Best BFA Musical Theater Programs

[broadwaybound12]

What has anyone heard about Drew University in New Jersey? Someone told me about the school, and that they have a MT program and that I should check it out (this is coming from someone who's not a MT major or anything. I looked at the website, and that Theater Arts department, but a website can only do so much.

[inick122492]

I was recommended to City College... sounds shady. Any thought?

[MusicalTheatre05]

What about Penn State?

I had a question.

If I go for my BFA in musical theatre at Penn State, is the education in other subjects equally as important?

I know someone schools that if you go for your BFA in musical theatre, then it might be like major (70%) & your other subjects (30%)

[inlovewithjerryherman]

I have an extremely detailed response to a lot of questions earlier in this thread, but to put it shortly,

Best BFAs Musical Theatre:

Carnegie Mellon
Penn State
Michigan
Cincinatti Conservatory of Music

Best BA's with Musical Theatre:

America University
Temple University
USC
UCLA
Northwestern

But like I also say earlier in this thread,

College is what YOU make of it. Schools become great because of students that are motivated and work hard - training is great in a general sense, and there are hundreds of schools with great training - what I think makes these schools the best is that they not only provide outstanding training, but they accept and nuture highly energetic, motivated students. You can get the same training at other schools, but what makes a career in acting is YOU, and your drive to go out there and get jobs. I have met talented people that get work from tons of different schools.

To the above question, BFAs focus mostly on performance - it's conservatory training. You do have some outside classes, but most of your time is spent doing hands on performance work. And strictly performance work (or design, directing, music, whatever your BFA is in)

BAs give a more general artistic viewpoint. I have a BA, and took classes in design, acting, directing, musical theatre, acting, dance, etc. Would i have a BFA in, say, musical theatre, I would focus solely on singing, acting, and dancing.

Hope this helps.

[desiree armfeldt]

Just to clarify what the above poster said, the University of Michigan is a BFA program, but NOT a conservatory.

[broadwaybound12]

As it's my junior year of high school, I'm starting the college search now... I won't start visits till the spring, but I want to start thinking about possible schools.

List at the moment:

- Elon
- FSU
- Penn State
- CMU
- Millikin
- Ithaca
- Emerson
- Michigan
- Drew University
- Vassar College
- Coker College
- Muhlenberg
- College of Charleston
- York College
- High Point

Opinions on the colleges above? And not just info about their MT program... also about their acedemics, like if it's a hard school to get into... things like that.

Thanks for the help =). The websites don't do the schools justice, so I figured finding more out about the schools from people who know them before college visits was the next best things =)

[grandpianoalex]

Belmont has a PHENOMENAL Musical Theatre program. The students are some of the best I've ever heard.

[EmmaCait4]

what are the audition requirements?

[broadwayworldreader]

check out Illinois Wesleyan too. If you are lookin at Milikin you might be interested by that one.

[[e-mail]]

The issue with AMDA is...
1. Outrageously expensive for schooling.
2. They produce little theatre robots, that are stereotypical in every way shape and form. They have not a single individual bone in their body.
3. Their success rate is very low compared to the amount of students entering and leaving per semester.
4. The techniques they learn are debatable, are they truly learning correct technique in all the fields, or do they just want your money... is that why they are accepting students.

But it's all subjective and debatable... it comes down to if you really think its worth it.. go... but my opinion is that school is a show pony.. they use a lot of smoke and mirrors to distract from the fact it's still a small horse... ha

I feel that their website tells it all.. with flashy graphics and all..also they shove their alumni in your face to show off their success rate.... LINK BELOW
AMDA...LINK

[wicked1492]

*BUMP*

I know the topic has been discussed to death, but where on this list that was created previously on this thread would OTTERBEIN fit?

Top 3: (arguable all could be #1)
CCM
UMich
BoCo

Class B: (well known for MT and in no order)
Penn State
CMU
NYU
Millikin
Elon
Webster
Baldwin-Wallace
UArts
Ithaca
Northwestern (with no BFA)
Point Park

Class C: (not as well known, but still good, in no order)
Roosevelt (CCPA)
Florida State
U Central Florida
Illinois Wesleyan
OCU
U Arizona
UCLA
Marymount Manhattan (no BFA MT)
Catholic University
Western Michigan
Wright State
Ball State

[wicked1492]

*BUMP* again...sorry to be a pest.

[musicalmack]

My personal knowledge would put Otterbein in the Class B category. I know they are very selective (they take around 4 boys, 4 girls a year) and rising in notoriety. I've heard people say Otterbein is one of the best MT programs if you're looking for equal and excellent training for singing, acting, and dancing.

[wicked1492]

Thanks for the response, musicalmack!

[Coppelia]

Can anyone tell me about FSU's program. I know that some of their graduates are in the show Memphis.

[WestwardHoHo]

Yale, of course.

[shrekster224]

From Memphis, I'm pretty sure only Kevin Covert went there. They have had tons of Michigan grads though, Bryan Langlitz, Sydney Morton, Ashley Blanchet, Cary Tedder,etc.

Jessica Lea Patty of Addams Family, now in People in the Picture is an FSU grad, and she's amazing. I took a master class from her and she was excellent. Definitely a very prepared and accomplished performer.

Speaking of Broadway performers with BFA's in either Acting or Musical Theater, what would the leading school be right now (in terms of how many grads from a school are currently or were recently on b'way)? Michigan?

EDIT: Just looked it up and Montego Glover also holds a BFA from FSU.

[shrekster224]

Since the majority of the thread if from a few years ago, has anything changed much? In terms of ranking, how good a program is, etc? If someone had to name the top schools as of recently, or programs that have been amazing, what colleges would you put? Or is it all the same as the early parts of this thread?

[erinrebecca]

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/

Go to College Confidential, a much better place to be asking these questions.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Since most of the life of this thread, NYU's Musical Theatre studio at Tisch has changed. It is no longer CAP21, but rather the New Studio for Musical Theatre. I know very little about it, but I doubt it's as good as CAP (which has many, many, many successful alum).

[Performer]

ahhrealmonsters - In response to your negative comment about the New Studio on Broadway at NYU Tisch, first of all, you yourself have admitted that you know very little about it, so I feel that your opinion is unjustified.

The faculty and programs at the New Studio on Broadway are absolutely fantastic. They have teachers who formally taught at Carnegie Mellon, Yale School of Drama, and Juilliard (all highly reputable places). They are still selecting top notch kids out of the 1400 people who auditioned for the program this year (and the number is growing). Please don't assume that because the program is new, there is no way it can be better than CAP21. Because there have not been graduates yet, of course there are no working alumni.

The New Studio on Broadway at Tisch is without a doubt one of the top musical theatre programs in the country. Just look at the faculty, students, reputation, and the greater university.

[TheatreFreak05]

Does anyone know about the musical theatre program at Pace?

[sweetheartsinger]

has anyone heard anything about Emerson College? I've heard some positive things and they look pretty interesting

[ahhrealmonsters]

Performer- I stand corrected.

[Songbird1119]

My daughter is looking for a MT school in the Southeast ( I would prefer Florida!) Has anyone heard about the $1 mil endowment just awarded to U of F Musical Theatre school? Not crazy about FSU as a school, but I know they have a very good music school. But looking for another option in Florida, maybe transfer after a couple of years. Thanks!

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Thoughts about Pace?