The Liverpool Institute for
Performing Arts is considered to be a state-of-the-art performing arts higher
education institution and with it being situated in the centre of Liverpool, a
vibrant and cultural city LIPA students will have access to a host of music
venues, theatre, museums and festivals which would add to the experience of
being educated at a highly regarded school. LIPA statistics show that in the
last four years 96% of LIPA graduates are in work three years after leaving,
this percentage is encouraging for any performing arts student looking to work
in the industry.
LIPA’s number one priority
when looking at potential students is their natural ability, a desire to learn
and their potential in their chosen discipline, and so it is important that
students apply for a course that they are skilled in and wish to extend their
knowledge in their chosen field.
BA (Honours) Acting
LIPA aim to produce versatile,
creative and thoughtful actors who are able to take responsibility for shaping
their own careers. The programme offers technique, rehearsal and performance
practice in both live and recorded media. This is combined with classes that give
the actor the necessary business insight to be able to find and create work to achieve
a sustained career. The first year allows the students to build technique
through classes in improvisation, scene study, textual analysis alongside
classes in voice and movement. The second year allows you to consolidate and
extend the work explored in the first year and participate in a more demanding
technical and artistic practice. In the final year the students are preparing
to face the industry as well-informed and self-reliant professionals and perform
and showcase themselves in a variety of public productions, as well as
undertaking a Final Research Project allowing them to pursue individual areas
of interest.
Entry
Requirements:
· 5
GCSEs – minimum grade C or above, including Maths and English Language
· Plus
tariff points (160-280) from Level 3 Qualifications (including: A-Levels and
BTEC National Diploma
· Experience:
Passion and commitment to acting would be demonstrated through having already
performed in a range and variety of acting roles (in or outside the
school/college environment and/or at professional level)
I have completed an example drama application form which I will include as an attachment in my submission.
Manchester Metropolitan
University:
Manchester School of Theatre
has a long standing reputation for preparing its students for careers as
professional actors, with a range of courses to offer. Their graduates have
gone on to find careers in major theatre, film and TV companies. Their BA
Acting programme is accredited by Drama UK and is acclaimed for enjoying links
and collaborations with many of the region’s key employers.
BA (Honours) Acting
The BA Acting course is
acclaimed both nationally and internationally for providing the necessary experience
and skills to train as a professional actor working on stage and screen. The
course aims to nurture instinctive ability in an environment that allows for
development of new skills whilst enabling the students to recognise their
strengths and abilities. Year one will consist of a mixture of workshops,
classes, seminars and public performances designed to produce and combine
skills such as voice, movement, acting, textual analysis and research. These
skills will be put to use in the study units, such as scene study and ensemble
work. The second year moves on to looking at experimental and devised theatre,
Shakespeare, acting for camera, stage combat and singing and gives the students
the opportunity to rehearse and perform a play. The final year is performance
based and the students will work with staff and guest directors in preparation
for a series of public performances. The students are also trained to act for
radio and take part in the annual Showcase event and festivals at London’s Globe
Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.
Entry
Requirements:
· 5
GCSEs – minimum grade C or above, including English Language
· 280
tariff points required at A2 or equivalent (BTEC National Extended Diploma DMM
at Level 3)
https://www2.mmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2015/11400/
Bath Spa University
Bath Spa University ensure
they provide innovative teaching and research to provide a high quality student
experience and envision to be a leading educational institution in creativity,
culture and enterprise. As the university is based in a world heritage city
connected to a network on international partners Bath Spa will ensure that its
graduates are socially engaged global citizens.
BA (Honours) Acting
The training on the course is
practical, intensive and professionally focused. The students will explore a
range of skills, processes and job roles to prepare them for a varied freelance
career in the industry. Graduates have gone on to establish theatre companies
as we as securing work in film and television. 90% of the students were in
work/study six months after finishing. The first year is an introduction to
acting where the students will have skills classes to develop professionally
focused vocal and physical skills, as well as classes that allow them to explore
the range of “acting tools” required for a professional career, how drama works
and how to create theatre. The second year will test these process and a range
of modules, such as American Drama and Physical and Visual Theatre are
available for the students to choose the kind of actor they want to be. The
third and final year consolidates the skills acquired in the first two years. Context
classes will focuses on a project and preparation for the business side of the
industry while skills classes prepare you for the entry to the profession. The
students will also perform in a series of professionally staged films and
plays, while the professional module prepares you for the world of work.
Entry
Requirements:
· The
typical offer range for applicants is 300-320 Tariff points including two
A-Levels at minimum BB (one in drama or theatre studies)
· During
the audition process the audition panel will consider the academic reference,
academic qualifications and personal statement of each candidate
When applying for an acting
course all successful applicants will be invited to attend an audition where
you will be expected to perform at least two monologues (one contemporary/one
classical) and perhaps take part in a workshop. These auditions will be
considered alongside your qualifications and personal statement.
Below is a copy of my performative CV which I would take to auditions with me both for drama school/university and when looking for work once in the industry:
Attached to the email that this blog is sent on is a copy of my UCAS application for this year.
Below is a copy of my performative CV which I would take to auditions with me both for drama school/university and when looking for work once in the industry:
Below are screenshots of a LIPA application that I started to complete as if I was applying to their BA Acting course:
Attached to the email that this blog is sent on is a copy of my UCAS application for this year.
