PERFORMING ARTS COLLEGES

[bernadette88]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 4:14pm

I know they have been threads on this before...but...Anyone have any good names for Performing Arts Colleges that have STRONG Music Theatre Programs. I have many in mind and have researched a few, but I figured it never hurts to ask other "theatre geeks." If anyone could help it would be greatly appreciated!:)

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 5:35pm

DON'T GO TO AMDA OR RANDOLPH!!!!!!!!!

[NYUstud]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 11:30pm

Donna Murphy, Idina Menzel, and ME, just to name a few, are NYU kids!!!!

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 11:31pm

Very lucky kids that go to a very expensive school.

[NYUstud]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 11:33pm

What you talkin bout Willis? I'm not rich, my dad is a minister and my mom a secretary. I will be in college loan debt for the rest of my life!!!!

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 11:35pm

"It sucks to be you...you win!"

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 11:36pm

"What you talkin bout Willis? I'm not rich, my dad is a minister and my mom a secretary. I will be in college loan debt for the rest of my life!!!!"

It get's old.

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 11:36pm

Mother crap!

Updated On: 6/9/04 at 11:36 PM

[PennyLou]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 11:40pm

oh if only I could got to NYU but I don't want my grand kids paying for my college....

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 12:41am

The University of Northern Colorado has a very active theater program, and its strength in musical theater. The only drawback is living in Greeley, CO, which is a total cow town, always reeks of manure and has pretty much nothing in the way of night life, unless all you want to do is drink and maybe squeeze in a few frames of bowling. If you want something on the east coast (and way more social options) I have several friends who attend the Boston Conservatory and love it.

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 12:49am

Taye Diggs went to Syracuse University.
Gavin Creel went to the University of Michigan.

I have friends at both programs that would highly recommend them.

And because UofM is a state school, the tuition isn't as bad as, say, Syracuse, NYU, or Julliard.

Updated On: 6/11/04 at 12:49 AM

[chauvelin128]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 11:06am

Next time you go to a Broadway show, count how many names have University of Michigan in their bio...it's unreal. Some just off the top of my head are Gavin Creel (Millie, Bounce), Hunter Foster and Doug Sills (Little Shop), Barrett Foa (Avenue Q), David Burtka (Gypsy), Alex Gemignani and Chris Peluso (Assassins)...and the list goes on. I would check their program out. Updated On: 6/10/04 at 11:06 AM

[Techieboi]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 11:44am

Boston Conservatory of Music www.bostonconservatory.edu
Carnegie Mellon University www.cmu.edu
Columbus State University www.colstate.edu
Converse College http://www.converse.edu/Petrie/enter.html
Curtis>http://www.converse.edu/Petrie/enter.html>http://www.converse.edu/Petrie/enter.html
Curtis Institute of Music www.curtis.edu
Depaul University music.depaul.edu
Eastman School of Music http://www.rochester.edu/Eastman/
Emerson>http://www.rochester.edu/Eastman/>http://www.rochester.edu/Eastman/
Emerson College www.emerson.edu
Florida State University www.fsu.edu
Georgia Southern University www.gasou.edu
Georgia Music Educators www.gmea.org
Indiana University www.indiana.edu
Juilliard School www.juilliard.edu
Manhattan School of Music www.msmnyc.edu
New England Conservatory of Music www.newenglandconservatory.edu/
New York University www.nyu.edu
North Carolina School of the Arts www.ncarts.edu
Oberlin Conservatory www.oberlin.edu
Oklahoma City University www.okcu.edu
Point Park College www.ppc.edu
Rice University www.rice.edu
Shenandoah Conservatory www.su.edu/conservatory
Shorter College www.shorter.edu
Southern Methodist University www.smu.edu
SUNY Fredonia www.fredonia.edu
SUNY Stonybrook www.sunysb.edu
SUNY Purchase www.purchase.edu
SUNY Potsdam www.potsdam.edu
University of the Arts (Philadelphia) www.uarts.edu
University of Arizona www.arizona.edu
University of Cincinnati - College Conservatory of Music www.ccm.uc.edu
University of Michigan www.umich.edu
University of Southern California www.usc.edu
Valdosta State University www.valdosta.edu

and of course, my fav...
Wright State University http://www.wright.edu/


http://www.wright.edu/>http://www.wright.edu/

[AnnaFabulous]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 11:46am

The Hartt School(West Hartford, Ct)has a VERY strong program, many of their alumni are on Broadway and there are regional theatre all over the U.S. who will take a Hartt student without auditioning. It has made 2nd on the list of Music Theatre Conservatory Programs.It's nice because it's close enough to New York, but not directly in New York (so you don't have to deal with, well, new york)

Also NorthWestern, is a very good school. It has made #1 for acting in the U.S. List of Conservatory programs, and there are alot of people on Broadway from them (and I think that 4 of their students have won Tony's.

Carnegie Melon- great school, 1st on the list of Music theatre Programs.

