Broadway's Big 10: Top Colleges Currently Represented on Currently Running Shows

soozievt · August 2015

As part of Playbill.com's Back to School week (#BwayBacktoSchool), we have combined our past Schools of the Stars features that track where major members of the cast and creative team on each Broadway show went to college, along with a bit of added research, to present the top 10 colleges currently represented on Broadway (plus honorable mentions).

We have also included a few performers from shows that will be opening during the upcoming season.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/broadways-big-10-top-colleges-currently-represented-on-currently-running-shows-358495

soozievt · August 2015

They are:

NYU
CCM
Univ. of Michigan
CMU
Juilliard
BOCO
AMDA
Fordham
Northwestern
Florida State

"Honorable Mentions":

Yale
OCU
Ithaca
Baldwin-Wallace
Hartford/Hartt

theaterwork · August 2015

Hate it when these articles come out cause my D sees them and gets right back to where she was about school choice and totally ignores the fact that most of these on the list are crazy talented anyway. Gotta wonder about that long list from NYU though...thinking there are some connections these people are making at that school . Ugh...so wish my D could go there!

toowonderful · August 2015

@theaterwork - I certainly love seeing NYU's name on the list, but you have to remember that NYU is unique. It's not one BFA program, it's 6+ (there are both primary and advanced studios). So while it's a great school- it also has a lot more "chances".

amtc · August 2015

Right, toowonderful. Maybe you should look more at percentages than pure numbers. MomCares - care to do that?

bisouu · August 2015

Question: How did this get that little fire icon? I always wonder about those.

theaterwork · August 2015

Sorry about starting an NYU thing again! Lol it must be that darn Adam Jacobs...

ClarinetDad16 · August 2015

And you have to recognize some of those graduates on Broadway counted on those list might have graduates 10-30+ years ago when those schools had different faculty. It's good to see, but better to know which schools are putting students on Broadway from recent classes now.

lojosmo · August 2015

Looking at the list for Michigan at least seven have graduated in the last five years.

toowonderful · August 2015

I also know that there are some kids on the list who did not graduate - there is a kid on the Ithaca list who went to my D's HS - he dropped out after a year and a half or so. And bear in mind that it is a snapshot of a given time- 2 other kids from the local area(and went to CMU and Ithaca) have BEEN on bway in the last year (one is coming back in Audra McDonald's new show soon) but are not represented right now....

uskoolfish · August 2015

NYU also includes Tisch and Steinhardt. Although D's friend from Steinhardt just made his Bdway debut last week (Book of Mormon) and was not included. We saw him in the show on Saturday night and he was awesome!

Princesssjpmom · August 2015

http://playbill.com/news/article/broadways-big-10-top-colleges-currently-represented-on-currently-running-shows-358495.

soozievt · August 2015

Agreed that NYU is a big school and so there are more graduates and so the larger number is, in part, due to that.

In terms of how recently people graduated who are on the list, I know on the NYU list, there are many from my D's own class on the list and several who were also at NYU at the same time period she was (recently) but not her actual class.

And yes, this is a list that is just who is currently on Broadway or about to be. I can think of several of D's friends from college who were recently playing roles on Broadway but their shows have closed, for example.

Princesssjpmom · August 2015

For up and coming students, keep in mind that there are LOTS of other Fabulous programs out there whose students are working actors too. They are on National Tours, in Chicago, Boston, LA, DC, Las Vegas, The Muny, and other regional theatres throughout the country and abroad. As long as audiences keep coming, there will be acting jobs. Everyone can't live in New York City ( although it seems that way during rush hour). Keep your options open!

jeffandann · August 2015

Some food for thought. Sutton Foster is an adjunct faculty member at my D's school. When my D was a freshman two years ago they met with Ms. Foster (she's still hyperventilating over that, I think). She asked the kids what their career goals were. Several said (as you'd expect) Broadway. My D looked at her and said she just wants to make a living as an actress. And Ms. Foster said that was the best answer.

So make sure your kids keep a proper perspective on this crazy business.

MomCares · August 2015

... better to know which schools are putting students on Broadway from recent classes now.

