Tuition-free colleges — also known as full-scholarship colleges — remain one of higher education’s best-kept secrets. True to their name, they are institutions that guarantee to cover the entire student-body’s tuition. There are only a handful of such schools in the U.S., which is one reason they are often overlooked by students, parents, and high school guidance counselors during the college search, says Sandy Baum, a senior policy analyst at the College Board to NY Times. “It’s not a trend of the future. It’s just a certain niche market. These schools have unique situations that allow them to go tuition-free,” she said.  Though finding tuition-free schools can take some work, parents and students say the payoff is worth it in the long run.

Here are the eight schools that offer tuition free education:

1. College of the Ozarks

College of the Ozarks, also known as “Hard Work U” is located in Point Lookout, Missouri.  Instead of paying tuition, the 1,400 students are required to work at least 15 hours a week at a campus work station. Jobs at C of O are taken seriously; they are graded on their work performance as well as academics. The mission of this unique institution focuses on “providing a Christian education to those who are found worth, but who are without sufficient means to obtain such training.” They also openly discourage debt and therefore do not participate in any government loan programs.

2. Deep Springs College

Deep Springs is a two-year, all male, and liberal arts college. It is located on a cattle ranch and alfalfa farm in the Inyo-White Mountains of California’s High Desert.  Electrical pioneer L.L. Nunn founded the school in 1917 on the three pillars of academics, labor, and self-governance in order to “help young men prepare themselves for lives of service to humanity.” With a total of 26 students, Deep Springs only admits 10 to 15 new students per year. Students receive free tuition, room and board for working at least 20 hours a week on the ranch. Jobs range from washing dishes to milking cows. Each student attends for two years and receives a full scholarship valued at over $50,000 per year. Afterwards, most complete their degrees at the world’s most prestigious four year institutions.

3. UC Irvine School of Law, Class of 2012

In an effort to attract the best and brightest students for its inaugural class, the University of California, School of Law is offering a free ride to all 60 students admitted this fall. According the University, the school will rely on grants and donations to cover the estimated $6 million it will cost to cover the expenses.

4. Berea College

Thanks to a large donation, every student admitted to Berea College in Kentucky receives a full tuition scholarship. The scholarship is valued at $90,000 – multiply that by the 1,500

Academic Building, Berea College

student who attend and you will see just how large of a donation was made to the school.  Students who are accepted are required to work at least 10 hours a week. Room and board as well as books are not covered. Berea College was founded as the first interracial and coed colleges in the South. Berea also supports the Christian faith, as you can see in its motto: “God has made of one blood all peoples of the Earth.”

5. Olin College of Engineering

Olin College is a school of 300 students in Needham, Mass., where every accepted student receives four years of free tuition. According to the school, these four years of tuition are estimated to cost $130,000. The school is mainly funded by a $400 million grant from the F.W. Olin Foundation and ranks as one of the top undergraduate engineering programs in the country.  As they publicly state, there is a large emphasis on philanthropy at Olin, students are “encouraged to develop creative ideas that address societal needs and help make the world a better place.” The school was just completed in 2002 and graduated its first class in 2006.

6. Cooper Union

Cooper Union is located in the heart Manhattan in New York City and offers degrees in art, architecture and engineering. The college admits undergraduates solely on merit and awards full scholarships to all enrolled students. Cooper Union is one of the most selective colleges in the United States, with a current acceptance rate of about 8%. Donations from alumni are what the college rely on for a large portion of their budget to keep the school going.

7. Curtis Institute of Music

Curtis Institute of Music is considered one of the most prestigious performing arts conservatories in the world, and it doesn’t cost a penny. All students admitted to the school of 160 in

Alice Lloyd College

Philadelphia receive a full scholarship. And if that is not enough, all piano, harpsichord, composition and conducting majors are lent a Steinway grand piano for the duration of college.  Their mission is to “educate and train exceptionally gifted young musicians for careers as performing artist on the highest professional level.” The school received an endowment from its founder Mary Louise Curtis which keeps the school running and tuition free.

