Searching for and choosing a performing arts college is one of the most difficult things our students undertake during their tenure here. Almost every university offers a degree in theatre performance . . . and it can be hard to tell the difference between the good and the less-than-good. Additionally, as some of our graduates can tell you, a school sometimes talks a big game during your campus visit but does not deliver the goods once you are enrolled. It can be a very expensive shell game.
We offer a class here to VPA Theatre Juniors called Professional Theatre Issues. This class, in part, helps to prepare students for their college auditions and interviews as well as provides a framework for choosing the type of university the student would like to attend. It is an interesting dichotomy of a class because most of these juniors think that it is too early for them to think about college and sometimes only give the subject a passing interest in class.
However, for many of them, this class can be a simple exercise in "too little too late." For some of these very talented students, the middle of their junior year might be too late to get serious consideration from the top-shelf theatre schools. If theatre students have not been preparing for college all long the way, it might be too late to be accepted to CCM, NYU, Northwestern, or any number of other exellent theatre schools. Dispite the excellent theatre education students receive here, it is certainly not enough to guarantee entry into the program of your choice.
Many very talented and dedicated students have been turned away from highly competitive programs. This can happen for a wide variety of reasons: (1) the student may not have enough credits, (2) the student may not have the RIGHT credits, (3) the student may not have pursued their craft outside of school, (4) the student might look exactly like three other kids already in the program.
The list goes on and on . . . and only the last one is out of your control. But you have to start early.
I make a few suggestions here for a student sincerely interested in placement at a competitive theatre program:
(1) Participate early and often in school productions. Work onstage and off every time you have the opportunity.
(2) Do whatever you can to play bigger parts or to earn leadership positions. (Improve your audition, be a good citizen, take direction, be a team player, volunteer for the hard jobs, and focus on the show more than you do your social life.)
(3) Actively pursue onstage and offstage experiences at theatres in your area. Be sure that these experiences have true value and are not just additional lines on your resume.
(4) Seek out enrichment opportunities during non-school times. (Summer, especially)
(5) Build your network. Seek out opportunities with truly talented people. Work with as many professionals as appropriate and maintain a positive relationship with them whenever possible.
(6) Pursue other interests, too, but not at the expense of your artistic development. You should have a life outside of the theatre.
(7) Get good grades in all your classes.
(8) Work WITH your high school director to get the kinds of experiences you want and need. If you do not voice your desire to play the lead in the fall play, he or she may not know that it is important to you.
These suggestions may not be the magic key you need to get to the college of your choice, but they will get you started in the right direction. Do not think of your high school director as the enemy. We are here to help you . . . . but you must help us help you.
I will discuss college choice here with some regurlarity. It is a big question with too many answers.
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