<p>I was wondering how I should prepare for the Acting Part of the audition. I have never really taken a real acting class nor do I have any knowledge on how to perform monologues. I've been in musicals and plays but I don't feel that comfortable about my acting because I've never really taken a class or learned anything about how to act.. I just do it, but I feel like I don't know what I'm doing.</p>
<p>So how do you prepare for the acting part of the college audition? Should I take an acting class, get a private acting coach for help on monlogues?</p>
<p>Also should I take a solid acting class or a musical theater acting class. My point of view on this is that the colleges are looking for real acting, even in MT, but that MT acting isn't considered to be a solid as real acting. Am I making any sense here...?</p>
<p>honestly, i would recommend that you get a private acting coach to help you prepare for your auditions if you are feeling this unconfident. they will help you a lot, making sure you have the monologues needed for your auditions down solid. be careful not to be swindled though. best of luck.</p>
<p>I can sympathize with your situation. My daughter did not attend a performing arts high school (we don't have any around where we live), there are no acting classes available here outside of school, there are no drama classes offered at her high school. She essentially started her freshman year in college this year with no prior acting training. Like you, she just "acted" using her instincts. Thankfully, a local director offered to help her prepare her monologues for her college auditions. Otherwise, I'm not sure where she'd be this year. She researched monologues, and then had a few sessions with this director who helped her with them. I'm not an acting person at all, and have honestly never even seen her do her monologues, so not sure exactly HOW this director helped her, but she got into several programs, so it is possible.
I would suggest you look for someone like that who could help you get started. If there are any acting classes locally, that are of good quality (there certainly can be useless classes available, so make sure you ask around for something worthwile) I would give those a try too.
As to MT vs. Acting, I don't think there should be a difference. I think all MT performers should strive to become the best at acting that they can be. A great voice won't take you where you want to go without the acting to go along with it.</p>
<p>This has been a controversial subject recently in some threads -- but based on what I've seen as a mom and a vocal coach, I feel that acting skills are becoming more and more important as a deciding factor in college auditions. Don't make the mistake of assuming that "MT acting isn't considered to be as solid as real acting."</p>
<p>With that in mind, I would strongly suggest that you get some private coaching from someone who is familiar with audition technique. This would give you much more specific knowledge than a class.</p>
<p>However, if you have time before your auditions (I don't remember what grade you are in) a solid acting class would certainly be helpful as well. Personally, I would not bother with an MT acting class unless I was sure that the instructor had a very strong background in acting technique.</p>
<p>With most students I have coached, the acting part of the audition was the most difficult and required the most time to perfect. Don't shortchange yourself by thinking that it's not important.</p>
<p>My D actually has had quite a bit of acting experience and many good teachers. However, we decided it might be necessary to find an acting coach who focuses on auditions. Believe it or not I went to Google typed in "audition acting coaches for Juilliard in the .... area" and got a wonderful person for my D. It remains to be seen if the approach will be successful, but her time with this wonderful woman will not have been wasted. BTW, we are in Texas and no where near Juilliard or the mecca of acting.</p>
<p>Acting is definitely very important. Especially if you are applying to Tisch (I've seen your posts on the board), but I mean in any role, even in a musical, you are acting. So you have been acting any time you've been on stage. Acting just means DOING SOMETHING as SOMEONE ELSE. However, for your audition you'll want to pick monologue(s) that have characters similar to you or that highlight your personality. because as much as they are looking for talent, they are really look to see WHO YOU ARE and to see POTENTIAL to train. When you find a monologue, read the whole play it comes from. Work out what your point of view is, who you're talking to, how you feel about that person, why you are saying what you say, how you want them to react, because of this how do you say what you're saying, how does the person actually react when you say it, how do you feel about that in EACH MOMENT. A lot of this is instinctual type of stuff anyway. Have a good vibrant, present energy (whatever the emotion) and think of your energy expanding outwards and filling the character. Breathe in the moments. Take time, and don't be afraid of pauses if appropriate. Don't think of "playing a character", think of being yourself in that actual situation. Practise in front of one or two people whose opinion you trust and ask them for comments (but at the end of the day go wih your gut instinct).</p>
<p>In the case of acting for MT, treat a song like a monologue. Say it like a monologue before you sing it. Singing is like your soul coming out in your voice, so it's the same thing as non-musical acting, but higher stakes.</p>
<p>It's a good idea to get a coach if that would make you feel more confident and more prepared. It would definitely be helpful. But also do some work yourself whether or not you do, because this particular college entrance audition is more about showing YOU than it is doing great acting.</p>