8. Alice Lloyd College

Alice Lloyd College is located in Pippa Passes, Ky., where all students admitted receive free tuition. In exchange for their tuition, students are required to work at least 10 hours per week. Room and board are no included, but students who need additional financial aid may work up to 15 hours per week. The school of 550 assigns students jobs based on prior work experience or personal preference.

 Another thing to keep in mind while in college are these smart spending tips, because it’s easy to go over budget when your budget is not very big. And if you have already found yourself burdened with student loan debt, there are ways around it like trading in your debt for charity work.

Tuition free college locations

“Billy Elliot” opened on Broadway shortly after Election Day, at a time when, like the nation, the future of Broadway was full of uncertainly. The New York Times stated that investors were wary about putting on new shows during the recession. But, theatre industry leaders suggested that plays and musicals would be just fine if individuals had good reason to buy tickets. Thus, came “Billy Elliot” to the stage.

“Billy Elliot” is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot, with music and lyrics by Sir Elton John. The story revolves around a motherless boy named Billy who decides to trade in his boxing gloves for ballet shoes.  As  a miners son, Billy faces many struggles and triumphs as he strives to conquer his family’s set ways, inner conflict as well as standing on his toes!

It comes as no surprise that the child actors are the ones who steal the show, it does; however, leave one hankering for more dramatic adult roles.

“Billy Elliot” will compete for Best Musical with “Next to Normal,” an unusual musical about a mother’s mental illness and its impact on her family, “Shrek,” based on the animated fairy tale and “Rock of Ages,” musical built around recent rock and pop hits.

Along with the 15 Tony Award Nominations, “Billy Elliot” picked up seven awards from the Outer Critics Circle on Monday, including one for outstanding new Broadway musical, and three of the cast members receiving the Theatre World Award.

The Tony Award winners will be voted on by about 750 industry professionals and will be announced on June 7th.This year there are quite a few big Hollywood names in the nominee list, including Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, Elton John and Angela Lansbury.  To find out the results you can watch the ceremony at 7 p.m. on June 7. For a countdown to show time, click HERE.

     As the debut date draws nearer, the production team as announced the last date of open casting calls, which will be May 7 in Chicago. Since the show isn’t exactly The Sound of Music, producers are looking for singers with a rock and roll background to tackle the peculiar roles.

       According to Rolling Stone magazine, casting agents are “seeking principals and understudies for the roles of ‘Peter Parker,’ ‘Mary Jane,’ and ‘Female Lead Villain.’ The production is looking for performers with dynamic rock/pop voices including those with experience in bands and as solo performers.” Although there have been rumors of Across the Universe leads, Jim Sturges and Evan Rachel Wood starring as Peter Parker and Mary Jane, Rolling Stone also asserts that, “Regardless of experience, anyone who thinks they might be qualified is encouraged to audition.”

          The Envelope reported from a source that for the Lead Female Villain role, producers are searching for “an amazing rock voice. Think Sinead O’Connor with a Middle Eastern/Bulgarian/Greek twist. Foreign accents are great.” From this comment, it seems that perhaps the male villains have already been confirmed.

Rolling Stone said that “Spider-Man’s battles will hurtle the audience through an origin story both recognizable and unexpected — yielding new characters as well as familiar faces — until a final surprising confrontation casts a startling new light on this hero’s journey.” According to E Online, Spider-Man will be the most expensive Broadway production ever, reportedly costing over $40 million.

Although, the musical with be somewhat out of the ordinary and a difficult work to pull off, all will be in the capable hands of Julie Taymor, the director. One might recognize her for transforming Disney film, “The Lion King” into a dazzling musical that is still running on Broadway today. Taymore became the first woman to win Tony Award for best director for The Lion King in 1998.

The Rock Daily reported that previews for the musical will begin January 16, 2010 at New York’s Hilton Theatre and the show will open at the end of February.

