#51
Posted: 10/29/07 at 5:55pm
Erinbeccia- The point I was trying to make is that specifically performers in this business don't need a degree to land...for example an ensemble job in a show. Everyone has a different path and sometimes that path doesn't involve attending college.
The casting director is going to be looking at you and what you can do/are capable of doing on that day the audition is taking place.
I'm not saying college is a bad thing, it's just not for everybody. I attended a conservatory and gave it a shot for a bit and then left because it just didn't fit for me. Despite me doing well, I couldn't stand the curriculum. Education is always an important thing to have and i'm not denying that, i'm just trying to state that you don't always have to graduate from a top university to be considered for a role on Bway. Trust me, I have a bunch of friends that go to NYU/Syracuse etc. and forgive me for sounding like an ass...but some of them got in based completely on grades. A lot of them have no potential or talent. You can train years and years and YEARS and i'm sorry...being tone deaf to begin with and then training at a 4 year institution and getting your degree isn't going to make you sound any better. "Oh WOW! He went to (whatever school and graduated!) oh but...wait a minute...he sucks and can't sing a damn note!" You need something to start out with, or else your just wasting tuition money/time and it is pointless. In my opinion atleast...
Its inspiring though to hear about performers (a lot by the way) who are either college dropouts or who never went because its proof that you don't need a BFA/MFA what have you to get to that plateau. I'm not saying you should follow in their path, because not everyone is blessed with natural talent/ability and 90-99% I do know that professional actors are out of a job.
Honestly, I ushered at a Broadway show this past year and after watching it night after night I can honestly say I learned more in 5 months than I ever did at my 1 year at the school I attended. But then again, that's just me...I learn better in an environment where i'm either being privately trained and I can choose what I want to do and where I want to learn it. I know i'm not perfect, and everyday I constantly read/educate/train to become a more knowledgable, better person/performer. I just don't want to do it within the 4 walls of a college.
I know i'll probably get a lot of crap for this...but whatever...I do know what i'm talking about. Thanks to anyone who took the time out of their day to read this long/rambling post.
Oh and also...
"One time I was talking to Joe Papp and said that I sometimes feel very shy because everybody here has gone to this university and that, and I didn't. He said, what are you talking about? In college people learn what is given to them. You learned what was important to you. You have a mind of your own, a universal education that a lot of people don't have. So why should you feel badly? It's still intimidating when someone has gone to Yale...but now as I go to speak at these colleges I always start by saying I have no academic credits...but I have experience...*Experience*."-Graciela Daniele from the book So You Want To Dance On Broadway.
The casting director is going to be looking at you and what you can do/are capable of doing on that day the audition is taking place.
I'm not saying college is a bad thing, it's just not for everybody. I attended a conservatory and gave it a shot for a bit and then left because it just didn't fit for me. Despite me doing well, I couldn't stand the curriculum. Education is always an important thing to have and i'm not denying that, i'm just trying to state that you don't always have to graduate from a top university to be considered for a role on Bway. Trust me, I have a bunch of friends that go to NYU/Syracuse etc. and forgive me for sounding like an ass...but some of them got in based completely on grades. A lot of them have no potential or talent. You can train years and years and YEARS and i'm sorry...being tone deaf to begin with and then training at a 4 year institution and getting your degree isn't going to make you sound any better. "Oh WOW! He went to (whatever school and graduated!) oh but...wait a minute...he sucks and can't sing a damn note!" You need something to start out with, or else your just wasting tuition money/time and it is pointless. In my opinion atleast...
Its inspiring though to hear about performers (a lot by the way) who are either college dropouts or who never went because its proof that you don't need a BFA/MFA what have you to get to that plateau. I'm not saying you should follow in their path, because not everyone is blessed with natural talent/ability and 90-99% I do know that professional actors are out of a job.
Honestly, I ushered at a Broadway show this past year and after watching it night after night I can honestly say I learned more in 5 months than I ever did at my 1 year at the school I attended. But then again, that's just me...I learn better in an environment where i'm either being privately trained and I can choose what I want to do and where I want to learn it. I know i'm not perfect, and everyday I constantly read/educate/train to become a more knowledgable, better person/performer. I just don't want to do it within the 4 walls of a college.
I know i'll probably get a lot of crap for this...but whatever...I do know what i'm talking about. Thanks to anyone who took the time out of their day to read this long/rambling post.
Oh and also...
"One time I was talking to Joe Papp and said that I sometimes feel very shy because everybody here has gone to this university and that, and I didn't. He said, what are you talking about? In college people learn what is given to them. You learned what was important to you. You have a mind of your own, a universal education that a lot of people don't have. So why should you feel badly? It's still intimidating when someone has gone to Yale...but now as I go to speak at these colleges I always start by saying I have no academic credits...but I have experience...*Experience*."-Graciela Daniele from the book So You Want To Dance On Broadway.
"We need people not to come to Broadway shows wearing shorts and flip-flops. We are working hard up here folks. Find a pair of socks."-Joanna Gleason
"I hear L. Ron Hubbard is gonna blow the ladies...and all that jazz! C'mon babe! We're gonna unicorn hug, I bought some NyQuil down....at Wal-Mart?!"-Bebe Neuwirth singing ATJ to Musical Mad Libs at DQYNJ :)
