Applying For Drama School

Don't set out thinking ‘I have got to get into drama school.’ Don’t make this your goal for the day. This will make things desperate. Sure, this is your aim, but really what you want to be doing is preparing yourself to do your best work when it counts most. If you let anything get in the way of that after all your hard work, you are a mug. Don’t party the night before… (you’d be surprised!) Spend the night re-reading their prospectus so that the place and what they are about is clear in your mind and you can answer questions such as ‘why do you want to come here?’ You should have read and understood what they want from you ages ago from their letter. If you don’t it is too late now.

Dress properly in working clothes, it is not a fashion show! All schools stipulate sensible clothing. No piercings. Never go with a dreaded tongue piercing in!

When you arrive you will usually be met by staff and students already at the school. They are all there to help you, guide you and relax you as best they can. They want you to do well. They will be trying to get an impression of you as a person also. The best impression you can give of yourself anywhere is an honest one. You may well be given a talk on how hard the profession and the training will be and then maybe a tour. Some places make you do your pieces in front of all the other students being auditioned, most will call you in one by one. If you do them in public, make sure that this does not faze you. Stay open and generous, even positive, especially when you step up to do the same piece for the third time in a row. It does not matter! You are there only to make sure you do YOUR BEST WORK! That’s all you have to do, let nothing spoil that!

There may well be waiting around to do. You will be with other nervous people, so don’t buy into their fear. Be nice and sociable. People say things when they are nervous. Some may be saying they have just had a recall for RADA. Good for them, be pleased for them, but don’t let it affect your thinking, even if they are going in just before you. It is all good and nothing bad. Forget about them. Just focus on doing your best work and making the conditions possible for you to do that. Similarly someone may come out of the audition room and say “oh no that was terrible”, “that was brilliant”, “God, they are in such a bad mood”, “they were really awful to me” (rare), or even sometimes “they were lovely”! In any cases just say to yourself ‘it’s all good and nothing bad’. You are there to do your best work. Let nothing get in the way of that. “It’s all good and nothing bad.’

A word on nerves and fear: You are going to be nervous. You are going to be afraid. There is nothing you can do about that so embrace the nerves and make fear your friend. That way they will work for you and not against. Nerves are what acting is all about. It is part of the thrill, the adrenaline. It is natural. Let nothing get in your way, you have come this far, now go for it!

When you get into the room look around get the feel of it. It may be huge. It may be tiny. It doesn’t matter you are here to do your best work. Bear in mind that the panel are not ogres. They WILL want you to do well. They WILL be looking for potential, energy, plus a creative and active imagination. They mostly want to have a nice day, meet some keen, articulate people and see some good work. They may be friendly (and usually they are) or indifferent, or tired, or quiet, or jolly, it doesn’t matter - you are just here to do your best work. They may well look down a lot and be writing. They may be writing good things, they may be bad. What does this matter to you? You are only there to do your best work! They may laugh, they may not. It doesn’t matter! Mostly they will be concentrating, and listening. The panel just the same as us. Nobody starts out by wanting to be awful, intimidate people and see bad work. They may chat with you before or after your speeches, it doesn’t matter. They may not chat at all. This too means nothing. I have known people get recalls from going in saying their name doing their stuff and leaving. Others get chatted to, redirected, even shouted at. It doesn’t matter its all good and nothing bad. Just go WITH whatever happens. My rule is that you are open, focused, and brave and that you show some talent and most of all potential. Then all you have to do is to be yourself… and positive.