| Shellipearl sent me a note asking for information about the program at Wagner College. I thought it would be helpful for others who might be interested for me to reply on the forum instead of privately. My daughter is currently a freshman at Wagner, with a major in Theatre (Performance Concentration.) The principal focus of the program is musical theatre.
Although there is a prevailing “pre-professional (BFA-like)” attitude with the faculty and students, the major is set in the context of a BA degree, with almost half of the courses in liberal arts. For example, currently my daughter (second semester freshman) is taking Acting II, Movement Techniques, Ballet, an intro Literature course and an intro Sociology course. She also takes voice lessons and is on the front-of-house crew for a mainstage spring production.
There are four main stage productions yearly (generally all musicals) and four smaller productions (often plays, with a smattering of musicals.) Freshmen may audition, but, according to my daughter, very few are actually selected. Many get whatever stage time they can at class vocal recitals, student-run cabarets and the like. But, you never know… last spring, a Wagner freshman (along with a U. Michigan senior) won a CBS-sponsored national competition for a part in the Broadway production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. A Wagner senior was a finalist (top ten) as well.
Most theater students were drawn to the school because of a combination of its proximity to Manhattan, its reputation in musical theatre, and its lovely, intimate campus. From my daughter’s dorm, there is a view of the New York harbor and the skyline. The college runs a regular shuttle bus to and from the Staten Island Ferry, although my daughter commented that she didn’t go into the city as often as she thought she might during her first semester, simply because she didn’t have the time. I think that after a year of acclimation, she might go into town more often.
The program is pretty selective and there are some very talented, hard-working, aspiring young performers at the school. To the best of my knowledge, Wagner is the only (or one of the very few) BA programs in the country that holds a Senior Showcase for musical theatre in NYC. To me, that speaks volumes about the nature of the program. It’s a horse of a different color.
In all, I think my daughter is getting good pre-professional training in an innovative liberal arts setting. She was accepted at a couple of BFA programs, but, ultimately chose to be at Wagner. She’s enjoying school, working hard, making friends, and dealing with the realities of being away from home. She is also learning to navigate the realities of New York City, while having the opportunity to escape to a small (2000 students), idyllic campus across the harbor. By and large, she enjoys and is inspired by the faculty. It appears to me that attending Wagner is an excellent way to get some solid training in musical theatre and experience the life of a “college student” at the same time.
It strikes me as somewhat odd that this school isn’t displayed on the heading to this forum as having one of the principal programs that aspiring young musical theatre performers should investigate. It’s not a BFA program. But, it’s a very interesting alternative. Ironically, I think there’s more activity regarding Wagner on this forum than there is for quite a few of the schools listed at the top the page.
Best of wishes in your search for the right fit... and all the best to your daughter in her auditions! |