to NYC for our program's first New York Showcase.
Also this year we've launched a new works initiative, that will give our students the experience of being part of musicals in development from their first to final stages. We're partnering with nationally recognized composers, writers, producers and production companies to make this happen.
While the weather worsens throughout the year in many places, in Phoenix it gets better as the school year goes on. Just wait till you’re sitting outside memorizing your lines in January under the cacti and palm trees and 70-degree sun!
I endearingly refer to us as the "hottest MT program in the U.S." I'm referring to the temperature of course :)
We put students first in everything: season selection, casting, teaching, scheduling, guest artists, you name it.
Interested in stage direction, stage management, marketing and publicity, or something else outside of your normal course of study? You can expand your skills through the annual LAB productions. These are entirely student-proposed and student-led productions (up to 4 per year) that seek to reach beyond ordinary boundaries and explore new ways of opera and musical theatre art-making in our community.
ASU has modeled itself as the New American University, which you can learn about at newamericanuniversity.asu.edu. Lyric Opera Theatre is part of the School of Music in ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, the largest arts and design school in the world. This institute’s main purpose is to foster collaborations and interdisciplinary work between music, theatre, film, dance, design, digital media, visual arts, and more. We are as much about collaborating and thinking outside of the box as we are about individual artistry. No matter where you are on your personal and professional path, no matter how you envision the future of our art form and your role in it, you will find a place to start, explore, grow, and continue here.
See everything we have to offer at https://music.asu.edu/opera-musical-theatre. Call, write, or come visit us at anytime.
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Open Jar Institute in NYC summer HS program
Anyone have any experience with the one week HS summer MT program in NYC with Open Jar Institute? Certainly looks fun and potentially great exposure but expensive for only a week.
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Barrington Stage Company MTC
Hello all - did anyone else apply for the Musical Theatre Conservatory at Barrington Stage Company before the Feb 15 priority deadline? I read that we were supposed to be notified by March 1, but I have not heard anything from them yet. (When I first sent in my material I did receive a "receipt of materials" reply, but no decision).
I heard that they've gone to NETC in the past, so I figured I would wait until that was over in case I was on a "wait list" of some sort and they were waiting to see what talent they got at NETC. But now that that's over, I was wondering - do I reach out to the program? Ask where I stand? Or is it better to wait until the end of the week in case they are still deciding about me (I don't want to sound pushy).
I've checked my spam email to, so really I'm wondering if anyone else has heard anything in case my response somehow got lost, or if other people are waiting because they are still deciding after seeing the NETC crowd, or if people have applied in the past and didn't get a decision until the end of March.
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Big List of MT Colleges by Program Type
I started with the Big List of MT Colleges (the infamous Post #2) already on CC, of which I am so very thankful for. I removed graduate programs and any programs outside of the U.S. I sorted the schools into categories: Non-Audition BAs/BMs, Non-Audition BFAs, Audition BAs/BMs, Audition BFAs, and BA-to-BFA programs. Please be aware that many non-audition schools may require an audition to be considered for scholarships. Also, I urge you to do your research there are many BA programs that act like BFAs, and many BFA programs that have full general education requirements. Look at the curriculum, read the CC posts, and talk to current students and professors to find the right match.
Following the name of the school in parentheses is a note if the program is other than a BA or BFA in MT, the state where the school is located, and in some cases, the number of students the school yields each year. I have done away with the mark of a + to indicate difficulty of admittance. Most audition programs are very difficult to get in to. Some are not quite as difficult, but cut students. Again, do your research. I added an * if the school requires a pre-screening DVD/digital upload to be invited to audition.
Please do not use this thread as a discussion on the various programs. Lets keep it as much of a pure resource as possible.
For the most part, the details on this list were compiled by previous CC moderators and updated by parents. Please help to keep this list updated. If you know of any colleges that offer a musical theater degree that are not listed on this page, if you know a school has changed from BA to a BFA or vice versa, or you know the number of students in an entering freshman class, please copy and paste and mark your change in red. If you prefer, you can PM me and I will make the change. I hope this helps!
