Opinions on AMDA?

[Imchristine4real]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 7:54pm

Anyone have any opinions on the American Music and Dramatic Academy? I got a mass mailing from them this week and wondered what you wonderful people know about it.

Comments?

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 10/24/05 at 8:33pm

Do a search and you'll find lots. There have been many discussions about AMDA here and you'll find differing opinions, but mostly negative, I'm afraid. Feel free to PM me if you'd like my personal opinion.

[nydirector2]

Posted: 10/25/05 at 9:56am

It's not the strongest concervatory, you don't get a degree, and they're not very selective in admissions. Some of the faculty is decent, but they also teach at other schools. AMDA dug itself into a huge whole as far as publicity is concerned. They've allowed themselves to lose the reputation they once had as a stronger conservatory in the area, and due to that, are allowing many students in who have no business being in New York, much less the theatre industry. Casting directors and agents don't really go to their showcases, because of their reputation, so students who go there who are talented and driven end up very frustrated. If you want to really know what AMDA is about, go to Ellen's Stardust Diner. Their wait staff is primarly AMDA alumni.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 10/25/05 at 9:07pm

Oh Glorious scAMDA i am glad i got out when i did!

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 10/26/05 at 4:21pm

I heard you don't actually get a degree from there or something like that....and one of my teachers that teaches at my college teaches here use to teach there.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 7:11pm

yeah, I've got to agree with what everyone's said. I went to the National Thespian Convention last year and you can audition for colleges who are there and they're supposed to just like, give you feedback and say if they're interested or not, and actually me and another guy from my school got accepted to AMDA, it was just too easy. And I've heard some pretty bad things about it too.

Posted: 11/2/05 at 11:07am

I went to AMDA - you CAN get a degree when you transfer your credits to The New School (Inside the Actors Studio is filmed at that school and The Actors Studio graduate acting program is there - which are both wonderful). The people who said AMDA is a scam are the same as the people who believe it is the casting directors' problem they never get casted even though they never audition. The people that go to AMDA, make friends, have good teachers, and actually LEARN what is going on there can USE the tools they get thru the program. And I do not believe they take ANYBODY - you have to have promise, you don't have to be a mini-god already - you just have to be ready to learn more. So yeah, the people that believe AMDA is a scam probably just went there thinking that AMDA was their 'golden ticket' - no school (except CCM) will put you on Broadway after graduation - you have to be your own 'golden ticket' and you will go places!
Rising Sun Performance Company

[toodramatic]

Posted: 11/2/05 at 12:59pm

Oh my so many ridiculous things in that last entry to correct...

"you CAN get a degree when you transfer your credits..."

The New School has an excellent accredited program...AMDA (or its proper name 'scamda') has an overpriced certificate (piece of paper that says: 'woo hoo you completed all our courses but we're not sanctioned by any higher education body so a piece of paper is about all this is') program...meaning you wont actually get a "real" degree unless you transfer. So, no you cant get a degree from amda...you can transfer to New School and get a degree...but you dont need to go to amda to do that.

"The people that go to AMDA, make friends, have good teachers, and actually LEARN what is going on there can USE the tools they get thru the program."

Im sure all this is true...but is it really worth the money when you could do the same thing at a reputable school and get a degree at the same price (or a smaller one).

"I do not believe they take ANYBODY..."

An audition is required, but it is basically open admissions, I too have been to festivals where amda and similar schools have called back every person who auditioned and offered most acceptance into the program without even an individual audition.

"no school (except CCM) will put you on Broadway after graduation "

I love that youve given CCM the power to actually CAST people on Broadway...

While many good people have gone and will go to amda, but that does not change what it is. Many want to beleive that this once pretigous institution has not fallen to irrelevancy, unfortunatly it did long ago.Sure you can make it to Broadway from amda but you can make it to Broadway from anywhere with the right determination...the bottom line is this is not the right place to spend your money.

Posted: 11/2/05 at 1:19pm

"you wont actually get a "real" degree unless you transfer. So, no you cant get a degree from amda...you can transfer to New School and get a degree...but you dont need to go to amda to do that. "

How many theater students want to take Gen. Eds? Not me - I just wanted to take the classes I wanted and then start working - what degree do you need to prove you are talented? Anyone who is taking Math their Freshman year in College while majoring in the arts seems silly to me - that's why I went there - my Options were never limited, I think that is the point.

