<p>I also posted this on the Arts CC, but not as many people respond there. I am a good fencer; at one time I was nationally ranked. I was also the sack leader on my football team - linebacker. The director of my high school musical/play suggested to me that my chances of getting into a better BFA/BA Theatre program will be higher if I attend/get certified in stage combat at someplace like the North Carolina School of the Arts this summer, in contrast to a straight theatre-acting summer program (Syracuse, Rutgers, BU, CMU). Any advice. I need the acting experience, but the bottom line is that I want to improve my chances of getting into a first or second tier theatre program. I am a HS Junior. Ian S.</p>
<p>Ian, I would think being certified for stage combat is a plus on a theater resume. However, the biggest chunk of getting into a BFA program will be the AUDITION which involves ACTING, not stage combat. So, even if you are certified in Stage Combat, it won't mean a thing if they don't want to admit you based on the acting audition. I don't know your acting training to date to say what is in your best interests ths summer but you say you need acting experience and if that is the case, the training in a summer acting program is going to make more of a difference in terms of being ready for BFA auditions, than a stage combat certification which is like an "extra", rather than a requirement to get in. Being able to act in the audition, when it comes to BFA admissions or audition based BA programs, IS a requirement! Most who apply and get admitted will not have stage combat certification. But all will have been able to act. Perhaps if you are ONLY applying to NON audition based BA programs, the "extra" of stage combat certification will be more of a plus on a resume since you are only being evaluated on paper.</p>
<p>My acting experience is limited to the couple of HS plays that I tried out for - I am new to this game, as I have been involved in other EC's. Guess that I'm a late bloomer. I have taken some evening acting classes and took a two week intensive course at a local LAC last summer. I am trying to figure out what to do this summer to catch up with those who have been acting for some time. As I have posted before, I do not have the resume that other candidates will have, but I have been told that I am good. I just beat out 20 guys with resumes for a role. Of course, only the auditions at unifieds and colleges will prove whether I am full of BS. I think that you are probably right that I should go to a straight acting program and not one that focuses only on stage combat, though the latter would be fun.
I hope that getting into a theatre program is a bit like getting an offer from a good college-level football team, which I was pursuing before I got injured. They do not care whether you played little league or Junior high football, or whether you attended this or that camp. They do not even care too much what position you play in HS, unless you are a quarterback. They are looking at your raw basic athletic potential and whether you are a 'project' that can be developed. I am thankful that my parents are willing to dish out the money for me to attend a summer theatre program that will improve my acting and auditioning skills. Thanks, Ian S.</p>
<p>Ian, you are right....talent wins out over the resume. Don't worry about your resume. The main thing with a resume is that when someone has amassed training and production experience, that simply means they have more experience and often through that experience, they have been able to hone their skills more. It isn't the credits that get them into college but through experience, they are getting better at their craft. </p>
<p>Anyway, it sounds like you have had some training and your parents are supporting you getting some more this summer. I think stage combat would be very cool for you and ideally, it would be nice to be in a summer theater intensive that ALSO had a stage combat class as part of the course options. But if you have to choose between an acting intensive or a stage combat course...I would say for now to go with the acting intensive to help you prepare more for being ready to audition as auditions involve acting, not stage combat. Stage combat WILL be an asset down the line as you build your resume for the future. Perhaps in college, you can also study stage combat. It is not like you have to do all this before college. Right now, to get into a theater program, you have to show your acting skills and so if your background is more limited or you started late, concentrate on that because that is what is required to get admitted. You can add the rest later. Kudos on your recent casting. Keep working on training and further production experiences. Go for it.</p>
<p>Hi Ian,</p>
<p>Soozie is correct in regard to needing to ace your acting auditions in order to get accepted by competitive BFA and/or BA programs. If you have to choose between beefing up your acting chops and getting certified in one or more areas of stage combat, you should choose the acting.</p>
<p>However, if you have the time and the financial means to do both, you might be interested in taking a look at the Society of American Fight Directors website. The SAFD offers training in 8 different types of stage combat. Here's the link to their site: <a href="http://www.safd.org%5B/url%5D">www.safd.org</a> Take a look at the link called Events. It lists several stage combat workshops taking place at various locations this spring. The workshop in my area, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, takes place in March and is called March Madness IV. A weekend workshop like March Madness might be doable for you. If you are interested in that particular workshop, you can contact the director through this e-mail address: <a href="mailto:cincymarchmadness@yahoo.com">cincymarchmadness@yahoo.com</a></p>
<p>Ian:</p>
<p>If you're talking only about becoming certified as a combatant, then you would be best advised to focus on acting and auditioning (if nothing else, read Shurtleff's book). It is not all that difficult to pass a test as a combatant, especially with your background. If you're talking about becoming a teacher or fight director, THAT's a horse of a different color and is much, much harder.</p>