Author Topic: Little help please... (Seeking College Recommendations)  (Read 20004 times)

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slinky5289

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Im a high school senior whose gonna major in technical theatre/ SM at collage next year. Anyone have any advice on good schools (preferablly in the midwest region), getting accepted and whatever else might be helpful. Thanks alot.

EDIT: Clarified subject for easier browsing -- PSMK
« Last Edit: Nov 12, 2006, 12:05 am by PSMKay »

smccain

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #1 on: Oct 08, 2006, 06:02 pm »
Well, the college I go to doesn't necessarily have a technical theatre major, but we have it so that you can major in theatre with a technical emphasis. I go to Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD. I love it here. I get lots of opportunities to stage manage and work on jobs that I wouldn't be able to at a large University. The faculty are knowledgeable and very fun to work with. It is a Christian college, but it's not conservative by any means. If you have any questions, let me know. I'd be happy to let you know more about Augie.
Sean

Candy0081

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #2 on: Oct 08, 2006, 11:10 pm »
I went to Drake University in Des Moines, IA.  I got  a BFA in technical theatre and was able to focus on stage management.  I would highly reccomend it.  It gave me a well rounded background in technical theatre with chances to design, as well as teaching about acting and directing as well. 

Candy

smalltimeSM

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #3 on: Oct 09, 2006, 12:28 am »
Webster Conservitory in St. Louis MO, has a great SM program.  Many friends of mine have come from there.           Good Luck! ;D

blue

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #4 on: Oct 15, 2006, 08:32 pm »
hey slinky

i went to illinois state university in normal, illinois. the university is good and the theatre department has tons of options for stage managers. i was rarely without a gig and its good experience. the spaces have some quirks to them, but what space doesn't. however, if you're interested in working two aspects (sm and lights or set or acting) it can be tricky because the sm staff is small and it can be difficult to take on other positions.
however, you may want to visit and spend some time there cause it is in a small town and it took me forever to adjust to it.

lindsey

ORTaurean

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #5 on: Oct 17, 2006, 03:05 pm »
Find the University YOU want and emerse yourself into the theatr program, not just technical.  Especially if you want to be an SM.

In my experience, Management is a trait people are born with, later you learn to lead appropriately through trial and error and example.

Theatre experience, however, is whatever you can get your hands on.  As an SM I deal with every department and knowing how to sew has not only served me during a show, but during tech, knowing how to hang a light and change a bulb has served me during intermission when it went out, knowing how to read a ground pland and build parts of the set has helped me know where the build is and watch out for safety concerns for my actors, as well as minor repair during a run, understanding sound equipment has helped me work a board with more sliders than I could imagine. 

There are SO many examples, but please, make sure you're comfortable in the program and before you spend all the $$, know it's the program you want.  Then learn as much as you can.

SMing is an amalgamation of skill and tact...get the skill, learn the tact and let your management work on it's own...

And remember there is always a beginning a middle and an end.
Acting is standing up naked and turning around very slowly.
-Rosiland Russell

KC_SM_0807

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #6 on: Oct 20, 2006, 07:49 am »
If you look through this board, there are several posts regarding colleges and universities.  Look around and you'll find a lot of input from a variety of different sources.  Best of Luck.  :)
"Perhaps, therefore, Stage Managers not only need to be calm and meticulous professionals who know their craft, but masochists who feel pride in rising above impossible odds."

oso_te_great

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #7 on: Nov 01, 2006, 02:08 pm »
Im a high school senior whose gonna major in technical theatre/ SM at collage next year. Anyone have any advice on good schools (preferablly in the midwest region), getting accepted and whatever else might be helpful. Thanks alot.

One of the schools I am looking at is Cornell College near Ceder Rapids Iowa (not to be confused with Cornell University).  I dont know what your looking for, but its a small private school.  They don't have a stage management degree, but they have a theatre degree with a focus in technical theatre.  They just sent a SM to Yale grad school, getting a degree in SMing.
Malcolm Foster
Seattle Academy Class of 2007
University of Montana Class of 2011

LisaEllis

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #8 on: Nov 01, 2006, 07:19 pm »
I have to second the recommendation for Webster University if you want to stay in the midwest.

The question is conservatory or not conservatory?  Schools like Webster, North Carolina School of the Arts, Boston U., CalArts, etc. offer the ability to really learn and focus on theatre.  They generally offer a BFA and have SM major.

A liberal arts based college usually offers a BA in theatre, and requires more "core curriculum" to graduate with the degree.  And they'll often steer you towards a graduate program for your specialty, and have a more general "technical theatre" major.

Good Luck!

Laurs

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #9 on: Nov 01, 2006, 08:18 pm »
just a personal plug--Fordham isn't TERRIBLE for a stage manager. We're in high demand here so you find yourself getting a lot of experience--and there's a really great community here.
Amie: Noah! Plincessen!
Noah: Nein! T-Rex!!

MileHighSM

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #10 on: Nov 01, 2006, 08:30 pm »
Hi there!  I'm at the University of Missouri Kansas City which offers and MFA in Stage Management, and eager undegrads are given plenty of opportunity.  Check us out!

tattie

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #11 on: Nov 03, 2006, 06:18 pm »
any recommendations for canadienne colleges or universities?  ;D

PencilQueen

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #12 on: Nov 04, 2006, 06:20 pm »
Quote
any recommendations for canadienne colleges or universities?

Given your spelling of "Canadienne" (as opposed to "Canadian") am I correct in assuming you're looking for an ecole francais?

JonnyBGood18

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Re: Little help please...
« Reply #13 on: Nov 04, 2006, 09:27 pm »
I am a SM student at University of Arizona.  We have a great program here for all theatre aspects.  As for Stage Management our Advisor makes sure we are getting top notch eductation.  She is equity and will no matter what the problem is make sure you are getting the attention and help needed to suceed.  From the moment you get here to the moment you leave you will be involved with productions.  Also by stating that you would want to be in Stage management there are usually opurtunity's availbe right from the start as well.

I will always respond to messages and would be happy to answers any questions anyone might have about my school and program

Scott

ljh007

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Re: Little help please... (Seeking College Recommendations)
« Reply #14 on: Nov 26, 2006, 08:42 pm »
I might be putting my head on the chopping block... but I would recommend that you go to a liberal arts school and get a degree in anything, then move on to a stage management career after college. Take theatre classes and certainly learn everything you can while you have the chance to approach SMing academically. But having a well-rounded background is something I have come to value. I would give the same advice to someone planning to be an engineer who might want to enter a special tech program, or a senator's son who was determined to take only poli-sci classes at an ivy league school. Take advantage of your undergraduate years to learn everything about anything. When you graduate, you'll be able to balance the theatre's budget, write the dramaturgy essays, measure groundplans in alternate bases (just for fun - or if you're taping on a linoleum tile floor*), because you took accounting, English, and math, plus theatre. I just think that undergraduate studies are the time to get an excellent, well-rounded education base. Specialize your studies in grad school, and/or get hands-on experience in the real world. This is my opinion, and I'm a huge fan of a liberal arts education. I'm sure all the die-hard theatre schoolies out there will shout me down, and that's ok.

*If you're taping on a linoleum floor, like in a church basement or cafeteria or something, measure how big the tiles are. Sometimes they're 12", in which case you're good to go - you're already in base 12; more frequently they're 9", 8", or 6". As long as they're an even number, you can quickly convert all your groundplan measurements to the base of the tile measurement and then just cound tiles instead of fussing with the tape measure. In the end, you save a little time between doing the extra math up front and taping a little faster. Nerds like me think this is great. See - you should have stayed awake in algebra.