Fran Charnas - Boston Conservatory

Professor: Fran Charnas

Department: TBD

College: Boston Conservatory

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: TH231
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Fran Charnas is an excellent Musical Theater teacher and historian. Those with talent and drive excel in her class. Those who don't thrive in her class don't belong in professional MTH. I credit her for inspiring me and teaching me to get work and stay employed and I've been a professionally working entertainer since graduating. Thank you, Fran.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I am baffled by the comments of praise for this teacher. Her "imaging" method never made sense. Her examples didn't make sense. I would two different students give the same type of performance and one she would say was great and the other wrong. She also was gone most of the year and a former student came in to teach her method.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MT501
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I love Fran! She can really help you, and her techniques are pretty standard. Imaging is taught in theater schools everywhere. I still think about her class years later :)

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MTH200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

By the end of it all, I hated theatre and left the business, thanks to this woman. That should be enough of a warning to prospective students, since you have no choice in having her as a "teacher".

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MT202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Fran literally steals away young, eager actor's confidence and never replaces it. Her 'technique' is confusing and ineffective and the frustration from TRYING to understand it, could drive a person mad. No one should ever feel scared to demonstrate in class. Acting can be a sensitive thing to teach and she lacks the empathy needed.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MTHLOTS
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Fran employed a technique of using images to achieve a songs truth which was in direct opposition to the techniques we were being taught in acting. Sadly this confused a lot of students who would learn how to "please" Fran and get by as opposed to learning how to act a song..find the intention what do you want from the other characters. No Good IRL

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: TH531
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

While I did learn a lot from Fran while I was there, I'm now a professional actor and I can tell you from experience that I have been in auditions and have been told to my face, "You went to BCM? Don't give me that Fran Charnas Bulls*it!" I like Fran, but she's completely out of touch with what is needed by modern broadway actors.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Fran has very high standards and expects that from her students. If you are open to learn and grow it will change your performance.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Fran is one of the Best Teachers I've ever had at The Conservatory. She gets you ready for the real world of Show business. She's very caring and spends extra time with you when you need it. It's when you leave school and start working that you realize all that you've learned from her.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Fran Charnas must have some tenure deal because if TBC truly cared about their students, they'd have fired her a long time ago. She's infamous for making people cry in class and having them believe she's the authority on Musical Theater. I've met more professional teachers at numerous national theater conferences to know she's a hack. She's obsolet

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Fran can't accept mediocrity in the classroom because it reminds her too much of her own career. Nobody cares about "The All Nut Strut" or whatever that show was that nobody saw that you still haven't moved on from Fran. She can only help you get the jobs... that are offered in the 1940s. This is helpful if you happen to own a time machine.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Charnas is a GREAT musical theater teacher. Enjoy & learn, because you'll be using her techniques to land and keep musical jobs your entire life! If only I had appreciated her more at the time. Hope this helps other students wake up to what an incredible gift of a teacher they have there at BCM. Fran rocks! Thank you for everything Fran!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MT01
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I think she is the heart and soul of The Boston Conservatory Theater Division. She truly cares and holds high standards for the entitled students she has to deal with. I learned a tremendous amount in her class and found her to be very supportive and life-changing.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MTTH
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Evil.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MTH4THY
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this woman. Imaging is BS. Personal experience is not necessary to draw on; it is inherent to what you bring to acting. Acting is believability in a fictional environment. The key word being fictional. What Fran demonstrates is her perverse attraction to pain and sadness...your pain for her pleasure.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MTHSECT
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

bb bb b bbb bbbbbb b b b bbb bbb b

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MTHSECT
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Even many years after having Fran I look back with many thoughts, both good an bad, my advice take what you can for your craft but don't take her comments personally, she is mean spirited and choses favorites, but in the end I have many good performance traits due to her class, I now know the personal stuff should have rolled off my shoulders.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MT
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I..I...IIIIIIIIIIIII...what was I saying again? Charnas is the most unhelpful professor I've come across. Her comments make no sense, and she has a hard time fathoming that her own opinion is not the gospel. Run.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MUSICALTHEATRE
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MUSICALTHEATRE
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Good teacher, excellent representation of requirements in the real world. Expects the best.