Hit auditions or go to college to learn a little bit more about acting?

Question

my grades arent that good so i plan on going to a community college 4 just 1 year and then transferring to syracuse to major in musical theatre tojump start my acting career. i have never had any acting training, im just a natural. i dont want to go straight to a university now and try to major in theatre becuz u have to audition and i dont believe that i will be ready, so will jr college prepare me for my audition at syracuse and if i do well at junoir college will i go 4 free at syracuse. or should i forget college and just hit the auditions .

Answer 1

I'm a prof at one of those 2 year schools, and an MA in theatre. We prefer "community", not "junior". The stuff we teach is identical to the 1st two years of a university.

Well--but then again, in theatre performance, not always. Most CCs will offer basic intro to acting and maybe one follow-up performance course, along with some theatre appreciation and maybe performance credit. It's nothing to compare with what you'd get in the program at a top university department.

My recommendation: go to the CC, take the course in acting, but concentrate on killing off general ed. requirements like English comp, math, lab science, history. Work with a transfer advisor (at Syracuse if they'll listen before you enroll) to make sure all your credits will count.

After that one year, yes, go for Syracuse. But also have some fall-back schools, like maybe SUNY Rochester. Many colleges with fairly good theatre programs will accept you without an audition, have one of those in case Syracuse doesn't take to you.

You're going to work probably four years after the one at the CC, and you want to earn a "bachelor of fine arts" degree, not just a BA. The BFA has much more extensive requirements in theatre course work. That's the degree that most professional actors earn to prepare them for the career.

Good luck and godspeed!

Answer 2

Go for it right away! As long as you have true confidence and can act completely naturalistic. Almost everyone who is getting work now in their twenties is getting it because they started when they when they were 18 and moved to LA, immediately got in SAG and got an agent. If you are street smart and have a strong sense of self go for it. If you start young you have a MUCH better chance. If want to be commercially successful the younger you start the better, age is everything in this town and LA is the place to be. Don't let people tell you that there is only one way to go about it, just look at how diverse all the actors out there are - many of them never had training. The most important thing in UNWAVERING CONFIDENCE and complete relaxation.

Acting is simple if you are relaxed: what is your character's EMOTION and what is his OBJECTIVE. During the scene keep the objective in your MIND and the emotion in your BODY.

Video yourself doing a scene and ask yourself and others honestly if what you are doing is great, and keep working on it.

Answer 3

I would recommend finishing school. You can always participate in school or community theatre. School will help make you a more well-rounded person, and that will also contribute in many ways to enriching you as an artist.

Even the most "natural" actors usually need training like dialect work, accent reduction, movement, theatre history, scene study, and the business side.

You will make the choice you feel is right, ultimately. Best wishes.

Answer 4

Learn more about acting, take as many classes as you can. Try to work with the best acting teacher in your city. Junior college is fine, it will give you a good background, you may want to attend a university after junior college.

Good luck and enjoy.