wappa

just wondering if students just out of year 12 have any chance of being accepted into WAPPA .and if people wanted to do both musicals and just theatre if they should do the musical theatre course or do the drama course . thank you for your help

I hear they prefer more mature students (out of school for a bit) but whay not audition anyway? If you dont get in you can always try again! And if you've got it at a younger age, then you've got it! I think go for the musical theatre course it covers enough acting stuff

chezchienne wrote:
>
> I hear they prefer more mature students (out of school for a
> bit) but whay not audition anyway? If you dont get in you can
> always try again! And if you've got it at a younger age, then
> you've got it! I think go for the musical theatre course it
> covers enough acting stuff


This was a LONG time ago...1985...and I was a year 12 student auditioning for WAAPA.
Straightway the then head of acting, Aarne Neeme, said "You're too young, we're not going to take you...but now let's see your audition."

I thought that was a pretty cool attitude, and in hindsight exactly the right advice. Without the pressure of thinking I could fail (in effect, I already had) I did a pretty good audition, and got some terrific feedback. I then went out into the real world and gained a lot more experience living, which is really what you need to be an actor. As it turned out, I worked with Aarne that very year in an amateur capacity, in a lead role, and 3 years after that (once I was established professionally) he rang me and offered me a professional role without needing to audition. I never actually felt the need to return to try again at WAAPA.

I don't guarantee that the same consideration will be given to everyone who auditions for WAAPA, but even auditioning counts for experience.
In some cases, if you return in a following year, it may count in your favour, if they see your persistence and dedication, and how you've improved in the interim....but of course some people who return for re-auditions needn't really bother....it depends on the qualities of the individual.


But I would suggest that you find out as much about what's offered in the Music Theatre course as opposed to the Acting course, and decide which one is right for you....they really are specialised and rather different.


Cheers,
Craig

[%sig%]

If you are really really really really good, then they'll offer you a place. I went to school with a girl called Patrice, and she was incredible. Had a voice like a nightengale, and had many theatre roles under her belt. Apparently she was the youngest ever to get into WAAPA, and she was 17. But, she had oodles and oodles of singing talent, and her whole family had been in the theatre arena for a while, so she had experience under her belt too, which I think they take into account

just wanted to say thank you for replyng, i didn't know if any one would! i got some good tips from all three.
thanks again and good luck for all of your dreams

ok heres the thing.
people do get into waapa straight out of school. it depends on what you want to do.
Theres quite a few people in the certificate courses just out of school.
The conservatorium usually is dependant on talent/ability, and not so much about your life.
For the full time courses in acting and music theatre: its so incredibly slim that you will get in straight out of school. But if your amazing, dedicated, and have a tonne of experience behind you, you MAY get in. Apart from talent the main excuse for people not getting into waapa is "life experience".
"Life experience" equates to, having time to get experience and work on your craft, which you would not of had time to do whilst at school.
Be in everyting you can be in, and take every lesson you can.
Dont just do it so that your good enough to get into Waapa or another school. Do it because you want to, because you have a deep passion for being the best you can and having fun with it.
Just a little aside, I get so angry hearing people talk about when they grow up they want to go to waapa etc. these schools are places that aid your development. They are not something you do as your life. If you dont get into these places, try something else. Hell, even try your luck in the actual profession. Waapa is not for everyone, and dont keep yourself in limbo until you get in. THINK BEYOND WAAPA! only go if you think its going to help you have a longterm career in the performing arts industry. If you dont truly feel this and look beyond your three years there, the lecturers at your audition will see this and not let you in.

P.S. these schools arent as glamorous as they are thought to be. Dont think that is not hard work. the audition is the easiest part of the course. And, yes, there is alot of written work and assignments.

Dear marcus,
already sorry if i am wrong. but the start of your reply was nice, but then got mean.
i don't understand how you say 'people straight out of school get in, but it is only a slimchance you can get in if your really good and have loads of experience'.it makes no sense. i don't understand.
and also of course there's alot of work to these courses, thats why you audition to get in cause its hard going, and they want to know if you can hack it. Written work and assignments,of course there are.
i am not one of those annoying (to you) people who always " talk about when they grow up they want to go to waapa" and thats all,Plus who does that? usually if people want to go to an acting school it means they want to be an actor. you get angry over things like that and I get angry over things like, how ,if someone says they want to be an actor, there is usually is a negative response
"you won't achive that"
"your not good enough"
"you just want fame and to be on the best dressed lists with nicole kidman".

yes, ok maybe the first two statements carry some weight, it is a verry tough industury, and that is why people want to go to WAAPA, because it will make them better, not cause they think it is something easy to do.-i hope not anyway.
again sorry if i mis-interperpted ,i dont usually get annoyed but it sounded like you were attacking me.
i am not dumb, i know the amount of work these courses are, i have done my reasearch. there were just some thigs i did not know and that is why i asked.
sorry sorry sorry again if i have mis-interperted you, but do not mistake me for one of those people who think acting is an easy way out or who only want fame and fortune. Acting, singing, and theatre in general make me happy, and i do take it seriously.

Laura,

I think Marcus was trying to make the point that a lot of people assume that WAAPA is the natural course/path to take after leaving school. With the media attention that WAAPA/NIDA gets when a new Hugh Jackman/Mel Gibson movie comes out - its not surprising.

