txmtmom

Our S is making Elon his final decision! Had a great visit there yesterday and he knows it's the place he is meant to be! Much joy in our house tonight!!!

Ericsmom

My family couldn't be happier to hear that my son's friends above from both of his past 2 summer programs are joining him next year at Elon!!! Yeah!!!!!

tapdncr27

For those of you who were accepted to Elon could you elaborate on any previous experience your s or d had in musical theater? Did they participate in the summer intensive programs (ie: Stagedoor Manor)? Did they study dance, voice or acting with a private instructor/classes? Were they mostly involved with school or community theater productions?

Any info you can provide would be greatly appreciated!!

txmtmom

Before I answer your question, I would like to say that there were students accepted at Elon into this year's freshman class (and I would probably guess at most other schools also) that have a very wide range of training. There are those who have been performing and training for many years and also those who have only recently discovered their love of MT! The point is to not be discouraged if you haven't been eating, sleeping, and breathing this since the day you were born! If you are passionate about what you do and believe that you have the talent to pursue a career in this field, then don't let anything stop you! I encourage everyone to remember that schools are looking for potential in you and not perfection.

We were very fortunate to have lived in a place that had several excellent places for our S to train while he was growing up. He began dance and theatre at around the age of 9, and soon came to realize that this was his "thing"!!! S did attend summer intensive programs both locally and also OCU and Interlochen. He has been taking private voice lessons for several years and has also been involved in several training programs that I think specifically helped him with the college audition process. He has performed in over 20 musicals, both in school and in community theatre.

I encourage you to remember that schools are looking, not only for talent, but also if you are the right fit for their program and the type of training they provide. Be smart in the number and types of schools you audition for. Have a safety school where you can be happy, but also "reach for the stars" and go for your dream school! There truly is a place for everyone, but it is up to you to find it!

Ericsmom

I totally agree with my friend above! I think it does not matter what your resume looks like or what training you've had (especially whether local or at summer intensives away from home). It matters how you do in the audition, which I believe also includes some informal questions, at least some of the time. They want to see your potential in the audition and also to get to know you to make sure you will fit in. No doubt it is very competitive.

Also, just go ahead and get into as many voice lessons and dance classes as you can prior to the auditions. My son never had formal help with monologues, but some people also do this.

Before college auditions, my son had been singing forever (with private voice lessons for about 5 years, after his voice changed) and had been in many theatre productions in our city (beginning at about age 11). He was newer at dance training when he auditioned for colleges, but he worked hard at this toward the end of HS (and now is pretty good, with all the extra training he is getting at Elon). He mostly trained at home in summer intensives (different ones in acting, singing, and dancing, over the course of many summers) and did one summer at OCU camp prior to college auditions. His BTP summer was after he was heading to Elon (summer after HS graduation).

Good luck!

Melsmom

hi tapdncr,
my d got into elon (acting) without having done ANY MT in highschool. had she, i feel she would have been more confidant at her auditions for MT as were so many of the others she was up against. you can imagine the comfort level of a kid coming from a performing arts hs and one that has had literally no experience or training at a hs level. i will say she was active in mt early on and was lucky and cute enough to have had a few really great jobs as a kid, mostly for mt and some film work.
her forte was dancing and she had plenty of stage experience with that, so was very comfortable performing, both acting the song and dancing it, in front of anyone. i'm sure it is what got her most of the jobs, and probably her college bfa acceptances. the singing part was her weakness, and although she'd had voice lessons off and on most of her life, it isn't the same as doing lots of mt productions througout her hs career.
she was offered the BFA in acting at elon, and continues with her voice lessons and dancing as electives/minor.
it is tough going for that bfa in mt with no recent experience, very tough! my d is an example of another route one may take to achieve eventually getting into mt as well as straight theatre & film. consider your strong points and play them up, but also realize that there may be a better route for you as well...a bfa in theatre at a reputable school with the option of furthering your other crafts on the side.
also she never attended any performing art summer camp in hs!