AMDA

[BroadwayBaby3]

Posted: 12/11/03 at 5:35pm

Does anyone here attend AMDA? I'm applying/auditioning soon so I'd love to talk to a current/former student about it! thanks!

[BudFrump23]

Posted: 12/11/03 at 5:46pm

I got a bunch of letters and calls from AMDA, asking when I'd like to audition and such. But I'm going to go to college. (Bennington College to be precise, which I just got into!)

[itstheM]

Posted: 12/11/03 at 6:02pm

Sorry, I don't really know anything about the school except that a casting director told me it was a waste of money.

[WillParker]

Posted: 12/11/03 at 6:17pm

I heard this MANY times from LOTS of different people...too bad I heard it AFTER I auditioned, got accepted & sent in several hundred $$ that I didn't have to begin with....grrrr...

[BroadwayBaby3]

Posted: 12/11/03 at 6:19pm

What was wrong with it?

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 12/11/03 at 6:20pm

I auditioned for AMDA in 2002 (my Senior year of HS) and was accepted. I decided not to go because at the time I wanted a degree and went as a theatre major in a 4 year instead.My roomate went to AMDA and so did 3 other close friends of mine. Everything depends on the person I guess but they are all now about 30 years old and unemployed or working in retail.When I met Marissa Jaret Winoker (she went to AMDA) I asked her about it and she said that it was ok, but she had the hardest time dragging herself to alot of the classes, which is pretty much normal for anyone in school. IMO The bad parts of AMDA are the insane tuition prices,the rules against auditioning, and the full time schedule of classes.If you want one of my friends e mail who graduated from the school 5 years ago, PM me:)

[Crazy4MattMorrison52]

Posted: 12/11/03 at 6:30pm

Updated On: 12/29/03 at 06:30 PM

[KarenWalker]

Posted: 12/11/03 at 7:48pm

The school is really only for those who are serious about making acting their career in life. And it depends on how hard you work there, it will pay off. I go there now and a friend of mine had went there and is ensemble in WICKED

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 12/11/03 at 8:03pm

Sounds like brainwashing is another thing they do there. I don't think you have to go to AMDA to be a serious actor for life. Updated On: 12/11/03 at 08:03 PM

[robyn525600]

Posted: 12/11/03 at 10:06pm

I graduated from AMDA. For the most part, its a good school. They don't "hold your hand" - alot of work needs to be done in your spare time. But all in all, I learned alot there and still use what I learned when performing today.

[SuttonBebeFaith]

Posted: 12/12/03 at 12:18am

Go to college.

Get a real degree that will be respected in the real world.

Also, you might learn a thing or two outside the performance field.

There's a very good reason that this school is called "scamda".

[broadwaybaby_1983]

Posted: 12/12/03 at 1:03am

I attended AMDA from last year and graduated this last semester. Okay, I'm going to say this once. Don't go there unless you are willing to spend too much money for college or unless acting/ musical theatre is really what you want to do for the rest of your life. The money is not worth it, most of the teachers are nice and you learn from them-some are just a pain in the a**. It's like a high school with no parents because most students are stuck up and are majors drama queens. Relationships are non-existent so don't even try. The school doesn't have a good reputation in NYC because it is code named 'SCAMDA' and after experiencing that place I honestly do not reccomend it at all unless you are like me in trying to get out of a small town or your family has a lot of money. Here's a hint, most of the alumni students on Broadway don't even put AMDA in their biography (Marissa Jaret Winokur and many others that I have met). Do what you will, but I suggest a four year college where you actually get your degree.
-broadwaybaby_1983

[BroadwayBaby3]

Posted: 12/13/03 at 1:32pm

Thank you for the replies! so what colleges do you recommend? (with musical theatre majors)

[Crazy4MattMorrison52]

Posted: 12/13/03 at 2:38pm

nyu...thats where matt morrison went

[BudFrump23]

Posted: 12/13/03 at 3:20pm

I'm going (as stated before) to Bennington College. It's a create-your-own-major school, with no requirements. They teach some pretty good music and theater classes. I also looked at Emerson, NYU, and Williams.

