A great program for BA to MFA

iwhitt · 10-23-2009, 03:47 AM

I am currently a freshman at SUNY New Paltz and let me tell you I have never felt happier about my decision. My first choice for schools was SUNY Purchase, it's a great conservatory program and I really wanted that legit acting training. Living in New York, and preparing for an actor's income, I knew that spending 100k on an undergrad degree from a private school was not a good idea when I want to either get an MFA or do a professional training program. Here at SUNY New Paltz, I am in a BA in Theatre Arts with a Performance concentration, which is EXTREMELY similar to a BFA. There is a big emphasis here on understanding all aspects of theatre, which for an actor is absolutely necessary. The attitudes of all the professors is fantastic, their philosophy is why I choose this school over other programs I was accepted to (including several BA's and BFAs). If you enjoy Meisner and Michael Chekhov, there is a big emphasis on those techniques here in the acting curriculum. In my first semester, I have been in the fall show, Red Masquerade, which we entered in the Kennedy Center College Theater Festival, and we are semi-finalists, and have a large group of cast and crew and dramaturgs who are finalists in their own roles in the production. And even after this production, I was immediately given scripts to be in two additional one act plays. Long story short, my work is cut out for me. I truly feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of this wonderful theatre community that has a very legit feel to it. If you want a challenge, please consider this school. If you come audition, you are given a chance to speak to the entire department faculty and ask them any questions you have about their philosophies and methods. Not to mention, the school is only a train ride away from NYC, not bad at all.

NJTheatreMOM · 10-23-2009, 10:00 AM

It's great to hear from a current student in a good program that they are happy with.

Regarding Meisner and Chekhov......some high school students have had exposure to the Meisner approach to acting instruction. I believe that Michael Chekhov is less well known. Could you comment on the characteristics of his approach?

Gwen Fairfax · 10-23-2009, 11:09 AM

thanks so much iwhitt-- very thoughtful of you to tell us!

doctorjohn · 10-23-2009, 01:56 PM

NJTheatreMOM:

The Wikipedia article on Michael Chekhov is accurate and fairly extensive:

Michael Chekhov - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'd be interested to hear iwhitt's take on how his teachers use Psychological Gesture and any other Chekhov techniques.

NJTheatreMOM · 10-23-2009, 03:06 PM

The Wikipedia article on Michael Chekhov is interesting, just as the reading I have been doing recently about the Group Theatre, and the evolution of Stanislavski's teachings (and the influence this had on Stella Adler), is interesting.

However, what is perhaps most useful is to hear...from today's students themselves..about how their teachers use the techniques, and in what specific ways they benefit.

LilyMoon · 10-23-2009, 04:03 PM

Great to hear how happy you are at New Paltz. My son transferred there and while he is still adjusting and looking to meet more people, he likes the atmosphere and the people he has met are down to earth and nice. I think a lot of kids are finding out what a gem NP is....that's why it's getting so competitive to get in!
Wishing you continued success in the theater program.

iwhitt · 10-23-2009, 04:08 PM

Michael Chekhov gives a very abstract approach to acting (which fits me perfectly, I am very sensitive to subtleties in communication and energy). In Acting One, which I am currently enrolled in, we mostly focus on building skills in observation, movement, and voice, which will be helpful no matter what level of acting you are currently at. I have done summer intensives in Michael Chekhov and Meisner, and I am still finding a lot of value in what the professor teaches. However, it's important to note that you will ultimately only get out of an acting class (or any other class for that matter) as much as you put into it. Different professors have different styles, and it's important in a liberal arts setting like New Paltz to try and understand and work with all of them, get a taste for what works for you. It's really a great philosophy for an undergrad program. While the professor I currently have is a tough grader, her insights are invaluable to me as a performer.

Also it's important to note that you want to be working with professionals who are still active in the business and can refer you to others and help you along the way. One of the Acting teachers was just talking to me today about how he was going to the city for an audition, and the head of the costume department designs costumes for Patti Lupone. We have a solid technical theatre program, great facilities including a mainstage, a blackbox, and a thrust stage, as well as many other spaces throughout the campus and town that are often used for theatre. What I really like is that there is a creative energy that can't be beat among the students themselves. I am eagerly filling out my resume with all sorts of student directed plays and films which are perfectly legitimate to put on a professional resume. Speaking of films, there is a BA in TV/Radio production offered here through the communications and media department which will look very good on a resume and on a graduate school application if you have the drive to double major, which I am planning on doing.

researching4emb · 10-23-2009, 05:34 PM

iwhitt, can a student com in as a general theater major and figure out focus a little later? It seems like so many kids are well on a track (acting, stage managing, design) by age 14... my D has mostly performed but also done some crew and stage managing but by no means enough to even begin to make a portfolio. Is SUNY New Paltz that directed from the get-go?