University of Cinnicinatti- It's simple, if you get in, go there. I don't know where they are on the music theatre programs list, and yes they're snobby jerks, but it's worth it. EVERYBODY who graduates WORKS, I mean really works! Everywhere! On Broadway, Regional, London, everywhere. If you get in, go there! They're the one school who didn't accept me, but I know people who went, and needless to say I'm a little jealous.

NYU- (ny, ny)I hate to diss it, but not that great for a Bachelor's program. Of course later if you want your Master's degree, NYU is the way to go!

Emerson- (Boston, Ma) Highly Noted for it's Music Theatre program. I don't know where it sits on the lists, but I have friends who go there, and I know the Brian Stokes Mitchell just recently visited. Alot of Bway alumni. (The only reason I chose not to go was I felt I was accepted into a slightly higher esteemed school)

Depaul University (Chicago, Ill), Great school.

U.C. Irvine (Irvine, Ca)Although they take every student who has a good GPA (3.5) and no auditions, the level of learning is very good. Many alum on broadway, and 6 on the Music theatre programs list, and 1st for dance.

AMDA: If you're just out of Highschool, DO NOT GO THERE!!Yes, they have alum on broadway (but look at how many people they take , 250 as opposed to Hartt's mere 30) but those people are people looking to get some extra training and many times already have degree's from other colleges, and you don't get your degree at AMDA, and it very important to get your degree. So unless your looking for some extra training, and you know the ropes a little bit in New York, DON'T GO TO AMDA! They've also been rumored to be a 'cookie cutter' school. You get the AMDA Hair, and the AMDA Smile....yes, Marisa Jaret Winocour came from there, but is that who you want to be like?

Webster: You don't want them, they're not all they say they are. They have some alum on Broadway, but they're more of a diva school, and they say that all their alum are working, but many are elementry school music teachers, or wedding singers. Nothing wrong with that, but one can do that with a degree from nearly any University who offers it. Or even without a degree.

Hope this helps!

[MusicPos2]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 1:12pm

Please realize that as of now, NYU has two musical theatre programs: one in the Steinhardt School of Education (this one is much stronger musically), and the other is in Tisch. Idina is a graduate of Tisch, but she only studied acting there. They are really bad for voice at Tisch, for the most part. Go for the School of Ed one, there are over 20 private voice teachers that are members of major opera companies. The biggest thing is look at the school before you decide. Talk to students and professors, maybe even see if you can take a complimentary voice lesson. Remember, schools send out a lot of people, few of whom will go onto Broadway, no matter how many big names you hear. People that good will go b/c they find the place that is right for them.

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 1:19pm

Seriously about NYU Tisch - The amount of student loans it would have taken for me to go there exceeded the amount of loans you are allowed to take out for a year !!! LOL

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 1:30pm

Just remember, a school just looks good on the resume. The factor that will decide if you go far in the business is your TALENT.

[DoReMi]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 6:41pm

Next time you go to a Broadway show, check out the alumni from Oklahoma City University:

Kristen Chenoweth: "Wicked"
Kelli O'Hara: "Dracula", "Sweet Smell of Success"
Ryan Ball: "The Frogs"
Julie Hansen: Christine "Phantom of The Opera"
Dan Webb: "La Bohem"


And on the road:
Jordan Ballard: Amber "Hairspray"
Amanda Huddleston: "Les Miz"
Devon Walker: "Oklahoma"
Nikki Andoga: "Oklahoma"
Kinnie Dye: "Sussical"

And on TV:

Ron Raines: "Chicago" Emmy nominee "Gudiding Light"


And former Tony nominee:

Lara Teeter: "On Your Toes", "Seven Brides"


www.youatocu.com

[Gatesy2]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 6:47pm

SUNY Cortland has a great program going now. Take a look: http://www.cortland.edu/performingarts/http://www.cortland.edu/performingarts/>http://www.cortland.edu/performingarts/

[broadwaybondchik]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 6:50pm

Im leaving for AMDA in 10 days! I am straight out of high school.......I wanna say its great, but obviously i cant make and strong opinions yet.......Ill let you know!

[StrStruckDreamr9]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 6:52pm

Does anyone know about the quality of Columbia University's theater program?

[broadwaybondchik]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 6:54pm

Isnt it more film based?

[sopranostar]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 11:27pm

Another couple things to remember... Each program is what you make of it and stage time is valueable.

I don't doubt that you'll get great training at CCM or Boston, but those are large programs with many people vying for stage time. Sure, going to a large conservatory school sounds impressive, but if you don't get any stage time, it won't do you any good. I'm going to a small liberal arts school in Iowa right now and I'm getting amazing opportunities as far as shows go. Look around at some liberal arts schools, talk to their professors, see what feels right.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 6/10/04 at 11:45pm

What about Marymount? I'm interested in that school.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 12:05am

Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, has a fairly new Musical Theater major. MT students can also double major with either Vocal Performance or Music Ed. While the MT major has acting and dance components, as the name implies, the greatest emphasis is on music, with vocal health a constant consideration.

The Westminster Symphonic Choir recently performed as the chorus in the Lincoln Center production of Candide with Kristen Chenoweth and Patti LuPone.