Actress Lily Tomlin did just about everything except sing and dance when she played Violet Newstead, a coffee-poisoning, corpse stealing, and boss kidnapping office supervisor in the hit 1980 movie “Nine to Five.” The role is now being passed on to Emmy-winning actress Allison Janney who will now add song and dance to the musical version of “Nine to Five,” which opens on Broadway Thursday.

The Broadway version of “Nine to Five” will star Allison Janny (“The West Wing”), Stephanie J. Block (“The Boy from Oz”) and Megan Hilty (“Wicked”), who take the place of the roles originated by Lily Tomlin, Jan Fonda and Dolly Parton. The musical puts a new spin on the story of the office where cubicles are grey and the copier is always cranky. Three sexy secretaries decide to turn the tables on their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” of a boss (www.broadwayworld.com) and live out their wildest fantasy – giving their boss the boot. In the end the women give their workplace a dream makeover and take control of the company that had always kept them down.

Nine to Five: The Musical is a show with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and screenplay by Patricia Resnick and is based on the 1980 movie “Nine to Five.” Resnick and Colin Higgins were co-writers of the film in which Dolly Parton had her first film role.

Parton was nominated for an Academy Award for “Nine to Five,” the single. This song was number one on country music charts, certified Platinum by the RIAA and also nominated for four Grammy Awards, winning two. (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9_to_5_(musical)). No doubt this Broadway show has great music to go along with an entertaining plot.

The musical had its try-outs in Los Angeles where it received mixed reviews from the critics. Variety praised the three female leads but also suggested cutting out a big chunk of Act One in saying that “giant production numbers lose sight of characters and quickly wear out their welcome.” Reviews also responded positively to the choreography, design and music. Although, the Theatremania review, while praising the choreography, costumes, set and performances of the female leads, concluded that “ultimately, the whole enterprise lacks the freshness it needs to make it a truly first-rate musical.”

On the same note, The Orange County Register praised the three female leads but wrote that “this production is more tricked out than it needs to be. Director Joe Mantello and his creative team have spent a great deal of time and energy turning a modest story about office politics into a bells-and-whistles Broadway show”.

The mixed reviews will not be the final say in whether or not “Nine to Five” will make it on the big stage. Fans will have to wait until Thursday when it makes its big debut.

Green Day announces American Idiot as a musical

In recent musical-world news, California’s perky punk-pop pals of Green Day are working on a stage version of their popular album, American Idiot.

“It doesn’t make a lot of sense,” confessed lead singer, Billie Joe Armstrong to Guardian Magazine, “but Green Day is making a musical” The musical is making its debut this September at the Berkeley Repertory Theater in California.

Green Day’s album inspired Spring Awakening director, Michael Mayer, during the making of his musical, and he and producer Tom Hulce approached the band about the possibility of a stage play.

Mayer fell in love with the album, and could not resist. He told the New York Times that “it was very much in my head all during Spring Awaking, it just has such a groove.”

Mayer told Guardian Magazine that the musical is one of “the most brutally honest, eloquent, passionate, funny and poetic theatrical responses to the post 9/11 world.” But who would have thought that the musical response would have come from a Green Day Record? I think the answer to that is simple – not most people.

American Idiot was Green Day’s seventh album, which was released in 2004. “Singles like Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” anchored the album and sold more than 12 million copies worldwide. The musical version will include every song on the album, as well as music from the bands approaching album titled, 21st Century Breakdown.

According to the New York Times, the American Idiot musical was quietly work shopped twice in 2008 in New York City to work out the orchestration and choreography, with the band ultimately giving the production the thumbs up. Although Green Day has embraced the musical world, they have never been concerned with plot. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Armstrong admitted that American Idiot does not have “the most linear story in the world, but somehow it works.”

The plot will revolve around a group of characters in their early 20s, with the central roles taken directly from the album’s lyrics: Jesus of Suburbia, St. Jimmy, and Whatshername.

Rock music has been a big inspiration for Broadway musicals recently. U2 are working on music for a Spider-Man stage play, and Michael Jackson’s Thriller will hit Broadway as a full-on musical as well.

