The Excellent Audition Guide

Andy Johnson

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781780012544
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Acting & Auditioning

An engaging, upbeat guide for any student thinking of applying to drama school.

If you're thinking of applying to drama school, The Excellent Audition Guide will give you everything you need to prepare well and perform your audition to the best of your ability. Experienced actor, director and drama teacher Andy Johnson leads you through every step of the application process:

• Researching drama schools
• Writing personal statements and CVs
• Choosing and working on your speeches and songs
• Brushing up technical and vocal skills

And, of course:

• How to tackle the auditions themselves by being true to yourself and making fear your friend

A reassuring, encouraging 'how to' book that demystifies an often scary-looking process, The Excellent Audition Guide is ideal not just for applicants themselves, but also for parents, teachers and careers advisors looking to help them fulfill their acting ambitions.

'Smart, dynamic and inspiring, this is an invaluable book for anyone thinking of trying for drama school' Michael Simkins

'There's only one book in the world I would read about getting into drama school and doing good auditions. It's this one.' Vanessa Kirby ( Great Expectations, Labyrinth, Three Sisters, Jupiter Ascending )

'This book is accurate and beautifully concise. I wish Andy's written wisdom had been with me when I was applying to drama school.' Freddie Fox (Guildhall School of Music and Drama, The Judas Kiss, Hay Fever, The Mystery of Edwin Drood )

'Brilliant... really practical... It's like being led through the process by a trusted and knowledgeable friend... a most useful book which anyone about to start on the application process should read' The Stage

'A very thorough self-help guide... Johnson begins with clear strategies to help uncover meaning within the text, moving to more complex rehearsal techniques to help release the words and make them your own.... Terrific.' Teaching Drama Magazine

PART ONE
The Application Process

Which Drama School?

•	Find out what each school does.
•	Find out how they work.
•	Find out what they are looking for.
•	Find out how their application process works.
•	Discover what you want.

Research

Ideally, you want to study at the establishment that provides the kind of training you are looking for. But whatever your vision is, don’t narrow your options. Find the sort of place where you feel you might flourish in terms of the working and social environments. All the various institutions have their own ways and individual merits. Naturally, people will have their favourites, but try not to be too singular about where you want to be. There is a sort of unspoken ratings list, where everyone has an opinion and where schools slide in and out of fashion. Personally, I’m currently very excited about what they do at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. They are terribly good, friendly and really interested in people. But that’s just me… The fact is, drama schools are all very good at doing what they do. Competition will be very stiff and it is extremely difficult to get into any of them.

Each school also has its own training ethos. Therefore, whilst they are aiming for similar goals, they all have subtle differences in the way they go about things. The only way to arm yourself with knowledge of all these elements is to do the research. It’s also worth noting that all drama schools differ in their requirements for application, entry, audition and recall.

Researching the schools will inform and help to firm your ideas about why you want to train and what to concentrate on. The panel may well ask about these things at interview or even on their application forms. If the spadework has been done, you will be able to accommodate them with a knowledgeable and pithy response.

Where and how to find things out

•	Get a prospectus.
•	Use the internet.
•	Visit the websites.
•	Visit the schools on open days.
•	Go to the shows.
•	Talk to students: ask questions.

Phone, email or visit the places that interest you online, so that you can order a prospectus and get details of upcoming student performances or showcases. Go and see the shows. Talk to students – they won’t bite. Maybe get along to the schools’ open days in order to get a feel for the atmosphere and the work at each establishment. These are really useful and very important research experiences. Visiting the schools is a great way to gain an edge for when you come to audition, because the building and its aura will be less alien and less daunting on the day.

The internet is the fastest and easiest way to start things off. You can see blogs, check out alumni and find out loads more. There are also plenty of independent forums and sites that will be of great use in helping you to gel your ideas and form your opinions.

How to Apply

You’ll need the following for your application:

•	Application forms or online application account on the school site.
•	Passport-style and/or digital photos – full-length for certain places. Increasingly, applications are being made online, so raid your Facebook… Or maybe don’t!
•	Contact details of your referee(s) These are the people who are going to confirm things like your trainability, reliability, affability and your possibilities.
•	Payment for the relevant amounts. To apply and/or pay online, you’ll need access to a debit or credit card.
•	Your personal statement.
•	An up-to-date CV (optional).

What’s the process?

As I said, each school will have a slightly different agenda, but generally it goes something like this.

If you are applying on paper:

•	Contact the school for forms, or download and print them out.
•	Once they are completed, hold on to them until you are ready to roll.
•	When they receive your application, they will then contact you with info regarding the audition and pieces. You will also get a date or choice of dates.
•	Pick a date and confirm that you can attend.

If you are applying electronically:

•	Go to the school website, click ‘apply online’ and then select your course.
•	Create your user account. You may need to make sure your email spam filters are set so as not to reject correspondence from the school.
•	Take care to fill in the application pages as they ask you to.
•	At some point in this procedure, the school may ask for a photo to be uploaded.
•	When you are ready, submit the application.
•	Usually, they prompt you to pay the audition fee as you submit.
•	They will then contact you with an audition date or a choice of dates and more info.

The forms – your first point of contact

It’s best to man/girl up and do the documentation early. Then it is in place, ready for sending off as soon you think you are good to go. Application forms are made available at slightly different times in the year, according to each institution’s timings. Generally, they can be obtained around October.

The ‘paperwork’ is the first point of contact between you and your goal, so start off by making a good impression. If it’s easy to read and looks orderly, then you are already making a positive impression in the mind of the reader. It’s important, too, to make a copy of your completed forms before sending them. That way you can be aware of what was written, and remind yourself of things before your audition. The schools often ask questions based on what you put down on your application.

UCAS and CUKAS

Just in case you didn’t know, UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for entry into higher education. Drama schools affiliated to universities, such as Central School of Speech and Drama and The Drama Centre, are currently hooked into UCAS for the first part of their application processing. Conservatories such as: The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama now use CUKAS, which is the conservatory version of UCAS.

If you are applying to a UCAS or CUKAS institution, there is a requirement to register and apply through these bodies. They will process and forward the application(s). After this, the school in question will contact you with the next stages – usually an audition date, more info and a request for the audition fee. Applications start in September and run through to the deadline date of January 15th. You can apply later than this through the ‘late application system’, but they cannot guarantee you will be successful at this time.

NB: do not send any forms or press ‘submit’ until you are ready!

This is really, really important, and it’s also where so many people go so very, very wrong. Send nothing until you have chosen your pieces for audition and worked them.

When Do I Apply?

Simple. When you have chosen your speeches and done some decent work on them. But there are deadlines.

UCAS and C...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Dedication
• Introduction
• Part One – Application Process
• Part Two – Preparation and Attitude
• Part Three – Practical Practice
• Part Four – The Auditions: Winning Ways and Knowledge
• Appendices
• About the Author
• Copyright Information