<p>So after applying, auditioning, and being accepted into a top BFA program, my D has an opportunity to be in a Broadway production which would interfere with her freshman year. Has anyone on the forum ever been faced with this situation, and what sort of advice would you offer?</p>
<p>Go. </p>
<p>Look, I’m an educator. I believe very strongly in training. I believe in my heart that for the majority of performers some level of training is necessary. Period. But that training can be had in multitudes of ways. Degrees can be obtained (although with far more difficulty in terms of life) at any point in time. But if this is a great opportunity, take it. My guess is the school will defer admission for this. But that’s just a guess.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your daughter on being accepted to a top BFA program as well as receiving a Broadway offer. Wow. In many ways, she is fortunate this opportunity comes BEFORE she has started her BFA program. Were it to come along during her training, the interruption would be much more difficult. Most top programs will off a one-year deferral on admissions to their program. You should check with your DD’s school to establish their policy on deferrals. Of course, if the show she is going into has a long run and she renews her contract, she would likely lose her place in her college program. That is the risk she will have to take if she accepts the Broadway offer.</p>
<p>No one can tell you what to do. Best wishes with her decision!</p>
<p>what does she want? yes, i would say take the offer, but it’s all up to her.
people saying that if contracts are renewed then her place would be lost in the program…i’d assume, however, if she goes into the show and decides to renew her contract but sometime in the future she wants to go back to school to train, she wouldn’t have much trouble getting into a program if she were to re-audition. she clearly is very talented to have gotten the offer and many schools would probably be dying to take a student who already has a broadway credit.</p>
<p>CCer2014, Since we don’t know the Broadway show in question, the role being offered or the details of her contract, I wouldn’t want to advise on whether or not to take the job. I was just saying that if the show runs longer than the length of her deferral, the college is not likely to hold her position in the program. Thus, the risk. </p>
<p>Further, if there is scholarship money at stake, there is also the possibility that the college would offer an admissions deferral but not necessarily renew the scholarship money. Again, very important to find out the details from the college in question. </p>
<p>This young lady is in an enviable position, but not an easy one. Yes, she should make the decision based on what she truly wants. But it helps to keep in mind all the factors when weighing such an important decision. Unfortunately, I doubt there is a whole lot of time to weigh in here. Good Luck, NowWhat. </p>
<p>And again, congratulations to your very talented daughter!</p>
<p>A huge congrats to your daughter, first of all. </p>
<p>Something to think about…Meg Gillentine was cast in Cats on B’way as a sophomore acting major at NYU. She even got academic credit for doing the show while she was a student. If your daughter is intent on getting that degree I absolutely believe there is a program (be it NYU or another NYC based program) where she could make it happen. It might still mean deferring a year, but it might not be such an either/ or situation. </p>
<p>Soozievet-correct me if I’m wrong here on Meg’s specific details.</p>
<p>DoTheWork: This happened to a boy from my D’s school that graduated last year. He auditioned for and was ultimately selected for the American Idiot Tour which was supposed to begin that November. He actually determined he wasn’t ready to tour having never lived away from home and instead, decided to continue with his acceptance to a popular BFA MT program in NYC. Personally, I know the goal for all these kids is Broadway or off-Broadway success, but for me, education needs to come first…shows will come and go, but education is forever and much harder to complete with very passing year and the demands of adulthood.</p>
<p>I’ve not been faced with that but if it were one of my children, I’d contact the head of the MT program at the school, have a “sit down” and explain the situation. Because the schools love to brag about their alumni and their professional successes, I would think that the school would be more than willing to defer her spot and perhaps promise additional merit aid for the following year (I realize that there are complicating financial aid factors). It’s obviously quite an honor and I’m sure you’ve thought of the ramifications of the part, the production, etc. Good luck. I’m sure that many of us will be interested in how it comes out!</p>
<p>DotheWork, that may have been true with Meg Gillentine, I’m not sure and I haven’t heard that before but I can pretty much guarantee you that Tisch is unlikely to be giving credit these days for professional experience. There are just too many of its students who would qualify for that, and NYU is a very different school, academically, today than it was back in Meg’s day. The only school I’ve heard of who has done this was with an actor I know, and it was West Chester University in PA. The young woman in question had one semester left and was cast in a national tour. They granted her degree without her doing the final semester. On that same tour were kids from Tisch, Penn State, Brown, Michigan, and Webster (and I believe, Syracuse) who were in the same position, still students not having completed their degrees. None of the other schools granted any credit. I wouldn’t count on that from most schools.</p>
<p>Although an enviable position, it certainly isn’t an easy decision. If your D really wants this opportunity, then it’s important to find out what the possibility of a deferral is because I’m sure she doesn’t want to go through the audition process all over again. If she had to do that, it would prolong the time when she would actually start college. If the show lasts a year (doubtful, these days), then she’d have to wait til the following application cycle which would leave her with a year of no school. If she gets a deferral, she could hypothetically begin in September 2012. The alternative consideration would be if the show doesn’t last a year (much more likely) and then she may be wishing she’d headed off to school this fall. There is no right or wrong answer, but you should weigh all possibilities before making the decision. Eventually, she’ll just have to pick one and be happy with it!</p>
<p>If you’d like to discuss this privately, feel free to either PM or email me, and I might be able to give you more advice if I know what show it is. I know lots of kids who have been in similar situations and I am also fairly knowledgable about how the theatre community works. I don’t have a crystal ball but I’m happy to share my experience. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Go for it (if it’s really “Broadway” and not some non union tour or something).</p>
<p>She can always defer (or ask to defer). What a gap year!</p>
<p>NowWhat, So my own DS just went through a high level auditioning process for a national tour and I must say, I am surprisingly grateful he was not cast. He keeps his professional opportunities to a minimum throughout the year in balance with his college pursuits, but tries to get himself out there for whatever comes his way. This was a huge step for him and we are pretty pleased with his efforts, but admittedly would not have wanted him to go on tour. He is moving full-throttle towards his junior year in college and he is developing a great list of peers, mentors and contacts. He so genuinely loves his BFA program; it would be a crime to pull him out of it. Kind of crazy to say we are glad he didn’t get it. But we are!</p>
<p>Which begs the question, what did your DD decide on her Broadway offer?</p>