COLLEGES OFFERING UNDERGRADUATE MUSICAL THEATER DEGREES
NON-AUDITION BAs, BMs and AAs
--Birmingham-Southern College (review at the end of sophomore year) (AL)
--Brandeis University (BA in Theatre Arts w/ MT Track) (MA)
--California State University, Chico (CA)
--California State University - Northridge (BA Theatre, MT Minor) (CA)
--Carthage College (WI)
--Christopher Newport University (BA Theater w/MT Track) (VA)
--Coker College (BA-Theater, MT concentration via College of Music) (SC)
--Columbia College (IL)
--Dean College (AA, 2-year program) (MA)
--DeSales University (PA)
--Friends University (KS)
--Johnson State College (VT)
--Muhlenberg College (BA Theater-Performance; BA Music-Performance, BA Dance...can double major...optional audition) (PA)
--Northern State University (SD)
--Northwestern State University (BS in Theatre with MT Performance concentration) (LA)
--Ouachita Baptist University (BM) (AK)
--St. Edward's University (BA w/MT concentration) (TX)
--Santa Clara University (BA in Music w/MT Minor) (CA)
--SUNY, Oswego (BA with MT track) (NY)
--University of Akron (OH)
--University of Nebraska (BA Performance, MT Minor) (NE)
--University of Nevada, Las Vegas (NV)
--University of New Hampshire (BA and Minor) (NH)
--University of Tulsa (BA and Minor) (OK)
--Vincennes University (AS, 2 year degree) (IN)
--West Virginia Wesleyan College (BA and Minor) (WV)
--Western Connecticut State University (CT)
NON-AUDITION BFAs, AFAs and 2-year Certificates
--Avila University (MO)
--Brenau University (GA)
--Catawba College (NC)
--Marietta College (OH) University of South Alabama (AL)
--Mars Hill College (NC)
--Nebraska Wesleyan (NE)
--Northern Kentucky University (KY)
--Notre Dame de Namur University (CA)
--Shorter College (13-15) (GA)
--Southwestern University (BFA Theater w/MT emphasis) (TX)
--University of California - Irvine (CA)
--University of Southern Mississippi (BFA in Theatre with MT "Professional Training" option) (MS)
--Western Kentucky University (KY)
--Wichita State University (KS)
--Young Harris College (AFA-Associate of Fine Arts) (GA)
AUDITION BAS AND BMS
--Adrian College (MI)
--American University (DC)
--Arizona State University (BM) (AZ)
--Ashland University (BA Theatre w/MT concentration) (OH)
--Baldwin-Wallace College (BM) (10-12) (OH)
--Belmont University (BM & BFA) (TN)
--Bowling Green State University (BA Communications Specializing in MT) (OH)
--Casper College (AA) (WY)
--Catholic University (BM) (DC)
--Emory and Henry College (BA MT Pre-Professional Track) (VA)
--Florida State University (BM and BFA) (FL)
--Heidelberg University (BA/BS Theatre with MT Emphasis) (OH)
--Illinois State University (IL)
--James Madison University (BA and BM) (VA)
--Manhattanville College (BA Music w/concentration in MT) (NY)
--Marymount Manhattan (BA with MT Minor)
--Marywood University (BA) (PA)
--Meredith College (NC)
--Nazareth College (BA) (NY)
--New York University: Steinhardt School of Education (BM) (20-30) (NY) *
--North Central College (IL)
--Northeastern University (BM with MT minor) (MA)
--Oklahoma City University (BM) (OK)
--Palm Beach Atlantic University (FL)
--Plymouth State University (NH)
--Rhode Island College (BA Theatre w/ MT concentration)
--Rollins College (BA Theatre w/MT concentration) (FL)
--Russell Sage College with NYSTI (BS) (NY)
--Samford University (AL)
--Seton Hill University (BA Theatre w/ MT emphasis) (PA)
--SUNY, Cortland (BA, and Minor) (NY)
--SUNY, Geneseo (NY)
--Susquehanna University (BA Theatre w/ MT emphasis) (PA)
--Temple University (BA Theater w/MT emphasis/concentration) (PA)
--University of Alabama (AL)
--University of California - Los Angeles (12-15) (CA)
--University of Central Oklahoma (BM) (OK)
--University of Miami (BM and BFA) (FL)
--University of Missouri, Kansas City (BA Music with Theatre concentration) (MO)
--University of Mobile (BM) (AL)
--University of North Carolina at Pembroke (BM) (NC)
--University of Northern Colorado (CO)
--University of Southern Maine (BM) (ME)
--University of Tampa (FL)
--University of Texas at Arlington (BM) (TX)
--University of Wisconsin - Green Bay (WI)
--Wagner College (approximately 30) (NY)
--Weber State University (BA or BS) (UT)
--West Chester University (BA Theatre w/ MT emphasis) (PA)
--West Texas A&M (TX)
--Western Carolina University (BM and BFA) (NC)
--Wilkes University (BA) (PA)
AUDITION BFAs, AFAs and 2-yr Certifications
--Abilene Christian University (TX)
--American Musical and Dramatic Academy (2 year certificate or BFA) (CA/NY)
--Ball State University (IN)
--Belmont University (BM & BFA) (TN)
--Boston Conservatory (MA)
--Brigham Young University (BFA in Music Dance Theatre) (UT)
--CAP21 Professional MT Training Program (2 year Certificate in MT) (NY)
--Carnegie-Mellon University (10) (PA)
