<p>LAMDA and RADA both have really good reputations (BU goes for a semester(year?) abroad at LAMDA)</p>
<p>I have heard not so great things about RSAMD, but I know very little about the actual program...</p>
<p>I have decided to bag all the US undergraduate conservatories and wait until my sophomore year exchange program in England to audition for some of the UK academies. If that doesn't work out, I would rather wait and get a Masters in the US. Everything I have seen indicates that there is little argument that the top UK academies are RADA, LAMDA, Bristol Old Vic, Central School of Speech and Drama, Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Drama Centre London. These are the schools that will attract the top agents to their showcases. Others outside of London that seem worth looking at are RSAMD (I've neither heard nor read anything bad about them), Queen Margaret University College, Royal Welsh Academy of Music and Drama, Birmingham School of Acting, Manchester Metropolitan University School of Theatre and Oxford School of Drama. </p>
<p>It seems important that any school you choose in the UK be accredited by the National Counsel for Drama Training. <a href="http://www.ncdt.co.uk/acourse.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.ncdt.co.uk/acourse.asp</a> UK students who graduate from those automatically qualify for British Equity membership. I still havent found out for sure if that applies to overseas students or not. However, American students who have graduated from them seem to be getting work in the UK. Here is the UK Conference of Drama Schools site. <a href="http://www.drama.ac.uk/%5B/url%5D">http://www.drama.ac.uk/</a> Here is a good site to discuss UK drama schools <a href="http://www.thestage.co.uk/stagetalk/viewforum.php?f=4%5B/url%5D">http://www.thestage.co.uk/stagetalk/viewforum.php?f=4</a></p>
<p>RADA doesn't perform publically until the end of second year. They perform all the time in-house. Their public performances are constantly seen by agents and casting professionals. Somebody put it well when she said that "Americans consider RADA the British Juilliard. The rest of the world considers Juilliard the American RADA." They have a big alumni network in the US but I don't think they have an American showcase. LAMDA and RSAMD have American showcases. If you want the best classical training, the UK is the place to train on the undergraduate level IMO. The actor training at all the ones I mentioned starts with Stanislavski. Drama Centre London seems to later emphasize Strasberg technique if that is something that interests you. NONE of them have cut systems either upfront or hidden and they don't waste your time with random gen eds. I have been told that contact hours are 35 hours per week minimum. Most are also overall cheaper because they are only three years and cheaper by the year than most of the American schools. Something else to consider is that they are harder to get in than the American schools since the average age of a first year student is around 20 or 21.</p>
<p>Good info!</p>
<p>So, how would you rate the job prospects in the US for a graduate of a UK academy verses a student who attended a top US conservatory?</p>
<p>That is hard to say other than the more prestigious the degree the more doors it will open for you straight out. If you look at the Tony nominees on Fishbowls thread in the MT section, RADA, LAMDA, Central and Guildhall are among the schools with the most nominees in the last ten years. I would rate the chances of working as at least as good considering that the vast majority of the alumni of those schools never come to the US. Why would they even want to with the rich theatre culture they have over there?</p>
<p>Hey, actressfosho has answered all the questions very well and thoroughly. </p>
<p>I'm UK-based and will be a student at Central come October. She is right about it being tough to get in - I'm 20, and am coming to end of my second gap year. I was rejected the first two years, only successful on my third year, and only at the one school.</p>
<p>If you have any specific questions you wanted answered, I'll do my best.</p>
<p>BTW, the majority of British acadamies are non-residential. No Halls, you'll be looking for flats/houses with other students, or host families.</p>
<p>I just wanted to mention, LIPA is not a hugely rated school and doesn't, as far as I'm aware, have the contact hours of some of the others. It's Acting course is also not accredited by the aforementioned NCDT. A point to note - the NCDT accredits courses, not schools. One school, Central for example, has a number of courses that suit accrediation, accredited. Many of their courses aren't.</p>
<p>More thoughts, as I re-read WallyWorld's post . . . </p>
<p>It is <em>very</em> rare for you to do any public performances before the end of your second year. It is more usual not to be shown to the public 'til the third year. Student-directed productions etc. are not encouraged or provided for. Most schools are very strict about this, and it's very hard to gain permission to do any work outside of school during your three years, even during holidays, without the express prior consent of your Head of Acting or somesuch.</p>
<p>As far as I can tell, most schools want your training to be a safe, nuturing environment, without the burden of making your work presentable to the public. They want you to be comfortable and confident in your working practises before going out in front of people, and you have the luxury of making mistakes in private, with only the constructive criticism of your tutors.</p>
<p>However, the vast majority of the work is practically based and almost always leads to an in-house showing, so you'll still perform to an audience of some description :)</p>
<p>Final post. These are some of the alumni of the aforementioned 'Top 6' schools (I'd go along with that list, though if you want my <em>personal opinion</em> of the schools in order, I'll post it).</p>
