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[0:00] Charlie Murphy: Hello, hello, and welcome to Mapping the College Audition. I'm your host, Charlie Murphy, Director of MTCA. That's the Musical Theatre College Auditions. Check us out at mtca.com. And today we've got Lisa and Steven Frohlich on the pod, a pair of alumni, been there, done that, MTCA parents, who've gone through this process and come out on the other side all the wiser.

[0:34] Charlie Murphy: These are episodes that I know our parent listeners really enjoy and I get a lot of good feedback on them. So I'm going to keep bringing them on until you tell me to stop. And this is the first in a series of these alumni interviews I've talked about. I have one with a parent and student coming up and one with a family of three. Oh my, all kinds of different combinations, different perspectives on the process. Though, of course, we're also going to weave in some of our regular artist episodes, meaning our, you know, fancy Broadway people. So you don't think we lose all our Broadway clout for our student listeners who I know enjoy those.

[1:06] Charlie Murphy: But for our parent listeners, I know you do enjoy listening to other alumni parents who are BTDT. That's the phrase everyone uses, BTDT. I will say this episode is long. My takeaways are long. I couldn't help myself. But hopefully, you know, you're out there, you got a lot of dishes to go through. Maybe you're training for a marathon. Maybe you just got a really good gym session or whatever it is that you're working on. And maybe you're going to really enjoy this long episode. I hope you will. I think the interview is great. The takeaways are great. It is a lot of content.

[1:36] Charlie Murphy: As for me, my biggest life update is the downtowners of the Broadway Show League are back. We're back, baby. Once again, headed to the championship game, which will be a week from tomorrow as this episode releases. This is Thursday, September 3rd. So any of you out there, if you're in the New York area, feel free to stop by Heckscher Ballfield in Central Park. You can cheer us alongside some of the European tourists that will be taking our pictures and all the weird things that happen in the Broadway Show League. We don't know yet who we'll be facing. It might be Buckwald, which Buckwald is named after an agency, or Local One, which is the union of stagehands. But we, we're the last of the performer-focused team that made it deep into the playoffs.

So come root us on. We love performers. We also have a lot of MTCA coaches and MTCA family on the team. I believe it's seven members of the team that are either coaches, former coaches, or married to coaches. So we've got a lot of MTCA family. A lot of love will be on that field Thursday, the 3rd. And of course, I'll be letting you know. Do we have to take down a championship? Do I take down another MVP? I know you're all curious. You're going to want to know. And I will keep you updated.

[2:53] Charlie Murphy: As far as the actual MTCA of the world, I hope you are still loving the high that you got off of the Summer Faculty Masterclass Week, where I saw a bunch of you. You also would have seen one of our guests, Lisa Frohlich. The fam was represented on our alumni panel, along with Mia, her daughter. And I hope that all of you out there are at least, you've gotten all the emails, but at least planning for your mock audition. Make sure you plan for that mock audition this fall. I know the focus right now is, as it should be, on apps and pre-screens. That's where all you are right now as you listen in August. But please make sure you're thinking ahead to which mock you're going to do. It's going to be here before you know it. And I don't want you to miss out on the date you need. And you all need a mock. Other than that, I hope you're all navigating the end of summer smoothly. And I hope you enjoy this episode with Lisa and Steven Frohlich.

[3:46] Charlie Murphy: Well, we are so excited to be joined by Steven and Lisa Frohlich. Lisa went to school at Ohio Wesleyan University, where she got a BA in Theater, Sociology, and Economics Management, and is a fashion stylist and editor. Where Steven went to Skidmore College, got a BA in Business Administration, and a Master's in Public Health and Public Policy from NYU. And he is the founder of Parabolic Performance Rehab, which is a physical therapy practice, or maybe a chain of physical therapy practices. We can chat about that a little bit. But most importantly for our conversation today, they're both the parents of Mia Frohlich, here representing a family that really crushed this process as a whole. Which I'm just going to say to all you families out there, there are many of you.

It's impossible to choose between all of our children who did a wonderful job. But this was a wonderful family that we're really excited to highlight, and especially to highlight the two of you in collaboration with each other. So just to say, Mia has recently committed to USC for musical theater, after a truly great panoply of acceptances that we'll get into. Steven, Lisa, welcome on the pod. How are you feeling today?

[4:50] Lisa Frohlich: We're feeling great. Thanks for having us, Charlie.

[4:52] Charlie Murphy: Before I get into my series of many questions, and I grill you about your process, anything you'd want to add in terms of your perspectives coming to this, to your bio there, anything that I got wrong, where you go, I didn't go to Skidmore, I went to whatever. But anything that you go, hey, in terms of your approach to this, or coming to becoming the parents of a musical theater kid, anything you'd want to add on your own?

[5:11] Steven Frohlich: I think we were really fortunate about three years ago when we bumped into another family that had used MTCA. We were unfamiliar with MTCA. That referral, I think, changed our lives and Mia's life. So I'm incredibly appreciative of you guys. But that really set us on a different path. We're in forever contact with that family too, by the way. We're still friends.

[5:39] Steven Frohlich: And as far as other contacts, I didn't really talk much about this when we were going through Mia's process, but I do have experience in the theater, and I did work professionally when I was younger. Nothing was like what we just went through this last year. It's a totally different animal. And I had to really work hard, and I'm sure we'll touch on this later, at just being the momager and not working on the creative. I like limiting yourself to momager. Still, you're saying even that is a limit to go. I'm managing everything, but I'm holding on to just- I am not giving my two cents.

