<p>my daughter goes to a performing arts high school. she wants to continue to act as her profession but we are getting mixed signals from people as to whether college or academy type 2 years are the best way to go...she wants to either be in LA or NYC (*luckily for me i can pick up and move with her because i am a single mom who owns nothing and my line of work is in the entertainment/TV industry) she does NOT have an agent (she has a local CT one but the work is so far and few between it is pointless) she has been in several commericals/industrials/bit parts in movies and a lead in an independent film. Her background is musical theatre where she has been doing musicals since she could talk. she wants to focus on acting for film and commercials though. it is so tough because one director told me to make her forgo college., do community college in LA and audition 24/7.
it is so hard also because her peforming arts grades are excellent but her high school academics for 9th and 10th were bad (due to being bullied and LD) she has since turned it around to make honor roll in 11th. she is constantly being told "you need to be in hollywood" but....how do you get there the right way? please help
btw: looked at USC/UCLA/PACE/ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ARTS/SANTA MONICA COMM. COLLEGE/HARTT/UC NORTHRIDGE
THANKS!</p>
<p>try the Theater/Drama Forum under “majors” or the Musical Theater forum.</p>
<p>Shoot for USC. Not only is it in a prime location, just the USC name opens a countless number of doors. They have a great theater program, and if you Wiki the school, you will see a very long list of A-list actors/actresses alumni.</p>
<p>Do not go to Northridge, its program focuses soley on the grad students, undergrads are totally left out.
MY D went to Pepperdine, and felt the theater classes were great and truly expanded her talents, but as in most theater programs, the play production was very clickish, however their productions are wonderful. She is now auditioning full time, getting a lot of auditions, most non-paying, but good to put on the resume. She is primarily theatrical and was cast as a lead in her first theatrical audition, Midsummer, 8 weeks after graduation.
If academics are not your D’s thing, I would recommend the Academy of Dramatic Arts. I have been to their info sessions and have met with key people there for my nephew. His did attend last year and loved it. He had been doing some acting prior, but this has really honed his skills and given him a more professional attitude. Good luck, it is a tough business and when you leave the small pond of high school, things change in the big ocean. I don’t think my D would have been ready straight out of high school.</p>