AMDA... Again, I know.

[BlondeBelter2]

Posted: 5/26/10 at 2:57am

Alright, so. I auditioned for AMDA LA two weeks ago and am still waiting to hear back, either way. I'm iffy on getting in for the main reason I blew my introduction... Sure, I was clear, loud enough, and the usual... But I fidgeted with my hands as I spoke. My song was "Frank Mills" from Hair and during it, I got several laughs at the right times, and the auditor was smiling throughout. For my monologue, I did a piece from Gershe's "Butterflies Are Free", to which I got a specific, "Very good, very strong ending" remark, as wel as slight surprise that a strong, yelling voice could come from a 5'2" girl. My interview was also fine, and at the end I simply stated how hard I had worked to get even to the audition, having canceled the first one due to my father's poor heart health and had to tell myself not to keep putting myself on the back-burner.

Why AMDA? I've spent the last 2 years at Arizona State's Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts- School of Theatre and Film, where I was accepted after my first audition to be an acting major. It is a B.A. program, meaning we take generally more academics than arts classes... For fall, I am taking NO acting or even technique classes, but another design class, geology 102, comunications, and Victorian poetry as an elective. I don't feel that I'm challenging myself and my days will be over by noon... And geting a job is laughable during the school year. Also, there are NO notable alumni from my school who have made professional careers; they all tried, gave up after a year, and became teachers. Sure there's the "Well, you can change that!" but honestly... I'm not growing and pushing myself anymore.

To make a short story very, very long... Opinions on AMDA, aside from, "They just want your money". Based on the feedback I was given at the audition, do I stand a chance of getting in? I e-mailed Caissie Levy who graduated there in '02, and she even suggested other schools, such as AADA and Circle in the Square, saying how much has changed since she went there...

[chinto1984]

Posted: 5/29/10 at 2:56pm

You are in arizona. Go visit AMDA in la. You will spend a lot of money to go to AMDA. See if you can get a tour or see a show. My personal outlook on AMDA is they have good singers. If you have had any training or experience, you might not get much out of AMDA.

[Taryn]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 3:08am

And geting a job is laughable during the school year.

Why?

[Boq101]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 8:28pm

I don't know much about AMDA in LA but the one at NYC people leave class all the time to audition. I know people who go there and enjoy it but say that the level of talent is definitely wonky at times, with a lot of people clearly showing no potential taking classes with great performers. If you take to the training it will only help you.

[broadwayboy101]

Posted: 6/21/10 at 3:10am

I'll preface this by saying I know next to nothing about AMDA, having heard nothing other than the fact that it's a musical theatre conservatory.

With that said, when I was going about my college auditions up in New York, I would talk to a few people around my hometown (normal suburban little town) about it; anyone with any knowledge of theatre would immediately respond with "Don't go to AMDA!" I could never get a concrete reason out of any of them...but I figured it must be something if a bunch of people in Podunk have heard bad things.

[BlondeBelter2]

Posted: 7/8/10 at 4:21am

Surprise, surprise, I got in. Brooks Almy was my judicator... She said I had a very musical voice, nice tone, and had great clothes (of all the girls I saw there, sans the dancers, I was the only one who looked professional and knew what looked good on me). I was impressed with the staff and the program. Also the hours.. 25-30 hours a week. At ASU I was at 12 hours a week and sat around doing nothing because there was nothing I could do.

And, despite the poor rep, I've decided to go... The training is better than what I can get out here, and yes, I've looked and done my research... Over a year's worth. I feel that I can grow from the school; acting-wise, I'm fine and my acting professor said I was in the top 5% of my class of 30 students at ASU and even said that I have a lot of potential. It's just vocally I really need the help... and dance. I didn't study voice at ASU as I wasn't in musical theatre (might as well just say opera...) and the dance classes are all one skill level.

Plus. I want out of this damn bubble and to be on my own and away from home for once. The training there is what you make of it- work ahrd and you will get better. Slack off and think you're above it and you'll be kicked out and become bitter.

...But I might take it off my resume after a couple shows.