Changes, goals, and resolutions are often on our minds as we come out of the holiday season and begin a new year. Ithaca College has been implementing some big changes recently, and we thought there was no better time than the start of the new year to explore their newly minted School of Music, Theatre and Dance, as it begins its first full calendar year in operation this month. Opening officially this past July 1, 2022, the new School of Music, Theatre and Dance brings together Ithaca College’s School of Music and the Department of Theatre Arts, housed previously within the School of Humaniti ..read more

“Way, way back, many centuries ago…” (bonus points if you know which ALW show this line is from) we here at The College Audition started our journey into the podcasting space. Since April 2021, we’ve been so thankful to engage in discussions with decision-makers and game-changers at some of the nation’s finest Theatre and Musical Theatre programs… and to share them with you every week! As we near the new year, we thought we’d take a trip down memory lane to reflect and highlight our Top 10 Most Downloaded Podcast Episodes: 1. Baldwin Wallace University with Victoria (Vicky) Bussert Originally ..read more

As a college audition coach, I often get asked: “What are the ‘top’ Musical Theatre Programs?” While there are many ways to categorize and select programs for this list, my take on the Top 20 Musical Theatre Programs is based on the number of students I’ve had commit to these programs. 1. Baldwin Wallace University Located in the beautiful, quaint town of Berea, Ohio, Baldwin Wallace’s Musical Theatre Program boasts a 100% signing rate for their students at their annual New York Senior Showcase for the past 12 years. With its close proximity to Cleveland, students have the opportunity to earn ..read more

Packing for Auditions! Although college auditions look a little different this year with COVID still affecting things across the board, many colleges are still holding in-person auditions! Please use this helpful packing list to plan for the most stress-free trip as possible! We’ve even updated the list with some COVID-related items, to stay a la mode!   Here we go… Audition outfits. Please don’t over-dress for the occasion. Dress like you’re going on a first date. Many female-identifying students will show up with wrap dresses and character heels, and male-identifying students will show ..read more

On August 1st, many schools opened their applications thus marking the official beginning of the college audition process. With that in mind, I reached out to some of my former students from the class of 2020 to give some tips for your college audition journey. Andrew Wicklum Nazareth College BFA Musical Theatre ’24 My advice is some that may seem obvious but so many neglect to do this essential research. Going to college for theatre is great- and very helpful- but make more out of it than just voice lessons, dance lessons, and acting lessons. You are spending way too much money if that’s wha ..read more

As a college audition coach, I love expanding my students’ college lists to include some university’s they might not know about. Most students come in with a list full of popular or ‘top’ schools. As these schools become more competitive to get into, it is important to have a diverse list. There are so many acting programs across the country that are on the rise. With small class sizes and incredible faculty, these hidden gems offer individualized and competitive training. Here are the top 20 acting programs that might not be on your list, but definitely should be! Azusa Pacific University Lo ..read more

As a college audition coach, I often get asked: “What are the ‘top’ Acting Programs?” While this list is by no means definitive, here is my take on the Top 20 Acting Programs, taking into consideration the popularity of these programs with my former classes of students. Ball State University Ball State University’s Acting Program offers as many as 20 performance opportunities a year. Professors assist their students in finding professional work during the school year, as well as after they graduate. Some recent placements include Mind the Gap in the UK, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and the Il ..read more

As a college audition coach, I often get asked: “What are the ‘top’ Musical Theatre Programs?” While this list is by no means definitive, here is my take on the Top 20 Musical Theatre Programs. Baldwin Wallace University Located in the beautiful, quaint town of Berea, Ohio, Baldwin Wallace’s Musical Theatre Program boasts a 100% signing rate for their students at their annual New York Senior Showcase for the past 12 years. With its close proximity to Cleveland, students have the opportunity to earn Equity points while in school at the various regional theaters nearby. Every year, BW brings in ..read more

About a year ago, the big discussion in the world of college auditions was the Class of 2020’s immeasurable loss. So much had been taken from them in an instant. Proms, graduations, their final months with friends in high school were all robbed away from them because of COVID-19. Luckily, the pandemic grew after audition season was finished, though now the Class of 2020 had the unimaginable pressure of selecting their school without the ability to visit their schools. This was unheard of. The horror! No class has ever had to bear such a burden during the college audition process in the history ..read more

Tips and Must-Have Equipment for Online Training and Live Auditions Having the right set up at home can set you up for success when taking part in online training. Like it or not, this is our new reality: online voice lessons, workshops, masterclasses, and college auditions are a thing that will be staying around for the foreseeable future. Having hosted and participated in several of these online workshops and master classes over the past few months as part of The College Audition’s Masterclass Series, I have come up with this list of tips and must-haves to prepare you for your upcomin ..read more