Drama school auditions 2024- Acting/MT

[Mcmumager]

Is anyone starting the journey of drama school auditions and starting to feel the stress? Maybe sending them to drama group was a big mistake lol.

Just stumbled across this thread and was interested as my daughter may go this route in a few years. Her drama and singing is excellent. However she doesn't have any dance training so you think this would be a problem? (I/' trying to get her into it now but maybe too late though she did do gymnastics for a long time).

I know, and he loved it there and was thrilled to get an offer. And then he got mugged! It’s really knocked his confidence and he isn’t 18 until July, so a foundation year from home honing his skills might be the best option for him. We have paid the deposit for EDA though, so no decision has been made yet

That’s awful!

isnt SOTE in bham?

Yes it is. He could commute from home to there.

Is she going for Acting or MT?
My dd is actor first, singer second with nothing but local club experience for dance, but that wasn't a problem for doing an Acting course.

@UsualChaos I don't know yet, she does like musical theatre though so think she needs to up her dance skills.

@TedWilson Yes I think for MT she would need dance too. My dd has a friend who went the MT route and I would say that her voice and dancing are strongest, followed by acting. Also fitness is important, because the courses are gruelling.

They all say they are not looking for the finished product and that if they see promise, you don't need to have had experience. On the open days, several current students said they hadn't danced before. But, I imagine it'll be easier if you can. My DS has done a sort of crash course in dance, having 1:1 lesson (you can't join beginners ballet at 17!) which helped with his confidence.

There are a full range of people on DD's course from people who have danced since they were 2 to those who never took a dance class before going to Conti.
Those who never took a dance class she says do have a real natural talent.
DD did dance at school, did tap from 8 years old and took up ballet at 15.
To give you an idea of how accelerated the training is DD in terms of 2 of year 2 is dancing on pointe, but will never put ballet dancer on her spot light profile, she has been told she should put tapper.
Your DD could consider the Conti BA MT (acting) which will be much less heavy on the dance and will be similar to actor singer at say GSA or Trinity.

Brilliant thanks all great advice. She's 12 and was big into gymnastics until recently so I think there is still time to get the dance part going a bit!

Just adding to that - my DD was a trained soprano, Grade 8 distinction in vocal and Grade 5 theory, A* Music A level, awards for lead roles on amateur operatic/musicals performances, lots of performance experience acting and singing, played several instruments but only Grade 3 tap taken up in her mid-teens.

When she applied for a quadruple threat MT course, her submitted dancing videos (during COVID) were ranked top of the four. We were baffled!

I think if you are a boy who has never danced, the colleges will look at you for potential. There are lads at GSA who hadn't danced before and ended up one of the strongest dancers. For girls there is so much competition I would say put all the chances on your side and take some dance lessons. But also if not a keen dancer, target the MT courses where that matters less. The new IC course has already been mentioned, but also Royal Welsh, Central etc. Urdang also has an actor singer track now, if you can get through the auditions in the first place.

Yes, this is good advice. My dd got offered a final round audition for the MT course at Central despite having no dance training. She didn't do the audition because she knew she wanted an Acting course and she may well have gone no further than final round, but worth noting.

Does anyone know much about IAB .. in Spain ! DD applied sort of thinking it might be a back stop .. now has an offer for 3 yr BA MT. Has recall for IC next week and still waiting on MV results from audition day. Turned down by Leeds (after recall ), ED , Arts Ed and GSA. I am sure she would have fun in the sun for 3 years.. but being in Barcelona does that mean limited links to agents in UK? Realistically chances of making a living in the West End are slim .. so am tempted to say go have fun for 3 years and see where it ends?? Fees same as UK.. she will have to get a Student Loan from Bank of Mum and Dad

Is anyone watching Bring the drama on tv? Very interesting about acting and how they change when being directed. All seem very talented to me.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of The Brighton Academy?

