<p>I've had a change of plans: I'm not going to the Boston Conservatory after all, for various reasons. Instead, what seems to be the more likely option is to wait and train privately for a year, and then head to NY next fall with my equity card...but I do want training, especially acting-wise. So I've been looking at some of the much cheaper (than Boston) 2-year conservatories over there, such as the Circle in the Square school, and AADA. </p>
<p>AADA gives an associates, but I'm willing to forego getting a degree if Circle turns out to have better training (their faculty's credits are pretty mind-blowing)...also the ability to go to auditions outside of school is a big factor as well.</p>
<p>Has anyone heard anything about those programs or others?</p>
<p>I have a friend going to AMDA next year.</p>
<p>I'll ask him your question and let you know.</p>
<p>Well, AMDA is one conservatory that I have already personally ruled out...too many bad referrals from friends who went there</p>
<p>You can get great Meisner training at the Neighborhood Playhouse and the William Esper Studio. You might also want to look at the non-NYU Stella Adler Conservatory and the Lee Strasberg Institute if you repond well to those approaches. I don't know what the current reputation is, but Uta Hagen used to teach at HB Studio, so you might want to give them a look see. I've heard some not-so-good things about both AMDA and AADA though I don't personally know anybody who has been to either. Hope everything works out for you!</p>
<p>I'll be attending the AADA summer program this summer and will be willing to give you my impressions of the program when I return. Granted it's not the same as the two year program, but just a much more condensed version of it. But I can relate the method of teaching, the faculty, students, etc.</p>
<p>Aside from that, Circle and Neighborhood seem to have some well-known alumni. And from what I've read up on, great programs! I have heard of people "putting down" Neighborhood however and that they accept nearly everyone since they don't have auditions to get into the program, only an interview. But I'm not really familar with that program, so obviously I can't say, only coming from what I've heard.</p>
<p>Yeah, I looked at Neighborhood and also Stella Adler, but I've studied Meisner before and it doesn't really float my boat. I'm actually leaning toward Circle in the Square...the tuition is only $10,000 a year (!!!) for a two year program...ridiculously good bargain considering they seem to have nearly as many alumni working in big theatres as a school like Boston does, for less than the cost of a single year at BC. Plus, I personally think that for where I'm at in my career and my age, a 2 year conservatory will suit me much better.</p>
<p>Oh, yeah ... How could I forget? The Atlantic</a> Theatre Company has a two-year conservatory if you're into Practical Aesthetics. Their tuition is only $7,000 a year.</p>
<p>The alumni lists seem to be kind of dubious, though, as nearly every alumni on Circle's list seems to either have trained somewhere else (IE NYU) in addition, or didnt actually graduate from the program. It's hard to know how much of their ability any of these performers actually acquired from Circle. Philip Seymour Hoffman went to NYU-Tisch and Circle is never mentioned in any bios of his. Jenn Gambatese, likewise. Benicio del Toro is listed as an alum but only went briefly before leaving to study at Stella Adler.</p>
<p>Neighborhood seems to have a more solid list of successful people that trained there, and only there. Of course, a lot of them are from when Meisner himself taught there. But I noticed that they do actually have a "Singing" teacher on their faculty. That picqued my interest...even though I want to pursue musical theatre as a career, I'm really looking mainly for acting training..if the singing courses they teach there are "how to act a song" courses then that would really work for me, I think.</p>