@16or32bars Can’t help you with drive times from Ann Arbour to Cleveland or with Michigan but we did BW back in November for MT only. MT took all day. Had an info session for the kids and parents together then separated kids out for monologues and songs. Had a panel discussion for the parents while this was going on. They had a lunch for the parents with a student rep sitting at your table for Q & A (auditioning kids had separate lunch in another location). Then campus tours and Fin. Aid talks for parents. Then they shuttled us over to another part of the campus for Dance Call (it was in the Athletic Center). There was a room for parents to wait and VB had Q & A with us while kids did dance call. DS said there was a lot of sitting around and waiting. They did not split the dance call and the vocals/monologues so kids had to wait for everyone to finish songs/mono before going to dance. We left there around 4 PM from early in the morning.Also, they will ask you to bring 3 song selections and they will choose 2. I have heard that sometimes they will only choose 1 (can’t read into tht if it happens. They warned us it could and it doesn’t mean anything they said). Bring 2 monologues and perform 1 of your choice and they might ask you to do the second. My son did 2 songs and 2 monologues. In the monologue room, the auditor commented that they didn’t feel a connection to his comedic monologue (Neil Simon) but they loved his dramatic and they said they were happy they asked him to do the second because it showed a different side. Hope that helps somewhat. My DS did not get in from the early rounds of auditions, but it was a great experience and he enjoyed it.
I just hope that there is no significant snow on my trip. I am a Yankee by birth but been in the south far too long to have any real background in driving in the snow.
Who has experience with Viterbo? D got great feedback from a walk-in with them but more importantly the current students they brought with them really made the program and the school seem like a good fit. Thanks in advance!
Hi yall!! I just wanted to check in and see if anyone has or is applying to Wichita State this year! I’m a current student and i LOVE it here. If any prospective students/parents have questions feel free to message me! One of our Alums just took over for Hamilton from LMM in the third national tour of Hamilton!
@CanadianMTgirl is a fairly recent Viterbo grad and can likely give helpful insight re the program
@NYKaren I can’t remember if I knew that your son already committed to Nazareth or not, so congratulations to him! I’ve mentioned that D really enjoyed her audition there as well and can see herself there (and was accepted too). After we have results from Unifieds (Chicago and now LA this weekend), we will hopefully make another trip there along with visiting a few other schools. Anyway, I’m very happy for your son - nice to have auditions done and the future planned. 
@NYKaren , @theaterwork , My son was also accepted to the program, but we were not EA, so we are still waiting for the admissions offer and financial aid coming March 1st (hopefully before committing)! We are seriously considering saying YES to Nazareth as soon as that offer comes in (his dream school is still out there in the wings waiting after an audition, so that’s the wild card), but he really liked NAZ, so did we. They offer Study abroad in London for theater kids, as well as the opportunity to spend a semester in NY at The Tepper semester (a program run by Syracuse U) which has great reviews. Corinne is connected to Brett Smock, who runs the Finger Lakes musical festival. He also directed “Spring Awakening” at NAZ this past fall. It truly is a beautiful campus. The two times we visited, my S and we felt really welcomed. Their catalog lists lots of great classes and opportunities, piano, ear training, private voice, many dance classes, ability to minor, etc… They also have a NY showcase (this year it is March 14th at Jerry Ohrbach theater in NYC, which I may attend to check out the talent). I also can’t say enough about Corinne Aqulina, she is the strength of the program. I loved her attitude when we met she is really committed to the kids and making the program top notch. @NYKaren we will touch base if/when we commit. Best of luck to your kid @theaterwork . Last word…Pittsford is a really nice town, and minutes away from Rochester, which has a lot to offer.
@MToverload , @NYKaren …Maybe this is starting to be a Nazareth trend on CC. Lots of positive feedback here, so it is starting to make the decision easier. My S is also waiting on a few Unified auditions as well. His dream school is a reach, but he’s holding out until he hears from them before committing. Any additional info is welcomed. My S was also accepted to Viterbo MT, @NewToThis13 , and I am trying to get more info on that school. Anyone with info, please can you comment. THere is a Viterbo parents group on Facebook, and the parents there have been glowing about the program. It’s location is a drawback if not from the midwest, but I may be surprised. Might be planning a vist in March.