DD has friends at IAB it is actually in Stiges a costal town just outside Barcelona. Profile wise it aligns with Bird and Urdang as being very dance orientated - both DD's friends would describe themselves as primarily dancers. It's worth remembering that fees are now as a Non-EU student and a visa will be required.
Don't be wowed by offers from unexpected places, make sure she thinks about where she would be happiest.
One of DD's friends got offered Urdang and Conti - was very surprised by Urdang and allowed the surprise to colour her choice. She is doing there and is on the MT- singer stream ( you get allocated in year 2), but DD feels she would have been happier at Conti.
Look at the course structure, read carefully about productions, follow their social media.

We are struggling decision wise. Son, 17, quite new to MT, has Lamda Gold acting but only started singing and dancing last year and first time on stage ever was Oct 22. Was rejected from Urdang and GSA, recalled for foundation at Arts Ed and then rejected. offer for BA Hons at Emil Dale and offer for a foundation at SOTE. Wants to be as close to London as he can get. Trying to weigh up pros and cons of taking the Emil Dale offer or another year’s training at foundation and living at home still. But he is very nervous about SOTE having got mugged in January walking there to an evening class. He doesn’t know what to do and I don’t know what to advise! Can anyone offer any wonderful words of wisdom? We have accepted the Emil Dale place and paid the £300 deposit, but am open to losing that if necessary xxx

@71deedee I would say if he is unsure and not totally thrilled and impatient about taking up the place to think again, do some more performing and maybe reapply? Or do a one(?) year foundation so he is not committed to paying for a three year course/place he may not feel is right? He is still very young so plenty of time.

My DD did three years of auditions until she got a place on a course she was happy with taking on the debt for. Having a ball now!

But I do not know anything about Emily Dale so cannot evaluate the opportunity offered.

@71deedee at the start of this process Emil Dale would've been nearer the bottom of my DDs list just due to it being less established as some of the other places but as soon as she came out of the audition she knew that was the one - their offer is really good with a small intake and sole focus on MT. She still has other recalls to do (Conti and Urdang) but she seems to have already made up her mind. Ive looked into the pastoral side which looks excellent and their alumni is impressive. It is all about that individual fit though and if your DS is not sure then maybe it's not for him.

I believe emil dale is about to move to Letchworth in herts. An extremely safe town with 35mins train to King's Cross. I think he'd be pretty safe here!!

I wish I had found this thread earlier it’s so stressful isn’t it?!

DD is currently at the London College of Performing Arts. She auditioned for London Studio Center and Urdang and was offered a place at both. Urdang has been her dream for years so she’ll be going there. I do t know how they put themselves through it.

Hi, I am so pleased I have seen this thread, I have never posted on anything like this before, but these auditions are quite stressful!! Does anybody have any experience of hearing from GSA after the MT recall audition? Despite the student helpers insisting that it doesn’t mean you are rejected if you don’t get asked to do an interview, is that usually the case? My DC knows of 4 other people who auditioned and the 2 who got asked to stay for the chat got wait listed where as the 2 who didn’t went on to get rejection emails (they all auditioned on separate occasions) my DC didn’t get an interview so we are thinking best to prepare for the rejection email arriving. However, she absolutely loved it there (as do a lot of applicants) and so we have a very, very small glimmer of hope!! Does anybody know of any applicants getting places from previous years or this year who didn’t get an interview on the day- or is this just not the case? We do have a couple of other offers, one foundation offer that she is very happy with so all is good. I am just curious about GSA and if it is that you are out if you don’t get an interview, why do they not just say that on the day? Hopefully the wait won’t be too long anyway.

Im not sure but I do know my dd had an interview and didn’t get an offer. So many factors in the mix so really hard to know how it will play out

Aaaaaaah, yes so many factors, and obviously if you do get an interview you may still get a rejection too!!!! I do feel like it is probably a rejection if you don’t get an interview but we will see. I hope your daughter has other offers on the table too xx