The New York Times claims that it is perhaps the Tony Award-winning success of the rock opera Spring Awakening that opened the “theatrical door” for productions like an American Idiot musical.
American Idiot will be staged in Berkeley, California from September 4 to October 11. The production is directed by Michael Mayer, with choreography work by Steven Hoggett.

Hollywood heart-throb Zac Efron

Zac Efron, 21, is set to move away from teen musicals in his next project as he has reportedly dropped out of the musical remake of “Footloose”- he’s reportedly in talks to star in a horror film.

The High School Musical star recently dropped out of a remake of 80s classic film “Footloose.”  Efron previously said he would add his “own little bit of flair” to the role which was originated by Kevin Bacon in 1984.

Footloose is planned to be directed by Kenny Ortega, who directed Efron in all three of his “High School Musical” productions. Unfortunately the teen idol will no longer be starring in the flick – which was slated to begin shooting this spring for a 2010 release, according to Entertainment Tonight.

The Wrap reported that Efron told Paramount last week that he’s “done with musicals” for right now. Efron had script approval on the movie, and used a rewrite as a loophole to get out of his contract. “People had been working on this project since last July – we were all shocked,” a senior member of the production team said to The Wrap.

To put the minds of “Footloose” fans at ease, Paramount made a statement on the issue saying, “Footloose is a project we’ve longed to see re-booted for a new generation. While Zac is no longer attached, we remain excited and committed to the collective brain trust of Kenny Ortega, Neil Meron and Craig Zaden, who will reinvigorate the franchise. Their fresh take on the film will undoubtedly be filled with the same kind of breakout performances that we’ve come to expect from them.”

Although Efron is moving away from teen musicals, he is in negotiations to star in the adaptation of novel “The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud,” according to industry publication Variety.

“The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud,” by Ben Sherwood, follows the story of 28-year-old Charlie who crashes a car at age 13 and accidentally kills his brother.

 Stories claim that the young star wants more adult parts like this and would like to move away from musicals like the “High School Musical” franchise and hit, “Hairspray.”

Efron will next be seen starring in “17 Again,” in which he plays a despondent 37-year-old who gets the chance to rewrite his life when he wakes up as a 17-year-old.

“The whole idea of playing a 37-year-old guy as a 17-year-old was just the most exciting prospect for me,” Efron has said of the role to Entertainment Tonight. “I was really intrigued by the idea. I’ve always been kind of an old man, so to speak.”

Everyone knows very well, Hollywood is fickle, and nothing is ever official until it’s on film. Although we won’t much singing or dancing from the Hollywood heart-throb, we can still expect to see him in new ranks.

Well, while I’m on the subject of the economy, I might as well mention that the tumbling job market. CNN senior writer, Chris Isidore wrote today that, unemployment has officially reached a 25-year high. The total job loss over the last six months has been estimated to be over 3.3 million.

www.cnn.com

From just December to January, the percentage rose from 7.6 percent to 8.1 percent, leaving 12.5 million household unemployed here in the U.S. What does this mean?

Well, According to John A. Challenger, chief executive of Challenger, a prestigious job placement organization, don’t listen to the disheartening reports and news about the economy. His advice is to “go look for a job, any job. Now.” Whether or not it is in your industry, it’s still a job.

Another sound piece of advice that the executive gives is that applicants should “market their skills to stable industries.” These would include health care, government, education and agriculture.

Challenger’s last pieces of advice are to, “be open to changing industries. Be open to moving for a job if you find one. Be open to a part-time job as an audition.” There is only so much advice to give, but the rest is seems, is up to you.

With all of the hype about the job market, I am easily reminded of the musical-made- movie, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” (1967)

Director: David Swift

The story centers around J. Pierpont Finch (Robert Morse), a young but bright window-cleaner who purchases a book called “How To Succeed In Business.” In following the books advice, Finch joins the multi-national “World-Wide Wicket Company”.