[KarenWalker]

Posted: 12/13/03 at 10:17pm

Idina Menzel also went to NYU

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 12/13/03 at 11:00pm

Carnegie Mellon, Oberlin, BYU, Emerson, BoCo, CCM...

[SuttonBebeFaith]

Posted: 12/14/03 at 12:07am

I've heard the two best are:


University of Michigan - Hunter Foster

and

Oklahoma City University- Kristen Chenoweth, Kelli O'Hara, Stacey Logan

[mebice]

Posted: 12/14/03 at 12:13am

I go to Kent State. I must say that I was surprised to see what a great Musical Theatre program they have there. You can get a BFA. Actually, I was so excited to see a girl in one of the Rent tours is an alumni. I was like go KENT!!! Whoo hoo.

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 12/14/03 at 12:52am

SUNY Purchase has a very respected theatre program, and it's only half an hour outside of NYC. Marymount Manhattan also supposedly has a good program.

[Amneris]

Posted: 12/14/03 at 10:41am

half the people I know left AMDA before or after their 1st year even with being invited back... a few of my friends did finish and said it's "SCAMDA"... They sent me many letters about auditions and basically calling my home harrassing about auditioning for them... one of my idols Jason Mraz was kicked out of the school during his first year ROCK ON... and look at him now =o) Save your money.

[ShineOn]

Posted: 12/14/03 at 12:24pm

I left... it's bull****.


And it's so amazing how many people there decided the year before they were going to 'be an actor' and just... up and auditioned. The varying degree of talent in that school is RIDICULOUS because admissions will accept ANYONE willing to pay. The teachers are mostly honest with the talented kids... and I've seen a lot of teachers tell the majority of their class to go back to community theatre because they were wasting their time and money... and that they should get a real degree because they wouldn't survive in the business. And they weren't saying this as reversed psychology or what not... they actually were being sincere and worried about their well being.

A few of my teachers started urging me to start auditioning my FIRST semester. That right there said a lot to me. I was like, "This is bull****." and finally left mid second semester. Some of the technique is okay... but some of it is just crap. I won't say I didn't learn a bit from my short time there, but not enough to count in the least.

[Princess MimiChica]

Posted: 12/14/03 at 2:20pm

I auditioned and didn't get in =*(

My cousin went for a year but left because she wanted to actually audition for stuff.
I'm still pretty bitter about the rejection but my Drama teacher told me that it was a blessing in disguise!
So now im at good old UCF and trying to decide if i like it here =/

[Amneris]

Posted: 12/14/03 at 8:07pm

girl dont you worry about being rejected by AMDA... this business is about rejection and if you can't handle it from them then it might be even harder later..that being said... You are damn talented and screw'em for not taking on someone as dedicated as you. If you try and believe, and study hard..it will happen.. you don't need AMDA. I believe everything happens for a reason and something good will come out of not getting in to their school. Updated On: 12/14/03 at 08:07 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/15/03 at 11:18am

You could always try University of Houston. Possibly the most uderrated undergrad program in the country. Among the staff are Tony-award winning producer Stuart Ostrow (1776, Pippin, M. Butterfly, Chicago) and his musical theatre workshop, fight master Brian Byrnes, famed director and RNT founder Sir Peter Hall, Tony and Pulitzer winner Edward Albee, Steppenwolf company members Kevin Rigdon (light and sound design including Broadway's Cuckoo's Nest and Grapes of Wrath) and actor K. Todd Freeman (Tony nominee - Song of Jacob Zulu, original Belize in premiere of Angels in America at the Mark Taper Forum). I don't recommend the graduate program, but the undergrad was worth it. Plus, you are encouraged to audition and work in the number of local theatres in town. With some help, you can make some excellent connections to work with the Tony-winning Alley Theatre.