@arewethereyet18 MSM
Bad timing on showing the list… those thoughts belong in the summer before auditions start, to get the kids dreaming, or look into programs they hadn’t thought about before. Plus that list is missing some stellar programs…
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess it was by a MT hopeful parent. Understand this, when your child starts their training, they are average once again, their professors will literally will strip away their ego. Some schools go as far as having their freshmen wear all black to all classes. Every single freshman, has a lot to learn and they all come with bad habits and needs training. That’s why they are going to school in the first place.
Here’s the deal… Senior Year- Most schools and their Theatre departments go to NYC and do a showcase- many of the same agents and directors that were at (for lack of a better example) Carnegie Mellon will be at small town USA college’s showcase too.
Just because Sutton Foster is an advisor and does a master class at college ABC doesn’t matter… because College XYZ has Norm Lewis on their board…and at college LMNO in the middle of nowhere a past Broadway Royalty decided to teach and give to the next generation. They are ALL incredible opportunities and programs.
There are amazing performers on Broadway who came from schools in the middle of nowhere and have performed with Broadway elite. Do not discredit the smaller schools or those they don’t have a BFA. Some of those small schools are dream schools for many on this board. Side note - My kid, goes to a school you forgot to put on your so called elite list…and is considered a reach school for many and has been called one of the Crowned Jewels of Musical Theatre…
Creating a list, this late on the game now just makes people second guess their auditions, their choices, rejections and acceptances. There are lots of students on this page- not just parents-
Let’s lift one another up please.
Our family was all of you waiting ,this time of year, it is soooooooo stressful. I feel for you. Waiting for emails, checking portals and snail mail is the absolute worst. I agree, now is the time to cheer for each other and be sad with eachother…
So being a parent who has some years on several of you in this process and chime in mamas who are ahead of me, for you are my yoga- please please please listen to this
Your kid is always auditioning. It doesn’t matter where they graduated from at the end of the day. You don’t know who is in the audition room - so that “not professional cruise” gig (which by the way is) Has a productions of Mama Mia … one of those musicians, teach, actors, actresses, stage manager also could be composing, writing the next Dear Evan Hansen. Who are they going to remember at the casting call? Their friends froma stinky ol’ cruise ship. That dresser on the tour of Wicked could be the next Lin Manuel Miranda and is about to take a show Off Broadway that is going to EXPLODE- who are they going to use? Those friends from Summer Stock and National Tours or a show theybdid together on Off-Off Broadway.
Success is measured by the person - not the world- Chorus girl number 3 may be working on cruise line for three years - but you know what she is happy and loving it and making a paycheck and is a professional actress. Maybe she’ll dock and land a show in broadway and maybe not… You just never know! This is a business full of connections! Summer stock, Cruises, Regiknal, Disney and Tours etc. it is all professional theatre just becasue it’s not in NY- doesn’t mean they have failed. Nor does what school these kids get into. . The Broadway community is small-.at the end of the day… Many of the graduates will be in the same cattle call line for their first Broadway audition… no one really cares where you came from. They want to see whatcha got!
A friend of ours who works consistently on Broadway as an understudy and consitently books said it best…”In your twenties it’s hard, you live on people’s couches at times, eat noodles and do shows off, off, wayyy off Broadway. In your thirties it gets a little more fun- because you have years under your belt and you’ve made connections and you catch a break and land a show on Broadway… I’m finally in my forties and I’m having the time of my life.”
It takes years and hard work and hitting the pavement and working weird hours at odd ball jobs. Let’s not get competitive about where our kids go to school.
My daughter yes is very blessed is is where she is- but you know what- she didn’t get into her safety school, and was waitlisted at a school we though was a slam dunk. So she had one thread to hold on of a dream school. There are many of you out there in that position. Hold tight to the dream. If that bubble had burst and we were prepared for it… she was going to go to community college and Take some classes and do community theatre and try again the following year.
Everyone’s path is different…
Now is the time to focus on what is your child’s future education going to look like. 2 year Conservatory, Four year traditional school,BFA, BA, BM, or are they going to just move to NYC and take a hodge podge of classes taken around the city and go in the cattle call line for auditions as an 18/19 year old… Just remember to always be kind, stay humble and work hard- and your kid will succeed, xoxo
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@MusTheaFam thank you!!! How do you know? I guess we are almost there at least!
