LVA!!! ???

[dramadude2]

Posted: 6/30/07 at 12:01am

Hello

I have recently(as of April 2007 I see these messages sometimes go on far past when they were posted) been accepted to the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts as a THEATRE major. I already know a lot about the school through reasearch and word of mouth, but...
any insider information/tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Updated On: 6/30/07 at 12:01 AM

[lilprima2b2]

Posted: 6/30/07 at 2:44am

Hi!

I just graduated from LVA as a dance major. I did a couple of the productions at LVA, great experience... it's really an AMAZING school. All I can say for you about the theatre department is that persistence pays off, and don't make anyone hate you. (This is the exact same for the dance department, on an unrelated note.) Also, you will learn to forfeit sleep. I hope you like the school - for me, it was the best four years of my life so far. You just have to make it yours, really. If that makes sense.

[dramatothemax]

Posted: 6/30/07 at 4:01am

I just graduated LVA as a theatre major!!!

All I can tell you is to take advantage of your time there.

AND TAKE RISKS. Never be afraid to try something or make a choice. The teachers love that. Unfortunately Mr. Born is leaving and hes the nicest one...when you're a freshman. I promise Mr. Edwards isn't mean, he just wants you to work hard. He's one of my favorite people in the history of ever.

Good luck! Message me if you have specific questions :]

[dramadude2]

Posted: 6/30/07 at 1:45pm

Hey, thanks yo foshnizzle.

lilprima/ dramatothemax, I have heard a lot about the productions and seen the pictures and just from that Icompletely agree. I also saw Thoroughly Modern Millie which was AMAZING
...thanks to you guys now my favorite musical Woot Woot
The costumes, the characters, the dancing. EVERYTHING was like woooooooaaaaahhhhhhh!!!
Joey is officially one of my idols(did i spell that right???)
I aspire to have that calibur of play experience.
YES
I also had the pleasure of meeting a few of the Seniors last year the week before my audition. They were absolutely AMAZING!!! I got to work with the wonderful Spud and Sarah and I felt more comfortable in those few hours than I have in my entire three years of middle school (which is saying a lot because middle school wasn't that bad) It was pretty cool actually.
Don't worry too much at all for me because I am willing to give up every hour of sleep I have, to get this experience. I live to take risks as well when it comes to theatre and those kinds of situations. A skill I've developed from a lot of improv training.HOORAY!!!:)
I have heard a lot about Mr. Edwards. I was told that we have tests over horribly boring videos that we take notes on where everyone cheats and gets caught(uhhhhh I should do badly if this is true because I have an extremely guilty concience and therefore do not cheat) I was also told that i will be pushed to tears during one of the activities in this class. (No problem with emotion but i would like to be prepared for when that will come.
What are my chances first off for landing roles in plays?
I can act and sing and... uhh kind of dance (which basically means i can follow simple choreography) And I dont just say that i can act or sing because i just think that i'm amazing( i still need a lot of training to be any where near broadway material*well duh) but I have had training in both areas.

oh btw dramatothemax mucho sadness that you are graduating this year. I was hoping to get to meet you at school next year
(Having been in millie)to ask questions and whatnot for when i audition for shows next year. BUT I found this board
WHERE I CAN ASK QUESTIONS TO A PLETHERA OF EXPERIENCED ACTORS AND ACTRESSES!!!including yourself and many other LVA students or former students(such as lilprima) * i believe that there are a few other students from lva on this board from what i have seen on the other threads.

MANY THANKS!!!

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 7/1/07 at 3:53am

I too am a theatre graduate from LVA, and I can't stress what Sam said enough. Work hard, play hard, don't be an idiot, don't give in to whatever is going to keep you from learning and perfecting your craft. Don't slack off. Your academics are just as important as theatre career, so don't get yourself in trouble by favoring one over the other. Have fun. Do as much as you can inside and outside of the department. Give Mr. Connor food. Give Mr. Edwards the most respect you can give anyone, because he might as well have invented theatre. Take dance, jazz, tap, ballet, modern, anything. Take voice. Watch movies. Listen to all kinds of music. Always have your dressout clothes. Don't be upset every time you don't see your name up on the cast list, try harder next time. Audition for everything. EVERYTHING. Even the dance drama. Love you classmates. The chicken salad sandwich is the best thing to eat in the cafeteria. Make friends with a big guy named Philip Cerza and a cool chick named Marissa Lessman. They will be seniors and you will love them.

I don't know what more I can possibly say. I hope you have as much fun as I did. I'll come visit!

Oh, and one more thing. Spud and Sarah... not so much.

Updated On: 7/1/07 at 03:53 AM

[dramadude2]

Posted: 7/1/07 at 12:57pm

Thanks Mynameinlights. I am already taking voice at the time but I will look into the dance, jazz, tap etc.

btw. I do believe that I already know Marissa

but i could be talking about another Marissa that is cool chick at LVA

hmm...

[RockyRoad]

Posted: 7/1/07 at 1:37pm

I hope they get a better website.

