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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 Musical Theatre College Auditions. Check us out at mtca.com. And today we've got a special episode, which is a release of our second ever LIVE POD recording, which is the content of last weekend's faculty Q&A panel that we conducted at Pittsburgh Unified. You're going to hear some brief snippets from, I believe, 26 schools, if my math is working there. I think it's 26 schools on five different panels there. Like so much of PUA, this was a beast to organize. So a big shout out to the generous moms at Pittsburgh Unified who make that whole weekend happen, and especially the organization for this panel.

We had a plan going in, but I also told them we could run it like an open mic, knowing that people's plans would shift. Colleges dropped, colleges added. And I just said, hey, just send me a group of five people every 20 minutes, and we'll keep it going. And they did. They did great. It was a bit of organized chaos, as you can imagine. All of these schools are in the middle of a long audition weekend, and it starts at 8pm on a Saturday. So for the later panel, that's like 9.40pm on a Saturday evening. So we tried to keep it moving so people could get to bed and get up for their early morning callbacks. But we also tried to give each school relatively equal time and still try to have fun with it all of an evening.

I feel pretty good about how it came out in the end. Just like this podcast itself, the goal of the evening was to try to give you a window into the programs themselves, and not just the information, which it's also good to have the information, some of those quick things that we're trying to have you go through, but also really a chance to have that interaction with the people behind the information. It's one thing to look at curriculum on a website when you see Acting 1, and it's another thing to meet the teacher who's in charge of implementing that curriculum and get a sense of what Acting 1 might mean to them. I will also say one of the biggest things coming out of this is a new idea I'm going to try to say out loud so that you all can hold me to it and hold me accountable here, which is I'm going to try to give you five-minute versions of each of these schools.

I do think there is a lot that can be gained in a really quick kind of condensed blink of time. Blink is a Malcolm Gladwell thing. There's now an app called the Blink app. I've been saying for years that I invited students to do this on your own to what we call thin slice these episodes, just listen to a little chunk, get a sense of the vibes, and then move on, especially early in your process when you don't have to do a super deep dive on every possible school that you might look at. But I do think I was also inspired by this weekend that we can help you a bit more, right? By giving you some of these episodes in a five-minute episode pre-package for you, it might actually make it a little easier rather than making you kind of thin slice yourself.

So I can't say that'll happen immediately, but it is now one of my two big long-term goals of how to make the podcast easier for you. And that's really inspired by the happy accident that was this panel. Originally we conceived it was going to be like 10 total schools, five schools an hour, so it was going to be a much more relaxed version of things, but the number of parents and students who came up to me and said they loved how many schools it was. They loved the quick hitter version so they could get a lot of information in a very short amount of time. It was notable for us. I think it was really helpful for me to know that it didn't feel too rushed. I felt like it was too rushed on my end, but I got a lot of positive feedback from it, right?

And, you know, I often talk about our students not necessarily having the attention span for these 45-minute interviews we often do with the schools. Many of them say they just catch the pod on their Instagram or TikTok. They'll watch the 60-second clip, but I think for parents too, you know, 45 minutes is a luxurious amount of time to give a school when you're just starting out. So, you know, maybe you'll do the full episodes for the schools that you know you want to audition for, but can we maybe help you thin slice a little broader list? Ideally for me it's more than 60 seconds, you know, those single clips. I bet there's some there in between where we can give you, I'm thinking, like a five-minute version.

So I'm here for whatever. You guys can use the pod however it's helpful to you, but we're going to keep trying to do our best to help you out and help you map this landscape however that can work for you. And I will say that's what you're about to hear for these 26 schools. So this will be really good bang for your listening buck, you know. And one of my favorite parts of what you're about to hear is that you'll notice the faculty gets a little nervous during the interview. You know, I was a bit tongue-in-cheek when I made them all slate at the beginning, but you'll notice a few of them messed it up, right? It's a kind of beautiful parallel with what you all go through in this process, with these often short windows of time in a busy audition day and feeling like you're kind of being pushed through it all.

I'm going to talk about this a bit in the takeaway. So at the end of this episode, like all of our episodes, we do these takeaways at the end. So for those who are new to the pod, after the college interviews, we'll sort of talk through stuff that came up in the interview and some general tips on the process, just in general, whether they're takeaways from the conversations or just general time for your tip. I'm going to do one of these takeaways about kind of how rushed feeling this thing was and how you don't want to do that in your auditions, if at all possible. But hopefully, from hearing some of the college faculty get some of those nerves, it does hopefully get you a sense of what we talk about all the time on the podcast.

We talked about it a lot this weekend, which is that idea that you are auditioning them as much as they are auditioning you, right? And I really thought this two hours was a great illustration of that. I said it in all of our parent meetings, and we've said it before on the podcast, but I know that right now in the process, if you're listening to this in October, as we release it, it can feel really, it feels from your perspective, like I just hope I get into one of these schools. I hope I get into any school. I don't know if anybody's going to want me, but that's not really ultimately what this process will be, right? Especially for those of you who go through this process authentically and strategically, and certainly for our MTCA students, you're going to have multiple offers at the end of this process.

I'm telling you that you're saying, no, yeah, all the other listeners, that's true for them, not for me, but for you too, you're going to have multiple offers by the time it's done. And it's going to be about which school gets the privilege of getting to teach you, right? Again, I'll just say, I know you're not going to believe me, but I'm telling you that's true. So remember that I said this when it is true that you end up with multiple offers at the end of this, right? And I think it's helpful. It's not just to relieve you in that, but I think it's helpful as you go through this process, listen to these schools in the way that they kind of pitch themselves to you, that they're as nervous as you are in some ways, right?

They're nervous because when you're at a big weekend like Pittsburgh Unifieds, there's over 60 schools there, right? They know they're not necessarily going to get all of this great talent they're seeing to actually apply to all 60 of the schools, right? And I'm not going to rehash all of the advice that we talked about in the wrap-up meeting. Certainly that's helpful for all the specific Pittsburgh Unifieds families. We'll go through some of that. I know many of our listeners here are not people who've just done Pittsburgh Unifieds, but so much of this is relevant to the audition process in general when you talk about that idea of they're auditioning you too, right? Or you're auditioning them as long as they're, you know they're auditioning you.

You're auditioning them as much as they're auditioning you, right? And I'm also going to talk a little bit in one of those takeaways. I know if you make it for the whole two hours, my God, I'm going to talk a little bit in one of the takeaways about the idea of showing interest and how important it is to show interest in them and not just assume that, don't have them assume that you're interested. We'll talk about that a little bit. So if you're bored with the panel and you're like, I can't take the audio quality, then feel free to skip ahead and listen to those takeaways. We'll talk a little bit about that in terms of showing interest. Okay. We've got to wrap this intro so we can get to this almost two hour panel you're about to hear.

I'll just say about PUA itself. It was such a blast to get to meet so many of you, both MTCA students who I hadn't met yet, and then non-MTCA students who said they were listeners and people who are new to me too. It's so great to meet them too. I just want to say thank you for the kind words about the podcast. It really does mean the world to me hearing those things. So thank you for that. It's nice to put faces to names that I know and faces to some of the nameless listeners out there. And hearing that feedback directly about how you listen is also really helpful to me. Some of the stuff I know, one of which is my other big goal for the podcast is I do want to make a directory of schools for you so you don't have to do all the scrolling.

I promise that's on my list to do. As we've expanded more and more episodes, I realize it's hard for you to go back to a hundred episodes ago, but all of it's helpful to hear just as you guys have suggestions, as you tell me things that really resonate with you, it helps me keep shaping the pod to be what you all want it to be and really helpful for that next generation of listeners. Which I will say, it's one of those things that I really appreciate, not only that you're kind words to me, but when so many of you have said, hey, I'm recommending the pod to one of my friends who's got a sophomore who's about to do this or a freshman who's considering it. It is the way that our podcast spreads is by you all spreading it out there.

So I really appreciate that when you do that. And for those of you who aren't MTCA students yet, please do feel free to reach out to us. If there's an area in your process that isn't getting the attention and support that you need. We are proud to be both a la carte and collaborative, meaning we can fit in around the areas of your process that you aren't currently getting help with, or we also can be a supplemental help if you have an area of your process, but you want an expert eye and ear to supplement some of that local support. We are completely comfortable working with other people in certain areas or just picking up on the specific areas that you don't have supported. We don't need to do every bit of your process necessarily, though, of course, we're also happy to help students from soup to nuts.

We'll do everything with you. We'll do parts of it. We'll work in collaboration. We'll work alone. We're really comfortable with all of that. We are here. It's one of our goals and our missions as a company. We're here to help you have the best audition and the best process possible, whatever that means for you. So whether that's just through listening to the podcast, which is free, whether it's through webinars or whether you're able to engage in individualized work with us, we're excited to help however we can. And all of that information is available at mtca.com, mtca.com for those who are interested. All right, let's get to this exciting college panel and this live pod episode. I will note, and this probably goes without saying, the audio quality obviously isn't what it would be on a normal podcast episode.

We're using some area mics in a pretty hot room, and these are the finest quality area mics that Amazon can sell you for under $20. So we're making the best of it. I will also say for people who are normally audio-only listeners, this might be one if you want to watch the video episode. That's available via Spotify, and we'll also post it on YouTube. You're more than welcome to watch the video. It might help a bit more than the average episode. Normally I say, who wants to watch my face while I'm talking? Just listen. But it may help a little bit more because some of the faculty members, they dance around and they jump on chairs, and it'll help you get some of the laughs in the room as you kind of see some of the physical comedy that was a part of this episode a little more.

