<p>Hi - I have a D, current freshman, in a BFA MT program who would like to supplement her straight acting training over the summer.</p>
<p>We are looking at Circle in the Square, but would like some other ideas as well. Feedback on the summer training at Circle in the Square would be appreciated as well. It's my understanding that if you take the MT track, that the acting training you get is still the same as the Acting track, there are just additional classes.</p>
<p>Any other ideas?</p>
<p>If she wants to concentrate on straight acting and is interested in classical acting and the valuable Linklater technique, she could hardly do better than Shakespeare and Young Company (SYCo) at Shakespeare & Co in Lenox, MA. There is a cutoff age…rising college sophomores are about as old as they take.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.shakespeare.org/education/for-youth/shakespeare-young-company/[/url]”>http://www.shakespeare.org/education/for-youth/shakespeare-young-company/</a></p>
<p>We spent quite a bit of time investigating alternative acting places in NYC instead of pursuing a BFA. Circle in the Square is about as good as it gets. Very highly regarded.</p>
<p>I would absolutely recommend the National Theater Institute semester at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center (they also have a summer program called Theatermakers, but I’ve been told the NTI semester is much more fun).</p>
<p>[O</a> Neill Center :: National Theater Institute Semester](<a href=“http://www.theoneill.org/national-theater-institute/nti-semester/]O”>http://www.theoneill.org/national-theater-institute/nti-semester/)</p>
<p>[O</a> Neill Center :: Theatermakers Summer Intensive](<a href=“http://www.theoneill.org/national-theater-institute/theatermakers/]O”>http://www.theoneill.org/national-theater-institute/theatermakers/)</p>
<p>I was part of NTI’s class of Fall '12 and if you want some info on it, just ask.</p>
<p>These are all excellent options, in addition to several others, like Stella Adler; also, there are some other excellent summer Shakespeare courses too in addition to the excellent SYCo (here in NJ, there’s NJ Shakespeare theatre’s summer intensive, 11 weeks long).</p>
<p>There’s also programs in England, such as BADA’s intensive at Oxford.</p>
<p>Honestly, it depends on what your D’s goals & preferences are, what your budget is, what living situation she would prefer, how much time you can/want to devote to the program, etc.</p>
<p>Some programs emphasize specific acting techniques, others have a ‘toolbox’ approach. Some have possible opportunities for EMC points if they’re linked to equity theatre. </p>
<p>Some are very expensive, such as BADA (which would cost at least $7000 including airfare) and Theatremakers at O’Neill, which is $7500 inc. room and board, although for credit. Some are medium, such as SYCo, which is about $4200 for four weeks including room & board. A few are less than that, also including room & board. Most do not have financial aid, although some do. A few have early bird discounts.</p>
<p>Some are not too expensive tuition wise, but if you don’t actually live in the city or close by - for instance, New York - would be very expensive when adding room/board (which you’d have to figure out yourself).</p>
<p>Some are automatic college credits built into the program; others are probably negotiable college credit with your particular universit.</p>
<p>Some cater exclusively to college students, with room and board taken care of and only one age, and group activities. Others cater to all adults of all ages all together, and you are on your own when classes end each evening.</p>
<p>There are just many choices – what you choose depends a lot on your particular preferences, goals, and certainly your budget. </p>
<p>I think pretty much everything we’ve listed is reputable and excellent.</p>
<p>The tuition for SYCo at Shakespeare & Co is only $1125 for the June 23 - August 18 session. There are no charges for room and board. Kids rent rooms together in the area (the school helps you find them) and they run about $900 or a little more per student for the whole summer session. A lot of the students have paid internships that help with expenses. It is really a terrific program!</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.shakespeare.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/YoungCompanySummer2012.pdf[/url]”>http://www.shakespeare.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/YoungCompanySummer2012.pdf</a></p>
<p>I’m sorry for the incorrect info, NJTheatreMOM!! I must have been looking at the wrong info. What is the difference between that and this one?:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.shakespeare.org/actor-training/comprehensive-training/the-month-long-intensive/[/url]”>http://www.shakespeare.org/actor-training/comprehensive-training/the-month-long-intensive/</a></p>
<p>The month long intensive seems incredible but as you see is $4200 (which is of course reasonable for what it offers). </p>
<p>Is the month long for older actors then? Thanks!</p>
<p>The O’Neill summer program is pretty expensive indeed, but if I’m not mistaken it’s possible to get financial aid. Also, it’s for credit and the students have the opportunity to work closely with some of the most brilliant new playwrights of the country (the program happens at the same time as the National Playwrights Conference and the National Music Theater Conference, which are known for having brought Avenue Q, In the Heights, Nine, [title of show], House of Blue Leaves, Fences, etc to the spotlight). Besides, you have a lovely beach within walking distance.</p>