--Central Michigan University (MI)
--Central Washington University (WA)
--Circle in the Square Theatre School (2 year program) (NY)
--Coastal Carolina University (16) (SC)
--Cornish College of the Arts (BFA Performing Arts w/MT emphasis) (WA)
--Culver Stockton College (MO)
--Drake University (IA)
--East Carolina University (NC) *
--Elon University (NC)
--Emerson College (24) (MA)
--Florida State University (BM and BFA) (FL)
--Howard University (DC)
--Illinois Wesleyan University (IL)
--Indiana University (IN) *
--Ithaca College (NY)
--Jacksonville University (FL)
--KD Studio (2 year program) (TX)
--Kent State University (OH)
--Lindenwood (MO)
--Long Island University - C.W. Post (NY)
--Millikin University (IL)
--Missouri Valley College (MO)
--Montclair State University (NJ)
--New World School of the Arts (AA and BFA) (FL)
--New York University: Tisch School of the Arts: New Studio on Broadway for MT and Acting, other studios offer some MT courses (NY)
--Oakland University (MI)
--Ohio Northern University (OH)
--Otterbein College (8) (OH) *
--Pace University (NY)
--Pennsylvania State University (15-20) (PA) optional pre-screen
--Point Park University (PA)
--Rockford College (IL)
--Roosevelt University (IL)
--Sam Houston State University (TX)
--Santa Fe University of Art and Design (NM)
--Shenandoah Conservatory (VA) *
--Sheridan College (BAA - Bachelor of Applied Arts - in MT Performance (WY)
--Southern Illinois University - Carbondale (IL)
--Southern Oregon University (BFA Theater, Minor in MT) (OR)
--Southwest Missouri State (MO)
--SUNY, Buffalo (NY)
--SUNY, Fredonia (NY)
--Syracuse University (25-30) (NY)
--Texas Christian University (TX)
--Texas State University-San Marcos (TX) *
--Tulane University (BFA through Music department) (LA)
--University of Arizona (9) (AZ)
--University of Central Florida (FL)
--University of Cincinnati - College Conservatory of Music (22-24) (OH)
--University of Colorado at Boulder (CO) *
--University of Florida (FL)
--University of Hartford--The Hartt School (25-30) (CT)
--University of Idaho (ID)
--University of Kansas (BFA Theatre & Voice, through Music) (KS)
--University of Memphis (BFA in Theater Performance w/emphasis in MT)(15) (TN)
--University of Miami (BM and BFA) (FL)
--University of Michigan (20) (MI) *
--University of Nebraska at Kearney (BFA through Music department) (NE)
--University of North Dakota (ND)
--University of Oklahoma (12) (OK) *
--University of South Dakota (SD)
--University of Southern California (BFA in Acting, Minor in MT) (CA)
--University of Texas at El Paso (TX)
--University of the Arts (BFA - also offers MT Minor) (PA)
--University of Utah (UT)
--University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point (7-8) (WI)
--University of Wyoming (WY)
--Valdosta University (GA)
--Viterbo University (WI)
--Webster University (MO)
--Western Carolina University (BFA and BM) (NC)
--Western Illinois University (IL)
--Western Michigan University (MI)
--Westminster College of the Arts at Rider University (NJ)
--Wright State University (13) (OH)
--Youngstown State University (OH)
* Pre-screening DVD/digital audition required for invitation to audition
BA-to-BFAs
--California State University, Fullerton (BA, audition for freshmen applicants; BFA, audition at end of 2nd yr) (CA)
--Clarion Univ. of Pennsylvania (audition for BFA during 2nd or 3rd semester) (PA)
--Hofstra Univ. (audition for BFA in Theater Performance, MT Minor after 2 yrs) (NY)
--Lees-McCrae College (audition for BFA at end of 1st year) (NC)
--Metropolitan State College of Denver (audition for BFA once you enter the college to get into the degree program) (CO)
--Northwestern University (BA Theater or BM Music, audition at the end of 1st yr for MT certificate) (IL)
--Southern Utah University (audition at end of 1st yr for BFA in Theatre w/MT Emphasis) (UT)
--Stephens College (audition for BFA at end of 1st year) (MO)
--University of Minnesota-Duluth (audition for BFA at end of 1st yr) (MN)
--University of Mississippi (audition for BFA after 1st yr) (MS)
--University of West Florida (audition for BFA at end of 1st yr) (10) (FL)
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No updates anywhere!
No updates on CC, no emails, no calls...What is someone with MTOCD supposed to do?!
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waitlisted at Cherubs
Hi! I was just waitlisted at NHSI Cherubs for the theatre arts/MT program... for the second time. I was told I was put on the "short waitlist" back in February and I just found out yesterday that I was waitlisted again and would hear back with a final descion in April. I was wondering if this happened to anyone else? What are the odds of being accepted?
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