A non-performance related job: Stage Management
The stage manager is crucial when putting on a show
as their role is to coordinate all aspects of a theatre company to ensure the
successful delivery of a performance. Jobs involve managing rehearsals, actors,
props, costume fittings and liaising with the director. A stage manager should
have a good understanding of both technical and artistic elements of a
performance and will be involved from the rehearsal stage through to the live
performances, where they will be able to deal with any issues during the show. Dependent
on the size of the production there can be a deputy stage manager and perhaps
assistant stage managers to help assist the stage manager.
Tasks of a stage manager include obtaining all
props, furniture and set dressings as well as managing the props and possibly
the design budgets and liaising with the production manager regarding costs. The
stage manager will be responsible for making changes to the set between scene
changes, prompting actors and cueing technicians and running the backstage and
onstage areas during performances. Stage managers must have good communication
skills as they will be interacting with people on a daily basis from the
various departments during the process of putting on a show. Good organisation
is a key soft skill for a stage manager as well as being able to remain calm
under pressure or in a crisis.
Entry Requirements
This area of work is open to all graduates but
qualifications in subjects such as performing arts, drama/theatre studies and
music may increase an applicant’s chances. Studying a degree accredited by
Drama UK would be useful as the courses offer work experience in functioning
venues where the students would be given the chance to work as a stage manager.
A driving licence may also be an added requirement in some roles when moving
props and set to a venue.
BA Stage and Production Management – East 15
This course at East 15 will help prepare students
for a sustainable professional career in stage management and theatre
production. The course allows the students to develop their individual qualities
as well as their skills in communication, presentation and analysis necessary for
employment. The course is practical, allowing the students to become a part of
the creative production team within the first 6 weeks of the course. Within the
first year students acquire a range of established stage management skills
whilst working on a number of public productions produced in central London
theatres. Students begin to take on more responsibility for productions in the
second year allowing them to develop their managerial and organisational
skills. The final year sees the students will be working at a professional
level, taking on full responsibility for both the organisational and financial aspects
of productions. The last year also gives students the opportunity to undertake
a professional industry-based work placement helping to prepare them for when
they graduate and go to find work, often students will gain employment through
a successful work placement.
Entry Requirements:
· Applicants must be successful at their interview, where they are encouraged to share their experience and passion for the Theatre industry.
· A –level grades of E or above, a pass in BTEC National Award or equivalent qualification
Employment opportunities and functions in the
performing arts after training
Once students have completed training at university
or drama school they are now able to go out into the industry as knowledgeable
professionals ready to seek out work or further training.
One of the first things an actor might wish to do
is to get an agent, who will represent the actor and their work and will help
find jobs for them in the industry. When approaching the task of finding an
agent you need to be aware that research is needed to find the agent right for
you. Being close to a major city can be advantageous as there are an abundance
of agencies to consider and are easily accessible on the internet. An actor
fresh out of drama school may have been lucky enough to be signed to an agent
as a result of their showcase at the end of their final year but for most new
actors, they have little professional credits and so looking for smaller and
younger agencies with good connections to the industry would be a good option
as they will take an interest in fresh talent. Another way to find an agent
would be to find agencies that are looking for new clients and they tend to
specify the type of people they are looking for, so if you fit the description
this could lead to you being signed. When approaching a possible future agent
you need to have a professional headshot and CV ready to access, a demo reel is
also an advantage and can be sent to an agent to watch, which might raise your chances
of being called in. The casting agency Spotlight offer up their studios to tape
actors if they have been asked to send in a tape to an agent and once you have
worked with their experienced camera operators you are able to review the
footage and choose clips and then it is emailed to the actor who can then send
it on to the agent.
Rather than looking to gain an agent some graduates
may come out of drama school/university and decide that they wish to undertake
further courses to stretch themselves as an actor. An example could be
attending classes at the Pineapple Dance Studios for an actor who wishes to
improve their dance skills to make them more accessible for castings or to help
someone prepare for an audition that requires learning a new style of dance.
Pineapple is available to everyone with classes ranging from “absolute
beginners” to “professional dancer” and offers over 40 different varieties of
dance styles, including classical ballet, salsa and Egyptian dance. Over 250
classes take place in a week and this covers all levels and is open to all
ages. Taking part in a class may also be a good way to help research and
prepare for a role, an example could be contemporary dance. Contemporary is
known for its individual “style” of exploring the energy and emotions of the
body to produce dances which are often personal to the dancer. This style of
dance often involves playing with balance and improvisation and this could be
an effective and practical way of preparing for a role.
Another option for a graduate could be going
directly into working within the industry. An example could be taking a job at
a Butlins as a Redcoat. Redcoats interact with guests at all times and are seen
as brand icons for the Butlins brand. The Redcoats host numerous live shows at
the entertainment complexes providing daily evening entertainment, with each
night having something different to offer. The job as a Redcoat involves a lot
of time running activities for children and so this job could be the stepping stone
for a performer interested in becoming a children’s entertainer. Part of the
training to become a Redcoat is undergoing training in song, dance, street
theatre and presentation skills to be able to provide activities for the
children at the resorts. The majority of Redcoats are aged between 18 and 25
and so this would be a great job for newly graduated students as a way of gaining
some work experience. National auditions are held for those wishing to apply
for the job of a Redcoat and the information can be found on their website and publications
such as The Stage. A successful audition is not based purely on performing
skills, there is a large emphasis on ability with people, being a team player,
having a cheerful personality and their potential. The successful candidates
are often selected because they have an outgoing personality and hunger to
succeed within the entertainment business.
This website will be where applicants will go to
when looking for the auditions to be a Red coat.
