<p>hello, I was recently accepted into the ETW studio at tisch. I am really hesitant about it mainly because of the “experimental” part of the studio. I am not sure what to expect and I never really classified myself as an actor who would perform in experimental theater. Do people generally like this studio? I also never felt during my audition that my auditioner asked me what I wanted, which sort of bothers me. I am so happy to accepted into Tisch but I am worried that this is not the studio for me.</p>
<p>You sent me this in an email and I see you posted it here as well and so I’ll answer it here in case it helps someone else at the same time and I can’t handle all the individual emails CCers send me. I post on the message board to volunteer to help many at once since I can’t do all the emails that come through on a volunteer basis. Others may have gotten into ETW and so here are some thoughts but I’m ONLY a parent and so it would be really important to visit or contact ETW and ask to talk to current students. </p>
<p>My D did ETW her final three semesters at Tisch (was in CAP21 for five semesters and loved it). My D saw the great actors that were coming out of ETW. She had friends in it who loved it. She had many friends who did ETW’s summer in Amsterdam who all said it was life changing and so she couldn’t do the summer in Amsterdam but did ETW for three semesters instead. </p>
<p>I would not get caught up on the word, “experimental.” First, read the curriculum on ETW’s site. Have you see that? It is an acting studio that includes several approaches. Also, physical acting is a component at ETW. There is also singing and dancing and movement. One thing that is different at ETW is that the second two years has studio class options and you get to pick and in other studios the classes are set for you and everyone does the same ones. Look over the array of options that are mentioned on their site. One thing that is an element at this studio is that they also do self scripting, meaning they create theater and not ONLY put on published works (they do that too). For example, my D was fortunate to audition and get selected one semester to do a workshop production with Moises Kaufman (he is a Broadway playwright and director, and you may know him as the writer of The Laramie Project as well). The cast created the piece. So, there is a creative element in some of the work at ETW. But you also learn acting and so on like at any acting program. Another thing ETW has is that as a senior, there is an option to do an Independent Project (this was ONE of the reasons my D wanted to do her senior year in ETW), and you can create your own piece of theater, and be in it. She wanted to do that before graduating and wrote a musical and was in it and is taking this musical further after graduating, though her primary interest remains as a MT singer/actor. In fact, doing ETW for advanced studio is very popular at Tisch and it is hard to get into what is called ETW Transfer Track, which is what my D got into. I realize you don’t know much about this studio but once kids get to Tisch and learn more about it, many are clamoring to get in for advanced studio. It’s popular. Also, ETW is an “in house” studio, run by Tisch faculty, and not a studio outside of NYU that NYU contracts with, as is the case with many of the other studios. That had some nice perks to it. It is also located right inside the Tisch building! </p>
<p>I encourage you to read the curriculum on ETW’s site and talk to current ETW students. It is surely an acting studio and it is not centered on being “experimental” in every class at all. There are many options within the courses to pick what you wish to focus on the latter two years.</p>
<p>My S just informed me he is in the ETW and is ready to go now!</p>