SUNY Buffalo

cindy013 · 10-20-2005, 05:21 PM

Ok, I looked and didn't see any past threads on this.

Has anyone auditioned at SUNY Buffalo for their BFA MT? I'm going on Nov. 11 but I have a Point Park audition on the 12th and I was wondering how long it might take at Buffalo because basically after it's over we have to drive to PA. (And my parents don't know this yet...woops!) So yeah, any info on the Buffalo audition, especially its length, would be much appreciated. Thanks!

nytheatermom · 10-20-2005, 05:26 PM

That's worse that our plan on driving from Ithaca to Boston!
We should make a thread on the longest drive between auditions.

Seriously, if no one here on CC is able to give you some info, don't be afraid to call Buffalo. We originally were doing the Nov. 11 audition there as well, but had to cancel it. However, the people on the phone seemed helpful.

cindy013 · 10-20-2005, 05:35 PM

Thanks. To add to the insanity, I'm auditioning at CMU on the 13th too, 3 in a row, oh man! Plus I have a broken metatarsal in my foot from 2 weeks ago and I'm not supposed to get my cast thing off until Nov. 9th. Crazy? Yes. Oh well:P

nytheatermom · 10-20-2005, 06:17 PM

Cindy, where in NY do you live? We are in Westchester. (I am Broadwaywannabe's mother)

she has 3 in that same Ithaca-Boston weekend (Syracuse being the 3rd)

Here's hoping neither of you get sore throats.

ThespianDreams · 10-20-2005, 08:09 PM

Dec 2 Syracuse
Dec 3 Ithaca

Jan 14 CCM
Jan 21 Penn State
Jan 27 Miami

Feb 4 FSU
Fub 11 Fredonia
Feb 18 Hartt

Here's to hoping I have vocal chords LEFT after this is done.

cindy013 · 10-20-2005, 08:29 PM

I'm doing the Dec 2 Syracuse and Dec 3 Ithaca too! Haha, I guess I like to schedule them all at once, huh? :P

nytheatermom- oswego

alwaysamom · 10-20-2005, 10:52 PM

Cindy, I don't know anyone who's auditioned at Buffalo but I can tell you that the drive is about 220 miles from there to Pittsburgh. Hopefully, you will finish early enough that you can finish the drive and have a chance to relax and prepare for the next day. The only concern I'd have is the weather. It is not unusual at all for Buffalo to have winter storms as early as Halloween and the drive from there to Pittsburgh is in the heart of the snowbelt in Western NY and down through Western Pa. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that you don't run into that problem.

cindy013 · 10-21-2005, 08:30 AM

Thanks! I'm hoping that good 'ol upstate ny doesn't get too much snow by early november this year; kind of why I'm going crazy and trying to get all my auditions done before december when there's basically no hope at all

mtdog71 · 10-22-2005, 07:29 PM

UB has a dance call, tours, and , of course your typical song and monologues - it takes from 8:30 until at least 1:30.

You should know that 3 out of 8 of this years freshman class decided not to attend UB this year when they found out Lynne kurdziel Formato was not there anymore. Two others who came are transfering and 3 of 8 sophmores are also going to transfer...and another one is transfering majors to a BFA in Dance.

mtdog71 · 10-22-2005, 07:33 PM

I live in Buffalo - and any concern about the weather at that time is complete nonsense. If you have a concern about Buffalo's MT it should be that the person who founded the program and fought for it for years is now at Elon University - in, yes a warmer place, North Carolina.

skbmom · 10-22-2005, 08:35 PM

mtdog71 - I have a d who will be at the Nov 11 SUNY audition and the things you have mentioned concern me a bit. Do we want to spend the valuable time not to mention money for plane tickets, hotel, etc. for a program that is having problems. Do you or anyone else know if this is just an adjustment because the head of the program left or is the program in serious trouble? Thanks

alwaysamom · 10-22-2005, 09:01 PM

mtdog, rudeness isn't necessary. I can assure you that weather being a problem at that time is NOT "complete nonsense". We lived in Toronto for 25 years and had a vacation home in Western NY. We travelled through Buffalo every winter weekend to go skiing and often ran into very bad snow early in November, with one of the worst storms being the day before Halloween. South and west of Buffalo, which is where Cindy will be driving to get to CMU and Point Park, is one of the worst snowbelts in the eastern part of the U.S., especially from Buffalo to Erie, Pa. on the Thruway. So while it's obviously not a definite concern, as it will be later on into the audition season, it is still a possibility and a concern for those who are driving from audition to audition on a tight schedule.

cindy013 · 10-22-2005, 09:45 PM

Just found this in an article and thought it was interesting..

"A popular music-theater teacher has left the University at Buffalo after the school denied her tenure bid and the State University of New York's acting chancellor rejected her appeal.

Lynne Kurdziel-Formato, whose tenure rejection prompted widespread criticism from colleagues and students, is now an assistant professor at Elon University in North Carolina."

Hmm. So apparently she wasn't like "This program stinks, I'm leaving!", but the fact that they didn't give her tenure when she seemed to be well-liked is odd. *sigh*

mtdog71 · 10-23-2005, 08:29 PM

I've privately replied to the last three posts. Publicly let me say I do not mean to offend anyone. The chances that snow would impede anyone's plans in Western New York on Nov 11 are very remote - probably not a concern.
Cindy013 - whatever good you have heard about UB is soley due to the work of Professor Kurdziel Formato - she built the program single-handedly. A new adminstration inexplicably reversed a unaminous vote by the faculty, College of Arts & Sciences and the Dean. Such decisions are usually an indication that the new president wants to "go in a different direction" - which would be very bad - and in the best case things may be fine eventually but will be shakey for a year or two - which if fine for the school - but not fine for an incoming student (a year or two is up to 50 percent of their undergraduate education. so...Hmmm... no one said the program stinks so I'm leaving - she wouldn't say that - everything the program is/was was her design, her work. If you want to do some real research make a college visit - speak with the students - get some real perspective

soozievt · 10-23-2005, 10:38 PM

Just so you know, we woke up to three inches of snow today and it is just Oct. 23! We live in Vermont.