now i know this is entirely relative, however... i've been working in a regional theater this summer. there are a lot of college students from around the US there as well as a lot of people who are recently out of college. on several different occasions, i've heard people refer to their school as "top three."
At my school, I was always told that recently, top three has been switching around between Julliard, Carnegie Melon and NYU. However, this summer I have heard "Yeah..." *cracks knuckles "I go to University of the Arts.. yep, top three. You know." or "Yep.. I go to Kent State. Top three.." University of Florida? top three. Muhlenberg? top three. Penn State? top three. In fact, if I believed everything I were told, I would think there were about 25 schools in the top three.
So my question is, are these schools making themselves seem better than they are so students will go there? Is this top three thing a myth? If not, what are the true top three schools and has anyone else noticed this also?
Updated On: 8/10/04 at 06:30 PM
I think it depends what category you are talking about. Acting? Singing? Triple Threats? Shakespeare? Stage Management? Costuming? Directing? Theater Management? Not every school is top three in every category.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
Keep in mind, everyone has a different opinion as to what constitutes a good theater school...each school has a different focus and different way of doing things that may suit one person better than another.
And, yes, schools try to make themselves seem more acclaimed to get you to apply there.
I have seen a lot in interviews and things, though, that casting directors like to see NYU, Juiliard and CMU.
Just a thought.
-Anyone want to turn anarchist with me?"Bless you and all who know you, oh wise and penguined one." ~YouWantItWhen????
The top musical theater program, from what many people think is at Cincinatti Conservatory of Music. I know that they also have a great acting program. Of course Boston Conservatory, Carnegie Melon, Michigan and so on are great.But you have to look at the classes that you want to take and the chances of you actually getting in!
Julliard is not for theater????? Tell that to Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin, Kevin Kline, Audra McDonald, Robin Williams, Kelsey Grammer, etc.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
Julliard has a drama dept. but is best known for its classical music program. It does not have a musical theatre program, only a drama dept, but is know for the classical music program.
"You alone can make my song take flight, it's over now, the Music of the Night!!!!!"
i wouldn't consider AMDA a school because you don't get a degree and it is a 2 year program. they have had some good "alumni" but this may also be because they accept almost 50% of their applicants. however jason mraz went there and he is my favorite singer ever, so i guess i can't bash it completely to the ground.
juilliard is an amazing program for acting and i believe they only accept about 2% of their applicants. i was asking about schools where you can major in theater in general, which does not require them to provide a MT degree program.
p.s. really what i am most interested in with this post is what have you been told are quote unquote the "top schools" and who told you this. i just wonder where everyone hears this top three thing from because i'm sure there is no right answer. i was so suprised how much the opinion varied from person to person and it seems weird to throw these words "top three" around if it wasn't a known thing.
The three that I usually hear are CCM, CMU, and FSU. Those are the top three musical theatre schools, from what I have heard. I do not know about theatre or music.
Someone told me before that to get in to Juilliard for Acting you have to have had training beforehand. Is this true? I was considering auditioning for them but if this is true, I'd say nevermind.
Also, when I toured CMU this July, I was told by my guide, Drew, that CMU did indeed have the number one theatre program. He didn't specify m.t. or plain acting, though. He also talked bad about CCM quite a bit and how they shape you in to the quintessential ensemble member there. This came from a Senior M.T. there.
Updated On: 8/10/04 at 08:46 PM
Something that I found out about AMDA is that they have a program to transfer into the New School where you can get your BFA. Does anyone have any other info on this?
yeah they have it worked out so you can take your liberal arts credits through some sort of independent study program at the New School for 2 years after recieving your AMDA certificate. i'm not sure what type of degree you recieve, though.
i don't think people are reading my post correctly (or reading it at all?). i'm not asking about the top schools. i know what i think the top schools are, and i don't care what you think the top schools are.
my teachers have been telling me that my school is one of the top three schools and i always thought this was a known fact until being out of the city for the summer and realizing that every college theater major thinks they are in a top three school. i'm wondering who is doing this. because i only know my own point of view from my own school, i'm wondering what people from other schools have been told.
In response to the question about AMDA and the connection to New School, the type of degree you get depends on the program you were in at AMDA. Studio Program(Straight Acting and Film) students who attend New School come out with a B.A. while Integrated Program(Musical Theatre) students come out with a B.F.A.
we do not claim to be in the "top three" because what we're going by is that there is no "top three".
top three in what? you know?
Musical theatre wise- you are looking at what program best suits you- and because MT is like a triple major you have to know WHICH of the three is most important to you.
if you think it's this order: 1. singing 2. acting 3. dancing
you might do best at Michigan, CMU
or if you think its: 1.singing 2. dancing 3. acting
you might do best with CCM, Boston
if you think its: 1. acting 2. singing 3. dancing
you might do well with UArts, NYU
if you think its: 1. dancing 2.singing 3. acting
you might do well with Point Park, and others...
the point is... that there can be no TOP TEN since the field is so variable... right?
I know that many schools are more competitive than others... I know that we take 20-25 students in the Musical Theatre program each year out of the hundreds upon hundreds that audition... but does that make us in the "top 10" ? "top 5"? "top 3"?
in my humble opinion- I just think its what suits YOU as an ARTIST best- because its your job in those four years to acquire the skills you need to be successful in the business... every college has successful grads... you just have to find what is right for YOUR NEEDS.. and no magical listy-poo will be able to tell you that for real...
but.. who knows. maybe I'm all wrong...
*shrugs*
There's nothing you can know that isn't known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown.
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.
It's easy:
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE.
If you are serious about theater, musical or not, do not go to AMDA.
It is a joke. They accept anyone.
Top musical theater schools: Oklahoma City University (not University of Oklahoma..again, they'll accept anyone), CCM (but they're a bunch of a holes), NYU, CMU and FSU.
Emerson is having academic issues..they were a total mess last yuear.