@arewethereyet18 I called and asked. I think it may be an email that directs us to a portal for status.
@birdygirl THANK YOU for that!
@MusTheaFam For MSM acceptances? Last year they were sent and email and then directed to the portal.
Sometimes the portal is slower than your excitement- sooo be prepared for angst at the computer… good luck!
Thank you @birdygirl for the MSM info and for the thoughtful response to the list!
My D received her official acceptance to Webster today! Lighting Design! Has anyone else received notification from Webster?
@birdygirl Great Post!!
@lazs91 My D was accepted to Webster MT last week…We did our first “unofficial” visit there last Summer while in STL for our younger D’s dance competition…great location for a campus in Webster Groves; small cute quaint-village setting that happens to be nestled in the middle of a big city with lots of Theater opportunities…we toured with another girl from TX that wanted to major in tech theater so it sounds like it is known for that and could be a good option for your D! I also personally spoke with Dr. Teeter prior to my D’s acceptance and he’s a really nice guy; someone that I would definitely trust to give my D a quality education.
I will tell you also, regarding the “connections , small theatre community, a lot of people know other people discussion…” my D is a freshman MT & this has already happened. She’s been applying for summer internships (performance & others) (which are also very competitive take note for next year! ) and in applying to one in the south the lady in charge responded to my daughter’s application telling her it was received etc but also already mentioned knowing the Dean of her theatre dept & so forth. So… theatre people know college faculty and vice versa as most faculty have worked professionally before etc . It really is huge yet a small community.
I would also recommend telling your kid to strictly monitor social media posts, if you haven’t already. Again my D is auditioning for summer stock & after an audition this past wknd the company she auditioned for are already following her Twitter acct.
AND piggybacking on the ridiculous list posted earlier…the big factors upon graduation from a program REGARDLESS of which one it is are going to be “is your butt motivated to WORK to GET WORK” and how much stamina and so forth do you have to work everyday to get jobs. Again D applied for another internship and really kept emailing the director of it as she wasn’t responding etc . Finally the person responded, apologized for taking forever and commented “wow I appreciate your perseverance “
Just sayin
Is anyone else realizing that it’s March 28 and they are still waiting for FOUR schools (five if you count one that my daughter canceled on last minute last weekend so they are using pre-screen, but I’m kinda just counting that as a drop and not auditioned at all, lol)??? Plus one WL. Does this ever end? If she didn’t have a bunch of choices I think she’d be passing out, but really, four? Anyone else?
@cluelessandtired love your screen name! Some schools may wait until April 1st. If some of your schools have already notified acceptances, perhaps they will send WL and Denials later than acceptance
Waiting for two here which we expect will be no’s (esp since one was a video submission). D has no waitlists to contend with, so we’re cautiously moving into accepted students visits and decision mode…
@actingdreams thanks, I think it’s pretty accurate. All of them had said “by” the 1st, some responses sent by audition date but lots of kids still waiting. I just feel like four is so many, lol. As I said, she’s got her choices already so it’s not killing us, and @MThopeful2022 I think only one of these will be a yes, possibly two but only one matters not including the WL (I hope yours are positive or at least not painful), I’m just - as the name says - getting tired of it all. Though I’m well aware this is just the beginning.
@2lights … regarding #3453
Bless your heart. [-X
@2lights I respectfully disagree with your statement. I know 2 CMU grads that were both on broadway that are now currently in a national tour of AAIP. We also know a guy who was in Pippin on Broadway( CCM triple threat) (we saw him perform AS PIPPIN) and is now touring with Les Miz. Very talented people taking advantage of working and seeing the country. There is no shame in being in a national tour or on a cruise ship etc. I would be thrilled for my daughter to just graduate and have a paying job, doing what she loves to do and being able to support herself.
We are still hanging in thre waiting on 3 more so that we can move forward.
I got a great - and really timely message from my D this morning. It was a screenshot of her FB timehop from 4 years ago - today is the day she got her acceptance from NYU. Her message was “anniversary of the day phase one of my dream came true”. I got a couple of things from this:
- NYU will be out soon (they like fridays)
- My kid has loved her college experience - no matter where it falls on anyone else’s list
- Our kids are smart, and strong, and full of heart
@birdygirl EXCELLENT POST!