[ben4]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 10:27am

Well, another graduate from LVA here (Although I think I'm a little older than everyone else). I graduated in '04 as a Tech-theatre major.

I don't want to freak you out or make you so cynical that you don't enjoy your high school years, but I think it would be unwise of me not to mention the downside of attending a program like LVA's.

Truth be told, I did make a lot of friends in high school. Many of which I still talk to today and hold deep love/respect for. But looking back I feel I should've spent more time getting practical experience from real employers.

What happens at LVA is that you spend several hours a week working on productions in addition to the time you spend in classes. I would say on average, my day would go something like this: Classes from 7-2, then construction/rehearsal/whatever till 8, plus about 8-10 hours on Saturday. This fluctuated though and a week before opening night, I could find myself there till 11 or 12 (I had some friends who were there all night).

So between this and studies (I was a diligent student who graduated with a high GPA) there really wasn't any time for even a part-time job. I felt this was okay though, since I truly believed the time and effort I was putting in would give me the skills I needed to succeed in a college tech theatre program or stage tech employment.

It really didn't. By the time senior year came around I found myself completely unprepared for college placement. I ended up in a school with a so-so program that I couldn't afford and after 1 year of massive debt I was forced to leave and return to Vegas.

Because I've had no practical employment experience I've been unable to get steady well-paying jobs while I'm in school. My resume reads like a hidden cryptogram full of odd jobs and a big stamp across it reading: Don't Hire This Guy--He's Unreliable.

I don't blame the instructors at LVA though. I recognize that they were only operating the way they have to in order to keep their theater program running successfully. Instead I blame myself.

I know this sounds mellowdramatic and whatnot, but I really have run into other grads from my year who feel the exact same way. One who now majors in history told me "We weren't really in the real world there, were we?" And she was soo right.

At the same time, I know some who were completely ignored by the faculty at LVA who are now in great positions because they spent their time working actual theatre tech jobs. And then there are others who weren't so lucky.

My only advice I can really offer is to use Sunday as your real-world day. Get a part time job somewhere that relates to what you really want to do. You'd be surprised at how well an employer responds to someone who's young and talented. The faculty hardly ever schedules rehearsals and stuff on Sunday and if they do just tell them you've got some religious thing. They'll respect that.

Remember, ultimately they're just a high school faculty. They hold no power over your future and nothing they do or say will prevent you from getting a job in the real world.

I remember once there was a girl who had been cast in the ensemble of an LVA production, but she had found another community theatre company that wanted her as a lead. She ofcoarse did what anyone would do and bowed out of the ensemble position (This was only like a week after being cast). Within hours the mere mention of her name was taboo. All any of the faculty would say was that they refuse to give her any letters of recomendations or cast her in any future productions. What a way to treat a 15 year old girl.

To me that story just exemplifies the problem with the LVA program. Put real world experience before the pretend fantasy life of LVA. You'll be thankful for it in the end.




Updated On: 7/2/07 at 10:27 AM

[dramadude2]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 3:23pm

I have heard many stories like this from other lva students and graduates; but for every one that I've heard, I've heard two absolutely prasing the theatre programs. I am planning on being completely commited to the program, however I will take what you have said into consideration.
Thank you for your comments.
:)

[BroadwayFuture46]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 1:38pm

Sam really hit this on the head. Oh btw, hi my name is Jeff, and i'm a Junior Theatre Major at LVA...anywho...you really need to work your ass of at LVA. It's not the kind of school where you can just do theatre as a hobby...it becomes your life. Which is a great thing if theatre is your passion. Don't drop everything in your life though, find some other hobby besdies theatre and do that on the side. Mr. Edwards will frighten you at times next year, but he honestly is one of the greatest people in the world. I have more respect for that man than i do for some of my family to be completely honest with you. Just know, the meaner he is to you the more he likes you. I never once got a compliment or positive criticism from him up until last week during our trip to Nebraska. It took two year for him to say something positive to me. lol. anyways...don't let us scare you, and most people who have horror stories or tons of negative things to say about LVA, often didn't want to do what was required of them and didn't get roles they felt entitled to. Good luck, i'll probably see you around campus next year.

[dramadude2]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 4:19pm

Theatre is definately my passion so I think im all good for that and I do, do some singing which I hope to develop more through high school. I have heard some horror stories about Mr. Edward's class but, nearly every one is backed up by extreme praise so, I won't stress too much.
I guess I'll probably see you next year as well.
thank you

[dramadude2]

Posted: 8/6/07 at 2:42pm

Would it be impossible to be involved in Student council, while having a successful theatre career at the school?

[dramatothemax]

Posted: 8/6/07 at 4:22pm

if you want to do theatre at LVA you only do theatre at LVA. but freshman year you'll be fine. Maybe 2 or 3 freshman will be cast in shows.

miss saigon was.....not normal. haha

[dramadude2]

Posted: 8/6/07 at 5:21pm

I take it that there were a lot of fresman?

[dramadude2]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 8:16pm

SWEENY TODD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Daaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh~!!!!!!!

I'm extremely excited.!!!