actingreacting1

Does anyone know about the University of Arizona's Musical Theatre Program? How selective is it? How is the curriculum?
Any info would be great!

samia525

Hi! I'm a little disappointed that nobody has replied to your inquiry, so I finally decided to do it myself. I'm a former BFA Musical Theatre student at the University of Arizona. I was there from 2000-2003. They have a conservatory atmosphere, and they are very much focused on the classics (Shakespeare, Chekhov, and Moliere.) All freshmen are required to perform in a musical revue the entire first year - the show tours around Arizona, mostly for retirement homes and high school drama festivals. When I did it in 2000-2001, we did the music of Irving Berlin, and we actually had one choreographed number with huge pink feathered fans...unfortunately we never did get the revolving fan wheel right. The classes freshman year consist of Acting I-II, Musical Theater I (2nd semester), voice lessons, dance classes, and academic electives. The touring show (aka Encore!) is your performance credit for that year.

Sophomore year you take Acting III-IV, Voice & Movement I-II, and again, voice lessons and dance classes. Sophomore are also eligible to audition for the mainstage shows (Arizona Repertory Theatre, officially.) Usually sophomores play small roles and understudy big roles, but every now and then a sophomore will play a lead in bigger ensemble musicals, like Into the Woods or Guys & Dolls. You don't get a musical theatre course sophomore year, not sure why.

Junior and senior years I know less about, because I didn't get to do them! I know there is a class on Moliere and a class on Shakespeare. There is also an auditions class. There is a senior showcase, but no one from my class (I've kept in touch with some of them) mentioned anything good coming out of it.

Some of the professors at U of A are fantastic. Marsha Bagwell is one of the best teachers I have ever had. She knows how to tell you you're not doing your best without making you feel suicidal. On the other hand, Richard Hanson (he goes by Dick) would regularly tell us we looked like "dancing cows" during Encore rehearsals freshman year. He regularly made people cry in classes and rehearsals. Just not very nice to work with. Although he was really nice outside of school. Brent Gibbs, the artistic director, is absolutely brilliant. He put on the best production of A Midsummer Night's Dream I have ever seen, and it was thrilling to be a part of it, even if I was only playing Hippolyta. He knows how to pull amazing performances out of people.

I'm trying to give an objective view of the school, but I don't think I was treated fairly by them. I was cut from the program for "not capturing the style of Chekhov," and I know many talented people who have been cut from U of A's program for being too contemporary in their acting and/or appearance. Sometimes it was shocking. In my case, I left the school during my sophomore year (2002) because I felt unnoticed and underappreciated. Then I rethought the rashness of my decision and went back the next fall. I begged to be allowed to finish my sophomore year and hopefully continue in the program after that. They agreed, BUT I had lost all of my scholarships and was now attending at full out-of-state tuition costs. I completed my sophomore year, got great grades, was praised by the faculty for my positive attitude, hard work, and good performances - I remember once Marsha Bagwell's biggest criticism of my monologue performance was my "thank you," she said, "You're too good to end your audition with that childlike little thank you" - and then at the end of the year I got my letter saying "We regret to inform you...etc." I was dumbfounded, and the people I'd been in classes with were shocked as well. It just seemed so unfounded.

I went to a conference with the faculty to find out why I had been cut, and they told me that I hadn't connected with the "ugliness of Sonya" in Uncle Vanya (my Chekhov scene was one of the Sonya/Yelena ones.) They basically said I couldn't act, after giving me high marks all semester on my acting! I remember there was a really big sort of plain girl who played Yelena (who is supposed to be this celestial beauty) and she did a terrible job of it. She never should have been allowed to play Yelena in the first place, because it was so anti-type for her. Yet she was readmitted for BFA Acting. It just made no sense to me, and it still doesn't.

So now I've spent two years saving money, and I'm now applying to UMich, CCM, BoCo, FSU, Elon, Penn State, and Otterbein as a transfer student in musical theatre. I am extremely eager to get back to school and really sock it to 'em this time.

Anyway, I hope all this info helps. The U of A has a basically good program, and my friends who graduated all really enjoyed their time there. It just wasn't a good fit for me. If you tend to be a more contemporary type of actor, I would say go somewhere that appreciates that kind of talent. U of A really wants people who are very natural in different theatrical Styles, and if you don't feel like Chekhov and you are a good match, U of A might not be the best place for you.

Mary Anna

To drop a Muscial Theatre student because they can't capture the syle of Chekhov is riduculous.
Remind me again, how many librettos did Anton write?!?!?

samia525

Hahaha, yeah, that's what they said. The funny thing is, I'm perfect for Sonya. I've never been conventionally pretty, and I had a father who constantly reminded me how unattractive I was growing up. Sonya was the only character I studied at the U of A that I really identified with. I know all about unrequited love! I was shocked that they used that character as their reason for cutting me.

