Performers who DIDN'T go to college?- Page 2

[sleepyguy1717]

Posted: 10/28/07 at 11:16pm

The main reason I consider college is because I'm a strong dancer (I pick things up INSANELY fast). But I want to be able to dance well enough to score dance auditions. Plus I want my range to grow (see the student board). Maybe I'll get that. Maybe I won't. Or maybe I'll feel better by the time I graduate.

[nygrl23]

Posted: 10/28/07 at 11:22pm

John Tartaglia (OBC in Avenue Q) didn't go to college. He even said that during Avenue Q rehearsals, he saw the lyrics for "I Wish I Could Go Back to College," and he had to ask what a quad and a meal plan were.

[AKDPerformer]

Posted: 10/28/07 at 11:24pm

To whoever started this thread, you have my constant love:)

You don't NEED a degree for this particular profession. At all.

Tommy Tune once said that when he casts his shows, he barely even looks at performers resumes/headshots. He solely cares and pays attention to what is right in front of him.

Graciela Daniele (a famous Bway choreographer/performer) never went to college, and Idina only went to NYU for acting and not musical theatre.

[gertiecummings]

Posted: 10/28/07 at 11:31pm

Sarah Jessica Parker

[justabwaybaby]

Posted: 10/28/07 at 11:39pm

"and Idina only went to NYU for acting and not musical theatre."

I don't think many major theatre actors who went to NYU went were in the CAP 21 studio....Donna Murphy was either in Meisner or Adler, I think? And Raul Esparza was in Playwright's Horizons...

I had a friend once state that CAP 21 churns out talented chorus members....which I thought was a bit harsh....

[Revolutionary]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 12:12am

Ali Ewoldt (Cossette in Les Miz) has a bachlors in psycology from yale, and no degree in acting, singing,etc...

My friend was like three years ahead of her, but he said that she had always been involved with the musical theatre stuff.

[BrianS]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 12:14am

I think Matthew Broderick did go to college, but I heard he just showed up and really didn't put any effort into it.

I keed, I keed.

Seriously, after talking to a friend who went to NYU's Tisch school at $40,000/year, I got to wondering if you took just a quarter of that money per year and spent it on voice, acting, and dance lessons for a few years, where you would be relative to someone with a degree.

I tend to agree with the person who said "if you got it, you got it." Unless it's a school like CCM where they cut anyone who isn't excellent, it seems like most programs have people born to do this and people for whom it is an uphill battle. Not saying good people shouldn't train like crazy, but ability does come a lot easier to some people.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 12:22am

Barbra Streisand never went to college, nor ever learned to read music nor ever had a vocal coach (per her own admission).

[TabooPhan1]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 12:35am

While I agree there is something to be said for natural talent, and some people DO get by on that, I think if you find the right program you grow exponentially. You don't have to go to a $40,000/year school to get an excellent education in Musical Theatre, either. I know the benefits have been tremendous for me at college, and I'm only a sophomore- I tend not to agree with people who say college doesn't matter for performers, but to each his own, I guess.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 12:56am

Richard Blake didn't go to college.

[AKDPerformer]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 1:10am

Training is definitely important. No matter how amazing you are. Liza Minnelli still goes to movement/dance classes with Luigi the jazz master and vocalizes with a teacher almost everyday.

Some people just don't fit into a classroom/school curriculum. That was the case for me. I would rather spend my money/time/molding my craft with private voice lessons, musical theatre workshops, acting classes and dance classes. All separately. It all depends on the person. Some people need that structure of a school/university whereas other people (like myself) work and are better off independently.

I'm still a firm believer in this being the one profession in the world where you don't need a degree to end up there.

[sleepyguy1717]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 1:29am

Very well put AKDPerformer.

TabooPhan1, I'm very curious to what you think about private training vs. schooling (since you are a college student). Do you think with the right teachers, a person could get the same great results if they went to college?

[gertiecummings]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 1:33am

Dustin Hoffman still attends acting classes.

