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Help please.. especially WAAPA< NIDA< CPA students

Sat, 27 Sept 2003, 05:51 pm
Clint26 posts in thread
My daughter is currently studying year 10 (year 11 drama)
She is working a lot in amateur theatre (musical theatre and drama)and is getting paid to sing solo at al festivals carols etc...
She currently takes private dance, singing and music theory lessons
She has won acting and singing scholarships

However...

we feel we have reached a watershed and need to decide some things NOW to assist in possible entry to WAAPA, NIDA or CPA

The school she is at provides dance, drama and music to year twelve..
but lately has had trouble keeping teachers.... this of course varies the quality of her education a lot...

we are trying to decide;

whether to attend a recognised PA school (which would mean a lot more travelling and cut down on productions and private lessons)

remain where we are and pursue the same avenue

do a 2 year PA course in Adelaide (but subjects other than dance/drama have to be open access study)

switch to a recognised private school (which again cuts down time for productions and private training)

soooooo

if there is an answer to this

which carries the most weight??

Examination certificates ie level 4 music theory / voice

Experience in large productions with large roles

A recognised school

or a fulltime performing arts course


We need to make the switch soon

any advice gratefully appreciated

Clint

Re: Advice .....(PPPS)

Thu, 23 Oct 2003, 01:25 am
julianne wrote:
>
> But one thing I've noticed - practically every actor who has
> made it big in America doing films has graduated from NIDA.
> Mel Gibson, Geoffrey Rush, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett,
> Simon Russell-Baker. Rachel Griffiths I recall came from VCA,
> Hugh Jackman was from WAPAA.

> The only ones I know who haven't hailed from those
> prestigious schools are Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Heath
> Ledger, Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce, and the former two had
> many years of training, and the others just practically got
> picked up from the street.

> So it does show that getting a degree at these places does
> help chances of making it big, and getting steady work, which
> is what I'm aiming for, and I assume most of the others are too



You have almost as many examples on your 'not drama schooled' list as on your 'schooled' list....it doesn't really illustrate anything for the purpose of this argument.

Actually, what your examples show are: if you are damn GOOD at what you do, you will succeed.

Those actors had to be damn good to get into the drama schools. They then had to be damn good to go on to an illustrious career.
The ones who didn't attend any schools had to be damn good to make it out there on their own.

If you're the sort of person who can be improved and instructed by an institution, then that's a step towards improving your 'damn goodness'. Otherwise, learn it elsewhere.

The only pre-requisite to longevity in this career to become damn good, and then to stay that way.

We're all always learning, wherever you seek it.


Good luck

Craig

Thread (26 posts)

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