<p>RADA: Anthony Hopkins, Ralph Fiennes, Kenneth Brannagh, Fiona Shaw, Alan Rickman, Juliet Stevenson</p>
<p>Guildhall: Ewan MacGregor, Damian Lewis, Orlando Bloom</p>
<p>LAMDA: Jim Broadbent, Clare Higgins, John Lithgow</p>
<p>Drama Centre: Paul Bettany, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth</p>
<p>Bristol Old Vic: Daniel Day-Lewis, Jeremy Irons, Miranda Richardson, Patrick Stewart, Peter O'Toole</p>
<p>Central: Judi Dench, Joss Ackland, Alun Armstrong, Vanessa Redgrave, Laurence Olivier, Zoe Wanamaker, Gael Garcia Bernal</p>
<p>This is all great info, thanks. I really want to do a summer intensive in london. I've been thinking about that a lot since I found out I don't have to research undergrad (this is when I do my "didn't get cut" dance) and I was just curious if they were up to the same par as the regular program.</p>
<p>Any info would be great. I'm thinking that I will try for it in 2 years (next summer I'm going to try for theatre internships here in chicago). Does anyone know about these program? Thanks</p>
<p>Ignoring the obvious problem that these courses are only a number of weeks in length, the actual teaching and content of them is generally of a very high standard. Depending on the school, they are either run by full-time college tutors, regular college guest tutors or tutors hired specifically for the course, but vetted thoroughly by the school (or a mixture of all three).</p>
<p>RADA and Central's courses are regarded highly, but, generally, you'll do well on any of them run by schools whose acting courses are accredited by the aforementioned NCDT.</p>
<p>Thanks CentralBoy! </p>
<p>I can only do a program that is a couple of weeks in length because I am already in a BFA program in the states, and it doesn't offer a semester abroad, so I am trying to find a way that I can go some other time.</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>Courses seem to vary in length from a week to six weeks, and offer everything from Shakespeare to audition technique. Take a gander at the schools' websites, they usually promote their summer schools a lot (because they make quite a bit of money ;) ), and you should find something to suit. Good luck!</p>
<p>Very interesting stuff about the UK schools, but nobody tried to answer Kaylyns question </p>
<p>I think sound design and stage management is usually part of a Design/Tech degree though I could be wrong since Im just a dumb, self-absorbed actress that takes you guys for granted ;) Anway, there was some discussion of NC schools for that on the MT forum [url=<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=190670%5Dhere%5B/url">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=190670]here[/url</a>]. I'd definitely check out NCSA, Elon, UNC Greensboro, and ECU. In Georgia, you might want to see if Savannah College of Art and Design has something youd like. In SC, the College of Charleston seems to be the only school with undergraduate theatre worth mentioning. If you want to look as far north as Virginia, check out the Shenandoah Conservatory and Virginia Commonwealth which I think might have a BFA. In general, I think Id stay away from state schools with MFAs because youd likely end up serving as a handmaiden to them. Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Greetings,</p>
<p>Since K has asked about schools in the Southeast, I might be able to help. For Stage Management, NCSA is outstanding. They also have an excellent Sound Design Program. It should be your first choice. However, I do not how how the programs cross over and John Toia at NCSA would give you the straight scoop.</p>
<p>Plaidman</p>
<p>B.S or B.A in theatre? Does it really matter?</p>
<p>Stacey,
I could be wrong here, but I think the difference between a B.S. and a B.A. is that a higher percentage of your degree will be in theatre-related courses with more required advanced or in-depth coursework in all areas with the B.S. (sometimes called a "Generalist" degree) while you may just be required to take some intro-level courses in a B.A. and specialize or generalize with electives. I think the way to test this would be to check out the curriculums for several B.S. programs and compare them to several other B.A.s. I'd do it, but I don't have time right now.</p>
<p>well at northwestern the only difference is that for a B.A you have to fulfill the foreign language requirement. I guess what i'm trying to ask is whether or not employers prefer a B.A to a B.S?</p>
<p>Stacey:</p>
<p>There is absolutely no consistency to the use of BA (Bachelor of Arts) and BS (Bachelor of Science) around the country. At some schools, the BA has a stiffer foreign language requirement, and the BS a stiffer mathematics requirement. At others, the BA is awarded to certain majors (English, for example) and the BS to others (Biochemistry, for example). Some schools only award a BA. In Theatre, employers aren't going to pay attention to the difference.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>thanks that was really helpful.</p>
<p>I currently train at what is considered to be one of the top tier of schools on a "ba acting" course in the U.K however after a year of perseverance, I dont think its the right school to continue at a personal thing- and im going to re-audition for a transfer to a few places in the u.s.- not to mention other uk schools- for entry in O7 I understand I will have to start as a freshman once again.</p>
<p>I have emailed a few places already, but if anyone can give me a lowdown on what the difference is between the training in the U.S. CMU, Juilliard, NCSA, B.U and training in the U.K. LAMDA, RADA, Drama Centre, Guildhall etc
.that would be great. In anyones experience are my chances bettered after having one year at a drama school, I dont think I can judge my own awareness of what is good and what is not good!
Thanks</p>
<p>D</p>