[6:07] Charlie Murphy: Yeah, I love it. Well, you guys are so sweet that you're supposed to wait more than 60 seconds to give us the advertisement. They're supposed to have to wait until the 30-minute mark before you give the MTCA, but that was very nice. Let's talk a little bit. I want to talk about that point when you met us, because one of the things that I think is really special about this episode, or at least my intention in this series of parent-student episodes, is I want to get some different groups of- we're going to have three people together, a parent-student, both parents and a student, one parent and a child, and then the two of you. I want to hear about your collaboration as a family, and specifically from the perspective of the two of you, and thinking about the division of labor and division of skill set as you approach this process.

You get that recommendation. You meet MTCA. What were you thinking initially in terms of as you're sitting down, maybe right after the initial consultation, of how the two of you are going to approach this process? I say that specifically because I know you guys started really early as a sophomore. What did you both see the process as?

[7:11] Steven Frohlich: My role was very clear from the beginning. It was to take a back seat on this and let Lisa drive the bus, and I was consistent in that mandate, and I executed it perfectly.

[7:28] Charlie Murphy: Okay, Steve, you're done then. You're done. You're off the pod. That's great. I'll see you in about an hour. No, no, please go. But did that maintain for you that you felt like, hey, I was really- what does backseat mean to you in terms of sort of your- What I think is interesting is when you look at other dads, people that are in the same role as me with musical theater kids, they're incredibly supportive of their kids. They might not know what the right answer is all the time, and they might not know a thing about song selection, and I think we're all experts now, but we didn't know much. Lisa knew a lot more than I did, and then as you learn, I think that what's tempting is knowing when to be hands-off and knowing when to trust the process and knowing that Leo probably knows more about the notes on that song than I do, so just don't give the feedback, and that was in the beginning a little bit challenging because I'm alpha, right?

I want to control things, but here, the sooner I learned that, the sooner I kind of like just knew my role and my role was getting Mia to auditions and to Ohio and Virginia and all that stuff, so I was- my role was pretty clear.

[8:49] Steven Frohlich: Lisa has been sensational throughout this entire process. The amount of stuff that other parents and Lisa had to know, the spreadsheets, the prescreens, like that was all foreign, and she just learned very quickly, and she learned- she became an expert on prescreen, you know, I guess different formats from different schools very quickly, and she just really embraced what she didn't know, and now I think is an expert in everything, but that was kind of where I was coming from.

[9:24] Charlie Murphy: I want to get into Lisa's specific role, which it sounds like is more active, but just to name, you know, you joked about backseat, but even in describing your backseat role, that's not an absent role, that even if there's some conscious, hey, I'm taking a step back from artistic feedback, but you mentioned I'm helping with travel and logistics, and I am getting them, so that even the people who aren't necessarily primary in the ecosystem of the family that makes it work doesn't necessarily mean that there's nothing to say. All right, so please, Lisa, get in there. What would you- how do you envision your role?

[9:47] Lisa Frohlich: Yeah, I would say what Steve said is pretty accurate. You know, I went on the majority of the trips with Mia, and I took her to most of the auditions. Steve was, you know, kind enough to provide us with transportation and just overall feedback, you know, as a person- as an outsider listening and assessing where we were going. When we'd come home, he'd always want the recaps. He started to learn the key players' names. He knew which program directors were outstanding, and he learned about, you know, families that were characters and families that were awesome. So, you know, but I think I really took the role of the nitty-gritty and handling all, like, the micro aspects of this, you know, along with Mia, of course, and just some context for our family.

We do have another child who was actually Mia's twin, and Mia's twin skipped a year when he was younger, so he's actually a freshman. He just finished his freshman year at UVA, but he went to college very young, where Mia is the right age for going to college, so he kind of helped out with, like, navigating Alex's college process, which, quite frankly, was going on simultaneously because we started MTCA so early.

[11:03] Lisa Frohlich: Of course, so as a sophomore, Mia, but then Alex is then doing the whole process while Mia's a junior. That's interesting, yeah. Yeah, so I guess, yeah, I did a lot of the nitty-gritty, kept her on track. You know, she did a lot of the heavy lifting, obviously, on her own, but I will say that I give absolute credit, and I still doubt who are the kids that can do this all on their own. I'd like to meet them. I'm sure those unicorns exist, but I have to say wholeheartedly that I don't think you can get through this process smoothly and successfully without really investing in with your parents.

[11:31] Charlie Murphy: I love it. Well, can we get, I mean, some of the stuff you said maybe goes without saying, but for our newer listeners, when you talk about some of the micro that you did, you know, if we're talking about, okay, so Stephen has really got the macro view, and I think some benefits that will be helpful to that. We may talk about the micro macro for perspective as you go through this process, but as now you're divvying between you and Mia, what was in Mia's bucket and what was in yours? When you say, I was the momager, you know, sometimes a phrase we use jokingly, but what were you sort of in control of versus what were you in support of? How did that work in terms of how you divvy things up between the two of you?