They also said my other monologue was "sing-songy." Maybe it was a bad acting choice, but the character was frustrated beyond belief and trying not to show it, trying to cover it up with a sort of strained cheerfulness. The sing-songy-ness of my performance was a conscious choice I made; guess they didn't get it.

Lastly, they said my stakes weren't high enough and my acting choices were shallow. I think that was partly true. Part of the problem was that they wanted all the stakes to be SO HIGH that funny monologues were suddenly turning dramatic. I felt that if I raised the stakes to their approved level in my comedic "sing-songy" monologue, I'd end up crying, and it would no longer be a comedic monologue. I was very confused about what they wanted from me in that program.

PS - Eve Himmelheber was one of my acting teachers there! She was only there for a little while, but she was one of my favorites. Anyone thinking about going to CSU Fullerton, I say you're in good hands with her. Hey, Eve! "Acting is HARD..."

Mary Anna

That's very interesting. Chekhov's comedies are difficult, I don't need to tell you, and very different from conventional comedies.
Sounds like you will be happy elsewhere.
Best of luck to you. You go girl!!!!

samia525

Thank you! I am working my butt off! Full-time professional voice-over work in Seoul, Korea (the market here is huge, so much money to made if you have a little singing/acting/funny character voices talent.) Doing all these college apps on top of that is REALLY HARD. Not to mention going to yoga and dance classes (dance is my weak point) as often as possible. BUT I am pretty much done with applications finally, except for BoCo, because their new application is very glitchy.

Interesting sidenote: I called BoCo about their application problems and by a random coincidence I got the Dean of Admissions on the phone. Turns out she's coming here to Seoul next month to tell high school students about the conservatory, and she HIRED me over the phone to be her connection to the schools there before and during her visit! Crazy, huh?

I agree with you about Chekhov. I was a little surprised that he was introduced so early in the curriculum, when kids could still be cut from the program. Everyone knows Chekhov is notoriously difficult to perform well.

actingreacting1

samia525:
Thank you so much for the honest and straightforward information about the University of Arizona's BFA MT program. Sounds scary. I'll continue to look elsewhere.

samia525

Oh no, I'm sure it's no scarier than any other school. I just didn't have a very good time there is all. My friends who graduated, as I said, loved it! It's just a matter of finding the right fit for you. Also, some of the instructors are just wonderful. I mentioned Marsha Bagwell and Brent Gibbs as two of the really great ones. Also Monte Ralstin is fantastic and one of the most loveable people I've ever met. Don't write it off based on my input alone. I'm still just a little bitter about the whole thing. If you'd like, I can put you in touch with some friends of mine who graduated in 2004 who are now auditioning (and working!) in New York. Just send me a PM and I'll give you their e-mail addresses.

believersmom

Bump for those discussing Arizona on another sub-thread.

believersmom

Check out page 9 of the Colleges for musical theatre part 40

mtmommy

I just wanted to confirm what others have said about Monte Ralstin. My D and I met him last year when we sat in on some classes. He went out of his way to make D feel at home. But he also acted like he was really interested in HER and enaged her in conversation which made her feel like she was a person at Arizona, not a recruitment possibility. We also saw how he interacted with students in the class and were so impressed with him.

sareccasmom

Monte is a gem in every way. Any musical theatre student who can have Monte in their lives is richer for the experience. We love him.

samia525

I love Monte too! He wrote me a great recommendation, and he was the only professor who came to see me when I went on for the role of Jenny in The Threepenny Opera a few years back (I was the understudy my sophomore year.) He is such a joyful person, and a really talented performer and teacher on top of that.

cato

My Freshman son is home from the University of Arizona and they have really improved his ability to hit and sound great on high notes. He's very happy there.

chrisr

My husband is on the theater board at the University of Arizona (yeah, my son goes to OCU), and has been discussing the U of A cut policy with Dr. Tucci, the Director of the School of Theatre Arts. Dr. Tucci forwarded an email to Harold Dixon, who is a professor in the department. I agreed to post their comments on CC. The second part of Dr. Tucci's quote addresses the issue of the U of A holding their only MT auditions on the same weekend as Regional Choir Festivals all over Arizona.
from Dr. Tucci:
"We clearly do not have a pyramid of any sort in the school. The acting musical theatre faculty are aware and concerned about this. They have been at this for a long time. We understand that people will make claims that are absolutely not true, but there really is not much we can do about it. Our auditions are scheduled against many different conflicts. We do the best we can, but there will be conflicts we have no control over since we look at a large number of students who are from out of state."
From Dr. Dixon:
"Let me chime in. Here are some facts. Last May, no musical theatre majors were cut at the end of the sophomore year and only 2 BFA actors were cut. Each cut is made on a case by case system. There is no pyramid system at the U of A. There are simply no facts to back up this allegation.
Anyone who wishes can email me and I will talk to them."