"is it really worth the money when you could do the same thing at a reputable school and get a degree at the same price (or a smaller one). "

It is a fast paced world at AMDA in the heart of NYC with teachers that are still performing and directing in NYC. You can't take that for granted.

"An audition is required, but it is basically open admissions, I too have been to festivals where amda and similar schools have called back every person who auditioned and offered most acceptance into the program without even an individual audition. "

So, I take it you have never audtioned, or haven't gotten in, or you were afraid to audition and justified it by saying that you are better than AMDA - get over it hun.

"I love that youve given CCM the power to actually CAST people on Broadway... "

Go check their CURRENT alumni list - I believe my friend from CCM is about to open in Women in White in NYC after doing it in London. She recently graduated. Oh, and a woman in the Producers, and that Mamma Mia guy, and Oklahoma - it's well known CCM provides only the best - with some downfalls of it's own.

"While many good people have gone and will go to amda, but that does not change what it is."

What is it? A school you tried to get into and they turned you down? Or, is it a school you had to drop out of because you couldn't commit to the time it required - or do you think you can't afford it and aren't good enough for a schlorship? Dude - good luck in this business. You will eventually learn to never mock any form of learning because knowledge is power, even if you think it is the wrong kind of knowledge - the graduates will still have something over your successes - be it better or just different. It is a program where what you put in is what you get. If you choose to believe you are getting nothing, you aren't taking advantage of anything. AMDA did what it was supposed to do - it trained me for working as an actress in NYC - what I choose to do with that training is up to me. But they did give me the training and tools necessary to succeed. If you or anyone chose to ignore them or take it for granted, I feel sorry for them.

And one big key in the arts - never 'diss' anything artistic - enemies and ignorant critics are easier to get and harder to get rid of than friends and rave reviews.
Rising Sun Performance Company

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 11/4/05 at 1:20pm

The problem i have with the place is i feel liek i was being trained to be a chorus boy on a national tour. I just thought so much was lacking. Also when i looked around at some of my class mates i just thought "OMG They take anything that auditions"

My favorite is all the dancers they take that can't sing

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 11/4/05 at 3:25pm

i have heard awful things about the quality of the students from the folks i know who have taught there at one time or another.

[musicgal04]

Posted: 11/4/05 at 11:55pm

I just graduated and I know that I grew from the program, but many did not. They don't kick out the people who should be at the year break and it can be frustrating for those who do work. I had some amazing teachers and them some that weren't that great. I ended up at AMDA because I was an idiot and made some dumb decisions about what I wanted to do with myself, so I made the most of it. Audition at tons of schools and chances are you'll get into AMDA and maybe living in NYC is what you want, then go for it. But please keep ALL of your options open. AMDA is also big on "typing" you and not letting you grow as an actor as much as you can. If they see you can do something well, then you will be doing the same thing for four semesters. Anyone with more specific questions can PM me.

[MeleeQ]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 2:44am

I never auditioned there, just because of bad word of mouth. Even if you are talented, a school with a less than stellar reputation is going to make it harder. Lest I provoke the anger of any AMDA alumni, I'm not saying anything bad against the school personally, because I've never been there. I have no idea what the teachers or classes are like. I'm just saying I've HEARD bad things.

That said, Shannon Durig went to AMDA, and I think she's fantastic. And a very nice person to boot.

If you want to really know what AMDA is about, go to Ellen's Stardust Diner. Their wait staff is primarly AMDA alumni.

Haha. Ellen's is actually someplace I'd love to work... but I'd like to do it DURING college rather than after.

EDIT: I have to add... DianaDrego, I respect your right to defend your school, but you shouldn't do it by attacking other people. Don't jump to conclusions about people's motivations and/or reasons for their opinions. As you yourself said, it is best not to make enemies/a bad reputation in the theater world, because everything gets around to everyone. I'm pretty sure insulting people's integrity (even on a silly little message board) is not the best way to do that. Updated On: 11/9/05 at 02:44 AM

[Racetrack]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 11:21pm

I was going to audition last year but for a number of reasons didn't. Mostly because of it's current reputation and also because at the time that my audition was scheduled I had lower self-esteem because of a rejection from a school here where I live. I am attending community college at present which I think in the long run will be a better choice because I will still do theatre and everything, but I will be teaching as well.