iwhitt · 10-26-2009, 07:55 PM

researching4emb,

I would actually definitely recommend New Paltz for your D over many other SUNY schools that are far more one track, like Fredonia and UB. The truth is, the core requirements for the Performance Focus and the Technical Theatre Focus are not all that different. Even if you come in as a Performance student, you still have to take all the design, tech, costumes classes, at least at an introductory level. I would recommend her simply choosing to be either performance or tech ahead of time, so that she is allowed to take all the Major classes first semester. (if you are undeclared, you are not allowed to take for instance Acing One. Unless you are a performance or Tech major, you cannot take certain classes reserved for Theatre Majors Only). Also, it would be VERY EASY for your D to switch to a Technical Major. In fact, the school has such a strong technical department (which I think exceeds the performance aspect of the department) that it might be a very good fit for her. The professors in the tech department are very skilled and well involved in the current theatre world, and could really help her with her career. Many of the seniors here in technical department graduate with jobs lined up for them when they leave!

researching4emb · 10-26-2009, 11:39 PM

iwhitt: Thank you for a wonderfully thoughtful and helpful response! Sounds like we'll have to factor in time for a visit to New Paltz. In many ways it sounds perfect, for its theatre training, the college town, the size, and certainly the price-- a total bargain, even for us out of staters!

I imagine her main objection would be the unusually bad male-female ratio (girls'-school girls care about this!). It's 33-67%, about the worst of the coed schools. Do you know why? Is it a noticeable issue on campus? Are there normal guy-girl relationships, or is it just open season for the guys?

And since you're being so generous with your time and input, one more question: the admissions process sounds set up for New Yorkers, and an interview is required after gaining admission to the school. Would she have to fly out just for that her senior year? Would you recommend we set up an informal interview with someone in the theater department when we visit in April?

Thanks so much! And I'm happy that you've found such a great home.

BTW, one of my D's best friends (a year older) is going through the app/audition process soon for SUNY Purchase-- she has her heart set on it, and it sounds perfect for her, but those audition numbers are pretty scary!

LilyMoon · 10-27-2009, 09:35 AM

As for the male-female ratio at New Paltz. The gap has been closing every year as with each successive freshman class the school is working towards a more even ratio. More and more guys are attracted to the school as the business and science depts have strengthened in recent years. My son is a transfer student there and he knows many guys who have transferred in. The people at New Paltz make the school great - they are down to earth and creative and a close knit community. I don't know anyone who doesn't love it.

NJTheatreMOM · 10-27-2009, 10:58 AM

researching4emb, I hope your daughter's friend who is interested in Purchase is applying to many schools and investigating others very thoroughly.

My son felt that Purchase would be perfect for him too. He told people it was his first choice, etc.

He was declined at Purchase but was accepted at NYU Tisch/Adler and Boston University. He is now at BU and is happy beyond his wildest imaginings.

researching4emb · 10-27-2009, 03:25 PM

NJTheatreMom, I credit this board for helping my young Purchase-mad friend realize how competitive it is-- I don't think she had any idea, so I sent her and her parents a link to a conversation on CC about it. It inspired her to get busy, and she's working hard on monologues now, and she applying elsewhere, although not to as many places as most people here would recommend. She only likes a few schools and has no interest in the others, and her parents think that it'll work out one way or the other, so I'm staying out of it. And it will work out-- she's a very talented girl, and if she doesn't get into a BFA program for acting, she has other roads to go down!

NJTheatreMOM · 10-27-2009, 10:21 PM

researching4emb, you did that girl a great service. This board is invaluable in so many ways. Let us know how things work out for her.

iwhitt · 11-07-2009, 12:10 AM

researching4emb, sorry for taking so long to get back to you! There's definitely an easier time getting cast in shows for guys than for girls (as it is in any school and in the real business). As for "open season" with love life, there are definitely some nice guys here and there are some not-so-nice guys here, but I don't think there's a huge issue (although I am speaking from a guy's perspective).

As for Purchase, it was definitely my top choice. I mean, why not? Top of the line training, state school price, good name, a dream, right? My audition was stressful, but I had auditioned for Juilliard the day before so juxtaposed Purchase was no big deal. I nailed the audition, it's was probably the best performances of my audition monologues I had ever given, and the day before I had met with some of the professors beforehand and talked with them and asked about the program, and I was feeling really good about it. In the audition I was getting very good vibes from my adjudicators, and after I did my pieces they worked one of them with me. I left the room feeling that the audition was my most successful of all the schools I had auditioned at. Then... the callback list went up. Out of the 60 or so people who had auditioned that day, they called back about five, and I was not on the list. This was one of over ten auditions, nationwide. Who knows how they determine who gets called back let alone who gets accepted. All I know is that those few who have been accepted are extremely blessed, but they are not necessarily perfect. One of my friends who was in the class of 2012 at Purchase for their acting conservatory BFA went there for a semester and then ended up leaving because it wasn't a good fit.