Theater Schools

Overview

Watching individuals or groups of people acting or staging a drama is something that many people throughout history have found enjoyable. This can be an exhilarating career choice, but it is very difficult to get far in the industry.

Theater schools help you get the education and information that you need to succeed in this field. They help to make sure that you come up to the acting standards and also help make you a better actor. Apart from acting, they also teach you many technical jobs behind the scenes.

Benefits

When a person is trying to get into the acting industry, it is always necessary that he tries to learn and incorporate a few traits into his character. There are different types of acting like television acting, movie acting, pronunciation, how to have a false accent, how to control your stage presence, costume designing, and theater acting. Theater schools train you on any type of acting, though it is especially helpful for individuals who are looking forward to indulge in theater performing arts.

There are very few limits with regard to how detailed you can get while you are portraying a character. When you are able to command your stage as well as your audience, you are definitely ahead of the game. In addition to that, going to theater schools would definitely look good on your resume.

Costs

The tuition fee for a good theatre school can cost you from $15,000-$30,000 on an average. This fee includes the application fee, the general fee, insurance, exam play scripts, books, dance and rehearsal attire, tape recorder, cassettes, and even the make-up kit.

Schools

There are many schools and academies in the Unites States that offer you courses in acting. You can find many of them centered around New York, the country's most lively theatre scene and in Los Angeles, the place considered to be the television and film capital of the world. The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is said to be the America's finest and first acting school. The academy has been functioning since the past 125 years. The American Musical and Dramatic Academy , Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and the Ryerson University are a few of the theatre and drama schools in the United States of America.

Testing & Preparation

Most of the theater schools admit students based on the audition report. Almost all drama academies conduct an audition test where prospective students are asked to enact memorized monologues followed by personal interviews.

In addition to the audition report, the other requirements include completed application form, high school transcript verifying graduation, personal reference letters in cases where it is necessary, and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT) records, if they look for academic credits.

Financial Aid

US citizens and permanent residents can complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), to get financial aid or other scholarships. Financial aids will be given based the need of the student. Once you get enrolled in a university, you can avail a few of the scholarships that they offer too. Some of the colleges like the Temple University offer University Wide Awards open to all students enrolled for a program of study at the university. There are also other awards like faculty wide awards and program specific awards. Students can also apply to their local community for privately funded scholarships. A few universities like the AADA offer merit scholarships up to $8,000 and also grants up to $3,000. Check out the procedure of the universities before you start applying for loans to fund your education.