10/5/2014 The Nation's Top 10 Collegiate Musical Theater Programs In The United States

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The Nations Top 10 Collegiate MusicalTheater Programs In The United StatesDiscovering the Top Musical Theater Programs throughout the country.posted on Oct. 4, 2014, at 10:54 p.m.

The Nations Top 10 Collegiate Musical Theater Programs in the United States.

Auditioning for different collegiate programs is one of the biggest decisions of a youngperformers life. Looking at current percentage rate of working actors from the collegeslisted below, it is safe to say that there is a reason that these 10 schools make the cut.Schools that are on this list are rated by four categories

AlumniThe Alumni are what drive students to attend that school in the first place. Many timeswhen high schoolers are preparing for Collegiate auditions they are seeking what schoolstheir idols went to. What shows are the alumni currently in, or have worked on? Howmany alumni have worked on Broadway before? How many alumni have won or havebeen nominated for a Tony, Drama Desk, or various other awards?

The ProgramThe program has everything to do in my eyes of what makes a solid musical theaterprogram. Questions to ask are, Does the curriculum cover singing, acting, and dancing?How large is each class? Is What is the faculty background? Are freshman cast in theirfirst year? What is the graduation rate? What is the acceptance rate? How large are theincoming classes?

NetworkingAs much as people dont want to believe it, this business is 80% about the connectionsthat you make throughout college. Many top programs have faculty who have worked orare working currently on Broadway, and Regional houses as actors, directors and variousother positions. Questions to ask are, Does the program offer regular workshops withcasting agents, as well as legit agents? Are composers coming in to workshop new works

10/5/2014 The Nation's Top 10 Collegiate Musical Theater Programs In The United States

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with students? How is showcase run? Are The Big 6 agents invited?

CharacterMost of the musical theater listings of the top programs never include Character which issuch a vital aspect of a person in this business. Character is one of the biggest qualitiesof a person when they walk into a room for an audition or if already cast in a production.Currently as a working actor, and casting agent, I will look at a resume and already havea good sense the work rate and professionalism of an actor by just looking at whatUniversity they attended because of the reputation that the school attached to the actorhas.

The list below is of the Top 10 Musical Theater Programs in the United States whichdemonstrates excellence in the four subjects I listed above. Every school on this list is afantastic program, and I have also added and Honorable mention list to up and comingprograms who down the line will easily be on this Top 10 List.

#1 Carnegie Mellon UniversityNotable Broadway Alumni: Rene Auberjonois (Tony Award Winner), Matt Bomer,Christian Borle (Two Time Tony Award Nominee), Sutton Foster (Two Time Tony AwardWinner), Josh Gad (Tony Award Nominee), Megan Hilty, Patina Miller (Tony AwardWinner), Billy Porter (Tony Award Winner), Patrick Stewart (Tony Award Nominee),Zachary Quinto.

#2 The University of MichiganNotable Broadway Alumni: Hunter Foster (Tony Award Nominee), Gavin Creel, AndrewKeenan-Bolger, Whitney Bashor, Brynn O Malley, Jenni Barber, Tommy Berklund, NickBlaemire, Jeremy Davis.

#3 New York UniversityNotable Broadway Alumni: Steve Kazee (Tony Award Winner), Billy Crudup (Tony AwardWinner), Idina Menzel (Tony Award Winner), Donna Murphy (Tony Award Winner), NikkiM James (Tony Award Winner), Jefferey Wright (Tony Award Winner), Nina Arianda(Tony Award Winner), Jay Armstrong Johnson, Nic Roleau, Jennifer Cooper, HavilandStillwell.

#4 CCM- The Cincinnati Conservatory of MusicNotable Broadway Alumni: Lee Roy Reams (Tony Award Nominee), Marcia Lewis (TonyAward Nominee), Pamela Myers (Tony Award Nominee), Faith Prince (Tony Award

10/5/2014 The Nation's Top 10 Collegiate Musical Theater Programs In The United States

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Winner), Michelle Pawk (Tony Award Winner), Karen Olivo (Tony Award Winner).

#5 Montclair State UniversityNotable Broadway Alumni: Rob McClure (Tony Award Nomination), Allison Strong, PaulPilcz, Joshua Dela Cruz, Erick Avari, Stephen Bienske, Kevin Carolan, Gerard McIntyre,Wilson Mendietta, Michelle Tauber, Stuart Zagnit.

#6 Ithaca CollegeNotable Broadway Alumni: Jeremy Jordan (Tony Award Nominee), Kerry Butler (TonyAward Nominee), Daniel McDonald (Tony Award Nominee), Aaron Tviet, MattCavenaugh, Michelle Federer, Ben Feldman, Zach James, Stacie Morgan Lewis, JoeAaron Reid, Ceasar Samayoa, Eric Jordan Young.

#7 Elon UniversityNotable Broadway Alumni: Kira Schmidt, Lindsay Northen, Daniel Watts, Alex Ellis, MattShingledecker, Taylor Trensch, Paul Miller, Johnny Stellard, Barrett Wilber Weed.

#8 The Boston ConservatoryNotable Broadway Alumni: Chad Kimball (Tony Award Nominee), Eddie Korbuch, AlyshaUmphrees, Kendal Hartse, Colin Israel, Nicholas Christopher, Dominic Nolfi, JamieLavediere, Erin Davie, Will Blum, Kimiko Glenn, Angela Christian.

#9 Florida State University Notable Broadway Alumni: Heather Parcells, Michael Fatica, Stephen Anthony, MykalKilgore, Tiffany Howard, Christian Delcroix, Leslie Feisner.

#10 Penn State Notable Broadway Alumni: Laurie Veldheer, Jeremy Greenbaum, Natalie Weiss, AdamJepsen, Carly Hughes, Gilbert Bailey, Nathan Lucrezio, Dianna Barger, CarolineBowman.

Honorable Mention List: Pace University, Western Michigan University, Baldwin WallaceUniversity, University of Miami, Webster University, University of Oklahoma, SyracuseUniversity, and Shenandoah Conservatory.Via topmusicaltheaterprograms

10/5/2014 The Nation's Top 10 Collegiate Musical Theater Programs In The United States

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