<p>A very knowledgeable member on CC, AlwaysAMom, is the parent of a fairly recent Atlantic studio graduate and she may be able to shed light on that studio. </p>
<p>By the way, ETW isn't about being "out there". ETW does put on new works and not just established plays and musicals. My D is in ETW now (was in CAP21 for 2 1/2 years) and one thing that attracted her (among others) is that she will be able to write and put on her own musical there as they do independent projects. Also, in the upper years, the curriculum is not locked in and you can make choices among an array of training classes they offer.</p>
<p>I'm a parent of a student admitted to Adler for next year. I don't know a lot about it all. However, we have a friend who is a casting director in NY and teaches 3rd year students at Atlantic...here is what I got from a long conversation with him.</p>
<p>The difference in Atlantic/Strasberg/Adler is "how you get there" (into the character). Adler and Strasberg stress either using your own personal life exprience (ie...you have to cry so you go back to the time your dog died to get there) or imagining the experience that will get you there (ie...you never had a dog die, but if you think about it happening it makes you cry). Atlantic strips all that away and is about getting to the character much faster...not so much "background" and such, but just "acting" the character as you think they should be.
Hope that makes sense. He was pointing this out as the Atlantic method is a really good one for film/tv because you often don't have long periods of time to prepare for a character, etc.</p>
<p>An excerpt: ATLANTIC ACTING SCHOOL - Inspired by the Group Theater, Stanislavsky, and a passion for ensemble acting, David Mamet and William H. Macy formed the Atlantic Theater Company in 1985 with a select group of undergraduate drama students. This original group of students formed the Atlantic Acting School, a part of NYU’s Tisch School of Drama since 1985. Atlantic has the only conservatory program in the world offering an in-depth training in the influential Practical Aesthetics Technique. This simple, honest, and straightforward approach demystifies the process of acting and gives students a clear set of analytical and physical tools. Committed to preparing its students for all aspects of a career in theater, film, and television Atlantic pairs its technique training with comprehensive instruction in the fundamental physical tools required by the craft; Voice, Speech, and Movement. Students are guided with care through the process of learning Practical Aesthetics while training in one of the most rigorous courses of actor training in New York City.</p>
<p>Here is a link to the NYU Atlantic studio site:</p>
<p>Beachmom, my daughter will also be in NYU/Tisch/Adler this coming fall. Her high school background is musical theatre, but Adler was her first choice studio. She would have been thrilled with almost any NYU studio. As I understand from Tisch's studio descriptions and the Adler website, the extent to which actors are trained to tap into personal emotions and experiences differs in meaningful ways between Adler and Strasberg. Apparently these differences were at the root of why Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg parted ways. I don't know how closely the daily reality matches the program descriptions, but you can find thorough descriptions of each studio on Tisch's drama website. By the way, our kids may already be Facebook friends. Also, the older Adlerites have been very helpful regarding housing choices and other practical advice. One girl describes the Adler classes and teachers in detail.</p>
<p>Hi. I am a current freshman at Adler. If anyone has specific questions about the program or Tisch in general, feel free to ask me or go onto our facebook group for the 2012 students.</p>
<p>vi1: My son wanted CAP 21 and was assigned to Adler as a freshman last year. Enrolled, planning on transferring to CAP 21 as a junior.</p>
<p>Loves Adler. You couldn't pry him out of there with a crowbar. No interest at all in transferring to CAP 21, to my surprise.</p>
<p>So, it's tough for a 17- or 18-year old to know exactly what's right for them. Sleep on it. Make sure you visit all these places. Then make a decision. Fact is, you probably can't make a bad decision given the choices you have.</p>
<p>Bonnie - re: Atlantic, I'm not in it and for a while all I heard were the rumours - "militant", etc. However, I have found out more about it from having friends there and I think it is actually a great studio. Discipline is strongly emphasized. It also provides good practical training that is accessable through literally doing things rather than using emotional techniques like many of the other studios. Personally I could never be in Atlantic because the level of discipline would be destructive to my feeling comfortable and creative, however I know of some excellent actors who came from there, and to my knowledge it is great training to be a good employable actor. I have a friend who interned for a casting director and they LOVED Atlantic students.</p>
<p>Also re: how people are placed in studios. It really varies depending on the person and the auditioner. They also do take into account if you give them your preferences. My auditioner was from ETW. He wanted to place me in ETW because I had an interesting and intense energy that he thought could be released and used through ETW's physical work. My pieces were very "typical" monologues, not "experimental" at all. I'd never experienced experimental work before (although now I love it, so my auditioner did have the right instincts!) Anyway, I talked a lot about Meisner and asked to be put there. And I was. So I think it's a combination of how you come across in person and in your acting, things you say about yourself that might indicate a certain one, as well as your request for a particular studio, and of course your auditioner's experience or bias of the various options. And there's a bit of chance too. People have been placed wrongly and transferred, it's not flawless!</p>
<p>Thanks for your info, JennyD. Your post leads to my question regarding what happens when you are unhappy with your studio and how long it takes for someone to realize they need to transfer studios in order to receive the best training for them? I was placed in Atlantic, and the recent posts about the militant style scare me a little, but I am definitely prepared to have my professors expect a lot. Recently I ran into a family friend who went to Tisch, and after I told her I was placed in Atlantic, she said she saw me more in another studio (I think it was Strasberg).</p>
<p>Should I be nervous about having been put in the wrong studio? I am extremely excited about Atlantic, but am weary of transferring studios because it sounds like it would be quite the hassle. I am definitely not expecting to transfer at all, but I want to know how common it is for this to happen, and what steps are taken once the decision to transfer is made.</p>
