BEST COLLEGES BFA MUSICAL THEATER- Page 7

[WildhornFanatic]

Posted: 7/9/05 at 3:43pm

I'm not sure about schools in the South for Musical Theater. How about Florida?

[Aigoo]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 5:05pm

FSU.

[dancnqn5]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 7:44pm

Hairspraydoll - California State University, Fullerton also offers a BFA in Musical Theatre (and they are supposed to be starting a BFA in acting next year). I have biased opinions of their program, but they do (for the most part) know what they are talking about. So that's another option for MT BFA on the West Coast

[Bwaybaby109]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 8:09pm

Ok...I know that this post hasnt been updated since...well July. But I have to clarify something.

There IS a good musical theatre school in GA as well as several in the southeast. The best one in GA is Shorter College. We have an awesome department. We do 2 musicals and 2 straight shows a year as well as several 2nd stage shows, including 2 other musicals. This year we are doing Urinetown and Civil War as our 2nd stage, Chorus Line and Cabaret as our main stage. We have won several awards at American College Theatre Festival, going to the finals twice as a matter of fact. We have awesome classes and our department only has 70 students. Our professors know us all well and personally. Plus we have leading role opportunities to freshman as well! And at the GA Theatre Conference, most of the people who get passed on to SETC are from Shorter. So there ya go! GA has a good musical theatre school.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 8:59pm

I would say to go where ever you truly think is best for you..if you've got the talent then no matter where you go to school, your talent will tell more about you before where you went to college.

I go to the University of Montevallo in Alabama and I think we have a excellent program in fact alot of colleges here in Alabama have great programs.

Here are a few should check out:

University of Alabama
Birmingham-Southern College
University of Montevallo
Troy University
UAB

Check them out you might find something you like...I came here to UM and fell in-love with it instantly we have the most unique homecoming ever where are school splits into Purple and Gold and each side puts on a musical that is written by and produced by the students and these are not cheap productions either. You should definately check it out.

But where you choose to go is up to you...and if you have the talent it doesnt matter.

[catstagestud]

Posted: 11/8/05 at 7:15pm

I attend the University of Arizona in Tucson working toward my BFA in MT. The program here is based through the school of theatre arts and as a MT major I take just as many acting classes as the acting majors; it's exciting to get to do chekov, shakespeare, and comedia. The program is very fun and selective. No more than 12 are accepted into MT and 12 into Acting as freshmen...there are cuts after both freshman and sophomore years but there's no set number of people that will be cut. My entire MT class from last year got acepted for sophomore year.
We get our vocal training through the school of music so we do do classical training for our voices in addition to working on musical theatre music. The dance part of the program is through the school of dance and you take at least one class a semester...ranging from intro stuff to major level dance classes. Good luck with everything.

Cheers,

C.

[AgeABabe]

Posted: 11/8/05 at 7:22pm

theres many schools. Marymount Manhattan College has a Musical Theatre program in their theatre department. AAMDA is a good school but i forget if you can get a BFA. there is a college in Massachusetts, but i forget what the name of it is. I heard that the one in MA is really good. Ithaca has a good program too. It all depends on which area you want to be in (East or West). It narrows things down for you. Hope I somewhat helped...

[OrdinaryJukebox1]

Posted: 11/8/05 at 7:38pm

Just because Marymount has a program doesn't mean it's any good. I know someone who goes there...actually, I'm not even sure if she was accepted into the program...probably because she sucks...but, I digress...hehe

-Vincent

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 11/8/05 at 7:44pm

In terms of making it on Broadway, CCM and Juilliard are both excellent and have great "career placement". CCM has a showcase for agents in NYC and LA which gives it a major edge over 99% of the programs out there.

[ShiningStar]

Posted: 11/8/05 at 8:29pm

SCAD was mentioned a few pages back....sorry to offend anyone (the person who mentioned it) but that school is god aweful! They're great when it comes to fashion and design and they have a beautiful campus, but their MT program is not good at all. They put on a show a few years back which was the same as my high school was putting on and our show was much better quality. Given the fact that I go to a performing arts school, still, it's sad when a college can't put on a decent show. When I comes to great MT schools I would def. have to go with CCM, Boston Conservatory, Carnegie Melon, U of M, and so on.

[TheGirlontheSwing]

Posted: 11/8/05 at 8:36pm

I've heard that univesity of oklahoma has one of the best programs in the country. Also Boston Conservatory is very good as well but they are very selective.

[tagiunagi]

Posted: 11/8/05 at 9:32pm

I do want to keep this all in perspective for you. Just because you'll go to Carnegie Mellon or Northwestern or NYU doesn't mean you're one step above those who may go to Marymount Manhattan or Emerson, for example. You can still achieve whatever level of success in "the biz" that you want, even if you aren't at NYU.