[12:05] Lisa Frohlich: Okay, well, I mean, I handled all of like the travel arrangements, which get nutty, you know, and as experienced parents know, you're scheduling flights, you're scheduling auditions, you are, you know, trying to organize what happens if I get a callback on this weekend, and another callback happens later on the same weekend. You know, the travel is a big part of it. And also just staying on top of the applications, she did all the work. I mean, she wrote her essays, she got the grades she did, she got, she was managing her senior year, you know, we'll get into later that she applied to some very competitive academic schools that don't always rely just on talent. So, you know, you have to keep her grades up.

That was her choice by applying to schools like Northwestern and UCLA. But the bottom line is, I did, I helped her like stay on track with everything. And, you know, there was a point during the fall, like between September and December, where that got really hectic.

[14:05] Charlie Murphy: Welcome back to Mapping The College Audition. Today, I’m thrilled to have Lisa and Steven Frohlich with me. They are the parents of Mia Frohlich, who is headed to USC for Musical Theatre. Thank you both for joining me today!

[14:25] Lisa Frohlich: Thank you for having us!

[14:27] Steven Frohlich: Yes, thank you!

[14:30] Charlie Murphy: So, let’s dive right in. You’ve been through the college audition process recently. What was your overall experience like?

[14:40] Lisa Frohlich: It was definitely a journey! I think we learned a lot about when to step in and when to step back. It was important for us to observe Mia and understand her needs throughout the process.

[14:55] Steven Frohlich: Absolutely. We had to find that balance between supporting her and allowing her to take the lead. It was crucial for her to feel empowered in her choices.

[15:10] Charlie Murphy: That’s a great point. How did you go about making those decisions? What were some of the indicators that helped you know when to step in?

[15:20] Lisa Frohlich: I think it came down to observing her stress levels and how she was handling the logistics. If she seemed overwhelmed, we would step in to help organize things or provide guidance.

[15:35] Steven Frohlich: And on the flip side, when she was confident and excited about an audition, we knew to take a step back and let her shine.

[15:45] Charlie Murphy: That’s such a healthy approach. Did you find any specific strategies that helped Mia stand out before she even walked into the audition room?

[15:55] Lisa Frohlich: Yes! We focused on helping her create a strong personal brand. We worked on her resume, headshots, and even her social media presence to reflect her personality and artistry.

[16:10] Steven Frohlich: We also encouraged her to connect with other students and faculty at the schools she was interested in. Building those relationships made a big difference.

[16:25] Charlie Murphy: That’s fantastic advice. It’s so important to make those connections early on. How did you manage the stress of the process as parents?

[16:35] Lisa Frohlich: We tried to stay optimistic and remind ourselves that it was all part of the journey. We also made sure to take time for ourselves, whether it was going for walks or having date nights.

[16:50] Steven Frohlich: Yes, and we leaned on each other for support. It was a team effort, and we made sure to communicate openly about our feelings throughout the process.

[17:05] Charlie Murphy: Communication is key! What would you say was the most rewarding part of this experience for you as parents?

[17:15] Lisa Frohlich: Watching Mia grow and develop her confidence was incredible. Seeing her passion for musical theatre shine through made all the hard work worth it.

[17:30] Steven Frohlich: I agree. It was also rewarding to see her take ownership of her journey and make decisions that felt right for her.

[17:45] Charlie Murphy: That’s beautiful. It sounds like you all navigated this process with a lot of love and intention. Thank you for sharing your insights with us today!

[40:59] Lisa Frohlich: I can sense when Mia gets nervous quickly because she gets very quiet, like quieter than normal. She almost looks like she's like holding her breath. And there were certain times where I could sense that she was really nervous. And I like remembered what Leo said in our seminars and our talkbacks about just being there to help them with whatever they need. And if they don't need anything, don't talk. Right? I knew from you guys, you recommended when she gets out of an audition and if it goes well or not well, don't ask. Let them tell you when they're ready. And that was hard for me because I was like, what's going on? How did it go? I had to not do that and just say, are you hungry? Do you need to go back and rest?

I fully trusted that she was giving her all in a room. There wasn't anything I needed to do to say, hey, could you have done that better? All these kids at MTCA are going in there with 120%. They want to deliver the best audition or the best masterclass that they can. I just needed to watch her when she was struggling and that was mostly with nerves.

[42:15] Lisa Frohlich: I'll never forget we were at the final callback for USC in LA. And USC's callback process is different than other schools. So they get the same amount of crazy amounts of applications. They get like somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 applications with prescreens like every other school. But they don't have a callback. They don't have a prescreen pass. You either come to the final callback or you get cut. So then lo and behold, Mia makes it through. And she's one of 50 kids from 1,500 in LA. And we had a great time. We arrived early. We went and saw her friends, all MTCA grads that were older. You know, the day before, beautiful, having lunch, enjoying the sunshine. We walked into the room at 8 a.m. And all of a sudden, she was like white as a ghost and quiet.

And I looked at her and I said, are you OK? And she's like, she's like, Mom, the level of talent in this room is insane. Like you all start to figure out the players. You all know each other from different things and different summer programs. And I knew she was really nervous. And I just said to her, you know what? You got here. You're in this group of 50. That's a win in itself. Just have fun. And you have to kind of keep reminding your kid like you're doing a lot of things really well. And there's going to be a place wherever it is. Try to take some of the pressure off yourself.

