ElvisPretzle

Just to clear this up and get the major points,

1. Can you take just as much voice and some dance as an acting major?
2. Are you discriminated good roles in the muiscals because you are an Acting major?
3. Have a lot of "Acting" majors gone on to musical careers on Broadway etc...?

Anything else would be cool. Just trying to get down to specifics.

CMUJohanna

Hi! I am a senior MT at CMU and can try and answer these questions.

1. Can you take just as much voice and some dance as an acting major?

You take a class called Singing for Actors for at least two semesters. You can also take private voice lessons for an additional fee. As of now, you take a dance styles class in your senior year for half of a semester as well as a jazz class in your sophomore year. ( I think they just added a ballet class for actors as well, though I am not 100% sure about this) You will not take any dance or singing classes with the MTs. However, the MTs will be in some of your acting classes.

2. Are you discriminated good roles in the muiscals because you are an Acting major?

You are not guaranteed an audition for the musicals and if you are allowed to audition, they will give the MTs a priority of the larger roles unless no one else can play the role.

3. Have a lot of "Acting" majors gone on to musical careers on Broadway etc...?

Aaron Staton graduated two years ago and went right into the lead in Mamma Mia on Broadway. Josh Gad, who graduated 4 years ago, is now in Spelling Bee on Broadway. So...it is possible. However, if you want a full MT education/curriculum, I would suggest finding an MT program, as you will get the training you need there.

Hope this is of some help! Let me know if you have any other questions.

ElvisPretzle

thnaks for the info....i have some more questions if you are so inclined to answer! lol

are the acting tsudents allowed to sing at the showcase?

how much is the additional fee for voice lessons?

do acting majors, if qualified, often change to MT even though they were not admitted to MT?

CMUJohanna

Sure, no problem!

Are the acting tsudents allowed to sing at the showcase?

It is very rare that acting majors get to sing in the showcase, and it is not up to the student, it is up to the director of the showcase. In other words, if you are an acting major, don't go into the program expecting to sing at senior showcase.

how much is the additional fee for voice lessons?

It varies from teacher to teacher. I think its around $40 an hour, but don't quote me.

do acting majors, if qualified, often change to MT even though they were not admitted to MT?

They hold auditions at the beginning of freshman year for actors who want to try and change to MT. Some years one or two actors are admitted, some years none are admitted. Again, there is no promise.

ElvisPretzle

thanks!

instead of paying extra, can't an acting major just choose to take that in his/her schedule?

ElvisPretzle

also..this is teh last one lol......can you pick who your voice teacher is?

CMUJohanna

As an actors, you cannot just add a voice lesson to your schedule because the voice teachers are only responsible for giving MTs lessons. If they have time, they will take on actors or outside students for an additional fee. You can ask different teachers about taking lessons from them, but they may not all be available to take on private students because their schedules might be full.

ElvisPretzle

i meant can you add a voice to your schedule outside of teh Drama departement. Like in the music school or somewhere else..if you want to train in opera or classical approach, etc.. thansk so much by the way.. again

hayhayden

You (or anyone @ CMU, whether in Drama, Computer Science, whatever) can take Voice Lessons through the Music School Extension for an additional fee (I think about $700/semester for 15 1-hour lessons).