Fordham vs. Lewis and Clark

RamRay
Wed, 21 May 2014 17:51:51 +0000

I don’t know a heck of a lot about the theater program, only that is a very strong, very well-known theater program, but will attempt to answer your questions: I only hope some others with more knowledge on this subject will jump in.


Lewis and Clark is a good liberal arts school near Portland, OR and has a decent theater department. That you can be a major in theater right off the bat is a good thing, so you can do more and be in more productions. Fordham has a very competitive theater department. Auditions I would imagine would be of a higher competative level given how serious majors take this program. Even if you were a major, there is no guarantee you would get the best parts. To be honest, I think a theater minor in one of the best theater programs in the nation (right on Broadway!) would be comparable to (if not better than) a theater major in a smaller liberal arts school. Big fish, little pond or little fish, big pond might be a good way of looking at this.
I don’t know how hard it is to be involved in the theater program as a soph, but you might have a shot at it and even as a minor, you will be involved in some excellent productions and have excellent opportunities. Then again you could be a star at Lewis and Clark…could be.
Yes…it is very competitive as stated. If you are good, you will have a shot. More opportunities at L&C College? probably, but your talent is what will take you far. There are thousands of Theater major grads from small colleges across the country; the vast majority will only do community theater when they get out. Which school will push you, develop your talent? I have an idea how to test for that in the last question.
Lewis and Clark has a decent theater department and may put on some very good productions of that I have no doubt. Is there a way to judge outcomes? Well, what you can do is look at L&C wiki page of the well known graduates to see who are in the arts. Of the names I saw, I only recognized two (Monica Lewinsky and actress Markie Post). Then look at the Fordham alum wiki page at well known graduates in the arts and draw your own conclusion. Your path is your own to make.


If your decision to come to Fordham must have a guarantee of acting opportunities and if that is your true calling, then perhaps you might be better off at Lewis and Clark where you can be a theater major and be assured of parts.
Then again…Broadway vs. Portland…for an actor is worlds apart.

Does anyone else have something to add?