He starts work for the company in the mail-room and then rises to Vice-President in Charge Of Advertising by using sneaky ways so that the person above him gets either fired or moved to another section of the company.

And it wouldn’t be a real musical without a little lovin’. He starts slowly falling in love with secretary Rosemary Pilkington (Michele Lee). Meanwhile, the president of the WWWC, J.B. Biggley (Rudy Vallee), tries to have an affair with drop-dead gorgeous Hedy LaRue (Maureen Arthur), but she becomes a weapon used both by Finch and Bud Frump, Biggley’s  annoying nephew who believes that he should get all the breaks and not Finch.

What I won’t tell you is if Finch rises to the top or goes down in flames.

The musical was actually based on the actual book of the same name in 1953, written by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbery. So, if you’re find yourself or someone you know jobless, check out “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” It might help you find your big break.

“RENT”

Director: Chris Columbus

Musical, Drama, Romanc

If you’re hesitant to jump into the housing market, you’re not alone.

According to Housing Predictor, the price of homes are now equal to that of 2002 in much of Minneapolis, which has seen a nearly consecutive monthly fall in housing prices. 

The cost in home values has been lower as homes marketed as foreclosures aid the market’s sales. As the real estate market shows signs of softening, many Americans are adopting a wait-and-see attitude about home buying. And those in need of housing are turning to the only viable alternative — RENTING. Seeing renting become more of the norm as far as living places go, it reminds me of a musical “RENT”, which was made into a major motion picture in 2005.

Over the course of its groundbreaking 12-year New York run, “RENT” transformed the definition of musical theater — and changed Broadway forever. After it’s debut in 1994, it has been going nonstop and then made into a major motion picture in 2005.  

Set in NYC’s East Village, “RENT” is a modern take on the classic Puccini opera, La Boheme. It tells the unforgettable story of a group of young artists learning to survive, falling in love, finding their voices and living for today. 

The story centers around Mark and Roger, two roommates. While a former tragedy has made Roger numb to life, Mark tries to capture it through his attempts to make a film. In the year that follows, the group deals with love, loss, AIDS, and modern day life in one truly powerful story. This musical shows how much changes or doesn’t change in the 525,600 minutes that make up a year.

But, “RENT” was not just another hit show. It has spoken both to and for a generation. For those who love it, the theater has been forever changed, and our lives forever enriched by this singular sensation.

The characters for “RENT” have been described as good role models for those who are uncomfortable expressing their sexuality. They feel more comfortable having someone to relate with. The more prominent actors include, Anthony Rapp (Mark Cohen), Adam Pascal (Roger Davis), Rosario Dawson (Mimi Marquez), Jesse L. Martin (Tom Collins) and Idina Menzel (Maureen Johnson).

There is actually a name for those who are more or less obsessed with the musical. They are affectionately known as “Rentheads.” There are social sites for “Rentheads” to meet each other and to have a place to express their passion for the revolution that is “RENT”.

The musical just launched its next tour, which started February 26 in LA. “RENT” is scheduled to arrive in Minneapolis at the end of March at the Orpheum Theatre.

Seasons of Love – “RENT”

“RENT” Movie Trailer

Chicago

Director: Rob Marshall

Musical, Drama

Chicago is the Second City in nickname and the third in population. But when it comes to murder, the city has the dubious distinction of being second to…no city…in America.

The Chicago Sun-Times pointed out that in 2008 Chicago saw its 500th homicide in just one year, compared with 417 in New York and 302 in Los Angeles.

What about stricter gun laws? When I think about someone buying a gun for the sole purpose of self defense, I realize the sole purpose of that firearm is to kill. And the sole purpose of the person acquiring that gun for that reason is doing it to kill

Or maybe this can be blamed on a failing economy, in a culture of gangs, guns and drugs, mixed with a demoralized police department? These could very well be the ingredients to the high murder rate.

Maybe the media has some sort of influence in the Murder Capital of America. I’m reminded easily of the musical Chicago whose dazzling spectacle of a story lightens the mood of murder to song and dance.