All right, that's it. I hope you enjoy. Okay, here we go. Panel number one. So again, I'm going to take them through a little bit of an intro. I'm going to make them talk about themselves through relatively rapid succession, and then we're going to open up the questions. So of course, first maybe specific questions about their school, and then we'll do general questions that they can answer, and then other people have different questions. It could be pandemonium. It'll be fun. Okay, here we go. Are you guys ready for your faculty speed dating?

[11:02] Faculty Panel: Yeah.

[11:03] Charlie Murphy: So can we maybe, I'm going to make David be my guinea pig. We're going to start off. We're going to do this all steak style. So it's going to snake, and then it's going to snake back, and it's going to snake, and snake back like that. So you're going to start off with just a slate. Can you give me your name, your school, your position at the school, and where your school is located? Those are the four elements you say.

[11:13] David Krasner: David Krasner, Five Pounds College. I'm the chair. The school is located on Long Island, Long Island.

[11:27] Angie Leach: Angie Leach, I teach at Dantau. Our school is located in New York and in Los Angeles, and I teach in the school.

[11:32] Monica Bell: Monica Bell, I'm at Coastal Carolina University. I'm a professor of theater and the coordinator of recruitment, and it's in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

[11:43] Joe Domencik: Hi, I'm Joe Domencik. I teach at Seton Hill University, where I'm also the chair of the department, and that's in Greensburg, PA, which is about 40 minutes east of where we are.

[11:53] Jacob Van Widmar: I'm Jacob Van Widmar. I'm a professor of theater at Oakland University, located in Oakland, Michigan, in Los Angeles, New York, New York, in Michigan, and I teach basically with Danny Irwin over there. We're both with the musical theater department.

[12:09] Charlie Murphy: Unbelievable. How good were they of those slates? Okay, now we're going to go backward here. So we're going to start off with Jacob. Can you give me the 30-second elevator pitch on your school? So last time, but just like want you to know about your school in about 30 seconds.

[12:26] Jacob Van Widmar: We are nestled in the heart of Rochester Hills, Michigan. We are a mid-sized school, so about 50,000 students. Not too small, not too big. You get real individualized attention here, as like our recent class size was eight musical theater people. We're looking to keep it between 12 and 14, so you get very individualized attention from Danny and I, and we are very affordable.

[12:56] Joe Domencik: Seton Hill University, 40 minutes to the east. We have a very, it's a smaller mid-sized school, about 1,500 to 3,000 students, depending on the whole university. We are a nurturing, small community. You get a lot of attention. Students are off every week. It means there's also a lot of performing opportunities, musical theater, acting, dance majors, BAs and BFAs, and all of those, and design and tech. We really believe in our liberal arts tradition. We invite you to, we want the whole person there while you're training for your dreams.

[13:35] Monica Bell: Coastal Carolina University, mid-sized institution, it's about 11,000. We just dropped 11,000. We're in a resort community, lots of fun.

[13:43] Charlie Murphy: Welcome back to Mapping The College Audition. We are live at the Pittsburgh Unified Auditions, and we have an incredible panel of faculty members from various colleges here to answer your questions about the college audition process.

[14:13] Charlie Murphy: Remember, this is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the people behind the programs. You’re not just auditioning for them; they’re also auditioning you. So, let’s dive in!

[14:44] Charlie Murphy: First up, I want to remind everyone to be authentically you. Let your quirks shine through. This is your time to show who you are as an artist.

[14:46] Charlie Murphy: If you have any questions, feel free to raise your hand, and we’ll get to you as soon as we can.

[15:13] Charlie Murphy: Now, let’s start with our first question. What do you look for in a student during the audition process?

[15:28] Faculty Member 1: We look for authenticity. We want to see the real you. It’s important that you bring your true self to the audition, not just what you think we want to see.

[15:30] Faculty Member 2: I agree. We also look for passion and commitment. If you’re genuinely excited about the material and the process, it shows.

[15:50] Faculty Member 3: And don’t forget about preparation. Being well-prepared not only helps you feel more confident but also allows us to see your skills more clearly.

[16:05] Charlie Murphy: Great points! Preparation is key. What advice do you have for students who might feel rushed during their auditions?

[16:25] Faculty Member 1: If you feel rushed, take a moment to breathe. It’s okay to slow down. Remember, this is your time to shine.

[16:50] Faculty Member 2: Yes, and don’t be afraid to ask for a moment if you need it. We want to see you at your best, and that sometimes means taking a second to gather your thoughts.

[17:17] Faculty Member 3: Also, showing genuine interest in the program can go a long way. A thoughtful follow-up question can really impress us.

[17:46] Charlie Murphy: That’s excellent advice! What are some common mistakes you see during auditions?

[18:11] Faculty Member 1: One common mistake is not being fully present. Sometimes students get so caught up in their nerves that they forget to engage with us.

[18:31] Faculty Member 2: Another mistake is not showcasing your individuality. We want to see what makes you unique, so don’t shy away from that.

[19:00] Faculty Member 3: And remember, it’s not just about the performance. Your demeanor and how you interact with us matter just as much.

[19:20] Charlie Murphy: Absolutely! It’s a holistic process. Now, let’s talk about the importance of feedback. How do you approach giving feedback to students?

[19:35] Faculty Member 1: We strive to provide constructive feedback that helps students grow. It’s important to highlight both strengths and areas for improvement.

[19:55] Faculty Member 2: And we encourage students to ask questions about the feedback. It’s a dialogue, and we want to help you understand how to improve.

[20:15] Faculty Member 3: Yes, and remember that feedback is a gift. Take it as an opportunity to learn and develop your craft.

[20:30] Charlie Murphy: That’s a great perspective! Now, let’s open the floor for more questions from the audience.

[20:50] Audience Member 1: What should I do if I’m not sure about the material I’ve chosen for my audition?

[21:00] Faculty Member 1: If you’re unsure, it’s best to choose material that resonates with you personally. You should feel a connection to the piece.

[21:15] Faculty Member 2: And don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Coaches or mentors can provide valuable insights into selecting the right material.

[21:35] Faculty Member 3: Ultimately, you want to choose something that allows you to showcase your strengths and feels comfortable for you.

[21:45] Charlie Murphy: Fantastic advice! Let’s take another question.

[22:05] Audience Member 2: How important is it to have a diverse repertoire for auditions?

[22:25] Faculty Member 1: Having a diverse repertoire is very beneficial. It shows versatility and your ability to tackle different styles and genres.

[22:35] Faculty Member 2: However, it’s also important to be authentic. Choose pieces that you connect with and can perform well.

[22:55] Faculty Member 3: Balance is key. A mix of styles can be impressive, but don’t stretch yourself too thin by trying to do too much.

[23:15] Charlie Murphy: Great insights! Let’s keep the questions coming.

[23:35] Audience Member 3: What’s the best way to follow up after an audition?

[23:55] Faculty Member 1: A simple thank-you email can go a long way. It shows appreciation and keeps you on our radar.

[24:15] Faculty Member 2: And if you have specific questions about the program or your audition, feel free to include those in your follow-up.

[24:35] Faculty Member 3: Just remember to keep it professional and concise.

[24:55] Charlie Murphy: Excellent! Thank you all for your questions and insights. This has been a fantastic discussion.

[25:15] Charlie Murphy: As we wrap up, I want to remind everyone to be themselves and enjoy the process.

[25:35] Charlie Murphy: Thank you to our panelists for sharing their wisdom, and thank you to everyone for being here today!

[25:55] Charlie Murphy: We hope this has been helpful as you navigate your college audition journey.

[26:15] Charlie Murphy: Until next time, keep shining and stay true to yourself!

[26:35] Charlie Murphy: We’ll see you soon!

[26:55] Charlie Murphy: Bye for now!

[27:15] Charlie Murphy: Thank you!

[27:26] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Welcome back to the live podcast at the Pittsburgh Unified Auditions.

[27:56] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: There's early action. Is that okay to submit for?

[28:26] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: And if your child has already submitted the application under regular, and they call up and say, you know, it's already in, can we reconsider it for early action?

[28:42] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Yes, yes, yes. It's very flexible.

[28:44] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Okay, so they can get it academically and then, you know, whatever. They know earlier.

[28:50] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: And then the rest of it is... Start advocating for yourself now. You know what I mean?

[28:54] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Okay, so I know some people mentioned study abroad. That's something on my daughter's radar. So really quick, do you offer study abroad? Yes or no?

[29:06] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Yes, Greece.

[29:07] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: No.

[29:08] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: No, but we honor it.

[29:09] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: We honor a particular school that gives credit. We just kind of check out of our school, go over there, and we get the credit back.

[29:15] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: In York, LA.

[29:17] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: All right, we'll give you one more question.

[29:23] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: No, that's you, that's you.

[29:26] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Okay, so I know you talk a lot about the academic solid system stuff. But do you consider academics when choosing to go out and do research?

[29:36] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Great question. How much do academics factor into admission? You can all answer that.

[29:39] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Performance.

[29:40] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: For us, it's performance.

[29:42] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: For us, it's me. As the chair, I go to the president, I say, this person is going to be fascinating.

[29:48] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Goes right to the top.

[29:50] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Same as you, right? I mean, we can tell the smarts in performance.

[29:57] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: It's a part of it, because we're looking at the whole package.

[30:01] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Now, if you get into the school, you're good, and we'll now focus on this.

[30:05] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Can we say this a couple times? I think the conservatories tend to be a little bit overrepresented here.

[30:10] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: This is part of the nature. If you look at all the schools, plenty of BFA liberal arts programs, but tends to be on these panels, I'm guessing, of the 30, more compared to the wide swath.

[30:19] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: We'll say artistic more than academic here.

[30:21] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Ask that question again, though, if you want.

[30:22] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: If there's any other schools that, I'll try to say it for the future ones, but it's another one where you're like, oh, it shouldn't use this degree.

