Students interested in stage work can choose
form options ranging from liberal arts colleges with good
theater departments to conservatories to professional schools
offering one- or two-year programs. Walnut Hill theater students
invariably head either to college or to a conservatory. Because
many theater professionals agree that the best training for
an actor is to get a good liberal arts education, many of
our students are opting for academic colleges with strong
theater programs. Not all theater programs are equally strong
in acting and musical theater. Some schools do not even offer
musical theater. At most liberal arts colleges, you can major
in theater, thereby spending a good portion of your time acting.
Be certain to look at the actual classes offered by specific
schools: is the approach purely academic (i.e., drama lit.,
analysis) or are acting technique classes offered? Since there
are no right or wrong answers in terms of making choices,
you must work with your families, with your theater faculty,
and with a Placement staff member to determine which is the
right route for you.
Auditions
If you choose to apply to conservatories, you will need to audition. You may audition at the school itself or at a regional location, or you may submit a videotape. In general, it is preferable to audition at the school. In an audition, conservatories usually want to see two monologues, one classical (i.e., Shakespeare), one contemporary. A few schools do not require a classical piece, and a few will also require that you sing one or two songs. The monologues should be short, no more than 2 minutes each. Be sure you know what each of your schools requires in terms of auditions. Liberal arts schools (BA programs) do not always require auditions, but it is to your advantage to audition for a member of the theater faculty, ideally the Head of the Department. You may set up such interviews by calling either the Admissions Office or the Theater Department at your schools of interest. If this isn't possible, you can always send in a tape to the Admissions Office. They will then have the tape reviewed by the theater faculty. At liberal arts schools, be sure to have all auditions done and all tapes in by the application deadline.
Auditions in theater generally start in early February and run through mid-March. Be sure to sign up in time to get an audition. It is recommended that you audition as early as possible. The temptation for most students is to wait until the last possible minute. Your chances are greatly enhanced if you audition early. You should generally be prepared in January and audition in early February. If you are applying to liberal arts schools, it is important to complete your audition by the application deadline.
Questions to Ask
Your questions will vary depending on your particular interests and needs, but some questions which you might consider are listed below. You should also talk to current students and to faculty and, whenever possible, observe classes.
Are freshmen allowed to perform?
How many performances are there each year? What kind are they?
Are there opportunities for student-directed plays? Must I wait a certain length of time to act in one? To direct one?
Is there much rehearsal space? How often is it available?
How often do you have visiting artists? Who?
What is the primary training technique (i.e., method, Stanislaw, etc.)?
What courses are there, exactly, in theater? What courses must I take? Which can I take?
Who teaches the most popular and/or required courses?
If I am doing the BFA program, how much academic work will I get to do? What are the requirements? What academic opportunities are available to me?
Can I get voice lessons? Dance and movement lessons?