<p>ErWill, transferring is not a common thing and is certainly not easy. I personally know of one exceptional case in which a student transferred in the first couple weeks but he was only able to do so because his acting teacher from the previous year which he'd spent in new york was very good friends with the head of the studio. In most cases if you decide to transfer, you must take academic semesters until the next studio year and begin again with the freshmen next year.</p>
<p>I would say give your studio a good amount of time before you decide it's not right for you. The transition into Tisch, professional training, new york city, is a huge one and things will be very different and not necessarily comfortable at first - that doesn't mean they won't be good for you. I know several people that hated their studios at first and a couple months in LOVED them and would never leave. I would also say you shouldn't worry or be nervous about it because then you'll be going in expecting a problem. Any opinions you hear on any of the studios are based on other people who are different than you, and don't reflect what your experience of the studio will be. I would say to go in open to the work and hoping to love your studio and see what happens.</p>
<p>Re: Strasberg vs Atlantic, Atlantic is very practical literal techniques as has been said, whereas Strasberg is emotional and memory work. They are two VERY different studios. There must have been something about you that suggested Atlantic, so I'd go with your auditioner's judgement unless you know specifically which other studio you think you should be in and why. Re: the "militant" ness of Atlantic. It's discipline, which is a very necessary part of this business. Maybe they take it a little far but I'd rather that than it be too lax (which is something i've heard about Strasberg). If nothing else, you will be very well prepared for the industry by maintaining their levels of discipline. In fact that's probably why Atlantic do it. Also Strasberg might not be too difficult to transfer into actually because it's one of the biggest. However, based on what i've heard and seen of both studios (from friends, productions, etc) I would be A LOT more excited about being in Atlantic than Strasberg. ;) I think it's a great place for your primary training. If concerns happen to come up, address them then. Until then, just be excited!! :)</p>
<p>ErWill, just wanted to put my two cents in here about Atlantic. My D is a Tisch grad who was in Atlantic. She researched the studios thoroughly prior to auditioning and her first choice was Atlantic from the time she read The Practical Handbook for the Actor. She loved Atlantic and she certainly feels that it prepared her very well for life after college. When she graduated, she had three offers of work from which to choose, which most, who are familiar with this crazy world of theatre, would agree is certainly not common.</p>
<p>I have never heard Atlantic described as "militant" by anyone who was actually in the studio. :) At Tisch, and in the theatre world at large, Atlantic is known for producing talented, intelligent, disciplined and reliable actors. My D had friends in other studios while at Tisch, and all of them would agree that the Atlantic kids probably worked harder than those at any other studio. Many kids at Atlantic double major and many are at the higher end of the academic stats. My D had a long discussion about Atlantic with Laura Levine at her audition, who told her that this has been the tradition at Atlantic since its inception by Mamet and Macy. It has an excellent reputation in the theatre world.</p>
<p>Did you discuss studios at your audition? Did you indicate Atlantic as your first choice? If you were placed there, it is likely that you presented yourself well as a student who would fit in at Atlantic. That is something to be proud of, not something to worry about! :) I have to say that I have never seen a 'random' placement of a student to Atlantic, as I have to other studios. And, as Jenny has indicated, I don't think you could find two studios more different than Atlantic and Strasberg. Enjoy the rest of your summer and best of luck in the fall!</p>
<p>I recently asked my s (a recent grad of Tisch-Playwrights) re: his sense of the various studios. I don't recall what he said about all the studios, but I do remember some of his comments about Atlantic. He indicated that Atlantic students tend to be in a lot of Playwrights productions, and the fit seems to work very well. He speculated that the script analysis training/emphasis of the Atlantic folks may give them a "common language" (not his actual words) with the Directors, a good match. He never mentioned militant and seemed to have a lot of respect for their work. (I don't know if he would agree with "hardest working" though; his fellow Playwrights might vie for that honor) --(smiley face here)</p>
<p>I'm sure most people who are passionate about their studios would argue they are the hardest working! I would say Atlantic students probably get the most work but perhaps the work of other some studios (i'm thinking of my own primary studio here, Meisner) is harder, in a non-literal sense of the word if that makes any sense? Anyway who knows, because no one's been in all of them!</p>
<p>Erwill, I'm so glad alwaysamom and jasmom were able to give you those insider info comments on Atlantic. It seems, like all studios, that the negative information comes from those who are outside of the actual experience (such as the militant comment - if you are an Atlantic student whatever level of discipline they have would be the standard to you!). I think you should be very excited!</p>
<p>Bottom line: it's human nature to believe/think that one's own experience (in this case, studio) is the best. :)</p>
<p>My D, who will enter CAP21 next month, was told by her mentor that kids in the acting studios look down on the CAPpies as not as serious, etc. as the kids in the straight acting studios, even though some of the kids in the acting studios auditioned for CAP21 as their first choice. I think it's just natural for people who love where they are and what they are doing to believe their experience is the best, and that's a cool thing, really, I think! :)</p>
<p>Yeah that rumour goes around, but I have friends in CAP who are great actors, and CAP kids get cast in mainstages and transfer to other studios after their primary training just like those from other studios!
Also the CAP kids say that same thing about the Steinhardt MT majors, lol. It's all one big circle of speculation!</p>
<p>And yeah I love that everyone is so passionate about the experience they've had. It shows the studios are doing something right!</p>
<p>I agree wholeheartedly, Jenny! I know, for sure, that all of the studios are crammed with very talented kids and I think it's great that NYU is able to offer so many different training approaches in one university. It's unique in that way.</p>
<p>I feel a whole lot better now; I think just the normal college nerves and the added studio situation had me doubtful for a few days, but your words made so much sense and were so helpful. I cannot wait to start Atlantic and see what happens. Thank you all!!</p>