Any more options for me?

Gregarion · 05-04-2008, 02:04 PM

I go to a private high school that produces a lot of quality actors that go on to have successful careers in theater. (Michael Seelbach (Fiyero in Chicago's Wicked) and Michelle Federer (Nessarose in obc of Wicked) for a couple of examples.) In a class of 100 (With roughly 5 who participate in the theater program in each grade), we normally have around three who get into top acting/mt programs. Next year will be my senior year.

Here's my problem, I wanted to go to college for MT, but my parents don't want me to major in MT and won't pay for college because they think i'm going to be in debt my whole life.

So. Is there any college where I can major in Business while still working on my acting? ie. taking the same classes as some of those who major in it and still take vocal lessons, etc.

NotMamaRose · 05-04-2008, 02:13 PM

You can no doubt go to any number of colleges and universities and major in business or some other non-performance-related field and participate in productions, take some theater arts courses, etc. I am pretty sure that vocal lessons are available in most cities and on most campuses where they have a music department, though you will probably have to pay extra for them.

APOL · 05-04-2008, 02:14 PM

YES! You may wish to consider the program at Northwestern University. You do not audition for the theatre program-it is strictly academics/"ecs". You do audition for the MT program at the end of freshman year, however. The graduation required classes allow for a second major if you are so inclined. G'Luck!

MichaelNKat · 05-04-2008, 02:42 PM

Look at Muhlenberg too.

*KatMT* · 05-04-2008, 03:16 PM

This is a little crazy -- but, would they consider letting you major in Music Industry? The business side of music. At JMU where I teach in the School of Theatre and Dance, the School of Music has a BM degree in Music Industry -- students in the program have to audition on a major instrument (in your case it would most likely be voice), do the complete music core, take private voice lessons, even do a senior recital. They choose a music recording or music business emphasis (I believe). They can (and often do) audition for the operas, musicals, take acting, musical theatre, and dance classes.

At JMU there are also some business, school of media arts and design, english, history, etc... majors who participate in music, theatre, and dance classes and activities. However, it is usually not possible for non-Music Majors or non-Musical Theatre concentrators to take private voice lessons for credit -- although some will take lessons privately. Some schools will allow non-majors to take voice lessons for credit, however.

JMU may not be the school you are looking for -- but there are most likely other Music Industry programs that are similar.... and schools where majors outside of music and musical theatre can take private voice for credit, and participate in theatre, music, and dance activities

I think that the suggestions above are also great places to look.... depending on what your grades are like Yale, Dartmouth, Brown may also be good options to look into -- although even those whose GPA, test scores, ECs are within range of these schools need to look at the Ivy League as reach schools -- much like top BFA MT programs

Possibly also look at Belmont in Nashville -- I believe that they have strong commercial music degree programs.

Another option -- look at colleges in a city where you could take classes outside of the university or college -- although this would cost money that is not part of your tuition which you parents may or may not want to pay for.

There are many paths to a career in the performing arts. If you have the passion and drive -- which is sounds like you do, you can make it happen.

Good luck!

soozievt · 05-04-2008, 03:25 PM

You already got good suggestions. Another school where I think you could put together business and theater/music would be Skidmore.

Gregarion · 05-04-2008, 03:49 PM

Wow!

Thank you all for your great suggestions so quickly. I'm definitely going to be looking into a few of these and have a talk with my parents. I'll let you all know how everything works out.

colegePLEASE · 05-04-2008, 04:37 PM

Santa Clara has a good business school, and you can participate in as much theatre as you want. good luck!

fishbowlfreshman · 05-04-2008, 06:09 PM

If you have the stats to get into some of the schools that have been mentioned, you should be able to get a full scholarship or close to it at a lot of schools that are somewhat down the academic prestige ladder. I'm not sure how up-to-date these are, but here are a couple of old threads giving names of some schools and links to their scholarship info ...

Merit Scholarships - MT Schools
Theatre/Drama Colleges Part 7

You might also want to get a job this summer and save everything you make to pay your own travel expenses to auditions. If you can't do that, you can stick to the schools that don't hold auditions for their BFAs until the end of freshman year.

Then, another option is to fight and refuse to go anywhere to major in business if that's not what you want. If the entire purpose of going to college is to get a job when you graduate, just go to your local community college and get trained to be a mechanic or a plumber or some such. People graduating with Associates degrees in those fields have much better job prospects than your average schmo coming out of college with a BA degree. In most areas, all that's good for is going to grad school, anyway. Just make sure you choose something you'll enjoy doing. There are too many miserable people in the world who suck at what they do because they've sold out their passions to don some "practical" yoke.

NotMamaRose · 05-04-2008, 06:23 PM

Amen, fish!

lindyloohoo · 05-04-2008, 06:59 PM

check out the University of Arizona..

music_is_life · 05-04-2008, 07:01 PM

Also, take a look at Baldwin Wallace. I'm pretty sure they have an arts management program in which you can major in theatre or voice and minor or double major in a business field.

ksbr27 · 05-04-2008, 07:22 PM

USC. they have a great Music Industry program at Thornton and you can declare an MT minor as well. The theatre program is very flexible as well, and it is an all-around great school. good luck!

jbinca · 05-06-2008, 01:04 AM

And please tell your parents that-as I've said before on this site-many many people who began their journey as theatre majors wound up directing, producing, or becoming agents, company managers, studio executives, etc. etc. You WILL make your living in the entertainment business if you're determined to, if making it as a performer isn't in the stars just take a look at a Playbill or the credits of a movie or TV show. So many wonderful jobs in the industry that are still creative. And as stated above, what kind of world would it be if no one followed their dream? Where would our entertainers come from? Not business school.

bwaylvsong · 05-06-2008, 01:13 AM

At Brandeis University, you can double-major in Theatre with an MT concentration and virtually anything else.