@NYKaren -
I didn’t realize that Fred is a pre-screen school. My S17 is in the tech side. He was supposed to put his portfolio up on GetAccepted 2 years ago (or whatever it’s called) and I couldn’t figure out how to do it, so we called and they waived that and he just went up for an in person interview, which was another story altogether. My son has switched from the BFA to a general theater BA and loves it even more now that he no longer has to take artsy classes.
I’ve seen a couple of shows up there and they have been excellent. In addition, auditions are open to all majors and non-BFA kids are cast. This could be a byproduct of the fact that Fred is known as a music school, as its music education program is well thought of and a number of those kids participate. S17’s roommate is a music ed major and has had parts in the operas which the school also puts on. My son jokes that he is the only non-musical kid there as he neither sings nor plays any instruments, while everyone else he knows does one or both.