Sometimes that skews toward dancers, though, who tend to peak younger than singers, and also toward ensemble versus leads. It also skews toward schools who admit based on commercial looks versus those who also admit future character actors.

soozievt · August 2015

Totally agree that success in this field shouldn't be marked by who is on Broadway. In my view, a working actor is success! However, this article is just a collection of data of current Broadway shows, nothing more, nothing less.

soozievt · August 2015

@MomCares re: post #15, that can be true. However, it so happens that of all the NYU kids in my D's class or in classes that were there when she was there that are on that list in the Playbill article.....they have roles on Broadway and are not in the ensemble. Some are even leads.

Some of my D's NYU cohorts on that list were also in her a cappella group. Also, my D's MT class (Tisch '09) was particularly strong (many have said this and it is not my own opinion). If I were to add to that list currently on Broadway and look at who has been on Broadway, National Tours, Off Broadway, regional theaters of note, movies, and TV from her graduating class, a lot have been pretty successful.

spayurpets · August 2015

The hottest show on Broadway is, of course, Hamilton. Hamilton College is experiencing some sort of resurgence along with its namesake Alexander Hamilton. But Hamilton the Musical really is a Wesleyan University production, where both the creators, including Lin-Manuel Miranda (playing the lead as well) are Wes alums. I understand that several members of the production also went to Wesleyan.

soozievt · August 2015

@spayurpets

WHERE THE HAMILTON CAST AND CREATORS WENT TO COLLEGE.....

Cast List:

Lin-Manuel Miranda: Wesleyan University
Javier Muñoz: New York University/CAP 21
Phillipa Soo: The Juilliard School
Leslie Odom, Jr.: Carnegie Mellon University
Renée Elise Goldsberry: Carnegie Mellon University & University of Southern California
Christopher Jackson: American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Daveed Diggs: Brown University
Okieriete Onaodowan: Rutgers University
Anthony Ramos: American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Jasmine Cephas Jones: Berklee College of Music
Jonathan Groff: Did not attend college
Carleigh Bettiol: SUNY Oneota
Ariana DeBose: Western Carolina University
Sydney James Harcourt: Interlochen Arts Academy and The Maggie Flanigan Studio
Sasha Hutchings: Oklahoma City University
Thayne Jasperson: Utah Valley State College
Emmy Raver-Lampman: Marymount Manhattan College
Jon Rua: NA
Austin Smith: The Juilliard School
Seth Stewart: Fordham University/Alvin Ailey
Betsy Struxness: The Juilliard School
Ephraim M. Sykes: Fordham University/Alvin Ailey

Production Credits:

Lin-Manuel Miranda (Book, Music, Lyrics): Wesleyan University
Thomas Kail (Direction): Wesleyan University
Andy Blankenbuehler (Choreography): Southern Methodist University
Alex Lacamoire (Music Direction): Berklee College of Music
David Korins (Scenic Design): University of Massachusetts – Amherst
Paul Tazewell (Costume Design): North Carolina School of the Arts & New York University
Howell Binkley (Lighting Design): East Carolina University
Nevin Steinberg (Sound Design): Harvard University

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/schools-of-the-stars-where-hamilton-cast-and-creators-went-to-college-355907

The only people who went to Wesleyan are Lin-Manuel Miranda (book, music, lyrics, actor) and Thomas Kail (director).

monkey13 · August 2015

@toowonderful, if you're talking about Sean, I believe he was at Ithaca through his junior year....he was there at least through the end of his sophomore year, b/c he performed in the spring musical the second semester of his sophomore year. Maybe you're confusing him with Aaron Tveit, who spent 1 year as a VP major, then transferred to MT for a short time before being cast on Broadway? He wasn't at Ithaca that long, but I believe they awarded him his BFA in 2012, anyway (do you blame them?). But, if you really think about it, who wouldn't leave school for a Broadway job? For a lot of them, that's the golden ring...the ultimate prize. (BTW, they also forgot Danny Gardner, Ithaca grad, who opens in just a few weeks in Dames at Sea.)

Regardless, some of these schools have very impressive lists. I find it fascinating how many Juilliard grads are in musicals, when they don't even have a MT department. Such a great school for both acting and voice, and it looks like their grads can be successful in MT without the MT program. I think Phillipa Soo is one of the most phenomenal voices out there.

Broadway's Big 10: Top Colleges Currently Represented on Currently Running Shows

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