[43:44] Lisa Frohlich: The other thing to do is that you talk about her, Mia's mental health. And of course, we're there for her. But the friendships that she's made throughout this process, I mean, going to, you know, Pittsburgh Unified, Chicago, like she's met dozens and dozens of people just like her. Like these are her people. And among her best friends right now are the people that she's spent the last two years with or a year and a half with. And I think she's really relied on them. And then also like they've gone through their process. And, you know, and it's like, you know, one of them is incredibly talented and then, you know, didn't get this school. And like they're just there for each other every step of the way.

And I think those relationships are very valuable. And I'm looking forward to Mia, you know, fostering those next relationships that she's going to have at USC because USC has a small cohort, but in a larger dramatic arts, you know, program. So, yeah. So she's, you know, and to me, Fira kids are just really supportive of each other. And it's a good group.

[44:46] Charlie Murphy: And what about you guys? So when you're out there watching your heart on your sleeve, walk into the audition room, you know, pale white, and you're so proud of them. And is there anything that you did to take care of yourself? Like, are you going to get a massage? Are you going to go yell at Steve and be like, hey, you, I have to release some of this on you? Like, how do you deal with your own? Because I know the parents go through this really stressful.

[45:07] Steven Frohlich: Yeah, it's stressful. You'll see parents handling it in all different ways. And everyone's entitled to their own journey, right? So for me, as an out, I'm an outgoing extroverted person, for the most part, I actually wasn't so in auditions. You know, there are parents who get together in audition rooms and, you know, chat and, you know, bounce things off of each other, talk about this and that war stories highlights. I just kind of like, left the room left the building or locked in and worked on my computer. I found the best way for me to deal with it all was to not get involved in all the talk that happened at every single audition. Yeah, granted, I've met some of my closest friends, you know, they're not a lot of them, but there are a few families that we bonded with and kind of felt similarly on, you know, with handle things the same way. And my strategy to stay healthy was just to like, get her there, drop her off, say hi to a couple people, say hi to Leo and then get out.

[46:08] Lisa Frohlich: Yeah, yep. I love it. Steven, do you have anything specific on your end of ways you either helped or helped yourself?

[46:12] Steven Frohlich: I think it's all just like so therapeutic, right? Like, like on a typical Tuesday night throughout this process, we would have a discussion over dinner about Ithaca versus Syracuse and, you know, this and then like all this stuff. And then guess what? The next day, we have the exact same conversation. It's like you're, you're on repeat. Like, I wonder what we're going to talk about next year. But like, it's, you just want to go in it together. And it's, you're each other's resource. And you're bouncing all of these ideas. And the data doesn't change from a day to day. It might change from week to week. But we just, you know, we had each other. And I think that that was the best support that we could get.

[46:45] Lisa Frohlich: We're going to have to get some TV shows for you next year. There's got to be something. You're going to have to do something else with your time. Okay, let's move towards, you mentioned already the idea of how you came to a final decision. I'd love to, before we get to that, of like, how did you synthesize your auditions afterward? And then especially, because you mentioned 37, how are we synthesizing the good auditions and then organizing them? Because I know you didn't visit 25 schools or 28 schools, excuse me. You didn't visit 28 Yeses. How did you, when you were going through the process now, narrow those down into the ones that you're going to, they may have stayed the same and they may have changed based on the audition experience.

But how are you narrowing down? Because even just looking at the Yeses, you couldn't have visited all these schools. And there are so many great schools that you have Yeses to. So how did that happen post-audition? And then how do you narrow down to sort of making a decision?

[47:30] Lisa Frohlich: Well, I guess as we touched on earlier, Mia did a lot of auditioning earlier. She did probably 10 auditions before January. And as Leo recommended, be honed and ready to go for peak season. Don't go doing your top choice in November, right? So she got in her reps early. And I will say by December 25th, because of the fact that she had prepped all of junior year with her rep, we didn't walk into senior year having to find songs and dances and stuff. It was in her body by September. And so for that reason, she launched into auditions October, November, December. And Christmas morning, she had seven acceptances by Christmas. So Christmas morning, good old Lenny Leibovitz from Otterbein emailed her an acceptance.

Who's this guy? On Christmas? On Christmas morning. I love him. You better not pretend to have rejections on Christmas. Absolutely not at Chicago Unified. And I'm like, your gift really trumped my bathrobe and slippers for her. And he's like, I didn't even know it was Christmas. Anyhow, my point is that we knew going into the peak season, she had some really strong Yeses. And that felt really good. But knowing Mia, it didn't take the pressure off. You know, she wanted what she wanted. And, you know, if nothing materialized past December 25th, she was going to a great program.

[49:00] Lisa Frohlich: Yeah, yeah. So I think that that helped. You know, she got some no's that really stung. And honestly, like, that hurt. And, you know, I think that might be a positive that turned into a negative. Like, watching your kid navigate rejection is very hard, but also a tremendous positive that 17 and 18 years old, you can open up your computer and get a rejection from one of your dream schools an hour before you're going into nine auditions at Chicago Unified, right? So I think navigating the Yeses and, you know, the acceptances and the rejections, you know, went pretty well for her. But the ones that were no's really stung, the ones that she wanted, and it stung. And you know what? We just kept saying to her, but look at what you have.

Look at all these programs that did see you. And that even the programs that rejected you might have seen you, you know? She didn't dwell on it. And as Leo said, we gave her the 24 hours or the 48 hours to sulk and be a typical teen. And then we said, we don't have time. Like, let's go. We're on to the next. Not as in pieces if it's an hour before you're about to walk into Chicago Unified, that's a whole other conversation about the timing. Some of these schools could be a little more conscious when they do this.