[WildhornFanatic]

Posted: 11/8/05 at 10:25pm

tagiunagi AMEN! If you're at the greatest program in the world or the worst program in the world, it depends what you take out of it! TRY YOU'RE BEST, PEOPLE!

[IveGottaBeME]

Posted: 11/8/05 at 11:53pm

check out UArts in Philly

[LostLeander]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 1:52am

I think there is definately a lot to be said for talent, but as far as reputation, and agents and casting directors trusting schools for the consistent talent that comes out of a particular school, CMU has a AWESOME AWESOME reputation.

They have huge connections, and not to mention WONDERFUL training. It's intense, and expensive, but you will be SO prepared by the time you exit the program, that you will (and an absurdly high percentage do) get work.

Also, casting directors call CMU to ask if they have a certain person that would be good to audition...

There's my two cents.

[tagiunagi]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 7:23am

Just don't freak out if you don't get into CMU, tho. It's not the be-all, end-all of schools.

[WildhornFanatic]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 9:03am

I thought CMU has gone downhill in the past few years. Isn't CCM like THE school to go to for Musical Theater?

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 9:22am

There are lots of good schools for MT and none of them is any guarantee of work after graduation. There is no ONE best school. The admissions rates are so low that it's as competitive to get in as it is to an Ivy League college in many instances.

Generally speaking, the 'top' tier schools, which have similar admit rates, are CCM, Tisch, CMU, UMich, OCU, Syracuse, BoCo, Emerson, and then the next grouping would include, Penn State, Ithaca, UArts, Elon, Baldwin-Wallace, Otterbein, Hartt, Point Park. Juilliard does not have a musical theatre program.

Each of these colleges is a bit different in what they're looking for. For some, you need good academics as well as a great audition, some you have to pass academic review before you can audition, for others your audition is going to determine whether or not you get in. Most of the top schools have some type of showcase for agents/directors/casting people in NYC, and some do for L.A. as well.

Do people make it in the business if they don't go to one of these schools? Of course, some do, but it's a tough biz, and the better education and training (as well as making important and valuable contacts while in school) you can get, the better off your chances will be when it comes time to start auditioning.

And no, wildhornfanatic, CMU's reputation has not gone downhill. It's a wonderful and very well-respected (and extremely selective) school. I can say that without bias because I go to Tisch.
Updated On: 11/9/05 at 09:22 AM

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 9:35am

One thing i found when i was looking for schools was don't go to the big flashy ones..... go to a smaller school with a tiny program..... and if you are really good you become the big fish in the small pond, that is what i am doing right now! i get individual attention along with one of the best educations ever!

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 10:15am

I disagree, bwaybaby18. You should go to the best possible program you get accepted to, regardless of the size. It isn't about being a big fish in a small pond. It's about getting the best possible education and training that you can. If the best school you get into is a small program, that's fine but if it's a larger program, that's fine, too. The size of the program isn't always the determining factor in how much attention you get. Tisch has probably the largest drama program in the country but the individual studio classes are very small, generally in the 12-15 range. Your focus should always be on learning as much as possible, and not being the big fish.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 2:19pm

Ithaca is THE BEST!

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 2:29pm

Carnegie-Mellon is a VERY good musical theatre school, but they have a far stronger straight drama program.

Cincinnatti Conservatory of Music is widely regarded as the best musical theatre school.

At both of these schools, you have to re-audition i think your sophmore year to remain in the program.

The University of Michigan was my choice program - they have quite the record, the most beautiful campus in the world, friendly staff, and regular lectures from Audra McDonald, who swears by it as the best musical theatre program in the states. I agree with her - it's more nurturing, more educational - some may prefer the cutthroat, real-life programs of the former two schools, but if you feel it's best to learn by example, not by fire, this is the best school.

also check out Oklahoma, Northwestern, Syracuse, Florida, Penn State, and NYU (although NYU's rep has slipped over the past few years, I hear.)

[starlight2]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 3:13pm

inlovewithjerryherman, you DO mean Oklahoma City University, NOT Oklahoma University, right?? BIG difference!

[itstheM]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 3:33pm

Syracuse has an awesome program. CCM has a great music program but they 'lack' in acting because they are a music conservatory. Both schools have a showcase. If you want more, PM me I have a lot of information.

[LostLeander]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 4:24pm

I would BEG to differ with placing CMU with CCM as a cut-throat school.
Real-life, yes. Intense, yes, but not cut-throat.
This place is actually quite nurturing, and for the record, Musical Theatre students take around 80% of the same course load that actors take PLUS various singing and dancing classes.

So, we're a very acting based program, and 90% of the people they take are ACTORS, or have the aptitude to be great actors, not singing heads.