Mapping The College Audition: An MTCA Podcast

Current MTCA family and this is such added value to the process. Each show gives me extra insight into the path and process. Love hearing all of the really experienced performers and department heads, but my favorite ep might be the most recent parent episode. Super relevant. Thanks Charlie and gang.

I can’t get enough of this podcast. My son is looking at MT college programs and it’s been a treasure trove of information, but also… I just LOVE it! It’s so fun! I’d listen even if we weren’t embarking on this crazy process! The insights from the artists and faculty that Charlie (a CharMur for sure!) interviews are fascinating: the education of artists, and so many different aspects of living the life of a performer. A non-ironic and open-hearted five stars here! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you —or your child— are pondering applying to an audition-based performing arts program, or are in the midst of this daunting process and scratching your head about “how” to choose the right colleges to add to your list, look no further than this masterful podcast to gain the right knowledge! Researching BFA programs online can leave you drained, because the information that every college chooses to highlight on their website can be wildly different. My son and I found this podcast enlightening because his knowledgeable host, Charlie Murphy —one of the directors of MTCA, leader in performing arts coaching— knows the right questions to ask the faculty he invites on his show. With debonair and friendly attitude, he extracts vital information on anything from what makes a program unique, to costs and make up of the student body. Every family going through this process creates the famed spreadsheet with the vital info to successfully arrive at the finish line of commitment day; suffice it to say that we added a “podcast notes” column to ours with the insight of Mapping the College Audition on each of my son’s chosen programs. The college deep dive episodes alternate with others where our host interviews theatre and television actors, directors, playwrights. Though not particularly geared towards the college selection process, these episodes are instrumental to give young artists a perspective on how to build a career post-college, and to give parents an idea of how a performing arts degree can channel our children’s creativity into marketable skills. Charlie’s intelligence and humor never fail to bring a smile to my face while I’m listening to his questions and comments. I am always looking forward to the notification buzz that a new episode is ready for me to enjoy, even now that my son has finally committed to his dream MT Conservatory!

We are early in the process of exploring programs for our daughter (high school junior) who is an aspiring MT student. This podcast has given me such great information, and Charlie’s honesty and sincerity brings some peace to an otherwise scary and daunting process for parents & students. I finish every episode with a new tidbit and a different perspective! Many thanks to MTCA!