[50:15] Steven Frohlich: Charlie, anything you want to add in terms of, especially that synthesis process of the 25? How many did you guys end up actually visiting?

[50:22] Steven Frohlich: We visited a fair share. I will say that the schools that were top contenders at the end, we saw all of them. And I will say the tech guy over here, I mean, he's not giving himself tons of credit, but he's very good on tech. And when we did all of our spreadsheets and our final scorecard, as you guys call it, he did it and then put it up on our TV screen so that we were all contributing. And he was just like, he was like the moderator. Of course, me and I were like, well, I think, and I think, and I think. And he was just entering the data. And I think at the end, that scorecard had eight schools on it. And did a lot shift about, you know, when we first meet you, of course, as a sophomore, it really is maybe not all the exact same ideas about what college is going to be.

But, you know, we sort of asked for what are you looking for in a school? We try to make that mission statement of what you think you're looking for. Were there big shifts between the beginning and the end for me in terms of the schools that, like you mentioned, the BAs, was it more of a shift toward the academic from what you originally were thinking? And how did things shift from sophomore to senior year in terms of what was actually in that final scorecard?

[51:30] Lisa Frohlich: Well, also, I think that Mia also attended two summer programs, three summer programs. She did Penn State, USC, and BoCo. Boston Conservatory. Boston Conservatory. So, you know, I think when you're that young and you're a sophomore, you're a junior, you're very impressionable and, you know, you're there to get better, but you're there to explore the school and say, can I see myself here? I think sometimes people get kind of caught up in that, like, well, I went to the summer program, so they should allow, you know, they should accept me into their program. And really, I think we learned that the two really don't have a lot to do with each other, necessarily. But I think that she, you know, she had her heart set.

I mean, look, she liked Penn State. We, she had a great summer program there. Ultimately, it wasn't one, you know, one of the schools that we ended up with. But I think that there's naturally, you vacillate, you know, as new information presents. And as you get into this one school that you didn't think you were going to get into, and you're like, wait, you know, that changes everything. You know, like our big moment, I think, is like, later through the acceptance process, we got into, I think, Ithaca. And like, we're like, wow, like, like people get into Ithaca. Like, it was like such a, like, like a dream to get in there. And then we recalibrated on that moment. And it happened to have been at a time where there were a lot of other acceptances like that week or that, I think, like, yeah, like that week.

So we were like, we were going to Ithaca for like eight hours until we, you know, there was another acceptance. But again, it's like, you just recalibrate. And at the end of the day, she knew, you know, she knew it was USC. And I can say that now, like, oh, we always knew. We did not know that it was USC. I did not think that she was going to get into USC. So I was trying to have her accept, you know, other outcomes that were not, you know, in California.

[53:23] Lisa Frohlich: Grappled with the big school versus the small school, right? So she's got a brother at UVA, which is rah-rah and awesome. And every time we went, she would say to me, and she's been to visit him now four or five times. I love it here. I love this energy. I love this vibe. Yet they don't have a strong BFA program at all. So we knew she wasn't applying there, but she kept saying that to us. And then, you know, she comes from a high school with 130 students. She's in a small, tiny class of 40. And she kind of started realizing that she wanted more. And so we kind of ping-ponged back and forth. But at the end of the day, like, she got into two small programs that she agonized over. Like, agonized at the very end, you know, saying no to Oberlin and Shenandoah was one of the hardest decisions she ever made.

Like, lost sleep over it. But at the end of the day, while she knew they would be outstanding for training, she wanted something that felt bigger than her high school experience. Or, you know, she wanted a little bit more of a community, because she really lacked that, to be honest, out here in the end of the earth out here.

[54:32] Steven Frohlich: So basically—

[54:33] Lisa Frohlich: But that was the right fit for her, right? Like, those are amazing programs, and their program directors are terrific. And she would have loved it. But I think she landed on, I think, a bigger school is the right fit for me. And there is still a little bit of a loss, even in the win, the gain of Ithaca—I mean, the gain of USC, in this case. There's the—you mentioned the eight hours of Ithaca, very funny. But, like, actors have that all the time of, like, oh, I'm doing this role. Oh, no, I booked this better thing. But I'm still sad not to do that role I was going to do. Like, even if you're like, I want this choice, it doesn't mean you don't see your future at Oberlin, or you don't see what would it be like in those classmates at Shenandoah. You might have met a different love of your life at Shenandoah. It's like, you have all these different lives that would have happened.

[55:13] Steven Frohlich: Well, actually, that's a really good point. Like, it's about getting into your school. But you know what's really hard? Is releasing the schools that accepted you. And, you know, feeling that you're disappointing, you know, that program director. I mean—

[55:26] Lisa Frohlich: That was one of our biggest challenges for her. And it's not a right or wrong choice. I mean, you're making a choice of what you want. But it's not—in those cases, you're down to three fantastic programs. There's not a, oh, you'd be an idiot to go to this over this. No, it makes sense. I could see yourself in any of those schools. I mean, very different. I guess I brought up the academics. Very different academically. And so I guess that's—that part of my question was, if those academics were already in there, when you mentioned this sort of BA applications, I was like, was that part of what was pulling her also toward USC of getting to do a little—no, it was just about big school. It was not academic.