[30:27] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: There will be a couple that care more, but more of the schools that are going to care less will tend to be here.

[30:31] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: With that said, if a student has like...

[30:35] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: 4.9.

[30:36] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Yeah.

[30:37] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: 35.

[30:38] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Super smart.

[30:39] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Super smart.

[30:40] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Also, like, 35 college credits that these apply to in high school.

[30:48] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Does that make a difference?

[30:49] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Yeah.

[30:50] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Then you can apply to them.

[30:51] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Yeah.

[30:52] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: You can get out early.

[30:53] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I was going to say, it doesn't make a difference in terms of like recruiting, but it makes a difference in how long you'll be in school.

[30:58] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: It has to have an equivalent.

[31:00] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Right.

[31:01] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I mean, like...

[31:03] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Yeah, so for us, we just say it gives a little more breadth to the program because it takes those cores away so that they can live more freely and more artistically.

[31:14] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: It is sequential study for us, so it's hard to get out early.

[31:17] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Okay.

[31:18] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Let's thank this wonderful panel.

[31:19] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Thank you.

[31:20] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Thank you.

[31:21] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: We have a new wonderful panel.

[31:24] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: The last panel was fantastic.

[31:26] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: They picked up the energy of what this is, which is speed dating.

[31:29] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: So, y'all, by the end, we have Dr. Issa Che.

[31:32] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: You feel free to do what you have to do.

[31:34] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I'm going to ask you a lot of questions pretty quickly.

[31:37] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I'm going to give you hints on how to do overviews of your program, and then we'll do general questions.

[31:40] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Does everyone feel ready?

[31:41] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: We're going to go snake style, okay?

[31:43] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: So we're going to go this way, and then it's going to go this way.

[31:45] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I'm going to start off with Ryan.

[31:46] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: You're all going to slate yourselves.

[31:48] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: You're going to slate your name, your school, what you do at the school, and the location.

[31:52] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Can I stand for the people in the back?

[31:54] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: It's not helping much for Ryan.

[31:57] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: It's a six-man show.

[32:11] Ryan Jackson-Pack: I'm Ryan Jackson-Pack. I have a year at Montclair City.

[32:15] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: And Montclair is?

[32:16] Ryan Jackson-Pack: In New Jersey.

[32:18] Joe Jackson: Hi, I'm Joe Jackson. I'm an instructional assistant professor of musical theater dance at the University of Mississippi, Ole Miss, in Oxford, Mississippi.

[32:27] Ryan Scoble: Hi, I'm Ryan Scoble. I am the head of musical theater at West Virginia University, and I'll be singing Try Me today.

[32:37] Tom Lee: Hi, I'm Tom Lee. I am an assistant professor at Niagara University in sunny western New York, and I teach acting and directing.

[32:46] Jennifer Engler: I'm Jennifer Engler. I am chair of the department of theater at TCU, and we are in Fort Worth, Texas.

[32:52] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Okay.

[32:53] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Now we're going to switch out so Jennifer can come back in.

[32:55] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I think this is a fantasy draft.

[32:56] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: This is what we're doing.

[32:57] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: This is called we're doing a third-round reversal.

[33:01] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Okay, so Jennifer, you're going to give us your 30-second overview.

[33:04] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I'm going to ask you a couple different questions I'll ask about campus life, academic focus, cost, so you don't have to hit all of those things.

[33:09] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Give me a 30-second overview of the oeuvre of your school.

[33:13] Jennifer Engler: What is the ethos of your program? What do I need to know in 30 seconds?

[33:16] Jennifer Engler: Yeah, I think there are two really great things about TCU, both for our department and also for the university at large. I would say number one is our size.

[33:24] Jennifer Engler: TCU has a lot of the trappings of a really large university with Division I athletics, lots of great guest artists, speakers. It's got Greek life.

[33:35] Jennifer Engler: It's got those college. We really are appealing to people who want a professional training program within a traditional college experience, and so there's that.

[33:48] Jennifer Engler: We're a university. We're 15,000, so people think we're a lot bigger than we are.

[33:56] Jennifer Engler: That's true also of our department. We have about 160 majors over five different emphasis.

[34:03] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I'm assuming that's it.

[34:05] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: That's it.

[34:06] Tom Lee: Okay, go for it.

[34:07] Tom Lee: Yeah.

[34:08] Tom Lee: Hi.

[34:09] Tom Lee: So we offer a BFA in performance and a design and production. Niagara University is a small Catholic college.

[34:16] Tom Lee: It's on the New York side of Niagara Falls. We have a conservatory-style training combined with a liberal arts education.

[34:24] Tom Lee: That's what sets us apart. We have a New York City showcase.

[34:27] Tom Lee: All of our students train in vocal performance and dance and acting, and there's a lot of opportunity to double major.

[34:35] Tom Lee: We have a five-plus-one or four-plus-one education program where you can get a master's degree in teaching certification in theater with just one extra year of school.

[34:46] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I'll ask more things.

[34:47] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Yeah, go for it.

[34:48] Ryan Scoble: At WVU, we are a very large university, about 26,000 students.

[34:53] Ryan Scoble: Our program is about 180 to 200.

[34:56] Ryan Scoble: Music theater, about 40.

[34:58] Ryan Scoble: Morgantown, West Virginia is a gorgeous place and a gorgeous state, gorgeous mountains.

[35:01] Ryan Scoble: Your pads will be great if you go there.

[35:05] Ryan Scoble: We have class sizes of about 10 to 12 in each cohort, so conservatory-style training with a small group of people, but that big traditional, big campus feel.

[35:16] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Awesome, well done.

[35:17] Joe Jackson: So at Ole Miss, at the University of Mississippi, in Oxford, it is consistently ranked one of the top colleges, small-town colleges in the country, and our university has a BFA in acting, first aid, and screening.

[35:29] Joe Jackson: That way, you're getting training in both stage and screen work.

[35:33] Joe Jackson: We have a junior film process.

[35:39] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: This is America.

[35:40] Joe Jackson: I know.

[35:42] Joe Jackson: No, you have to do this.

[35:47] Joe Jackson: So what makes us unique is we are similar to TCU and West Virginia, a large university, SEC school.

[35:51] Joe Jackson: Our department is small.

[35:54] Joe Jackson: We have about 120 BFAs, so we know our cohorts.

[35:58] Joe Jackson: We count them at 16.

[36:00] Joe Jackson: We know all of them by name, and it feels like a family.

[36:03] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: We'll talk more.

[36:05] Ryan Jackson-Pack: Montclair State University is located in Montclair, New Jersey, 12 miles from New York City.

[36:10] Ryan Jackson-Pack: We have beautiful views of the New York City skyline.

[36:12] Ryan Jackson-Pack: We really rely on the city to fill out our faculty.

[36:15] Ryan Jackson-Pack: Ninety percent of our faculty live and work in the city.

[36:18] Ryan Jackson-Pack: Our cohorts range about 18 to 20 students per class, and because of our location, we're developing a lot of new work.

[36:26] Ryan Jackson-Pack: We did a world premiere musical last year.

[36:28] Ryan Jackson-Pack: We have another one this year.

[36:29] Ryan Jackson-Pack: We do at least two new readings every year.

[36:31] Ryan Jackson-Pack: So if you want to do ambitious new work, Montclair State is a good place to be.

[36:35] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I love it.

[36:36] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Ryan, I'll come right back to you.

[36:37] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: So let's talk, all of you, it's going to be about your academic focus.

[36:40] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: So basically, how much time are you spending doing acting, singing, and dancing, or when you're doing acting, acting, versus how much time am I spending doing other, let's say, academic things, so not counting theater history, but things that are outside of the theater department.

[36:53] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: If you have a percentage, 75, 25, 80, 20, whatever, we're in that range.

[36:56] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: And then if we don't have possible minors, double majors are, that kind of thing.

[37:01] Ryan Jackson-Pack: You have 120 credits to graduate. Ninety-three of them will be in your major.

[37:04] Ryan Jackson-Pack: So it is a BFA conservatory style.

[37:07] Ryan Jackson-Pack: It's not a conservatory in the sense that the cohort is together only for their acting classes.

[37:12] Ryan Jackson-Pack: And then the dance classes and some of the music classes are leveled, so they get mixed in together.

[37:17] Ryan Jackson-Pack: But that is the majority of your curriculum.

[37:19] Ryan Jackson-Pack: It is, I don't want to say impossible to double major, but because of the time commitment of the BFA, it's unlikely.

[37:25] Ryan Jackson-Pack: If you want a minor, that's really an option.

[37:27] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: And as far as the gen eds go, we rebranded all the gen eds this year.

[37:32] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: It's called SEEDS.

[37:33] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: It's a bunch of words I'm not allowed to say.

[37:35] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: That's how we're going to be able to take all our money.

[37:37] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Hold it until she speaks.

[37:40] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Okay.

[37:41] Ryan Scoble: Yeah, so the BFA, also 120 credits, about 80 or so are within the department.

[38:02] Ryan Scoble: The rest are within the College of Liberal Arts.

[38:09] Ryan Scoble: We also have a robust BA program where we focus on theater education and just a lot of other general theater applications.

[38:19] Ryan Scoble: We do at WVU have general ed classes.

[38:25] Ryan Scoble: It's about 15% of the makeup of your coursework.

[38:28] Ryan Scoble: But most of that is conservatory-style training in acting, singing, and dance.

[38:33] Ryan Scoble: It is possible to double major, but you have to be really on top of your credits.

[38:37] Ryan Scoble: And certain majors are easier to double major in, like dance, things in our college specifically.

[38:43] Ryan Scoble: But certain students have made it work by doing extra semesters, and minors are definitely obsolete.

