Each school has their own requirements. Some require you to apply academically before they will consider your prescreen or request for audition. Some will consider your prescreen but if you pass then they require you to apply academically before the audition. Still others will let you audition without applying. Its confusing I know, but each schools requirements are spelled out on their website. Of course, in all cases once you get that long sought after and fought for artistic acceptance, it is always contingent on being accepted academically.
@theaterworkâ - May I recommend you purchase the book âI Got In!â by Mary Anna Dennard. It is available on Amazon and it spells out the MT audition process from A-Z. I had no idea how clueless I was until I read that book. It is a short, quick-read, but unvaluable1 A good place for newbies to start researching this crazy process!
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@theaterworkâ The whole process us exhausting! I am onto my second child pursuing a BFA so at least I know what I am in for! When it became clear that my S wanted to pursue this path, he started asking questions of anyone âin the knowâ about various programs. He talked with directors he had worked with, older students, counselors, teachers- anyone who had some insight. We did not find CC until late in the process. You are fortunate to have found these threads as you wIâll find a wealth of information to get you started. From a list of 25 plus schools, he started his Internet research and narrowed down from there. He had personal geographic limitations so some schools were out immediately. For the schools for which My S ultimately auditioned, he needed to have his applications submitted to the schools prior to setting up the audition. As @MTDadandProudâ points out, there may be some schools that will accept a pre-screen prior to the application but things change every year so be sure to check the websites! Good luck!
At this time I would like to put in a plug for MTCA if you are looking for college coaching. The support they are offering for Chicago Unifieds is really excellent!!!
We saw quite a few coaches at the Palmer House, shepherding their flock: Mary Anna Dennard and Dave Clemmons were ânursing their youngâ and seem to be very hands on. And there were also several performing arts high schools with their drama teachers with them, taking care. It is nice that these coaches and teachers make the extra effort to attend. Saves a lot of stress ( and travel) for parents. Donât know who pays for it.
When we worked with Mary Anna there was no extra cost to students for her support at Unifieds. It was very reassuring to the kids to have her there to discuss the good and bad of their auditions. And the kids were also very helpful to each other. Definitely a plus to working with a hands on coach.
We worked with Dave Clemmons and he was very hands on and worked very well with her private vocal and acting coaches. There was no other charge for Chicago that I recall. So many optionsâŚjust comes down to who will make you most comfortable and you feel you can be most blount with.
For anyone interested in Northern Kentuckyâs MT program this show (weekly series SHOWCASE with Barbara Kellar) will be airing on local Cincinnati PBS station this weekend. Not sure what that means for watching on-line or downloading. CET Arts is available over-the-air on channel 48.3 For more information, visit www.CETconnect.org/cet-arts/.
Northern Kentucky University Department of Theatre & Dance
Ken Jones gives us an insiderâs look at the Department of Theatre and Dance at Northern Kentucky University. During the program, NKU Theatre Majors will be performing: âYes" from 70 Girls 70, âHoney Bunâ from South Pacific, âSilly Symphonyâ a Disney Medley, âDefying Gravityâ from Wicked and âWhat I Did For Loveâ from A Chorus Line.
⢠Feb. 15 at 8:30pm Eastern
⢠Feb. 16 at 8:30am, 1:30pm and 5:30pm
⢠Feb. 17 at 3:30pm
There is significant crossover of faculty with CCM and students from both programs end up together in local theater productions.
ok so after reading these posts I am becoming a bit discouragedâŚjust because all these schools seem to take so few kids in MT! It is nuts some only take like 8 girls and so forthâŚit is going to mean applying to a million placesâŚugh and the expense is overwhelming meâŚ
Maryanna Denard, Dave Clemmons and MTCA were all at Palmer House for Chicago Unifieds. Maryanna was there Sunday/Monday - had a meeting with her kids on Sunday night and was available for them for private coaching. Dave Clemmons was there Saturday until Thursday - had a suite the kids could hang out in (super bowl party - only place Iâve seen where they talk through the game and get quiet for the half time show) and was available to work with for individual coaching/support the kids (or parents) plus was walking around if the kids needed him/had questions. MTCA were there Saturday - Wednesday - at least 6 coaches that I know of, had a suite with an open door all the time for people to just hang out (including parents), come in for coaching or answer questions. They also had a big kickoff meeting Sunday night - with information on how to handle walkint, etc. One of their coaches even did warmups with the kids each morning - yes, vocally - but most importantly just reassuring the kids that they were great, they were prepared, take a deep breath and enjoy the process.
â(super bowl party - only place Iâve seen where they talk through the game and get quiet for the half time show)â THIS made my day! Sooooo easy to visualize! lol!
I witnessed one âcoachâ go into the info meeting at UNCSA with her kids, where she proceeded to dominate the conversation and also plied the auditors with a gift bag!!! This was not one of the coaches already discussed here, btw. I found her behavior a bit shockingâŚ
I can tell you right now that behavior didnât fly with UNCSA. Even in their High School program, they are all about kids advocating for themselves.
Iâm not sure how anyone can adequately prepare for this process unless they have been through it previously. There is definitely a learning curve no matter how much you read, talk to people, lurk on this siteâŚ, but you will be a little more prepared by doing your homework. My D attended several summer training programs over her High School years, and one of her best resources was the kids who went through this process before her. She also has friends at every audition, so itâs a nice distraction from the stress of the day to be able to talk to someone besides a parent.
Reading this site and âI Got Inâ helped â little things too, like how to organize files for each school so that your kid can just grab and go, helped. My d did 11 auditions at Unifieds (acting only) and it was too much. She was very burned out by the end. Beware the burnout!
Do male applicants that donât fit as leading men have a shot of admission at the premier schools such as Juilliard or CMU? My son is talented but only 5â4".
Josh Gad is a CMU gradâŚ
The top schools look for all types. They donât want all ingenues and leading men. That said, if your child is more a character actor type and they donât need that type in that yearâs class then it wont matter how talented you are, you wonât get in. But that applies to everyone, leading man, ingenue, character actor, etc. It all boils down to what the school needs to round out their class that year to cast shows and show diversity.
There have been a lot of discussions on how it helps to be beautiful. And it does! But it wonât mean you canât get into any programs. Just maybe not certain programs that want a specific look, whether it be every year or the specific year youâre auditioning. As a character actor, I felt that my looks were a liability in some ways and an advantage in others.
Bumping 