How Educational Elitism is Hurting Theatre
We’re getting closer to the end of August, meaning that many students across the nation have just started – or are about to start – the Fall 2015 semester at the college or university that they currently attend. Personally, as I near the start of my last year of college, I am reminded of something that I’m sure many other college theatre students in America have faced at one point or another, and if they haven’t, probably will eventually. It is a problem that I believe is very unfortunate not just for us, but for the entire theatre community. Whenever I tell someone that I went to a local state university in Willimantic – as opposed to one of the larger and more well-known universities in the country – I get very similar reactions from various people. Sometimes it appears in the form of a “Well, why do you go there? Why not [insert school here]?” as if they believe that I am not as smart or talented as someone else might be, while in other cases it appears in the form of either a “Huh” or “Oh, okay” as they nod their heads, heavily indicating that they don’t think much of the college education I have received. In a few other cases, the reaction is merely complete silence.
Read More
Avoid the "The-Original Broadway Cast-Did-It-That-Way-Syndrome"
While there has been some positive change in the theater world, there is a growing issue of things staying the same.
For the sake of ease, I’ll refer to it as The-OBC-Did-It-That-Way-Syndrome; that is to say directors forgoing their own artistic input and simply recreating the original Broadway production. It’s an issue I’ve noticed a lot recently, especially at community theater productions or amateur shows. Everything down to the costuming, set, mannerisms and blocking are taken almost 100 percent from the libretto. There is nothing inherently wrong with this – those choices were made with the original creative team and are in the script for a reason – but far too often it impedes directorial creativity and makes the amateur version feel like a pale imitation of the original. The thrill of seeing your child/brother/friend/parent on stage aside, these copycat productions do little but offer the same nostalgia as watching The Wizard of Oz on late-night television for the hundredth time.
Read More
If You Want to Major in Theatre, Avoid These Colleges : 2017-18 Edition
I'll be honest, I've never written an article like this before. While we release annual rankings of who we feel offers the best theatre programs in the country, doing a list of the opposite just seems like an opening for all kinds of trouble.
However, when reading an article in the news the other day, I realized the perfect way to determine what schools to avoid if you want to major in theatre: The ones that won't value you.
Read More
Keep Calm and Manage On : The Importance of Being an Even Tempered Stage Manager
It’s no secret in the theatre world that stage managing is difficult. Between creating schedules, tracking each and every change and development in rehearsal, making sure the show runs smoothly each night, and of course, managing actors and tech staff, it gets hectic. You are ultimately charged with creating order out of varying amounts of chaos. And one thing that must be kept in order is your own attitude.
Read More
Transferring from One Theatre Program to Another: Some Tips and Tricks
I spent my freshman year after high school in a BA program. I loved the school and the people, but it just wasn’t the right program or intensity for me. I wanted to pursue a BFA but I didn’t know where to begin. Most of my friends used MTCA or similar services as audition help, and I was doing this completely on my own.
Since many friends have come to me this year for help with transferring to another theatre program, specifically for BFA MT programs, I decided to put together this list of some tips/tricks I picked up along the way.
Read More
The Four Realities of a College Theatre Program, That No One Prepares You For
For high school seniors you're probably getting a ton of communication from your colleges about what to prepare for next fall. It probably includes what to pack, choice of meal plans, Resident Life tips, etc.
But for theatre majors, there isn't a whole lot the school can do to help prepare you for what's truly ahead of you for the next four years. How could they? Being a theatre major has its own set of challenges and triumphs. Having come from a program like this, I know that many of the people I've talked have had the same experiences. For BFA students, it's going to be a bit different but maybe some of this applies to you as well.
Read More
3 Things to Double Check Before Your BFA Audition
BFA auditions can be a stressful process. Not only can they decide whether or not you get into the college of your dreams but also how much scholarship money you'll receive. So the pressure can feel enormous. That's why everything needs to be perfect when you enter that room.
Read More
Theatre Ghosts: Part 1—The Ghosts We Inherit
Who doesn’t enjoy a good theatre ghost story? I love those moments, after rehearsal, when everyone shares their spectral experiences…or those moments IN rehearsal when something happens that is beyond explanation.
Read More
The Top 10 Musical Theatre Programs in the Country for 2017-18
For theatre students, where you attend can certainly have an impact on your career with the type of training you receive. It's also important to note that while each school listed here is excellent, a college degree doesn't guarantee success nor is one required to become successful in this industry.
Here at OnStage, we take months to research the best BFA programs to come up with our own lists. We base it off cost vs. scholarships, curriculum, performance opportunities, facilities, the experience of faculty, career support, everything you yourself would consider before making a college choice. We even have gone as far to call admission offices to ask them questions.
Once we collect all of the data, it's loaded into a matrix scoring system which determines where schools are ranked. Trust us when we say that some of the results even surprised us.
Read More
The Top 10 BFA Acting Programs in the Country for 2017-18
This is usually a time where college seems to be on everyone's mind. Whether it's incoming freshmen getting ready to move into their residence halls or high school seniors preparing their applications, college is a constant discussion.
For theatre students, where you attend can certainly have an impact on your career with the type of training you receive. It's also important to note that while each school listed here is excellent, a college degree doesn't guarantee success nor is one required to become successful in this industry.
Read More