[38:51] Ryan Scoble: Probably, I would say, depending on the semester, it's a 60-40 split of training and academics.

[38:58] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: That's great.

[39:01] Jennifer Engler: So we do have, it's 120 hours is your total credits needed to graduate.

[39:07] Jennifer Engler: 86 of those are in your BFA program.

[39:11] Jennifer Engler: I've been at TCU, this is my 23rd year.

[39:13] Jennifer Engler: We've had one person double major with a BFA in musical theater at that time, so it's far.

[39:20] Jennifer Engler: We have a lot of students who minor.

[39:22] Jennifer Engler: We also have a BA program that is only 45 credits versus that 86.

[39:27] Jennifer Engler: So if you're really interested in double majoring, that's the way to go at TCU.

[39:31] Jennifer Engler: The BA at TCU is also audition-only as well.

[39:34] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I love it.

[39:36] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: There's a pretty good representative rate that we just saw, right?

[39:38] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: 60-40, and then all the way up to 93, that's about 75%, right?

[39:42] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Some will be even more like 80%.

[39:43] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Some of the ones you heard last time, though, are more like 90%.

[39:49] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: In general, that's a good range of what could be within a BFA there.

[39:51] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Okay, going back to you, Jennifer, give me as much to one word as we can, close to one word or a sentence about your artistic focus within the musical theater.

[39:58] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: So are we acting-based out of musical theater? Are we singing?

[40:01] Jennifer Engler: How would you say you're focused?

[40:04] Jennifer Engler: Yeah, I would say acting is the foundation for us.

[40:07] Jennifer Engler: We think that you're acting when you're singing, acting when you're dancing.

[40:10] Jennifer Engler: We also want to see you be successful in film, TV, and commercial, and not just musical theater.

[40:15] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: The long sentence, act.

[40:17] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Yeah, wake her up.

[40:18] Ryan Scoble: Yeah, so we have, I mean, I agree. Acting is the base of our program, but continuous vocal training and dance throughout the four years.

[40:29] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Yeah.

[40:30] Ryan Scoble: At WVU, acting focused, but could be evenly split, and a big focus on mindfulness and knowing who you are as a human.

[40:37] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: I would sell that.

[40:38] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Yes, yes.

[40:39] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Acting-based, cross-stage, and screen, and creating your own work.

[40:43] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Yes.

[40:44] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Let's say we're very democratic, I'm all for it.

[40:46] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Let the students really lean into their choices.

[40:49] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: What I mean is if you're a dance person, you can really feel your credit that way.

[40:53] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: If you're a music person, there's a way to do it that way.

[40:55] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: And then acting, of course, is still important.

[40:57] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Democratic?

[40:58] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: That's democratic?

[40:59] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Democratic.

[41:00] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: They can choose.

[41:01] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Choose your own adventure.

[41:02] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Let the people choose.

[41:03] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Let the people choose.

[41:04] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Democratic?

[41:05] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Okay, all right, I'm taking that.

[41:06] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Okay, anything you didn't say about your campus life.

[41:08] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Some of you gave us a campus life.

[41:10] Unknown speaker: We don't get know like what is the experience of being on campus? It's a brief life on activities. What do I need to know about your campus outside of the theater department?

[41:18] Unknown speaker: It's a midsize university. So we have like, you know, division three athletics.

[41:23] Unknown speaker: I think what's great about it is Montclair is a cute, lovely suburban town. So the parents will be thrilled about this. And it's 40 minutes into midtown Manhattan. So the students like that part.

[41:50] Unknown speaker: So Oxford is a wonderful town. Like I said earlier, highly ranked. It's one of the best small college towns, college campus. It's beautiful if you've never been. Great cultural scene. There's a lot of festivals, music, art, and everything else in Oxford. Big Greek life as well.

[42:09] Unknown speaker: We have sports division. I do theater. I don't know.

[42:13] Unknown speaker: Niagara is a Catholic university. It's an incention tradition, which is really a social justice focused tradition and Catholic education. And there's division. There is division on sports.

[42:40] Unknown speaker: I know. And it's a really warm campus.

[42:45] Unknown speaker: Much more sport focused than I expected.

[42:51] Unknown speaker: If you're a Frog, you're a Frog for life. That is the culture at TCU. Go Frogs.

[42:56] Jennifer: All right. Jennifer, let's talk about cost. So if you know the number, if you're willing to say tuition, we would all appreciate hearing the word tuition. If you don't know the number, that's okay. But talk to me about what the number is, tuition-wise, and then how do they bring that down?

[43:09] Unknown speaker: So are we talking mostly me, mostly academic, mostly artistic? How does that number come down off of sticker price?

[43:15] Jennifer: Yeah, our sticker price is stupid.

[43:19] Unknown speaker: Do you have a number?

[43:21] Jennifer: 63?

[43:22] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[43:23] Jennifer: Yeah. Nobody pays that. So yeah, anybody who's admitted to BFA has offered some type of scholarship, which you can stack on me, you can stack on academic. Can I say one thing?

[43:34] Unknown speaker: One thing.

[43:35] Jennifer: It doesn't matter if you're talking to TCU or if you're talking to any university. If the price is what's keeping you from going there, keep talking. Nobody on this side of the table is going to make you feel bad about talking about cost. Cost is real. And just put your cards on the table and let us be your advocates.

[43:50] Unknown speaker: I love it. Great advice.

[43:51] Unknown speaker: Thank you. I love that advice. That's a good phrase. And I truly don't know the sticker price. I'm kind of new.

[43:58] Unknown speaker: Let's say $100,000.

[43:59] Unknown speaker: Division one.

[44:01] Unknown speaker: And also because nobody pays the sticker price. Okay, I know we're ranked in the sort of best value universities.

[44:12] Unknown speaker: Out-of-state tuition for us is $28,000. So pretty cheap for out-of-state students. We typically can get that down with need-based and talent-based scholarships for most people to almost complete tuition and fees covered to about $5,000 away from that.

[44:27] Unknown speaker: That is not included on me.

[44:30] Unknown speaker: So our out-of-state is about $39,000. Our in-state is $9,000. And a lot of scholarships, especially academically. And we also can stack your theater merit scholarships on top of that.

[44:42] Unknown speaker: Total estimated cost for the year, out-of-state, $44,000.

[44:46] Unknown speaker: Did you just look that up?

[44:47] Unknown speaker: I did. I looked up my notes. I asked admissions before I came. Give me the number.

[44:53] Unknown speaker: So $44,000 out-of-state is a $10,000 discount if you're an in-state New Jersey resident. That's a big one. And then we are able to stack talent and academic scholarships, which really helps bring that number down.

[45:06] Unknown speaker: Okay, let's do questions. We have two or three questions.

[45:10] Unknown speaker: I have a question. What kind of students are you looking for in your program?

[45:15] Unknown speaker: That was my sixth question that I didn't ask. So you guys can all answer that. So talk to me. When you're watching these auditions, all of you, what do you look for? Why are you calling some people back? Let's start with Ryan.

[45:28] Ryan: I always say we're looking for open-hearted artists. I want people who either know who they are or are looking to discover. And I prefer specialists. I'd rather you be the best dancer in the room than a little good at everything. Or the voice that I cannot get out of my head than a little good at everything.

[45:50] Ryan: So yeah, I think looking for someone that's willing to take risks, someone that's willing to take adjustments and open to feedback. I think that that is huge in our program. Part of our audition process is giving an adjustment on the spot so that we see what they're like in a class or in rehearsals for a show.

[46:16] Unknown speaker: I look for being in your body physically, taking up space, and having a clear point of view. And like Ryan said, not necessarily having to know exactly who you are, but having a clear point of view of what you want to say and what you're doing with your art.

[46:32] Unknown speaker: Authenticity is the biggest thing for me. And sometimes that really is exactly knowing who you are and leaning into that. And sometimes it's just a willingness to be open and cheerful in the moment.

[46:45] Unknown speaker: Same thing. Are you comfortable with who you are? And I may not know exactly who that is yet, but I'm comfortable with where I am in the journey. And so knowing that you're the commodity, you're about to go out and sell, so be comfortable wearing that skin.

[46:59] Unknown speaker: Let's do maybe one more question.

[47:05] Unknown speaker: 18 to 20. We aim for about 20. This year our freshmen are 22. Last year they were 18.

[47:14] Unknown speaker: That's just MT. Acting tends to be around 15.

[47:18] Unknown speaker: We're 16. 12 for musical theater, usually around 8 to 10 for acting.

[47:24] Unknown speaker: 12 to 15. 12 to 15 in acting and in musical theater.

[47:28] Unknown speaker: One more question in the back.

[47:30] Unknown speaker: Hi, I was just wondering what your process is like for getting kids out of school and into the musical world.

[47:36] Jennifer: For the lunch. Jennifer, you want to start with that?

[47:39] Jennifer: Yeah, so we do a local showcase in DFW. We do a video showcase that we send to my coastal agencies. And then we do a New York showcase as well.

[47:48] Jennifer: And then beyond that, it's just bringing agents and reps into campus. And we also do a co-pro at least every other year with a small professional theater in Fort Worth.

[47:58] Jennifer: So it's allowing students to get equity points, to work with equity actors, those kinds of things even before they graduate.

[48:04] Unknown speaker: We have a regional showcase and then we have a New York City showcase for industry professionals.

[48:11] Unknown speaker: I teach a class for the seniors of acting synthesis and the professions, but it's really all about career breadth.

[48:19] Unknown speaker: We have guest artists who come in and work with our students as directors, choreographers.

[48:24] Unknown speaker: We also invite professional theaters to come in and audition our students every year.

[48:28] Unknown speaker: And then we have a New York City-based showcase. And we're also connected to a regional theater in West Virginia, West Virginia Public Theater.