<p>Also, one of my friends did the Shakespeare & Co. program and loved it. I always hear good things about it.</p>
<p>The month-long summer training institute intensive at Shakes & Co is for students already in college and recent graduates. It is more in-depth than SYCo. </p>
<p>Many of the SYCo kids are still in high school (given that it is a program for students ages 16 -20), and many are from the Berkshire area. </p>
<p>SYCo does require an audition, but they are always looking for people and it is not too hard to be accepted. Some of the kids in it admittedly don’t have too much training when they arrive. However, my son simply adored SYCo when he did it following his freshman year at BU and got so much out of it. Some of the SYCo kids are students at LACs like Mount Holyoke and other top schools, and some have connections with the Boston University School of Theatre.</p>
<p>It’s too bad you were confused about what a bargain SYCo is, Connections! We couldn’t have afforded that summer intensive ourselves!! It probably wouldn’t be too late for your D to at least audition for SYCo for this summer, if she were still interested.</p>
<p>So glad you cleared that up NJTheatreMom! I had no idea SYCo was that much of a bargain. All this time I’ve been looking at the month long intensive (which is also a good price considering). But my D, though a Freshman, is 20 and will be almost 21 this summer–not sure how that would pan out for SYCo?</p>
<p>ANd yes, milkshakespeare, the O’Neill program is excellent and you can get financial aid–possibly. It’s one of the programs that offers it depending on your college’s policies. It was one of the programs on my D’s radar along with SYCo (what we thought was SYCo but which was the month long intensive!). But for the O’Neill she’d need about 75%-80% grant to afford it. It’s always worth asking, I suppose–She will probably do that process next year, for that program and several others. You never know unless you ask.</p>
<p>Connections, probably your D is still young enough for SYCo. You could always contact them and ask! They are really very accommodating people, and flexible about audition arrangements.</p>
<p>My son was one of the oldest students in his summer at SYCo and one of the better trained. Yet he still got an enormous amount out of it. It was kind of nice for him to be in a group like that after having spent a year at “the bottom of the heap” with no real performance opportunities as a college freshman.</p>
<p>Connections - I don’t know about the summer program that much, but I do know that the faculty is pretty much the same from the intensive semesters (and all the teachers - no exception - are incredible). It’s worth every penny and I bet every alum would say that. Yes, you should ask next year if your D really wants it. And also ask the O’Neill staff about grants or other ways to get aid, they were really helpful to me.</p>
<p>I know I sound like a “groupie”, but it’s a life-changing experience. Everyone who’s been through NTI loved it (I heard of one guy who even tattooed the view from his dorm window on his arm), because the faculty and staff makes you feel like you and your art are worth it no matter what.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the ideas! I’m going to look into NTI summer session. Does anyone know anything about the summer program at A.C.T. in San Francisco? </p>
<p>She has housing available in New York and in San Francisco. I think shes going to save Shakespeare for another summer after she has a little more training - maybe another year we will look at BADA - I’m not ready to send her to London yet :)</p>
<p>ACT has a very good reputation. We looked at it briefly a couple of years ago and daughter knows a student who did it last year and gave it rave reviews. Sorry, that’s all I know but hope it helps. Having housing is a huge plus.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any thoughts on doing community theater at this point or is that widely considered to be a waste of time. There’s already a ton of it on her resume but a good part is on the table this summer. Right now she’s viewing it as an if all else fails scenario. Thanks!</p>
<p>Regarding Shakespeare and Co- if your kid has tech skills they can put them to good use there. We have a friend who traded her tech skills during the summer for tuition for their month long winter acting intensive.</p>
<p>I was looking into NTI… it looks like a great program.Does anyone know if the summer intensive is for college students or can HS students apply too?</p>
<p>5boys: I think you have to be at least 18 to get in. I was 18 during my time at NTI and I was the youngest (the oldest student there being 22).</p>
<p>My D attended the Teen Shakespeare Intensive at the Actors Movement Conservatory for three summers. I recommend it highly, but it is intensive! From 9 am to 6 every day and sometimes into the evening as well. It is just over three weeks long and held in NYC. Kids from out of the city live in dorms on West 88th st. They are chaperoned in the dorms.</p>
<p>Here is their website. It is not updated for this summer yet, but you can get the jist. The program runs in July. Janice Orlandi is the director of the program and all the kids love her. She is an adjunct professor at University of the Arts. She is a certified teacher of the Williamson and Chekhov techniques and is also skilled in Meisner. [Teen</a> Shakespeare Conservatory](<a href=“http://www.actorsmovementstudio.com/teen/index.html]Teen”>Teen Shakespeare Conservatory)</p>