Baldwin-Wallace College

mtfan · 08-10-2005, 10:51 PM

I'm starting a thread for people who are interested in BW to ask questions. I'll be a freshman MT major there this year, and I move in in one week! If you have any questions regarding the campus, the conservatory, faculty, classes, auditions or Cleveland in general I'd be happy to help!

noccadad · 08-11-2005, 04:47 PM

D is senior this year and very interested in B-W, will let her know you started this thread. What did you perform for auditions and what was the experience like?

mtfan · 08-11-2005, 07:28 PM

For my audition I performed It Must Be So from Candide and A Wonderful Day Like Today from The roar of Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd and my monologue was from Jerry Finnegans Sister. BW wants you to have 3 songs prepaired and then they choose two for you to perform at the audition. My 3rd song was Look at the Sky from Urinetown. My audition at BW was by far my best (probably cause it was my second to last audition). You perform for Vicky Bussert, the head of the Program, and Janice Kelley-Kitely, the dance instructor for the program, and possible a few students. The atmosphere of the audition room was very comforting and Vicky was very easy talk with. The whole audition itself lasted from 9-5, long yes but the day was filled with lots of things. Along with the audition you have piano and music theory placement tests (dont worry they have no wieght on acceptance) and the dance audition. They even gave us lunch. Also, Vicky tries to have a master class every audition weekend. When I was there they had Dave Clemmons (I think thats his name) come in, a New York ccasting director, and critique the students songs. All in all, it was a great audition and I hope you audition this year!

actingreacting1 · 08-17-2005, 11:06 PM

Hi, I'm new to this thread. I'd appreciate any other info you may have about BW; how balanced is the MT program between acting, dance and voice?

mtfan · 08-19-2005, 11:56 PM

BW offers a BM in Musical Theatre rather than a BFA... Therefor the focus is on music. BW's goal is to create a musician not a vocalist. In the first two years you take mainly music classes such as harmony, solfege and eurythmics. That doesnt mean the acting and dacne are compromised though. You go through 4 levels of ballet, jazz, tap and modern and starting your 2nd sem. freshman year, you have an MT workshop with Vicky, the head of the workshop. Also, many weekends during the year there are master classes which are greats to start getting contacts with casting directors and agents. I just got into BW wed and I'm loving it! I highly recomend auditioning if you are thinking of BW... especially on Nov. 5th... *wink wink*

actingreacting1 · 08-20-2005, 11:05 AM

mt fan:
What was the deciding factor for you to go to BW. What do you like most about the training? How do you think it stands up to BFA MT programs? Similarities, differences besides the emphasis on music?

mtfan · 08-20-2005, 11:21 AM

For me it was my favorite school that I got into ( I also got into, Point Park, Hartt and Millikin). I really like the fact that they turn you into musicians, there is a lot of music training as I said before. Although I'll admit I do wish there were some more acting classes, but I'm fine with that, and I trust that vicky will guide me and everyone into becomeing great actors. I think I can most definatly hold it's own against other programs for sure. Right now there's a sohpmore MT major taking the semester off to play Bielke in Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway. I'm not really sure how the music emphasis compares to other programs, but I'm sure it's a lot more than most other programs.

mtfan · 08-23-2005, 07:44 AM

I just want to point out to those of you who are planning to audition at BW to try to get the Nov. 5th audition... Not only do you have a better chance of getting in because of rolling auditions, but there will be a special treat waiting for you in the form of a master class... I'm not gonna say what, but it has something to do with the fall Musical Company.

mtfan · 10-16-2005, 06:11 PM

Bumping this thread... BW's first audition will be here in about 3 weeks!!! Company will also be this weekend, and Pam Myers (who played Marta from the original broadway cast of Company) will be giving a master class. So ask away

dancersmom · 10-16-2005, 07:12 PM

Mtfan,

Don't miss Pam Myers' master class. She is a real gem. She lives in Cincinnati and has worked with many young people in the city through CCM Prep. She also graciously subbed for my D's vocal coach for several weeks during the 2003 -2004 school year while he was recuperating from surgery. D was very lucky to have the opportunity to study with her privately. I know that Pam is a big fan of Vicki Bussert. She's had glowing reviews of the B-W program. Seems like she did some work with the B-W students once before. I remember both she and D's vocal coach commenting on how professional and well-trained the students were.

Here are some tidbits for you. Pam Myers is a graduate of CCM's 1st MT class. She was also nominated for a Tony for her performance in "Company". In Gordon Hunt's book, "How To Audition", Stephen Sondheim is quoted as saying that Pam Myers gave the most exciting audition that he has ever seen. He saw her right after she graduated at an open call audition and cast her in "Company". He says, "She came on stage - I don't know where - but we'd never heard of her - she sang, she bowled us over with the first song - or rather, she made us scream with laughter with the first song , then made us cry with the second. There was no part for her in the show - nothing that suited her - and all we knew was that we wanted her in the show. So, there was a part - the part that she played - that was written but that wasn't at all the kind of girl we had in mind. She was startling and marvelous and we wanted to be the first people to present her on a stage." Hal Prince turned to Sondheim and said, "If we could find a part for her in the show would you write a song for her?" Sondheim said absolutely. He wrote "Another Hundred People" for Pam.

soozievt · 10-16-2005, 10:40 PM

Wow, Dancersmom, that is a very cool story!

mtfan · 10-16-2005, 11:14 PM

I definatly will not be missing it! It's great cause all the auditioners will get to see it too. I'm pretty sure Vicky is gonna make her sing Another Hundrerd People.

gkoukla · 10-17-2005, 10:06 AM

Dancersmom, Fabulous story! Hasn't Kristin Chenoweth had songs written for her,too, esp. in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown?

CoachC · 10-17-2005, 10:14 AM

I don't know about Kristen (sounds likely), but I do know that "Your Daddy's Son" was not originally in RAGTIME but was written during the original Toronto run (workshop? I can't remember which format it was) because Flaherty and Ahrens felt they weren't utilizing Audra McDonald's voice enough - and I believe she was just out of Juilliard then.

Someday, CC-ers, this may happen to you!

ToTheStage · 10-20-2005, 04:57 PM

is November 5 their only audition date? I'm a little bit confused. It says "MT only" on that date.anyone know?