We realized, you know, the BA contenders for her were really Northwestern and UCLA. Those were the three that she got in. San Diego and UC Berkeley were not going to be strong enough for theater for her. So those two were on the table. And, you know, they're phenomenal academic schools. And I think we realized that Northwestern was the ED question that we had. It was the one we were like, well, why don't you just—

[56:20] Charlie Murphy: I've already paid it forward. I have kids from out here going to see Leo now for consults. Like I'm just saying like I don't think I really I question whether or not she would have the same results if we did not start early. So it is get in there as early as possible and I know sophomore year sounds early. It is not. She met him in like April of sophomore year. She spent all of her junior year developing her rep, getting it in her dance, or this or that. Some things came easier than others; some things she really needed to work on. And senior year she hit the pavement running and not having to worry about finding new songs and monologues. Yeah, a couple of things came up as we went on; she needed a pop song.

But she had the time to focus on one song in that for right. You start early in film September 15th. You have to start early. I mean, you know, you have to be people your sophomore year, but you have to start early enough to make that happen. Like, you know, you have to you need to take August of your rising senior, you know, summer, and you need to knock out those essays.

[59:13] Lisa Frohlich: Okay, so that was great advice. Anything that you heard that you go, you know, I didn't love this as much or for us this didn't work or anything that you'd want to you're allowed to give us notes. I promise this won't be terrible. My note is for all the other programs, the schools that don't standardize pre-screened videos. Let's work together to have the formats standardized so that everyone's life can just be a lot easier. That's my note for them. I don't you guys have been sensational and just providing the structure and the expectations at every step of the way so that we understood how what the process is. Of course, it's daunting. But as long as you break it up and you understand like, all right, we're gonna pass, you know, pre-screening videos.

We're then gonna, you know, song selection is really important. Let's get that and let MTCA kind of take the process over and just release because I think a lot of parents control a lot of things. And in this situation, it wouldn't have been right for us to control it. So we, you know, we had to know when to take it, you know, back off.

[1:01:18] Steven Frohlich: Just adding to that as far as advice goes, this is like advice that I got from you and kind of had interpreted on my own again. Don't get involved in their creative. You know, it's not your choice to pick their song or tell them how it sounds. Don't follow a program director. I mean, I've seen just in my two years with you guys things go topsy-turvy, right? Like, and people come and go. And, you know, Mia is joining a school and auditioned for a school that did not have a program director. Thankfully now they do, but in that interim year, they had two co-heads that were faculty. So things change, so don't get, you know, don't fall in love with a program director because, sorry, they may move. And that was good advice that you gave me.

[1:01:59] Charlie Murphy: What about to the other parents out there as you've passed the name on of MTCA? But even just as, you know, families who are doing this process, what advice do you have to the parents out there of how they can support each other and support their kids in terms of stuff? It could be stuff you guys did really well or any if there any place where you go, I wish I'd done a little more or less of this anything you pass on to parents.

[1:02:28] Lisa Frohlich: I mean, I'll start. I think that spend money where you can and save money where you can. That's my tagline, you know, invest in the stuff that's gonna make a difference and figure out how you're gonna save. And I'm telling you those unified, we're living proof in this family. You get acceptances from unified. Okay, so you don't need to be at Syracuse or, you know, Ithaca to get the acceptance. I would also say like they'll figure this out on their own, Charlie, but how fortunate are we through this incredibly hectic process to spend six to nine months with our child non-stop? Yeah, I mean in a mainstream process like our experience with our son, this didn't happen. Like we took some trips; it was fun.

But we were literally with our daughter her senior year for so much time. Like enjoy it. Yes, the creative part and all the auditions get stressful. But remember and enjoy those funny dinners and, you know, funny memories that you have in the hotel room or even your travel trips. Like don't go smooth and this flight gets canceled. I mean, they all yielded like the best memories that I could have ever imagined. And I'm honestly next year I'm gonna really miss all the time I got to spend with her. So don't take it for granted and look at it. Don't look at it as, oh, there's so much to do and this is so hard. And it is, I mean a hundred percent, but I don't know, look at it from an optimist perspective. And that's how fortunate are we to spend this much time with our kid in their last year at home?

[1:05:01] Steven Frohlich: That's so beautifully said. Anything you want to throw in terms of the backseat drivers of it all or anything?

[1:05:06] I would say for like for parents, even when your kid is in high school, put your phone down and watch their performance. I have so many videos that were never included in this college, especially for this process, right? It's what matters is, you know, how they perform in the room and kind of take some of that time back because those are really powerful times. It's beautiful.

[1:05:37] Charlie Murphy: Okay, my last question is for you. What is your favorite part of the college experience?

[1:05:43] Lisa Frohlich: I think I'm gonna have to go back to the first question. I think I'm gonna have to go back to the first question. I think I'm gonna have to go back to the first question. I think I'm gonna have to go back to the first question.

[1:06:05] Steven Frohlich: Because those are really powerful times. That's beautiful. Um, okay. My last chance for you guys to better there's two beautiful ones. There is to the kids out those for our student listeners. What did Mia do well? That was maybe, hey, this was great collaboration on her end. And is there anything that you go if I could give me a little bit of a note in terms of how to help my momager or how to help my dad going through this? What would you say to the kids out there in terms of how they can go through this process, especially as it relates to their parents?