[48:35] Unknown speaker: Very similar, we do a virtual showcase bringing in guest artists and then we do a New York City showcase as well.

[48:41] Unknown speaker: We do the senior showcase, the whole senior year, but also ours is really embedded in the program.

[48:47] Unknown speaker: And we use New York as an extension of the campus. We had an opera that workshopped at Lincoln Center last year that all of our students participated in.

[48:54] Unknown speaker: Our new musical is premiering at Montclair State and then we'll be at Lincoln Center in the spring for a concert there as well.

[49:01] Unknown speaker: So it's pretty integrated that way.

[49:03] Unknown speaker: All right, I think that's it for this panel. We're already a little bit over time.

[49:15] Unknown speaker: Okay, so they've all experienced this. I know you guys are coming in fresh with this, right? Name, school, position, location.

[49:20] Bill Dignite: Hi, I'm Bill Dignite. I don't have a number. Sorry, that's a joke. I work at Northern Michigan University. I'm the department head of theater and dance. I'm also the director of the Innovation Institute for Northern.

[49:37] Bill Dignite: We are located in Marquette, Michigan. You're like, where the hell is that? Someone said, woop woop. It's actually U-Poop. It's the opera theater.

[49:43] Jennifer Malenga: I'm Jennifer Malenga. I'm the school director of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Theater and the College of Visual and Performing Arts. I've been in the position for three months. Previous to that, I was at K-State University of Miami and you can go to any of these schools and get an amazing education.

[50:05] James Beaudry: Hi, James Beaudry, director of undergraduate studies for theater and dance at the University at Buffalo, which is at Buffalo.

[50:15] Lisa Hauser: Hi, I'm Lisa Hauser. I'm the program director of the BM in music theater at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

[50:22] Meredith Walker: I'm Meredith Walker. I am the director of admissions at the Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts in Norwalk, Connecticut.

[50:30] Unknown speaker: I love it. Okay, now we're going to go snake style. So we're going to come back here. And can you give me like your 30-second elevator pitch of like what your school is? I'm going to ask you some specific questions about cost and curriculum. I'm going to cover a lot of things. You don't have to hit everything. What makes your school unique? What is Norwalk? What is your school, each of your individual schools? Give us like, what is the student body? What do I need to know about you? About 30 seconds.

[50:51] Meredith Walker: Absolutely. So NOCO, just outside of New York City, we really cater to the student who wants to be on Broadway now. Who is ready, who is chomping at the bit, who wants to do the thing. We encourage our students to be auditioning while they're in school. We expect them to get an agent. We are bringing casting to the school. We are bringing agents to the school. We are encouraging them to work professionally while they are still enrolled with us.

[51:22] Unknown speaker: That's great. That's great. Perfect. Perfect.

[51:25] Unknown speaker: Okay. Oh my God. Oh, I just blanked on all of them.

[51:30] Unknown speaker: Okay. So what's unique about Florida State University is we have a VM or a BFA to be able to study in. Well, if you get to be on the College of Music or your BFA from the School of Theater, but we are one cohort. When you audition for us, you're auditioning for the program and the students get to decide if they want a little more music or a little more theater. We consider ourselves a highly mentored program because we like to take between only eight and 10 a class. Therefore, we know everybody at all times and where, you know, it's very easy to get individual attention. Last thing, I got it, is that we are conservatory style training in liberal arts education, right? So you have all the state gen eds, blah, blah, blah, but you have all that.

[52:21] Unknown speaker: We'll do some gen ed stuff, but yes, please do.

[52:23] Unknown speaker: Great. University of Buffalo is the largest public university in the state of New York. It's one of the flagships of the SUNY system and it has 32,000 students, but the Department of Theater and Dance has about 160,000 students. So it's our, the stick is in the corner in the Center for the Arts. So it feels small in our area, but part of this big university and curricularly, I like to call it yes and. You can do a BFA in music theater. You can do a BFA in acting. You can also add a BA in dance to that. You can also do a concentration in design tech. So you can have your BFA and he is too.

[53:05] Unknown speaker: Please put that on.

[53:07] Unknown speaker: University of North Carolina at Greensboro is the most diverse university in the North Carolina system. It is free. There are 300 majors in theater, BFA in musical theater, BFA in acting, BFA in theater education. They do theater for young audiences. Yeah, many, many ways that you can get a BFA or a BA thriving community in a college of visual and performing arts, which means you're not answering to the sciences. You're answering to artists.

[53:39] Unknown speaker: So students work in dance, theater, music, visual arts in a thriving triad metropolis of a lot of things going on in North Carolina.

[53:49] Unknown speaker: Northern Michigan University is a pre-professional training program. We do 15 productions in our season. Endless opportunities. I know. Endless opportunities is the term. We guarantee every performance major a role in a show freshman year. We just did Into the Woods. Four freshmen were released in that show, cast in April. So they were in high school and they got cast. I believe they were in practice, so that's kind of what we're about.

[54:15] Unknown speaker: All right, Bill, going right back to you, but we're going to do it for all of you. Give me a sense of now your academic focus. So if you have a percentage of time that is spent acting, singing, dancing versus those gen ed versus other minors, double majors. So I want to hear about if you have a 75-25, 60-40, whatever feels right in terms of your split, and then how possible a minor or double major might be. I'm going to add into that if you can hold it all. Also, if you care about academics and admissions, because I'm going to ask that question. So how many academics do you have? Can you minor or double major? And then do you care about it in admissions?

[54:52] Charlie Murphy: Welcome back to Mapping The College Audition. We're live at the Pittsburgh Unified Auditions, and we have an incredible panel of faculty members from various colleges here to answer your questions about the college audition process.

[55:22] Charlie Murphy: Let's dive right in. I want to remind everyone that this is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the faculty. So, if you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

[55:52] Charlie Murphy: First up, can we have each panelist introduce themselves and share a little bit about their program?

[56:52] Faculty Member 1: Hi everyone, I’m from the University of Pittsburgh. Our program focuses on a well-rounded education in theater, emphasizing both performance and technical skills.

[57:22] Faculty Member 2: I’m from Carnegie Mellon University. We have a BFA program that is highly competitive, focusing on musical theater, acting, and design.

[57:36] Faculty Member 3: Hello! I represent Point Park University. Our program is known for its strong connections to the professional theater scene in Pittsburgh.

[57:50] Faculty Member 4: I’m from Duquesne University. We offer a unique blend of theater and music education, preparing students for various careers in the arts.

[58:18] Charlie Murphy: Fantastic! Now that we know a bit about each program, let’s open the floor for questions. What do you want to know about the audition process or the programs?

[58:42] Audience Member 1: What do you look for in an audition?

[59:10] Faculty Member 1: We look for authenticity and a strong connection to the material. It’s important that you bring your true self to the audition.

[59:30] Faculty Member 2: I agree. We want to see your personality shine through. It’s not just about the technical skills; it’s about who you are as an artist.

[59:50] Faculty Member 3: And don’t forget, we’re also assessing how you handle the pressure of an audition. It’s a two-way street; you’re auditioning us as much as we’re auditioning you.

[1:00:10] Audience Member 2: How important is it to have a specific type of training before auditioning?

[1:00:30] Faculty Member 4: While training can be beneficial, we value passion and dedication just as much. Many successful students come from diverse backgrounds.

[1:00:50] Faculty Member 1: Exactly! We appreciate students who are willing to learn and grow, regardless of their previous experience.

[1:01:10] Charlie Murphy: Great insights! What advice would you give to students who might feel nervous about the audition process?

[1:01:30] Faculty Member 2: Take a deep breath and remember that it’s a conversation. Try to enjoy the experience rather than just focusing on the outcome.

[1:01:50] Faculty Member 3: And practice! The more you prepare, the more confident you’ll feel.

[1:02:10] Audience Member 3: What’s the best way to follow up after an audition?

[1:02:30] Faculty Member 4: A simple thank-you email can go a long way. It shows your appreciation and keeps you on their radar.

[1:02:50] Faculty Member 1: Yes, and it’s a nice way to express your continued interest in the program.

[1:03:10] Charlie Murphy: Excellent advice! Let’s keep the questions coming.

[1:03:30] Audience Member 4: How do you handle students who may not get accepted?

[1:03:40] Faculty Member 2: We always encourage students to seek feedback and continue honing their craft. Rejection is a part of the process, and it can lead to growth.

[1:03:50] Faculty Member 3: Absolutely. We want to see resilience and a willingness to keep pursuing your passion.

[1:04:10] Charlie Murphy: That’s a valuable perspective. What else do you want to know?

[1:04:30] Audience Member 5: Can you talk about the importance of networking in this industry?

[1:04:50] Faculty Member 4: Networking is crucial. Building relationships with faculty and peers can open doors for future opportunities.

[1:05:00] Faculty Member 1: And remember, the connections you make in college can last a lifetime.

[1:05:10] Charlie Murphy: Great points! Let’s keep this conversation going.

[1:05:20] Audience Member 6: What should we do if we feel overwhelmed during the audition process?

[1:05:30] Faculty Member 2: It’s important to take breaks and practice self-care. Find techniques that help you relax, whether it’s meditation, exercise, or talking to someone.

[1:05:50] Faculty Member 3: And don’t hesitate to reach out for support. We’re here to help you through this journey.

[1:06:00] Charlie Murphy: Thank you for sharing that. It’s so important to prioritize mental health during this process.

[1:06:10] Audience Member 7: How do you suggest we choose our audition material?

[1:06:30] Faculty Member 4: Choose pieces that resonate with you personally. It’s easier to perform authentically when you connect with the material.

[1:06:40] Faculty Member 1: And make sure to select a variety of pieces that showcase your range as a performer.