[FallintoLight]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 1:38am

Stephanie J. Block went to 3 days of College:p She is one of the most intelligent people I've ever met!
Updated On: 10/29/07 at 01:38 AM

[BroomstickBoy]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 1:45am

Cheyenne Jackson. He took maybe a few classes @ some community college but didn't stick with it for even a year, I believe.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 1:48am

Stephanie J. Block went to 3 days of College:p But is one of the most intelligent, well spoken people I've ever met!

Wait, collige supposta make u well spokun?

[MrSweetNAwful]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 1:56am

Well this thread makes me feel better. This is my first semester in college and at the end of if I’m getting kicked out of the BFA Acting program at the theatre conservatory for missing too many classes. Next year I’ll basically be an undeclared and I have to reaudition and I’ve been worrying what’ll happen if I don’t get back in, or into any of the other conservatory programs.

[nygrl23]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 8:08am

Everyone's got a different path. Training and dedication are important, but without what I'm gonna call 'luck,' the biz is brutal. Always get the degree.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 8:25am

You will find successful people in many different walks of life who don't have a college degree. That doesn't mean, however, that not going to college is a better path to take. An education is never a waste, regardless of what program you're in. These days the majority of young performers who are getting steady work have, indeed, gone to college. The training, as well as the education, are important as well as the dedication, stamina, and perserverance required to complete a degree at a challenging school are invaluable in this business. Remember that a large part of success in theatre is in the ability to make and maintain contacts in the community. If you perform during your college years, especially at particular schools, and if you're in the school's showcase in senior year, you will make these types of contacts which will often be the foundation of your first job.

Most actors do not earn a sustained living by acting alone. About 5% of Equity actors are working at any given time. The odds are incredible AGAINST success in this business. Without an education which will not only give you options later in life, but also give you options while you're also performing, whether it's in a tech capacity, or theatre management, or writing, or musical directing, or giving dance classes, etc, you are going to be at a distinct disadvantage. To point to someone like Sutton Foster who dropped out of Carnegie Mellon and say 'hey, she didn't go to college and look how successful she is!', is about as smart as saying 'hey, Bill Gates dropped out of college and is a billionaire so I'm going to do that, too!'

Stay in school.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 3:07pm

The tone of the original post wasn't "Should I go to college at all", it was asking if there were actors who succeeded without a degree in theatre. Others have listed actors who got degrees in another subject. Every high school drama geek seems to be under the delusion that in order to even get your foot in the door for professional acting, you HAVE to go to NYU/Carnegie Mellon- which is anything but the truth.

[sleepyguy1717]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 3:21pm

Well I only ask because I'm preparing for college early, and I wanted to know what some of my favorite performers did (John Tartaglia and Josh Groban being at the top). Like I said, I hate the American schooling system. If I could get the same results from a vocal/dance/acting coach, I would. Are there resources in NYC for actors to find this kind of training? Or there is the possibility of only taking a few selected college courses.

But then again all of this is a little off topic...but still interesting!

[WestVillage]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 4:26pm

I believe Donna McKechnie dropped out of high school.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 4:43pm

Donna Murphy was a freshman at Tisch when she got cast in the ensemble of THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG and I don't think she ever went back.

Jennifer Holliday never went to college (she was discovered singing with her church choir on tv in Houston when she was 17 or 1. And one of her castmates in DREAMGIRLS (I think it was Debbie Burrell who was the original Michelle Morris) got her Bachelor's in Biology before pursuing a singing/acting career.

[ILuv2shop531]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 5:02pm

anthony rapp went to NYU, but i do not believe he completed

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 5:22pm

He went one semester and "wasn't impressed" with the program.

sleepyguy, there are more independent classes for actors, singers, dancers in NYC than there are college theatre programs. I'm sure there's some resource available to find them (I've never read it but Backstage maybe?). If college isn't for you, you'd be better off selecting the classes you want rather than forcing yourself to meet some theatre program's curriculum.