Prof. Himmelheber

Prof. Dixon is ABSOLUTELY right! In my three years there, the faculty labored over each individual student's admission or retention decision. They strive to ensure that students have a chance at success, knowing what will await them curricularly at the next stage of training - if the student doesn't have the technique aquired at that point to ensure the potential for success at the next level, this must be considered (why set a student up to fail, simply because you might be able to cast them or because they are really nice kids?).

Also, as to the conflicting schedule with other theatre auditions, thespian conferences, etc., the UofA does accept taped auditions (or at least they did as recently as 2004). The video submission are given the same consideration as an in-house audition...so if there is a conflict, tape your audition and mail it in.



eve

mamatw

Hello!
(I'm a HS senior, posting under my mom's username)! I am desperately trying to decide between Ithaca and Arizona's BFA musical theatre programs. I have debated back and forth for hours the pros and cons of each school, and find myself getting nowhere!! Each has its perks and setbacks, and I really cannot decide. Cost, location, training, preparation, connections, travel convenience (I'm from southern california), and the fact that my best friend also got into Arizona's program are all factors! If ANYONE could PLEASE give me any and all advice, i would be so grateful. Thank you so much!

Prof. Himmelheber

Have you searched this site for info on Ithaca?

Their website says they offer:

"B.F.A. in musical theater, offering rigorous, performance-oriented training in singing and acting techniques, with a secondary emphasis on dance."

UofA seems to place more emphasis on dance.

eve

mtmommy

Eve: More emphasis on dance at UofA? They don't include it in their audition at all.

Prof. Himmelheber

No, but they do in their curriculum. I would suggest comparing curriculum side-by-side.

eve

rissy

I'm currently a music theater student at ASU, and I was wondering how the ASU and the U of A programs compare. What are the differences in emphasis and strengths between the two programs?

samia525

From what I've heard, ASU's program is more focused on music while U of A is more focused on acting. I can't make an educated comparison apart from that, and that's only based on things people have said in the past. I went to U of A, and they ARE very much an acting-based program, with MTs performing in both the musicals and straight plays. I found it difficult to make progress in my dancing there, because there was a huge gap between the skill level required for intermediate and advanced level dance classes. I was good enough for intermediate but never got good enough for advanced. The voice lessons were classically based, but MTs were allowed to study several MT songs per semester along with their classical repertoire. The acting classes, however, were the most important in the program, and were given the most class time.

Prof. Himmelheber

I agree with Samia on all points.

Dance is not in the same Dept., and so though they stress dance in their training, the most advanced classes will likely be accessible to only the most accomplished MT dancers and to the Dance majors (they have a very strong Dept., too).

Also, UofA has a BFA (liberal arts education with highly specialized, competitive admission, conservatory training). I don't believe ASU offers more than a BA (liberal arts education with focused emphasis).

eve

Prof. Himmelheber

Also, UofA now usually does two main-stage musicals per year. Not sure about ASU there...

rissy

Thanks for answering some of my questions. I don't think I'm planning on transferring to U of A or anything, but I was just curious. By the way, ASU does do two mainstage musicals a year, along with two mainstage operas. Also, because the music theatre program is a part of the school of music, all music theatre majors graduate with a BM.

Nickeel Patel

I have just been accepted to University of Arizona and Michigan State University.
I am a business marketing major and i am looking for a fun yet reutationable university.

I have done my research, an UA and MSU ranks almost the same under "US News 2006 undergraduate business program".

I haven't been to either campus but i hear MSU's campus is great because it is an agricultural college. But UA is based in tuson, AZ, and i have seen pics of the campus and it looks great.

I know that the party scenes are also great at UA and MSU.

Academic wise, UA and MSU holds about the same also. Does anyone know if majority of students at UA or MSU are smart (i mean will influence ur future) or are they just a bunch of average Joes??????????

But i think MSU hold it over UA for reputation wise, i mean it isn't a bad school.

I got a scholarship to UA for three years but never got one from MSU.

PLEASE HELP ME MAKE A DECISION!!!!! I"M BEGGING SOMEONE, SHARE SOME WISEDOM!!!!!!!!

dancersmom

Nickeel,

You are posting on the wrong forum. This UA thread is devoted to musical theatre, not business. I don't know that anyone here can help you with your decision. Try reposting on a more appropriate thread. Good Luck

holly06

My D was just cut from the BFA theatre program (musical theatre) as were 16 others ( 10 freshman and 7 sophmores ). If your husband is still on the theatre board, please let him know that the lives of 17 students and their families have been devestated. The letters were presented yesterday, May 5 and as you know the audtioning process to enter any other BFA program for the 06-07 school is over. We are stranded, stunned, and confused. If my D had been the only cut, I would realize that maybe she was not meant to be in theatre, but with 17 cuts, something is wrong with the program, not my D. and not the other 16 talented students.

