High school course selection for future MT major

College Majors Musical Theater Majors
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<p>My daughter is in a very rigorous academy, and I’m apprehensive about whether or not we made the right course selection. We chose the school because it has a good theater dept, and some nice opportunities. My daughter’s been there since 5th grade, and for high school, they share classes with an all boys school. She wants to study musical theater, voice and perhaps audition for the new Clive Davis music school at NYU. Of course, as parents, we’d like a backup plan since performing arts is such a competitive field. </p>

<p>She likes singing musical theater and pop, and she was going into the city for voice and vocal coaching until 8th grade (it was a very difficult year academically). The path for high school is: bel canto and then on to the Madrigal choir (which travels to europe for 2 weeks every other year) and then acting in sr level and ap music theory OR acting I, II, to honors acting (or acting for film/tv in lieu of acting I). With either path, you can audition for the fall drama or musical and spring musical as well as the Edinburgh film festival (no pre-req, just an audition). She took musical theater in 8th grade, and the head of the music dept, who also teaches bel canto and madrigals, prefers a more classical style of singing. She doesn’t like belting. If so, she likes the Kelli O’Hara or Kristen Chenoweth style. </p>

<p>Which would be a better path for a BFA program - going the bel canto/madrigals path or acting? Also, she goes to Stagedoor Manor in the summers and will also look into summer university programs in high school like Carnegie Mellon and Cap 21, etc. I’m overwhelmed as you can see! Lastly, how would awards/competitions factor in? Are there competitions and talent searches we should be looking into? I tried to search the forums but nothing came up.</p>

<p>Many thanks!</p>

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<p>Your post confuses me as you mention she is interested in musical theater and almost everything in your post points to that EXCEPT you then say she may wish to audition for the Clive Davis music school. There is no Clive Davis Music school at NYU. However, there is a Clive Davis program at Tisch School of the Arts. But the Clive Davis program is a program for RECORDED MUSIC…and not for performers. Portfolio/creative samples are required but no audition . It is about the recorded music industry. If your D is interested in MT, she would be applying to Tisch Drama for the MT studio. </p>

<p>Your D can choose certain courses to take at school and certain activities at school and whichever she doesn’t do there, she could do outside of school. Your D could do the path that is bel canto, Madrigal choir, acing in sr level and Music Theory or the all acting path. It is kind of odd that she can’t take music and acting or one in one or two years and one in the other years. But in any case, the first path you mention sounds like it is solid for music and has some acting. Both paths allow for participation in both dramas and musicals. </p>

<p>If she does just music at school, she may be able to do dance and acting outside of school. Also, even if the school music program is more classical style, your D can take private voice outside of school to work on MT repertoire. My D went to Tisch. Our high school had NO acting/drama classes. My D was in the Chorus and also the select a capella group (classically based). Our school did not have music theory. She learned music theory her entire life through years of piano lessons with a piano teacher who taught music theory (she placed out of music theory requirements at Tisch even though seh had no formal classes in it at her high school). I think if your D really wants to go into MT, being involved in music and theater productions is a good idea at school. But when you look at her training, you can’t just look to school but put together what you can as a combo between school and extracurricular lessons/classes/activities/productions, as well as summers. For instance, my D took dance 13 hours/week at a dance studio 25 miles from where we live and not through school. You are lucky that your school offers what it does. Some of your D’s choices will be personal preference and then looking at the big picture of what you can take at school and what she can learn outside of school. Your D could go either way with the two options she has at school and the decision may need to factor in what she can get outside of school and what she can’t. I’d likely lean toward the first path because at least at our school, most of those who are cast well in the musicals were participants in the music program at the school. Btw, my D also attended Stagedoor Manor in her summers. </p>

<p>Awards/competitions are not necessary in terms of admissions into BFA programs. Where they are a benefit, I feel, is that they give the student some benchmarks with how they fare regionally or in their state or even nationally. They are nice on the resume but not essential. Also, adjudications are a little like auditioning and so just participating is a good experience. I don’t know what state you live in. Many states have All State Choir or Thespians. Some singing teachers participate in NATS adjudications. On a national scale there are the NFAA Arts Awards (but just for senior year). Our area does not nearly have the kinds of competitions and adjudications that i have read about that others participate in within other states and regions in the arts. Here, the only things (and my D did do them and win them) are All State Chorus, All State Scholarships for Voice and for Jazz, and then I read about NFAA (national) on CC and she entered and won one of those awards. But many other areas have a lot more going on in this regard.</p>

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<p>SoozieVT, thanks so much for all the info. Sorry for the confusion…I was referring to the Clive Davis program… one of my D’s teachers mentioned it to her since she loves songwriting, and has written and put to music about 10 songs so far out of the 50 she’s written. She is going to take dance outside of school as her independent sport. She is not athletic and loves dance, but the dance program at her school focuses on modern, ballet, some guest artists that come in to teach hip/hop, african, capoeira, etc. She wants to continue outside of school, but again, it depends on the workload as we are an hour away from school, and she has to be in at 7:00am (so we’re up by 5:15). Last year, she was exhausted and sleep deprived as she was up to 10-11 every night. She was doing Broadway dance when she did voice lessons in the city, but she had to give it up do to all the demands of school. She did 2 productions last year.</p>

<p>As for Stagedoor, she started in 2004 when she was 9 and then started going 2 sessions each summer since 2006. She has friends for life, as I’m sure your daughter has too! She leaves Monday. Did your D include Stagedoor on her resume, and did it help in getting into schools? </p>

