I am glad it’s on your D’s list. Are you in NY?
@Techmom99 – we are in Virginia.
We have mostly BAs here, and D has JMU, VCU, and CNU on her list from the in-state options.
I think there is someone on the board who is an instructor at JMU. We looked at it and at CNU but we really needed instate tuition.
@OrangeFish - @KatMT teaches at JMU. She is a super helpful poster 
Thank you, @toowonderful! We have exchanged info with her and yes, she is indeed super helpful.
Information on the application numbers for theatre techies at schools is so hard to come by, so I thought I’d add this bit here just so it is recorded somewhere. D is at DePaul yesterday and today for their theatre program visit day and her interview. Husband sent me a text when they said there were 60 applicants for 4 costume design spots last year. They divide their costume department into separate design and technology majors, so probably 4 additional spots for the costume technology applicants.
My techie/actor is a lefty too
Oops wrong thread LOL
Well, early on-campus interviews are done and NYC Unifieds over. There two schools left on the list that D has not yet had an interview. Scheduling them for late Feb and hoping to hear from at least one of others before then and reevaluate whether those appointments will be necessary. Now that most it is over, we have at least a month to wait before schools said they’d start notifying. I am beginning wonder if scheduling everything early was good idea—the waiting might make us all mental!!! In any case, the bulk of it is over. Now I just need to force myself to stop checking message boards, acceptd, emails and the mail. So nerve wracking! D has tons to do with school and a production, but i’m an expert at multi-task worrying! I won’t do a rundown of schools/process until after acceptances/denials/waitlists are in, but feel free pm me if you have a specific question.
The late great Tom Petty got it right: The wa-a-a-i-i-ting is the hardest part!
I don’t know, @letterhead, the whole darn process is pretty brutal!!! But Tom was definitely onto something.
You’re right, it’s brutal! I think the waiting seems so awful because you don’t have the same crazy busy-ness filling every second. (You still have different crazy busy-ness, of course!) But man, I remember the period you’re entering SO WELL, and apparently it’s been two years now. . . . Once the waiting’s over, the time does fly.
Hi – I am so glad to find a current Tech Theater thread! I think my D, '20, will end up looking seriously at Tech Theater programs, so this is very helpful. My S, '15, had the easiest college process ever but I know his sister’s will be a different story completely. Sending admission vibes to all!
My d started out as an actor and wanting a BFA. She is currently a senior at Drew ready to graduate and has found the love of Stage Managing. So she has two viable options when graduating in May. If you have any questions feel free to ask.
I asked in a more general thread, but maybe some experts here can help:
D is possibly aiming for theater tech, but she’s also taking acting electives in HS. As part of one, she had to do a long Shakespeare monologue and apparently acquitted herself very well. My husband videotaped it on his phone.
Should this be something we include as part of her portfolio, if she ends up going in the theater tech direction? I don’t expect her to pursue acting, but her familiarity with and understanding of the content I would think would stand her in good stead, in a peripheral kind of way.
What do you put in the portfolio for theater tech / stage design, etc.?
Hmm. She should certainly put the class on her resume along with productions she has worked on. And it DEFINITELY would be a good talking point during interviews, wrapped up in the inevitable questions about why she loves theatre, past experience, favorite pieces, etc. It’s definitely good to have experiences both on- and off-stage. I’m not sure i’d Include the actual footage, though, for a few reasons. 1) there’s often not a ton of time (especially at Unifieds, where you get only 30min total) to present everything, and they really want to see student art and practical work (depending her focus), and 2) they are really looking for kids who 100% want to be behind the scenes. I would be afraid this might make my kid come off a little bit like someone who maybe wants to be onstage but trying to find a different way in or taking on tech as a second-choice option. (Even if that’s not the case. First impressions, you know.)
I have seen occasional comments over the last year that i’ve lurked these boards from performance majors who have done a little bit of high school tech work here and there, saying that if the acting didn’t work out, they could always fall back on working lights, designing costumes, etc, not mindful of the fact that these are fields that require significant professional training. Though not meant to, I am sure, that seems just a bit insulting. If I’ve picked up on that as a sensitive subject just as a tech mom, I have to think that it might be even more of a touchy thing for the professionals. Not saying that would happen, but it would be something I’d try to be mindful of in an interview situation.
Anyway, what do I know?!?! My D is just finishing up her interviews and now we have a month to wait for news to start rolling in. I’m definitely no expert.
My daughter has had significant training in both acting and tech. She isn’t falling back on one over the other. She loves the theatre and all it encompasses. She wants to work in this field in whatever capacity she is qualified to do so. Many actors direct, write, tech and that does not diminish any of the aforementioned genres of theatre. Tom Hanks stage managed and found the job extremely helping in his acting career and vice versa.
@TQfromtheU try doing a search (of the Theatre Major board only) for “portfolio” and that will give you some ideas of where to start. Each school has different parameters, and the theatre departments usually give some very basic guidelines. That being said, there generally aren’t any concrete lists out there of what to put in. UNCSA has a helpful q&a video on their website on the Design & Production page that gives you an idea of what the process is like.
Hope that gives you some ideas to start and come back with questions!
Thank you @momof2lefties. I will search and have my DD look at the video.