[1:06:43] Lisa Frohlich: I think that, yeah, I think we have a kid who tends to procrastinate a little bit and again this touches on starting early, but don't wait to the last minute. Well, you'll hear the stories throughout this whole year and from Leo and Charlie about how the system crashed. Well indeed accepted crashed this year, right? And you know when it crashed the day before the deadline. Yeah. Yeah, so get those applications in early. Don't be the kid that submits at midnight or at 11:55 because that is just not safe. So again as a mom, it's gonna be easy for me to say it. Try not to procrastinate. My kid did, you know, she got it done, but it was always like a day before, two days before. And I did my taxes on April 15th every year for too many, too many years.

Nobody feels so much better not to. I'm like I feel so different like February and I'm done with my dad's fantastic. It's such a good feeling. So I say it out there go much, much for us like I knew I had a kid who could push it off till the end. And that is seriously why Amy Breslow came in so handy for us. She was like the mediator. I mean, I already stated that I was the momager, but she was like she kept us on task and I didn't have to always do that for Mia. You know what I mean with the application? So let you be my meeting would be my don't procrastinate and the best part and what she did well, um, I would say she just like showed up and gave it her all. Like she just embraced it entirely, like didn't complain, got sick, flew, was throwing up in a taxi before private auditions in December.

Like you're gonna navigate illness. Like oh, don't think you're not gonna skip it because some kid who doesn't get sick through this process is very lucky. There's always a cold. There's always a flu. There's always a sprained ankle. Just like just grab it and embrace it because it's gonna go fast.

[1:09:05] Steven Frohlich: I love it. Any advice for the kids just realize like the people that you meet along the way are so important. They're gonna be your friends. They're your people. They're not your competitors. They're your people, so realize in the moment that, you know, the people in the room, you know, take the time to get to know them and don't let that time pass you by. It's valuable.

[1:09:26] Lisa Frohlich: Oh, can I add one more thing, Charlie? For parents' advice, um, the been there done that, the BTDT parents which all over the social media and the TikToks and the Instagram, those are your biggest resource. Okay, you're in these auditions with parents who have kids the same age all doing the same thing. The parents that you meet that are one year ahead of you in the process, like the mom who said to us on the line waiting for the show at BoCo, "Hey, you should check out MTCA," or the mom at USC who said, "You know what? She should probably come to this audition in person, you know, like if it's gonna be meaningful." Those parents are the ones you want to be friends with. So smart, right? They're not your competitive competition.

They're giving back. They are valuable. I mean, I told the story too many times in the pod before I knew her listeners. I met my best friend who officiated my wedding and is now the godfather of my child during this process. I'm like that is when you say you're gonna meet your best friend, like you, yes, whether it's in college or whether it's right now. But you think, oh, in college or go off. I'm like no, it was when I was 16 doing this process what I met my best friend. So it absolutely is true.

[1:10:29] Charlie Murphy: Lisa, Steven, this was so fun getting to hang out with you a bit today. Thanks for the time. I really appreciate it.

[1:10:34] Lisa Frohlich: Thank you for everything, Charlie. Take care.

[1:10:25] Charlie Murphy: Welcome back to Mapping The College Audition. I'm your host, Charlie Murphy, and today we have a special episode featuring Lisa and Steven Frohlich, parents of Mia Frohlich, who is headed to USC for Musical Theatre.

[1:10:55] Lisa Frohlich: Thank you for having us, Charlie. We're excited to share our experience.

[1:11:25] Steven Frohlich: Absolutely. It's been quite a journey, and we hope our insights can help other families navigating this process.

[1:11:55] Charlie Murphy: So, let's dive in. One of the first things I want to discuss is the concept of “fit-maxing.” Can you explain what that means in the context of the college audition process?

[1:12:25] Lisa Frohlich: Sure! “Fit-maxing” is about finding the right college that aligns with your child's unique talents and aspirations. It’s not just about getting into a prestigious school; it’s about finding a program that truly fits your child's needs and goals.

[1:12:55] Steven Frohlich: Exactly. We learned early on that every school has a different vibe and focus, so it’s crucial to do your research and understand what each program offers.

[1:13:25] Charlie Murphy: That makes a lot of sense. How did you approach the research phase for Mia?

[1:13:55] Lisa Frohlich: We started by looking at various programs and their curriculums. We also attended showcases and talked to current students and alumni to get a feel for the environment.

[1:14:25] Steven Frohlich: And we made sure to consider Mia’s interests and strengths. For example, she loves both acting and singing, so we focused on schools that had strong programs in both areas.

[1:14:55] Charlie Murphy: That’s a great strategy. What advice would you give to parents about when to step in and when to step back during this process?

[1:15:25] Lisa Frohlich: It’s important to find a balance. We wanted to support Mia without overwhelming her. We let her take the lead on decisions, but we were always there to offer guidance when she needed it.

[1:15:55] Steven Frohlich: Right. We observed her closely to understand her needs and preferences, which helped us know when to step in and when to give her space.

[1:16:25] Charlie Murphy: That’s a valuable perspective. How did you help Mia stand out before she even walked into the audition room?

[1:16:55] Lisa Frohlich: We focused on her unique qualities and encouraged her to showcase her personality in her application materials. We also helped her prepare her audition pieces to highlight her strengths.

[1:17:25] Steven Frohlich: And we made sure she was well-prepared for the logistics of the auditions, like knowing what to expect and how to manage her time effectively.

[1:17:55] Charlie Murphy: Preparation is key. How did you manage the stress that comes with this process?

