Applying for Drama Schools

[u/Enough-Ad7678]

Context: I have dealt with social anxiety despite having some acting experience, and a passion for acting, but am currently working through thay anxiety with therapy.

When I turn 18, I was thinking that I might apply to various drama schools to see if I could get in. That makes it sound like I’m lukewarm about acting, which is absolutely not true and I would be ELATED to be accepted, I just don’t want to get my hopes up because I know many drama schools are very difficult to break into without experience! It is my lifelong dream and I know if I didn’t do something about it, I would be 80 years old and full of regret.

I was wondering if anyone here had any advice about how to prepare to apply - literally ANY advice about drama schools at all is so so helpful!!! If you think it isn’t worth it, if there are downsides that I might not know about, what kind of monologues tend to do best if there are some, and all that jazz :)

Thank you!

[u/gasstation-no-pumps]

Drama school tends to be an expensive and time-consuming commitment. Is there a lower-stakes entry into theater that you can try first? (community college, community theater, amdram, … ) That way you can work through the social anxiety in a lower-pressure environment, perhaps while staying with your current therapist. Once you have established that you can handle (and enjoy) acting classes, then it may be time to start applying to drama schools. No need to apply as soon as you turn 18 (at least not in the US, Canada, or the UK).

[u/Enough-Ad7678 → u/gasstation-no-pumps]

Thank you! I was thinking of undertaking some private lessons first to regain that confidence before moving into proper group lessons, I shall take my time :)

[u/gasstation-no-pumps → u/Enough-Ad7678]

Depending on the specific of your anxiety, private lessons may be more stressful or less stressful than group lessons. In a private lesson, you would have the full focus of attention of the teacher, with no opportunity to "disappear" into the background for a while. In a group class, you would have more people potentially looking at you, but rarely be the focus of all that attention, especially in an acting class, where many students are trying to pull focus.

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[u/DonatCotten]

Hey I'm an actor that also struggled (and continues to struggle!) with Social Anxiety so don't let it get you down because in spite of I'm still able to act and it doesn't get in the way of my performances.

[u/Enough-Ad7678 → u/DonatCotten]

This is really encouraging thank you :)

[u/boba_toes]

I went to drama school and it was 100% worth it imo, I would always do it all again.

in terms of preparation, make sure you're in acting classes consistently now, and maybe some kind of dance/movement/martial arts, even yoga, anything that helps you get in touch with your body and breath regularly.

also start reading lots of plays now - you should be able to get plenty at your school library. don't read them with the agenda of finding monologues, just read and absorb them, and to start to figure out what you personally like and what appeals to you.

this way, when you eventually apply, and they say what kind of monologue they'd like you to do, you have a good knowledge base to start from.

[u/Enough-Ad7678 → u/boba_toes]

Thank you!