Prof. Himmelheber

Holly:

I was so saddened by your email, and disturbed, too. The number of MT kids who were cut seems SO out of the usual perameters that I wonder that there might have been more or new contributing factors (a change in faculty, new faculty teaching them who don't know the style they are looking for, greater numbers of students being taken into the freshman year in anticipation of large cuts, etc.).

Who taught these students' courses? Acting, Musical Theatre and Voice? Were the students ever told they were lacking or behind in their training or professionalism?

Did the freshmen students get to see any of the transfer auditions, so that they might ascertain why others were prioritized over them? I know that students cannot transfer in as higher than sophomore placement.

Or did they just clean house at the freshman-to-sophomore level, and not bring in an inordinately high number of replacement students?

Do you know how many acting students were cut (at both Frosh and Soph level)?

Please accept my condolensces - this is a great disappointment that is never easy to deal with. I'm sure that the good people of the CC board feel the same as I, and are sympathetic to your feeling of loss and confusion and anger.

Tell your D that there are OTHER TRAINING SCHOOLS available to her; in other words, this doesn't need to be the end of her career, unless she chooses to make that so (in which case, the disappointments this career holds are probably better avoided anyway). But if she is determined, and won't let this one road block stop her commitment to obtain excellent training and artistry, then she can still have all that she desires - just not in Tucson.

Tell her to come home, find a good transfer institution that matches her training goals, and go for that school voraciously! Find out what UofA classes will directly transfer to satisfy their requirements. Find out what GE classes she might take at a local college that will get her a head start going into that school...and take as much of the GE next semester/year as she can (it will CERTAINLY help her level out the playing field at her transfer institution, by giving her more time to focus in on theatre, voice and dance classes). Use this semester or year (depending on the transfer availability mid-year), to reevaluate her professional goals and path, and to heal to some degree (this experience will no doubt be a hard emotional blow to heal from, but healing WILL happen). When she is feeling more positive about herself, and less devastated by this one school's opinion, she will be stronger than ever before (believe me!).

She might also consider working for a while in the industry to see if she even NEEDS training right now - this is a young person's business, and school will ALWAYS be there for her. Maybe audition for cruise lines (stiletto.com is hiring RIGHT NOW), save up all her paycheck for a big move to a new school or to NYC, and also see some of the world in the bargain. Or maybe audition for a large theme park (Disney, Six Flags, etc.), or touring companies. Any of these approaches will give her priceless performing experience and resume credits that, along with more maturity and "type" age range, will make her a hotter commodity if/when she decides to go back to school (most of her competition will then be a year less mature, less developed, and less confident than she).

I think that Samia might also be of invaluable support - she is one who can relate, and who is now rising above her disappointing cut from UofA to look for new avenues to her goals in training. Maybe IM her?

Again, my sincerest sympathy. But PLEASE don't let this one small, albeit dearly felt, disappointment cause your D to doubt herself and her talent - rather, it is that particular school at this particular time that is not the right fit for her.

eve

holly06

Thank you so much for responding to my posting. I really want to warn other vulnerable students to this disgraceful practice occurring at U of A. I do appreciate any insight from anyone on how to avoid this disaster in the future and help others avoid the same nightmare.

I do not know the answer to many of your questions concerning the change in faculty or new faculty. My D is a freshman this year ( BFA, Musical Theatre ) and not aware of the names of faculty who were around last year. The teachers who taught her this year included Richard Hanson ( MT ), Dianne Winslow ( Acting ), D. Lance Marsh ( Acting ), and Monte Ralstin
( Encore Director, I believe). Encore was the traveling "Irving Berlin" musical revue that the freshman MT students participated in.

I cannot speak for all the students, but I know that my D. was never told she was lacking or behind in her training or professionalism. She attended a performing arts high school and was receiving a fine art talent tuition waiver based on her audition at U of A. She was given 100% in her acting class for the first semester and has a GPA of 3.5 now. She was not given any warnings that she may be cut. The freshman students were not allowed to see the transfer auditions or freshman auditions.

Here are the numbers you asked about: Sophomore BFA class ( includes BFA acting and musical theatre ) went from 23 to 16 for a total of 7 cut. Freshman BFA class went from 19 to 9 for a total of 10 cut. The slaughter has left my daughter and our family reeling in confusion and disbelief.

I have received e-mails from some very knowledgeable people at CC and I so appreciate their help and so glad I have this forum to exchange information. One helpful mom has sent me numerous e-mails with listings of non-audition schools with rolling admissions and other possibilities. Samia did reply and has been a great inspiration. It was nice to hear from someone who had been in the same position.

Right now we are just trying to catch our breath and help our D. clear her head. She is strong, resilient, and determined to keep her head up and continue to pursue her passion. She was accepted into the BFA at the College of Santa Fe, so we may look again at that possibility.

Thanks again for your support and know you are appreciated.