Let Us Plan An Exceptional
Student Package
DRAMA, DANCE, MUSIC or ART

February 28, 2015 — Acceptance

February 28, 2015 — Acceptance

 

college122012_LargeWide

 

I was pretty excited to hear that the granddaughter of one of my favorite tour guides was recently accepted to Marymount’s Theatre Program—and with a scholarship! It made me think about all of you who may be starting a program this fall—after all, notices are going out as I type this. I wanted to share some practical advice for anyone who may be feeling overwhelmed, excited, a bit lost, or just unsure what to expect. Here’s my top ten list of what to do and not do as you begin this new theatrical/academic chapter of your life. And congratulations, super talented Alora!

ENJOY IT
First of all, the fact that you were even accepted into any theatre program in such a competitive environment is amazing. Don’t forget to celebrate now and to enjoy your time while you’re there. Many such programs do not allow students to audition and actively work as actors during training—at least in the initial years—so ENJOY this one time in your life when you are not expected to score roles and produce results. It won’t be like that later.

STAND OUT
I hesitate to even add this to the list, but let’s be realistic, the head of your program and key faculty members will be the ones casting senior shows and showcases, the ones that agents and casting directors will attend, looking for green talent. Not everyone in your program will continue to pursue acting post graduation. It’s competitive, so let them know right away that you’re serious and not just another student in the program.

TAKE RISKS
So, you want to stand out—great—but even so, don’t feel like you should be exhibiting a finished product in school. You are a work in progress. So take BIG risks in studio and in classes. Faculty members will remember bold choices that fail over safe choices that more or less do the job.

ABSORB
Be an information sponge. Learn from the instructors you trust—especially the ones who are actively working in the field. And not just about acting, but about the business and how they market themselves—listen to their stories about how they got started, how they stay connected, and any tricks of the trade. Even pay attention to the faculty members you don’t like—yes, there will be some of those, too. Sometimes there is a lot of wisdom in observing what doesn’t work, what you don’t want, and what not to do.

PREPARE
And I mean, prepare NOW. I bet it wouldn’t take much effort to find out what shows your program is putting up on the main stage next year—information will probably be released before the academic year is up. And programs often don’t change too radically from year to year—what books/plays are required reading for first year students? Will you be studying Alexander technique, Viewpoints, Edith’s Skinner’s vocal method? You can read about these things in advance, so put down the FIFTY SHADES OF STUPID on the beach and pick up one of those.

GET TO KNOW YOUR CLASSMATES
You can do this now. It’s the perfect time, when fellow ’20-ers are so incredibly excited about the next four years. Why not start a Facebook page like Carnegie Mellon Theatre Class of ’20 and see if anyone joins? Is there an optional summer orientation or should you organize an informal one? These are the people you will be learning and growing with. They are your allies in every scene, exercise and performance over the next few years. Get to know them; be proactive.

GET TO KNOW THE FACULTY
Have you trolled through the theatre department’s page on your school’s website? Who teaches what? Read their bios on ibdb and imdb: what have they done? When you get to school, don’t be ashamed to linger after class and more personally introduce yourself. Most faculty members keep office hours at least twice a week with an open door policy. Ask questions out of class—ask for further reading. Don’t be intimidated to ask for help if anything isn’t perfectly clear. Don’t just be another face in the sea of eager beavers.

GET THERE EARLY
To class, I mean. Resist the urge in having newfound freedom to be overly social and stay out too late. Get a good night’s sleep before your 8 AM studio. If you don’t, it will show in your work. Don’t be drifting off to sleep-land during Intro to Ibsen. Come prepared with your mind sharp. You may never have such an occasion in your life again where you have the luxury of devoting a solid brick of time to learning. Don’t take that for granted.

LEARN NEW SKILLS
Sounds obvious, right? But I’m not just talking about tap, juggling and voice. Those of you in college-accredited programs will be taking a whole host of other courses and electives. Don’t just take the easy ones. Most of the really successful actors I know are knowledgeable in all sorts of areas. After all, the future characters you will portray are rarely ever professional actors. Want to work in Chekhov plays? How about Russian as a language instead of the same Spanish you’ve been coasting through since fifth grade? Dream of working in Shakespeare in the Park one day? How about a course in Elizabethan History? There is a possibility that many of your seemingly unrelated courses could compliment your craft.

KNOW THYSELF
The most important thing to do is to know your type: what kind of roles you want to play in what mediums and where you will shine the brightest. If your school has taken you on to play every male villain role they can possibly throw at you because of your bass voice and 6’4 stature, let them. They will be shaping your type and strengths the way casting directors will see you in the future. And they will cast the shows accordingly, so know yourself and what your talents are. You were accepted for a reason—embrace it.

Sorry, comments are closed for this post.