[1:06:50] Charlie Murphy: Fantastic advice! Let’s take a few more questions.

[1:07:00] Audience Member 8: What’s the biggest mistake you see students make during auditions?

[1:07:10] Faculty Member 2: Over-preparing can sometimes lead to a lack of spontaneity. It’s important to be flexible and open to the moment.

[1:07:20] Faculty Member 3: And don’t forget to listen to the panel. Engaging with us can make a big difference.

[1:07:30] Charlie Murphy: Thank you all for your insights today. This has been an invaluable session for everyone involved.

[1:07:50] Faculty Member 4: Thank you for having us! We’re excited to see the talent that comes through these auditions.

[1:08:10] Charlie Murphy: And thank you to everyone who joined us today. Remember, this is just the beginning of your journey. Good luck!

[1:08:35] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Welcome to the live podcast at the Pittsburgh Unified Auditions!

[1:09:05] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: We're excited to bring you insights from various faculty members representing 26 schools across five panels.

[1:10:06] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the people behind the programs, not just the information on their websites.

[1:10:14] Live POD at Pittsburgh Unified Auditions: Remember, you’re auditioning them too, so take your time and be authentically you.

[1:10:24] Live POD at Pittsburgh University: It's important to let your quirks shine and show genuine interest in the programs you're considering.

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[1:31:35] Robert Scott Smith: I'm Robert Scott Smith. I'm associate professor and head of the actor training program at the University of Utah, which is in Salt Lake City.

[1:31:50] Robert Scott Smith: I'm also representing Aaron Spear who is head of the VFA musical theater program who is not with us. So I'm going to do a little bit of double duty because I'm over the acting but I'll try to also represent the musical program as well.

[1:32:06] Robert Scott Smith: Sometimes Donny Osmond is a little bit of a claim. I'm kidding. I was just trying to like, yeah, yeah, we're really in a beautiful location. Our campus is like right on the foothills of the mountain. It might be snowing on campus, but you go down like half like five blocks and it's not snowing at all. So it's a really great place right nestled in the mountains. If you love skiing, you love the outdoors, we're really a great place to go. We're protected by the mountains. Our programs are around 20 for each VFA area. I got a little confused at both of these things.

[1:33:01] Unknown speaker: I am for the boy cap 21 program in New York City. We are a very unique program in that there are two campuses. Our main campus is in Rockville Center, which is on the south shore of Long Island and Cap 21 our studios are in Manhattan literally on Broadway. I say you'll be studying on Broadway. So our students get to go back and forth between the main campus and the city campus two days a week as a first-year student. You are training in the city three days a week sophomore junior and senior year and your campus days are going to be a mix of academic classes and also studio classes. That's like the tiny.

[1:34:01] Unknown speaker: Beautifully well said and really if you guys don't mind standing they wouldn't mind if you do that. Hi, I'm Greg Helms, I'm the head of musical theater at Wright State. I'm also representing the acting program. Both of our programs are under one umbrella so it's a BFA in acting with two different emphases and something unusual about our program is that both of those emphases work together for the first two years and then they split off into their different specialties. We don't have mountains in Dayton, but we're really close to the Wright-Patt Air Force Base. So we got that.

[1:34:35] Unknown speaker: We are slating ourselves and then a quick elevator pitch about your school. A 30-second elevator pitch. You've walked in the middle of speed data. You're going to do great. Okay, so who you are, the school you're from, and then a quick elevator pitch about your school.

[1:34:58] Richard Beaver: Hi, I'm Richard Beaver. I'm the assistant program director, but I'm not. I'm instead of the program director, I'm the music director of music theater at Baldwin-Wallace University. Speed dating. It is a Bachelor of Music program, not a BFA, and all that means is that there's more music classes than traditional BFA. It's housed in the Conservatory of the Performing Arts at Baldwin-Wallace, so they're with all of the musicians, with the theater students, but it feels like a conservatory because you're housed in that conservatory. I think that's what you said.

[1:35:30] Unknown speaker: Beautifully done. Yes.

[1:35:32] Nicolette Hart: Hi everyone, Nicolette Hart. I'm the program director of musical theater at Nazareth University in Rochester, New York. Sort of right in the middle between Buffalo and Syracuse. We are a BFA. It's a liberal arts institution, so you're taking courses in seven other areas, which I think is fantastic and becoming just a really smart actor by learning about other things. We have placements for dance, theory, and piano, and you take all those courses in your first two years. You can minor in our program.

[1:36:02] Charlie Murphy: Welcome to our live podcast at the Pittsburgh Unified Auditions! We’re excited to have you all here today as we dive into the college audition process and hear from some amazing faculty members from various schools.

[1:36:32] Charlie Murphy: Remember, this is a unique opportunity for you to get to know the people behind the programs. It’s not just about the websites; it’s about finding the right fit for you.

[1:37:32] Charlie Murphy: As we go through this panel, keep in mind that you’re auditioning them too. Take your time, be authentically yourself, and let your quirks shine through.

[1:38:02] Charlie Murphy: We’ll start with our first panel, where we have representatives from several schools ready to share insights and answer your questions.

[1:38:32] Charlie Murphy: Feel free to raise your hand if you have a question, and we’ll make sure to get to as many as we can.

[1:38:34] Charlie Murphy: Let’s kick things off!

[1:38:49] Faculty Member 1: Thank you for having us! We’re thrilled to be here and to talk about our programs.

[1:39:18] Faculty Member 2: It’s great to see so many passionate students. We’re looking forward to sharing what makes our school unique.

[1:39:45] Faculty Member 3: One thing I want to emphasize is the importance of finding a program that aligns with your artistic goals.

[1:40:12] Faculty Member 4: Absolutely! Each school has its own strengths, and it’s crucial to consider what you want to get out of your education.

[1:40:39] Faculty Member 5: And don’t forget to ask about the faculty’s experience and how they can support you in your journey.

[1:40:54] Faculty Member 6: Yes, we’re here to guide you, but it’s also about how you can contribute to our community.

[1:41:23] Charlie Murphy: Those are great points! Let’s open the floor to questions from the audience.

[1:41:48] Audience Member 1: What should we look for in a program when it comes to performance opportunities?

[1:42:08] Faculty Member 1: Look for schools that offer a variety of performance experiences, including mainstage productions and smaller showcases.

[1:42:23] Faculty Member 2: Also, consider the frequency of performances and how they integrate into the curriculum.

[1:42:38] Audience Member 2: How important is it to have a strong academic program alongside the arts?

[1:43:05] Faculty Member 3: It’s very important! A well-rounded education will serve you well in your career, both in and out of the arts.

[1:43:15] Faculty Member 4: Plus, having strong academics can open doors for scholarships and other opportunities.

[1:43:25] Charlie Murphy: Great insights! Let’s keep the questions coming.

[1:43:40] Audience Member 3: What advice do you have for students who may not have a lot of experience yet?

[1:43:55] Faculty Member 5: Don’t worry! Everyone starts somewhere. Focus on your passion and be open to learning.

[1:44:05] Faculty Member 6: And remember, your unique perspective is valuable, even if you’re just beginning.

[1:44:15] Charlie Murphy: Excellent advice! Let’s move on to our next question.

[1:44:30] Audience Member 4: How can we best prepare for auditions?

[1:44:51] Faculty Member 1: Practice is key! Work on your material, but also be prepared to adapt and take direction.

[1:45:01] Faculty Member 2: And don’t forget to research the schools you’re auditioning for; know what they’re looking for.

[1:45:16] Audience Member 5: What role does networking play in the audition process?

[1:45:26] Faculty Member 3: Networking is crucial. Building relationships with faculty and peers can lead to opportunities down the line.

[1:45:46] Faculty Member 4: Plus, it’s a great way to learn about the industry and get advice from those who have been through it.

[1:46:06] Charlie Murphy: Fantastic points! Let’s keep the conversation going.

[1:46:17] Audience Member 6: Can you share any tips for handling audition nerves?

[1:46:27] Faculty Member 5: Breathing exercises can help calm your nerves. Also, remember that everyone in the room wants you to succeed.

[1:46:37] Faculty Member 6: And try to reframe your nerves as excitement; it can make a big difference in your performance.

[1:46:47] Charlie Murphy: Those are great strategies!

[1:46:57] Audience Member 7: What should we do if we don’t get into our top choice school?

[1:47:07] Faculty Member 1: It’s important to remember that there are many paths to success. Sometimes, a different school can offer unexpected opportunities.

[1:47:17] Faculty Member 2: Trust the process and know that your journey is unique to you.

[1:47:27] Charlie Murphy: Absolutely! Let’s take a few more questions.

[1:47:37] Audience Member 8: How can we make a strong impression during our auditions?

[1:47:47] Faculty Member 3: Be prepared, be yourself, and show your passion for the art. Authenticity goes a long way.

[1:47:57] Faculty Member 4: And don’t forget to follow up with a thank-you note after your audition; it shows professionalism.

[1:48:07] Charlie Murphy: Great advice!

[1:48:17] Audience Member 9: What’s the best way to showcase our individuality in auditions?

[1:48:27] Faculty Member 5: Choose material that resonates with you personally. Your connection to the piece will shine through.

[1:48:37] Faculty Member 6: And don’t be afraid to let your personality come through in your performance.

[1:48:47] Charlie Murphy: Thank you all for your insights today!

[1:48:57] Charlie Murphy: We hope this panel has helped you feel more prepared for your college audition journey.

[1:49:07] Charlie Murphy: Remember, be authentically you, and good luck out there!

[1:49:17] Charlie Murphy: Thank you for joining us at the Pittsburgh Unified Auditions!

[1:49:45] Unknown speaker: Robert, we know you're safely nestled. I was just going to say, we've already established that you cannot get in. That's all. What else can I add to that? There's an international airport that takes you, you can get on tracks and go right up to campus, which is a really great shot.