@NewToThis13 I did a walk in with them in New York and then talked to the Chicago auditors earlier this week at Unifieds. I loved them as well! I talked to them a little about the program and some highlights to me seem to be: ability to minor/possibly double major, strong dance (some students do a dance minor they said), and a focus on mentally well performers. They said that they make an effort to help you learn to improve the aspects of auditions that you can control (material, how you market yourself etc) and give you techniques to let go about the aspects that you cannot. The program in general seems very warm and caring yet still rigorous. Perhaps your daughter knows this, but another thing I liked was their voice teachers are classically trained opera singers who also specialize in belt technique so you’ll leave College learning how to do it all.
They’ve quickly become one of my top choices, however I would also like to learn more so if anyone has any info about how many people they accept/class size, performance opportunities and senior showcase/networking opportunities that would be great!
Not trying to revive the walk-in discussion but I can give you 20 examples of things that have happened to my D auditioning professionally that are just not fair. How about going to NY for 3 callbacks only to find out that they were already negotiating with someone and the whole group who spent a fortune getting there was just a backup? How about booking a job to match the parent in the show and then the parent backed out and they had to recast? How about when D was non-equity waiting all day and was almost in the door when an EMC candidate with 1 point shows up and they close out everyone else? Now, we can’t just have a hissy fit about it and refuse to work with these people ever again, cause that’s the business. They care about the show and the schools care about the class they are creating. They really don’t care too much about you. In their minds everyone has the chance to audition however they prefer, and they have the right to run auditions however they want.
As for heads of programs, yes it matters, to a point. Your DC could enroll and then the head could leave. The head is busy running the program, but it is the professors who are actively working and casting. They are the ones who really get to know the students and create lasting professional relationships and there is just really no way to know which professors they will connect with. If I were to go through this again, I would talk to as many current students as I could and ask them," Have you grown as a performer?" “Do your professors and vocal coaches get who you are and are working to improve that? " Do they help with transitioning to the working world?”
@BeBop1 Amen! I agree with all that you said!
@NewToThis13 My D was accepted to Viterbo as a walk in and it was one of the best audition experiences she had. I would say, based on us interviewing students, Viterbo’s training is legitimate and the program is supportive. They offered some fabulous financial aid, making it very affordable. My D decided she did not want to go to school in a small, isolated town, since that is what she grew up in. My belief is the location is why the program is not as popular. It is also difficult to fly there from the west coast. Also, she wanted an area that gave her access to outside opportunities.
@BeBop1 Totally agree. We have seen the same stuff happen.
@NewToThis13, @collegeboundSam we did a quick “drive through” visit to Viterbo last year while on our way to MN. D loved her Chicago Unified audition and was happy to get the acceptance but the campus was disappointing. To be fair classes were not in session but it is a very small school and it felt a bit isolated. We had heard really good things about the program but my D could just not see herself there. Also if I remember correctly they do not have a senior showcase? Not positive about that though. D ended up at a large university with a small BFA MT program.
D Just got a no from CCM. Third no in a row and no yes’s. Really discouraged.
Well, that was fast! My D received her first no tonight from Chicago - CCM. She didn’t feel any connection with them, so her response was “the feeling was mutual” HAHA! I know we are extremely blessed to have the acceptances she has so far, and we knew a “no” would eventually come. In the words of Arianna Grande, “thank you, next!”
@musicaltheatre77 keep the faith. My S got 5 straight no’s , then bam…3 straight yes… Most will come in March. Hopefully you have more than a few more auditions left. Best of luck.
Sorry for the no’s. How did CCM notify?
Sorry for the nod what time did you guys receive the email?
D got an email just after six central tonight to check her portal for CCM