NEXUS @ Texas State Musical Theatre Pre-College Intensive
Nexus 2024: June 10-20, 2024.
Our Mission
At Texas State, our goal is to provide holistic, wellness-based training in musical theatre performance to prepare students for the current professional market and develop artists who live with integrity in all aspects of their lives.
As a Hispanic Serving Institution serving a majority-minority student body, our program strives to foster, and continue to evolve an environment where social justice and anti-racism are key pillars of education.
Our Faculty
Texas State’s faculty is made up of working professionals with credits that span Broadway, off-Broadway, film, television, national and international tours, recording, radio, voice-overs, television commercials and much more. Our team of faculty work together to fully integrate all aspects of the curriculum, guided by values of integrity, empathy, inclusivity, collaboration, curiosity, and a willingness to “fail forward.”
Tom Delbello
Nexus Artistic Director
Aimee Radics
Aimee Radics, Nexus Camp Director
What type of student are we looking for at Nexus?
We are looking for artists who embrace the craft of storytelling not just in the pursuit of their careers. We are looking for brave, curious humans who are inspired by and are committed to the process of learning, being of service through their art form, and developing their unique voices as artists.
To learn more about the kind of artists we look for at Texas State, click here!
What exactly is “Nexus”?
The word ‘nexus’ is defined as: “A connection or series of connections linking two or more things; a binding together.” If you happen to be in the nexus of something, you’re right in the middle of it all. And that’s exactly where you’ll be at Nexus – right in the middle of a community of artists working together to create the future of our art form, utilizing innovative training methods and guided by Texas State’s nationally renowned faculty in our state-of-the-art facilities.
“Be well first. Be an Artist second. Your first priority as an actor is to be well or all the rest won’t matter. To be a successful professional means doing what you love in a healthy, sustainable, repeatable way. As educators, it is our job to make sure that is a foundational skill set offered as part of your training in this program.”
- Kaitlin Hopkins, Founder of Nexus at Texas State
What We Offer
Students will explore finding their unique voices as artists through Texas State’s innovative teaching methods:
Artist Training
- OneVoice Workshops
- Acting Classes and Monologue Coaching
- Dance Classes
- Song Coachings and Audition Preparation
- How to Build Your Book
Wellness Workshops
- Stress Reduction and Wellness for the Performing Artist
- How to Build Confidence and Explore Your Authentic Self
- Imposter Syndrome: What to Do When You Doubt Your Ability
Performance Workshops
- Audition Technique
- Musicianship Tools for Musical Theatre Artists
- Ensemble Workshop: Become a Collaborator
How to Apply
Admission is by video audition. There is no audition fee.
Audition Requirements
Applicants should be rising freshmen through rising seniors in high school, and are asked to prepare the following:
- Two contrasting songs, either two musical theatre or one musical theatre and one pop/rock song. Each song must be no longer than 32 bars, or 1 minute and 30 seconds.
- A one-minute monologue.
- A video that shows some technique that you’ve learned in jazz, or ballet OR a musical theatre dance combo that you have in your repertoire. If you are an experienced tap dancer, feel free to include an additional tap dance sample. (This would be in addition to your ballet/jazz video.)
Deadlines and Tuition
Program Dates: June 10-20, 2024.
We will begin taking applications on December 1, 2023.
We recommend applying prior to the final March 1 deadline as we accept applicants on a rolling admissions basis until spots are filled. Applications received prior to February 1 will receive acceptance notification by February 15. We will accept 56 students into Nexus; once spots are filled, additional students may be put on a wait list.
Application Deadline: 3/01/24
Tuition: $2,900.00 (**includes room and board)
- A non-refundable $500 deposit is due by 3/15/24
- Final Balance is due by 4/12/24
Admission Notification
For consideration and notification, all application and audition materials must be received by the application deadline.
Notifications of Acceptance will be emailed to you by March 8, 2024. No decisions will be given by phone.
If you miss the deadline but want to apply, please email us at txstmt_nexus@txstate.edu, and we will try to accommodate you if possible.
As a courtesy to Nexus faculty and other applicants, please notify us at txstmt_nexus@txstate.edu if you need to withdraw your application due to committing to another summer program that conflicts with the NEXUS dates.
Questions?
Please email the leadership team at txstmt_nexus@txstate.edu or call 512-245-3800 for questions or issues.
Testimonials
What Students Had To Say
“Nexus taught me more than simply how to sing, dance, or act. It taught me how to be an artist-a healthy artist. A creative artist, a well-rounded artist, and above all, a story teller.”
“Nexus has been key in preparing me for the college audition process, and the business in general. The faculty are so knowledgeable and I have gained life- long friends. I have learned so much about myself as an artist and a person. Thank you Nexus!!”
“I loved that the small groups allowed us to have one-on-one time with each and every one of the amazing faculty members.”
“The supportive, family-like environment at Texas State is unique compared to other colleges I've experienced. A rigorous, yet safe space to grow is exactly what I'm looking for in a school and Nexus helped me realize that!”
“The confidence I gained through Nexus will serve me for the rest of my life.”
“I’ve never had more fun in two weeks than I did at Nexus. Every staff member touched my life in a different way and I am BEYOND grateful for this experience.”
What Parents Had To Say
“My daughter was empowered by the NEXUS camp. Spending 2 weeks with talented kids and knowledgeable pros as instructors not only improved her skills, but gave her confidence.”
“This experience exceeded our expectations as parents. The faculty "wowed" our daughter beyond what she expected.”
“We were very impressed and appreciative of the detailed organization and information! We were very pleased with the support, supervision, and attention our daughter received and all that she learned. Thank you Nexus!!”
“As a parent, I’m cognizant that it’s not an easy path she’s chosen, and it can be scary to let your kid move forward in a direction you know is filled with uncertainty and rejection. And yet we do, because they love it and they have a story to tell and a gift to give. So I’m grateful that Nexus took the time to focus on physical and mental health for performers, and to provide these kids self-care tools to manage the road ahead. And I’m thankful to all of the faculty, staff, and counselors for creating a safe environment that gave these kids the space to try, to fail, and to discover. She felt incredibly seen as an individual, and that just doesn’t happen everywhere. Nexus was everything we could have asked for and more.”