Let me start by saying I had a GREAT time at the Baldwin-Wallace audition.
We were to arrive (in the Kulas music building lobby) by 9:00, we got there around 830, signed in, they gave us a folder with our name on it that had lots of BW information, booklets, and also had the schedule for the day. On the front of the folder had our individual singing/monologue audition time. In the lobby, I believe they had coffee, hot chocolate, and pastries to eat
What a welcoming first impression.
At 9:15, MT students moved into a classroom for a brief admissions introduction. We eached introduced ourselves and where we were from. A few current MT students were there and introduced themselves.
Then we left our parents and headed upstairs into another classroom/lounge type room where it was just the few current MT students and the auditionees. They told us about the program and answered lots of questions. They raved about it!
Each of the current MT students that were helping out were "buddies" to specific auditionees. So before your audition time, they escorted you to a 'warm-up room' (a tiny room w/ just u and a piano, it was cool)... Then they escorted you to outside the audition room, got your resume and headshot, and when they were ready you (and your current MT student buddy) went into the room. Vicki Bussert(the head of the program, who I have heard so much great things about!) came to the door and introduced herself, and asked what 3 songs I had. I announced them, and she picked 2 (the 2 I wanted to do
). You could do the songs in any order. I gave my music to the accompanist (who was also very nice), did both songs quickly (16-bar cuts go by so fast lol), announced my monologue, did it (they were very responsive), and that was it. It was very relaxed and they were very smily.
Then I went to the lobby for boxed lunch
After lunch we got to watch a Master Class. This was awesome. It was with the cast of
[title] of show. Starting with the seniors, then juniors, sophomores, etc, the current MT students performed a song and got it critiqued by the 'panel' (title of show cast/musical director), and they had a chance to do it again. I thought the seniors especially were amazing, very diverse and solid. VERY talented!!! Apparently BW has about 10 of these master classes a year, which is a great way to build up connections and auditioning experience.
We (the auditionees) left the master class around 3:30ish?? to walk to the the gym, which was where the dance studio was located (for the dance call). There were about 25 of us auditioning, we learned the jazz routine together, several times (w/ 3 student helpers). It included a pirhouette (single, double, however many you could do). They were so nice about it, made you comfortable. From a non-experienced dancer's point of view, it was just a bunch of simple movements put to fast music-It was fun. After we learned it, we did it in groups of 6ish (3 in front, 3 in back), and then front/back lines switched.
Vicki held a short Q&A in the dance room. She said they will aim for a class of 12, and their decision should be made by March 1.
Then we were done!
Advice:
-If you can audition when there is a master class going on, you will love it. It was neat to see the current students.
Impressions:
-The BW music theatre group seems to give a lot of individual attnetion to each student.
-Vicki (and the other faculty) seems to have many connections.
-Everyone was friendly and welcoming.
-The current MT students (seniors especially, I thought) were awesome!!
-I love that they are adding a spring pop/rock musical!
-They were also very welcoming to parents. They provided Q&A sessions with current students for them, gave them a buffet-lunch, campus tour, etc.
-Very organized, succesful audition day!
I don't want to get my hopes up, but I thoroughly enjoyed my audition at BW, and can only hope for the best.
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