The story is about murderesses Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), a chanteuse and tease who killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together, and Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger), who killed her boyfriend when she discovered he wasn’t going to make her a star, find themselves on death row together and fighting for the fame that will keep them from the gallows. These women also share dreamy Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), the town’s slickest lawyer with a talent for turning notorious defendants into local legends.

Winning 6 Oscars, one being “Best Picture,” it’s hard to imagine that this movie was not influential. Maybe the murderers of Chicago actually believe that they can “razzle dazzle” their way out of a conviction. Or maybe they don’t care about a conviction and are just looking for a little fame. Who knows.

Well, whether or not we have Chicago to blame for Chicago’s high murder rates, it’s a great film nonetheless. It has everything that makes a musical great: a universal tale of fame, fortune and “all that jazz,” one show-stopping-song after another and maybe some of the most astonishing dancing you’ve seen.

Chicago – Movie Trailer

Singin' in the Rain

Singin’ in the Rain

Director: Gene Kelly

Musical, Romance

Recent events in the hip-hop industry have pushed me into reflection on the “progress” of our society. How is it that we can live in a society where we claim a certain level of triumph of feminism, yet have sympathy for the man who’s laid a violent hand upon a woman? It seems the clear line of right and wrong has become  blurred.

As this year’s Grammy Awards, Barbadan singer Rihanna was seen being verbally and physically assaulted by her rapper boyfriend, Chris Brown. And to the shock of many, rather than recognizing the offense that Chris Brown has dealt, it seems as though fellow celebrities are speaking up with their sympathy and support.

One of Rhianna’s most reknowned songs is entitled “Umbrella.” In this song, Rhianna sings the lyrics, “Told you I’ll be here forever/Said I’ll always be your friend/ Took an oath I’mma stick it out ’till the end/ Now that it’s raining more than ever/ Know that we’ll still have each other/ You can stand under my umbrella.” These lines evoke a sense of security, protection and comfort under the metaphoric “umbrella”—but is she really safe here? It seems that under her umbrella Rhianna found pain and betrayal. This ironic play of expectation harkens the questions we are left wondering in the wake of post-modernity. As my mom has come to say, “what happened to the days when everything was simple?”

Such days of simplicity are exemplified in a film also featuring umbrellas—the 1951 classic, Singin’ In the Rain. Directed by (and starring) Gene Kelly, Singin in the Rain seems to represent a time where we function under the modern sensibility when things “made sense,” and when life’s complexities could logically be reduced to song and dance. In Singin’ in The Rain, wrongs are righted and the good man wins out. Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly), Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Conner) and Lina Lamont ( Debbie Reynolds) find themselves in a bind when their silent film, The Duelling Cavaliers, is a complete failure in the midst of the rising popularity of talkies. In order to salvage their film, they must reinvent it and use sound. Unfortunately, there is one problem: Lina Lamont’s voice is shrieking, squeaking, and scrappy. Thankfully, Kathy Selden—a young and innocent actress who falls for Don Lockwood—comes to the rescue with her soothing, angelic voice. But while Kathy does all of the hard work, Lina tries to take the credit—a notable injustice.

In this classic musical, it seems as though the song and dance offer an umbrella of protection—a safe haven where wrongs are righted and the good wins out. Rain itslf proves to be no harm; in fact, Don Lockwood sings in the midst of it proclaiming the delirious pleasure of love. With the helping hands of eachother, Cosmo, Don and Kathy are able to conquer anything through “talking the whole night through” to a bright and sunny “good morning!” It seems ironic that while Don and Kathy, who fall in love, are safe “singin’ in the rain” without the protection of an umbrella, Rhianna can merely sing of a safe love “under an umbrealla” but instead finds abuse—abuse that, in today’s celebrity culture, it treated with sympathy by fellow elite, rather than due justice.

Gene Kelly – Singin’ in the Rain

Usher – Singin’ in the Rain