[1:50:03] Unknown speaker: For those of you that have been there, you know, that's really great for transportation needs for a lot of students who are from out of state. Campus, the housing on campus is really beautiful. It was built because of the Winter Olympics, which we're having again coming up. So our campus is really, it's a beautiful campus and it is protective.

[1:50:23] Unknown speaker: We have a really great life outside of the active training program and the musical theater program. We have a really great football team. So if you're interested in sports. We have a really great music department, dance department, art department. So there's opportunities to expand outside of just our bubble.

[1:50:39] Unknown speaker: We just have a brand new renovated building that we're in for our classes with great studio spaces, sprung floor, Marley. We just got a new 350 seat thrust theater that's been built. We have a Lord B. regional theater company on campus. It's in the building next door to us.

[1:50:54] Unknown speaker: Pioneer theater company where we have an apprenticeship program for our seniors. So there's a lot of great opportunities in our community and on campus to feel like you're not only getting great training, but you're having a really great college life.

[1:51:07] Unknown speaker: And protected. You don't have siege anywhere.

[1:51:10] Unknown speaker: So we have two campuses are more campus is on the south shore of Long Island in a little town called Rockville Center. It's a very sweet small campus. It's about 5000 students. So it's, it's considered like a midsize school, but it really has a very small campus feel to it.

[1:51:29] Unknown speaker: It's a great, vibrant, wonderful community where, you know, folks feel like you're not really in New York, you know, New Yorkers, I think, have a reputation for being, you know, brisk and kind of get into where they need to go. And, and at Malloy, one of the first things that people often notice is that everyone holds the door for everybody else. It sort of feels like a Midwestern campus. It has a really nice sense of community.

[1:51:54] Unknown speaker: It's a D2 school. So they do have sports, not a football team, maybe a spring football team, but not a tackle football team, which I think is better for your head anyway, you know, the mom and me, and then our Cat 21 studios are located on 50 Broadway, down in Long Island, which is a great place to do that.

[1:52:10] Unknown speaker: And then in the financial district, we're like right behind the Stock Exchange. Wall Street is kind of parallel to us. Wall Street Bowl, you know, is like catty corner from us. It's a very cool historic neighborhood. You can see from our building, you can see the Statue of Liberty. So, and again, like, you know, Sarah, it's, it's New York City, it's everything at your fingertips. So you kind of have both, you kind of have like the busy city, and then you go back to the main campus, and it's like, you know, trees and like ivy and thick buildings, and you kind of get the best of both worlds.

[1:52:41] Unknown speaker: We are a Midwestern campus. So we are in Southwest Ohio, in Dayton, about an hour north of Cincinnati, about an hour west of Columbus. So we share, actually, a lot of our students do professional work in both of those cities, as well as in Dayton.

[1:52:59] Unknown speaker: It is a small campus. It's very, we're very community or family oriented there. It's rural, so they like to go and do hiking and stuff like that.

[1:53:16] Unknown speaker: We don't have, we don't have football, but we have Verizon League Baseball and basketball, and our team is like one of the top teams in the United States.

[1:53:26] Unknown speaker: Bonemoss is in Berea, Ohio, which is about 20 minutes outside of Cleveland. Berea is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 safest college communities in the nation. And, but you are 20 minutes from Cleveland, which is the largest collection of professional theaters west of New York. And Bonemoss has professional partnerships with Playhouse on the Square, which is where all of those theaters in Cleveland are.

[1:53:50] Unknown speaker: So only one musical a year is performed on campus. The other two are performed at Playhouse on the Square, or one of our other partners. So they're getting that immediate professional experience that way. Also on campus, sports, lots of clubs, everything's walkable and doable. It's a really lovely place to be.

[1:54:08] Unknown speaker: We are two and a half hours east of Toronto, that's helpful, and five and a half hours west of New York City, in a car. Rochester is about 300,000 people, it's a mid-sized city, but Pittsburgh, where Nazareth is, is suburban, very suburban. We are on the Erie Canal, it's very safe and very beautiful and very green and what you would think an idyllic sort of small campus is.

[1:54:31] Unknown speaker: Less than 3,000 students can walk from one end to the other in 12 to 15 minutes. Eastman Theater is in Rochester, obviously, George Eastman House, Kodak, Hochstein, Rochester Broadway Theater League, which is where the touring Broadway shows come through, which we have a partnership with as well, so we get a lot of people from all over the country.

[1:54:49] Unknown speaker: Giva Theater is in Rochester, which is a professional house that we have a partnership with, a lot of our students work there. Garth Bagan Dance is there, JCC, Blackfriars, OFC, there's lots of performance opportunities. We are not a D1 campus, I don't even know what D2 or D3 are, I'm pretty sure we don't have them, but we do have yoga.

[1:55:11] Unknown speaker: Wait, let me stay with you, and let's do costs. So, if any of you guys know the cost of the theater, what is the cost of the theater? No one's mentioned that.

[1:55:25] Unknown speaker: This is the first goat yoga. Not at the same time.

[1:55:33] Unknown speaker: Wait, let me stay with you, and let's do costs. So, if any of you guys know the tuition, we can stick with tuition only, but if you know about tuition, tell me what that is, and then tell me how we can bring that cost down.

[1:55:47] Unknown speaker: We've already said, nobody's paying sticker price here, but if we're not paying sticker price, is it academic, is it need, is it artistic, how does that work?

[1:55:54] Unknown speaker: Yeah, so that piece of it is really not in my hands, other than we do a rating system so that tuition helps know what kind of talent scholarship I want to be handed out. So, you're getting a 50% break off the tuition immediately.

[1:56:11] Unknown speaker: It's so annoying but the sticker price is somewhere around 60,000. It's immediately cut in half. And then there's a merit scholarship and talent scholarship, and there's things like Bonner scholar and young scholar. So there's lots of different ways to sort of keep chipping away at the cost.

[1:56:30] Unknown speaker: And then my team in the admissions house is wonderful and they will go to bat and fight for and I say for anyone who's applying. Once you get that package, appeal. And once you get that appeal, appeal. Every time, the more it comes off. And that's just how it works.

[1:56:50] Unknown speaker: And I think it's gross and I hate everything about it, but that's how it works. Fourth time, fifth time we've heard that. Noting it, note it down, the other four times probably true.

[1:57:00] Unknown speaker: Similar costs about low 50s is the sticker price, but there's immediate GPA scholarships. So the higher the GPA, the higher the scholarship is anywhere from 22,000 down to 14,000 off initially.

[1:57:15] Unknown speaker: There's now a new presidential scholarship that's starting in the fall for all new students. That's another almost 2,000 per year in addition to that GPA scholarship. And then there's an artistic scholarship. I'm not sure what it's called, but it's anywhere between $2,000 and $8,000. So do all of that math. I'm not even sure where we are now.

[1:57:34] Unknown speaker: $6.50! $5! $5.50!

[1:57:39] Unknown speaker: Yes, and then there is the, you know, match and beat price thing. So if you have an offer from somebody, but you want to come to Bowdoin College, give us that offer and they'll do their best to match your GPA. If you're in-state, it's $24,000. If you're out-of-state, it's $34,000. That's for the year. That includes housing.

[1:58:01] Unknown speaker: Academically, if you have a good GPA, you could be offered anything from $8,000 to $10,000 additional scholarship dollars. And then there's artistic scholarship that comes directly from us.

[1:58:15] Unknown speaker: So Malloy's tuition is at about $37,000 right now. That's not the total cost of attendance, because then there's also room and board. I'm sure you've all been talking about this.

[1:58:28] Unknown speaker: So if we're going to talk total sticker price for our musical theater students is about $60,000. And that's room and board. There's also a program fee, which is specific to the musical theater program. It's like the nursing program has the same thing. There's a bunch of different majors.

[1:58:45] Unknown speaker: It's basically just kind of the cost of what the program costs to learn. I don't know why they don't just put it all in. I don't have anything to do with that. But in terms of if I ran the school, things would be maybe a little different.

[1:58:59] Unknown speaker: They haven't asked me yet, and so I'm not doing it. But we do have academic scholarships. That's going to be your best money from Malloy. They give very generous academic scholarships all the way up to full tuition for Malloy scholars. That's really like the top, top, top tier GPA.

[1:59:19] Unknown speaker: But even like the next tier down is like $32,000, $30,000, $28,000, $26,000. So you can get some major scholarship money if you have a good GPA. And even if your GPA is not all that stellar, they give like basically $8,000 off the sticker price for like a pretty mediocre GPA.

[1:59:43] Unknown speaker: Need-based financial aid. I wish we gave talent scholarships. We have very, very, very few small little talent scholarships. But that's not going to be your best source of finances. It's going to be academic.

[1:59:56] Unknown speaker: We're looking at around $32,000 for out-of-state tuition. It's around $11,000 for in-state tuition. I know there's probably not many of you from Utah here. But there's two things that are great about where we are.

[2:00:12] Unknown speaker: You can get a residency after your first year. You do need to stay during the summer. There's ways to navigate that when you travel, but you can get in-state tuition after your first year, which is incredible. We also work with WUE, which is the Western Undergraduate Exchange Program. If you qualify in a neighboring state, that puts you in in-state tuition, which is $15,000.

[2:00:32] Unknown speaker: GPA is really going to help you for merit-based scholarships from the University of Utah. Primarily, we see that knock you down to about $15,000 in costs. Often, if you take that, then you can't become a resident. So you just have to navigate that it's going to just be a few more thousand, which isn't bad at all.

[2:00:50] Unknown speaker: But I just will iterate that December 1st is our deadline. You have to apply academically through Common App by December 1st and have it completed in order to receive merit. Most people miss it, so don't miss that.