Sorry just my own personal story, but I say you should look into it. If you're positive you want to go to drama school try out all over.

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 10:45am

So you only want to study the fun stuff like singing and dancing and not the hard stuff that actually makes you think.

Yeah...as Barbie says, "math is hard".

Boo on thinking.

Let's dance!

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 1:13pm

Go to school where you want to go to school....if you like it go...if you don't then don't go. You have to get what you want out of it. Really you don't even have to go to school to become and actor or actress...its all about talent..not what school you went to.

You can go to a big school that might be well known in theatre and has had famous people come out of there...but if your not good at what you do than nobody gives a care about if you went to Northwestern or Carngie Mellon. There have been good people to come out of AMDA recently because of there talent..not where they went to school.


SO chose a school thats right for you...not so much on reputation from word of mouth.

[cathyhyatt]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 2:00pm

I agree with choosing a school that's right for you...and that it doesn't matter how "known" t he school is or whatever.. But if you're going to school for theatre you should choose a school that has a great theatre program. I mean if you just went "anywhere" you could be wasting your money. And I don't know about everyone else but that's a lot of money that I don't want to waste.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 3:48pm

Agreed........

Alot of people forget that you can go to a small unknown college with a pretty decent theatre department and go there and actually stand-out..and get noticed...not only does it look good on you..it make the department look good also. You can go to college with a small theatre department...if you've got the talent...believe me you can go in there and make a change and someone will take notice of you. I know a couple of people who go to "big" theatre schools and they are unhappy...as to where you can go to a small school which could cost less and get the same amount of training with more personal attention.

In the end you and the kids at the big schools are going to audition for the same shows in the end. So JUST GO TO SCHOOL...thats all that matters ...BIG NAME or SMALL NAME...talent is all that matters. If you've got it..work it.

[MeleeQ]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 6:56pm

I agree. My school's theater department isn't particularly well known or particularly huge, but I feel like I'm getting a lot out of the program and I love the teachers and heads of the department. Our program is pretty close knit, and even as a freshman I feel very at home here. I visited a lot of schools, and when I decided where to audition it didn't have as much to do with the NAME of the school as it did with where I felt I would be happy and get the most out of my experience. In fact, some big name schools I didn't even finish touring. I could tell as soon at the head of the department started talking that it wasn't the place for me.

And just to be clear, I did not rule out AMDA because of reputation alone. I never even visited it because I wanted to do a 4 year BFA, and I didn't want to have to go through transferring credits and uprooting myself to a new program after 2 years.

Everyone wants and needs something different, everyone flourishes under different condidtions. You shouldn't discount name/and or reputation entirely (because it can help/hinder you), but ultimately, you should just visit anyplace that looks at all like something you might be interested in. And choose a school where YOU are going to be happy.

[Stagerage2003]

Posted: 11/17/05 at 11:17am

OH SCAMDA...haha The only reason AMDA is so well known is because it is terrible, and you should stay away. My TA in my acting class went to AMDA, she has regretted it and now she is 32 and an undergraduate again at WMU so she can actually learn something this time around.

[BroadwayBettini2]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 5:15pm

There is alot of bashing of diffrent musical theater schools on this thread. Most of it is bull.

I'm an AMDA student and I'm learning and living in New York. I'm having fun, working my ass off, and I have great teachers. Sure there are some pitfalls, but that's with every school. Some programs are for some people, and others are not, it all depends on YOU! There are some crappy kids at AMDA, but their giving some kids an oppurtunity to decided for themselves if the're good enough, or if they have it to actually try, which is not the case, so many drop out of first semester.

As for degree's, you can transfer to alot of diffrent schools and get your BFA in musical theater.

Try things out for yourself, and don't rely on Broadwayworld message boards to tell you things they heard from a friend of a friend.

[ClassicBohemian]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 12:02am

Sorry, but what does CCM stand for?

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 1:37pm

Cincinnati Conservatory of Music

[Broadway_Bound_Star]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 11:10pm

Random but.. why dont they have a dance audition??

[Sporti2005]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 11:30pm

a lot of places don't have dance auditions. even some BFA - MT programs with very highly regarded reputations (ithaca college and NYU, for example) don't have a required dance component (NYU's is optional).

i guess they figure they can place you in the proper level after you're accepted...or something.