<p>I’m going to look into the state competitions - I believe there is a New England Music Competition, but my d’s school doesn’t partake in competitions. She’ll have to do a lot on her own. I appreciate all your help!</p>

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<p>My daughter also started Stagedoor at age 9. She overlapped your D in 2004 and 2005. </p>

<p>I’m still sorta confused because Clive Davis program is not by audition and I don’t believe there is a focus on songwriting. I am also confused in that you are asking the best preparation as far as singing, dancing and acting which are areas one would prep for a MT program, not as much for the Clive Davis program. Clive Davis is recorded music, not so much performing it though. Actually, I have a nephew who wants to go into recorded music industry too. </p>

<p>But let me just put one thing out to you. While my D trained in Musical Theater and Acting at Tisch these past four years, she is also a singer/songwriter (writes her own songs and has performed in clubs in the city) and is also a composer (her most recent musical she composed is premiering in NYC in a week (though she put on an earlier version of it at Tisch this past May). So, one can major in musical theater and still be a composer, songwriter, and sing contemporary styles of music as well as sing/act/dance musical theater. I know my daughter does.</p>

<p>In my opinion, if your D doesn’t already do so, she should learn piano. I can’t begin to tell you how handy it has been for my D to be a competent pianist. She is paid professionally. It is also an asset as a musical theater singer and as a songwriter (can accompany herself as well). I highly recommend that your D study piano.</p>

<p>It is good that your D’s school has ballet. Ballet is the basic technique of all dance. Perhaps your D can take jazz and tap at a dance studio. </p>

<p>I understand about distance. We live in a rural area. Our dance studio was 25 miles away. My D’s voice lessons each week were 50 miles away as well as her monologue coach when she applied to college. She was in theater productions many times 50 miles from our home on a regular basis. She did most of her training outside of school, though did the school productions, school chorus, jazz band and so forth. </p>

<p>Yes, Stagedoor Manor is on my D’s resume! Training is part of an actor’s resume. She has how many years she trained at Stagedoor (1998-2005) on her resume still. While she was in 16 musicals and 15 casts of Our Time Cabaret at Stagedoor Manor, as she has gotten older and now been in college, she has left off most of those credits (she only has two shows from SdM still on the resume at this point) but for a college applicant, surely the credits from Stagedoor should be on it if applying for theater programs. But you also ask if Stagedoor helped getting into schools. I want to explain to you that is not how I see summer programs as “credits on a resume that help get into college” at all. It is more about what one learns and gains from those experiences that builds up their skills, talent, and readiness that count in the end, not the name on the resume. So, I believe her EXPERIENCES at Stagedoor were significant in her growth as a MT actor, yes. They were part of the development of her talent that enabled her to be prepared to go on to college MT programs. I don’t think the “credit” on the resume got her in or played a part, no, not really. I will say that many colleges have heard of Stagedoor Manor and surely they could see that my D was serious about MT as she spent time in intensive MT programs. And MANY of her peers from SDM landed at all the well regarded BFA and BA programs in this field. She went to college with many Stagedoorians. She shares an apartment with a Stagedoorian! My D works professionally with other Stagedoorians (it never ends…I promise you that!). But when my D chose to attend SDM, it had NOTHING to do with getting into college. She chose it at age nine and attended all the way up until her entrance into college at age 16. </p>

<p>I wish your D the BEST summer this year at SDM. I know several kids there now and I have to say that SDM is a very special place and it played a very significant part in my D’s youth.</p>

<p>PS, due to the age difference, my D likely doesn’t know your D. But perhaps your D watched several of the older kids’ shows. You can tell her that in 2004, my D in first session was Anita in West Side Story and in second session was Lillian LaFleur in Nine and in 2005, first session, she was Lucy in Jekyl and Hyde. In Cabaret, one of her main solos was the song, Carousels (from Jacques Brel). Perhaps your D may remember mine but that was some time ago at this point.</p>

<p>One more PS…the links with Stagedoor NEVER end…last weekend, my D was staying at the beach with one of her college friends and the next door neighbor at the beach was 28 and my D is 20 and she learned that this young woman had attended SDM for years but before my D’s time there and so they just sat there and sang through Our Time Cabaret together. :D</p>

<p>One more tiny thing…I am assuming your D is 14? entering ninth? A young girl the same age as yours that we know well who has been at SDM since 2004 as well (maybe since 2005, I forget), learned of SDM from us as she lived in our little village here in VT (but her family has now moved to CA) and she is at SDM right now this session and will be there next session and am sure your D likely knows her (HR). I just saw her before camp as her family is back here for the summer. My D used to “coach” her privately at our house on songs back when my D was in HS.</p>

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<p>Hi Soozie! So sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner, as I was quite ill. Any chance I can PM you? I think I tried and it said your mailbox was full? I liked to talk offline if possible.
Many thanks!</p>

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<p>medavinci, I think Susan must be out of town as she hasn’t been around for about a week or so now. I can tell you that she prefers people contact her via email rather than PM. You can get her email address in the drop down menu when you click on her name.</p>

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<p>Alwaysamom, Thanks for the info!</p>

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<p>Hi medavinci. Actually, AlwaysAMom guessed right. I was away and was offline for over nine days. I was out of the country. I much prefer emails to PMs and if you click on my name, you can opt for the “email member” rather than “PM member.” That said, give me time to respond because I honestly have a great deal of email catching up to do from being away, including from my students who I need to attend to. I hope to eventually get back to you if you do choose to contact me. However, while I enjoy volunteering on the forum to answer questions, I have limited time to volunteer about individual situations off the forum.</p>