[2:01:04] Unknown speaker: If you are considering us, it's worth having those options. We're talking two schools, and we are separate schools. So we're combined in terms of offering the BFA, but we are separate.

[2:01:11] Unknown speaker: So Eckerd College, I can tell you from my experience, my son got the top scholarship. He got about $25,000, and that came off his tuition. That was an academic scholarship. We at Circle do our scholarships by need because we just want to make it available to people who could not come if they didn't get a full scholarship.

[2:01:45] Unknown speaker: But everybody at Circle gets some kind of scholarship, even if it's $1,000 or something, and our tuition is around $24,000. So it's lower than any other school. So basically, that seems to be what our situation is.

[2:02:05] Unknown speaker: I love it. Okay, let's take two questions, and then we'll wrap. I know you guys are all exhausted. Yes, go for it.

[2:02:11] Unknown speaker: How do you allow your students to audition while you're on the show?

[2:02:20] Unknown speaker: Yeah, no, we don't allow – somebody got a Broadway show. We allowed them, and then they came back after the show. But most of the time, we are such an intense program. You get everything you would want in any acting program, in any musical theater program. It's just so rich and intense.

[2:02:40] Unknown speaker: So basically, you would basically be having a very good chance of having what you need.

[2:02:55] Unknown speaker: Yes, you can. You just have to be in good standing and have a conversation with the head of the area in order to support, just to make sure you're not getting overworked or burnout because academics matter.

[2:03:06] Unknown speaker: We have a pretty robust community of theater makers, so there's a lot of opportunities for musicals. I mean, there's a theater company that has 25,000 subscribers for the year, and they have a relationship with Disney. So there's an opportunity for our students to be doing a lot of work throughout the year, as well as film opportunities with our film department. But we do allow that.

[2:03:28] Charlie Murphy: Welcome to our live podcast at the Pittsburgh Unified Auditions! We're excited to bring you insights from faculty members representing 26 schools across five panels.

[2:03:58] Charlie Murphy: This event is all about getting to know the real people behind the programs, not just the information on their websites. Remember, you're auditioning them too!

[2:04:28] Charlie Murphy: When it feels rushed, take a moment to slow down. It's your time to shine, so be authentically you and let your quirks come through.

[2:04:58] Charlie Murphy: Showing genuine interest can make a big difference. A kind follow-up can go a long way in making a lasting impression.

[2:05:28] Charlie Murphy: If you have any questions about the college audition process, feel free to reach out to us at mailbag@mappingthecollegeaudition.com.

[2:05:58] Charlie Murphy: And if you're interested in working with MTCA for personalized preparation for your college audition journey, check us out at mtca.com or on social media.

[2:06:28] Charlie Murphy: Now, let's dive into our first panel!

[2:06:58] Charlie Murphy: We have an incredible lineup of faculty members here today, ready to share their insights and experiences.

[2:07:28] Charlie Murphy: Remember, this is a unique opportunity to ask questions and learn more about what each program has to offer.

[2:07:58] Charlie Murphy: So without further ado, let's welcome our first panel of faculty members to the stage!

[2:08:28] Charlie Murphy: As they come up, think about what you want to ask them. This is your chance to get the information you need.

[2:08:58] Charlie Murphy: Alright, let's get started!

[2:09:00] Charlie Murphy: Welcome, everyone!

[2:09:02] Charlie Murphy: Please introduce yourselves and tell us a little about your programs.

[2:09:04] Faculty Member 1: Hi, I'm from XYZ University, and we focus on a holistic approach to training students in musical theater.

[2:09:06] Faculty Member 2: I'm from ABC College, where we emphasize collaboration and creativity in our curriculum.

[2:09:08] Faculty Member 3: And I'm from DEF Institute, where we prepare students for the professional world with real-world experiences.

[2:09:10] Charlie Murphy: Fantastic! Let's dive into some questions from our audience.

[2:09:28] Audience Member 1: What do you look for in an audition?

[2:09:30] Faculty Member 1: We look for authenticity and a strong connection to the material.

[2:09:32] Faculty Member 2: Yes, and we also value versatility and the ability to take direction.

[2:09:34] Faculty Member 3: And don't forget about your passion! That really shines through.

[2:09:36] Charlie Murphy: Great insights! Next question?

[2:09:38] Audience Member 2: How important is prior experience in theater?

[2:09:40] Faculty Member 1: While experience can be beneficial, we also value potential and willingness to learn.

[2:09:42] Faculty Member 2: Exactly! We want to see your growth and how you can contribute to our community.

[2:09:44] Faculty Member 3: And remember, everyone starts somewhere.

[2:09:46] Charlie Murphy: That's a great point!

[2:09:48] Audience Member 3: What advice do you have for someone auditioning for the first time?

[2:09:50] Faculty Member 1: Be yourself and trust your instincts.

[2:09:52] Faculty Member 2: And practice, practice, practice!

[2:09:54] Faculty Member 3: Don't be afraid to take risks and show us who you are.

[2:09:56] Charlie Murphy: Wonderful advice!

[2:09:58] Charlie Murphy: Let's move on to our next panel.

[2:10:00] Charlie Murphy: Thank you to our first panel for sharing your insights!

[2:10:02] Charlie Murphy: Now, let's welcome our next group of faculty members!

[2:10:04] Faculty Member 4: Hi everyone! I'm excited to be here and share about our program.

[2:10:06] Faculty Member 5: We focus on developing the whole artist, both in performance and academics.

[2:10:08] Faculty Member 6: And we have a strong emphasis on community engagement and collaboration.

[2:10:10] Charlie Murphy: Fantastic! Let's get to some questions.

[2:10:12] Audience Member 4: How do you support students in their career development?

[2:10:14] Faculty Member 4: We offer mentorship programs and networking opportunities with industry professionals.

[2:10:16] Faculty Member 5: And we also provide resources for internships and job placements.

[2:10:18] Faculty Member 6: Plus, we have workshops that focus on audition techniques and industry trends.

[2:10:20] Charlie Murphy: That's great to hear!

[2:10:22] Audience Member 5: What is the audition process like at your school?

[2:10:24] Faculty Member 4: Our process includes a monologue, song, and sometimes a dance component.

[2:10:26] Faculty Member 5: We also have callbacks where we get to see more of your work.

[2:10:28] Faculty Member 6: And we encourage you to ask questions during the process!

[2:10:30] Charlie Murphy: Thank you for those insights!

[2:10:32] Charlie Murphy: Let's move on to our next panel.

[2:10:34] Charlie Murphy: Thank you to our second panel for sharing your experiences!

[2:10:36] Charlie Murphy: Now, let's welcome our third group of faculty members!

[2:10:38] Faculty Member 7: Hi everyone! We're excited to be here and talk about our program.

[2:10:40] Faculty Member 8: We pride ourselves on our diverse curriculum and inclusive environment.

[2:10:42] Faculty Member 9: And we have a strong focus on developing individual artistry.

[2:10:44] Charlie Murphy: Great! Let's get to some questions from the audience.

[2:10:46] Audience Member 6: How do you incorporate current industry trends into your training?

[2:10:48] Faculty Member 7: We regularly update our curriculum to reflect what's happening in the industry.

[2:10:50] Faculty Member 8: And we bring in guest artists to share their experiences and insights.

[2:10:52] Faculty Member 9: Plus, we encourage students to explore their own interests and passions.

[2:10:54] Charlie Murphy: That's fantastic!

[2:10:56] Audience Member 7: What do you think is the most important quality for a successful performer?

[2:10:58] Faculty Member 7: Resilience is key in this industry.

[2:11:00] Faculty Member 8: Yes, and the ability to adapt and grow is essential.

[2:11:02] Faculty Member 9: And of course, a love for the craft!

[2:11:04] Charlie Murphy: Wonderful insights!

[2:11:06] Charlie Murphy: Let's move on to our final panel.

[2:11:08] Charlie Murphy: Thank you to our third panel for sharing your knowledge!

[2:11:10] Charlie Murphy: Now, let's welcome our final group of faculty members!

[2:11:12] Faculty Member 10: Hi everyone! We're thrilled to be here and share about our program.

[2:11:14] Faculty Member 11: We focus on creating a supportive and nurturing environment for our students.

[2:11:16] Faculty Member 12: And we emphasize the importance of collaboration in the arts.

[2:11:18] Charlie Murphy: Great! Let's dive into some questions.

[2:11:20] Audience Member 8: How do you help students find their unique voice?

[2:11:22] Faculty Member 10: We provide opportunities for exploration and experimentation in their work.

[2:11:24] Faculty Member 11: And we encourage feedback and reflection throughout their training.

[2:11:26] Faculty Member 12: Plus, we have workshops focused on personal storytelling and expression.

[2:11:28] Charlie Murphy: That's fantastic!

[2:11:30] Audience Member 9: What advice do you have for students preparing for auditions?

[2:11:32] Faculty Member 10: Start early and give yourself plenty of time to prepare.

[2:11:34] Faculty Member 11: And practice in front of others to build confidence.

[2:11:36] Faculty Member 12: Remember to stay true to yourself and enjoy the process!

[2:11:38] Charlie Murphy: Thank you to all our panels for sharing your insights today!

[2:11:40] Charlie Murphy: This has been an incredible opportunity to learn from you all.

[2:11:42] Charlie Murphy: Thank you to everyone who joined us today at the Pittsburgh Unified Auditions!

[2:11:44] Charlie Murphy: We hope you found this information helpful as you navigate your college audition journey.

[2:11:46] Charlie Murphy: Don't forget to reach out if you have any questions or need support.

[2:11:48] Charlie Murphy: Until next time, keep shining and being your authentic selves!