[1:18:25] Lisa Frohlich: We tried to stay optimistic and focused on the positives. We reminded ourselves that this is a journey, and it’s about finding the right fit for Mia, not just about getting accepted.

[1:18:55] Steven Frohlich: We also made sure to take breaks and have fun as a family. It was important to keep the process enjoyable and not let stress take over.

[1:19:25] Charlie Murphy: That’s excellent advice. What do you think made the biggest difference in your college audition journey?

[1:19:55] Lisa Frohlich: I think it was the support we had from MTCA. Having guidance from experts who understood the process made a huge difference.

[1:20:25] Steven Frohlich: Absolutely. They helped us navigate the complexities and provided valuable insights that we wouldn’t have known otherwise.

[1:20:55] Charlie Murphy: It’s great to hear that MTCA was a helpful resource for you. As we wrap up, what final thoughts do you have for parents who are just starting this journey?

[1:21:25] Lisa Frohlich: Trust the process and stay involved, but also give your child the space to grow and make their own decisions.

[1:21:55] Steven Frohlich: And remember, it’s all about finding the right fit. Every student is unique, and there’s a perfect program out there for them.

[1:22:25] Charlie Murphy: Thank you, Lisa and Steven, for sharing your insights and experiences. It’s been a pleasure having you on the podcast.

[1:22:55] Lisa Frohlich: Thank you for having us, Charlie.

[1:23:25] Steven Frohlich: Yes, thank you! We hope this helps other families on their journey.

[1:23:55] Charlie Murphy: And to our listeners, if you have any questions about the college audition process, feel free to reach out at mailbag@mappingthecollegeaudition.com. Until next time!

[1:24:30] Charlie Murphy: Welcome back to Mapping The College Audition. I’m your host, Charlie Murphy, and today we have a special episode featuring Lisa and Steven Frohlich, parents of Mia Frohlich, who is headed to USC for Musical Theatre.

[1:25:00] Lisa Frohlich: Thank you for having us, Charlie. We're excited to share our experience.

[1:25:30] Steven Frohlich: Absolutely! It’s been quite a journey, and we hope our insights can help other families navigating this process.

[1:26:00] Charlie Murphy: So, let’s dive right in. What was your initial approach to the college audition process for Mia?

[1:26:30] Lisa Frohlich: We really focused on understanding the landscape of college programs and what each school offered. It was important for us to find the right fit for Mia, not just academically but also artistically.

[1:26:44] Steven Frohlich: Right, and we had to balance being supportive without being overbearing. It was crucial to let Mia take the lead in her choices.

[1:26:52] Charlie Murphy: That’s a great point. How did you decide when to step in and when to step back?

[1:27:22] Lisa Frohlich: We observed her closely. When she seemed overwhelmed or unsure, we would step in to help guide her. But when she was confident and had a clear vision, we took a step back.

[1:27:32] Steven Frohlich: And we also made sure to communicate openly. It was important for Mia to feel comfortable expressing her needs and concerns.

[1:27:42] Charlie Murphy: Communication is key. How did you help Mia stand out before she even walked into the audition room?

[1:27:52] Lisa Frohlich: We worked on her branding as an artist. This included her headshots, resume, and even her audition material. We wanted everything to reflect her unique personality and strengths.

[1:28:02] Steven Frohlich: We also encouraged her to network and connect with other students and professionals in the industry. Building those relationships can really make a difference.

[1:28:12] Charlie Murphy: That’s fantastic advice. What strategies did you use to manage stress during this process?

[1:28:22] Lisa Frohlich: We made it a priority to keep things light and fun. We scheduled family activities that took our minds off the auditions and allowed us to bond.

[1:28:32] Steven Frohlich: Plus, we practiced mindfulness techniques together. It helped Mia stay grounded and focused.

[1:28:42] Charlie Murphy: Those are great strategies. What would you say was the most significant lesson you learned throughout this journey?

[1:28:52] Lisa Frohlich: Trusting the process. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress and pressure, but we learned to trust Mia’s instincts and the preparation we had done together.

[1:29:02] Steven Frohlich: And to celebrate the small victories along the way. Each audition was a learning experience, regardless of the outcome.

[1:29:12] Charlie Murphy: That’s such a positive outlook. What advice would you give to other parents starting this journey?

[1:29:22] Lisa Frohlich: Stay involved but allow your child to take ownership. It’s their journey, and they need to feel empowered.

[1:29:32] Steven Frohlich: And don’t forget to take care of yourselves too. It can be a stressful time for parents, so make sure to find your own support systems.

[1:29:42] Charlie Murphy: Wise words. Thank you both for sharing your insights and experiences. I’m sure many families will benefit from your advice.

[1:29:52] Lisa Frohlich: Thank you for having us, Charlie. It’s been a pleasure.

[1:30:02] Steven Frohlich: Yes, thank you! We hope to inspire others on their journey.

[1:30:12] Charlie Murphy: And to our listeners, if you have any questions about the college audition process, feel free to reach out to us at mailbag@mappingthecollegeaudition.com.

[1:30:22] Charlie Murphy: If you’re interested in working with MTCA for help with your individualized preparation for your College Audition journey, please check us out at mtca.com or on social media.

[1:30:32] Charlie Murphy: Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for more tips and insights.

[1:30:42] Charlie Murphy: Thank you for tuning in, and we’ll see you next time on Mapping The College Audition.