I don't think your first post implied anything about the expectations of workload at WAAPA either. I think Marcus was making a general assumption about many people who didn't know much about the drama schools...

...I remember doing a PAC screenworkshop and we had this NIDA graduate come in and talk to us about going to Drama schools and the professional benefits she got out of it. The person next to me put his hand up and said that he heard that NIDA requires you to do a Shakespeare and Contemporary monologue - he then went on to ask whether it was ok to do just a Contemporary monologue because he didn't like shakespeare and he only wanted to be on tv.

I nearly fell off my seat.

And yes - once in a while, someone straight from high school (i.e 17yrs old) gets into the course. You'll find however, that they are the only one that young in the class for that year. These classes generally consist of people in their 20s....usually.

The fact simply is, they want you to go out and travel and enjoy life and get some experience as an adult.

Also, I'm sure there are enough decent actors in Perth to fill up the WAAPA/NIDA classes each year. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised that there would be multiple classes of great actors....BUT there are a number of other factors to take into consideration:

1) There can only be about 18-20 (i think) in each class

2) People are not only chosen by their abilities but also by their compatiblities and strengths/weaknesses with the rest of the other members in the class. Its kinda like the Big Brother selections - they choose the right mix of people who will make the whole group work.

3) I'm making a big assumption here but assuming that WAAPA/NIDA are national institutions...they would be inclined to make sure that each state is represented - so if you think about it...theres really only about 3-5 Perth people who get into each class each year.

The internet is a very ambiguious medium at times and I think people can be misinterpreted very easily. Sometimes when you u send a very concise message - it gives the impression of tunnel vision. With the continuous postings about WAAPA and school-leavers, u'd think thats all they think about it..."I'll leave school and then I'll go to WAAPA" - i'm sure thats not the case. You guys probably all know that there are many other avenues to get into professional theatre. I myself have managed to avoid the drama schools and I've done fairly well for myself with credits in professional theatre/film and short films.

In any case, I'm ranting so....

Hope that helps clears things.

Crispy.

Crispian wrote:
>
>You guys probably all know that there are
> many other avenues to get into professional theatre. I myself
> have managed to avoid the drama schools and I've done fairly
> well for myself with credits in professional theatre/film and
> short films.



Russell Crowe came up with a good method. Hang around a set long enough and get offered a small film role (as a kid, his parents were film caterers). From that, do some theatre, play in a band, then do more film auditions, and finally win an Oscar, and play in another band.

Obviously helps if you have ATTITUDE.

crg

Or we could go Nicole's route, and marry a high profile star, stay with him for about 8-10 years, have a highly publicised divorce, and be inundated with work.

That's my ambition ;)

Yes, I wouldn't have minded being that.



Anyone else remember when Nicole was a teenager in those stocking commercials in Dolly magazine?



crg

Just my 2c worth. I think Drama school is good to fine tune your talent, but this talk about getting into NIDA, WAPPA etc is not the be all end all. As we know may well known actors e.g. Crowe, Kidman, Ledger had no formal training but plenty of experience, and being at the right place right time when their opportunity came.

Cheers
Greg Coglan

Thank you for replying crispian.
i do agree that "The internet is a very ambiguious medium at times" and that "people can be misinterpreted very easily". yep i do because i did misinterpret Marcus because every time i read his reply i can't see it as an attack in any way at all. thanks for clearing things up,and lets never speak of it again cause i do feel dumb. mmmm hmmm yep very dumb.

any way i guess "you have to put your behind in your past."
-oh look! another dumb mistake!

"you've got to put your past behind you."

thanks again crispian and yes that last qoute is from 'The Lion King'.

Oh Boy... go lion king!

No, seriously. Laura, you've got some great advice from all these people. So here's my info. Just so you know (you probably do but anyways).

For MT there are are 2 courses I know of. The BA (Bachelor of the Arts) and the Certificate II.

The BA is three years, 40 (?) hours a week and WAAPA auditions about 250 a year for this course. Lots of intensive stuff, character searching and hooking into your emotions.

The Cert. II is one year, three nights a week and about half as many audition a year. Alot of people consider this as a semi-introduction to the BA.

What Marcus said way back in that post has credit. So many people see WAAPA as the end all of PA. Not everyone but some people do.

In PA it really does help to have workshops, experience, lessons and all that stuff under your belt. It also helps to have that unnamed passion...

What else... auditions for the two courses happen around November (a hard time because of exams if you're a student). I know one girl who had her audition during her leavers. But you can ask them in the application and they can take it into account.

Umm, and I know even though both courses have dance incorporated into them the BA has a very extensive dance audition (a whole lesson) and the Cert. II has... er, either no dance audition or an audition to a lesser extent. But don't take that to the god honest truth. I just went to a careers expo for uni's and I got this info from the head of MT at WAAPA... so there you go!

Hope I could be some help.
The OCC.

laura, are you in year 12 this year? what school?
Im a year 12 also, Waapa has an audition master class on in about a months time, but entrys close soon.
there are heaps of other places with good music theatre courses, i dunno if you live in sydney but theres Aus institute of music, macdonald college, wollongong uni and pretty much everywhere has a theatre course but those are the ones im considering. otherwise there are so many musical and theatre companies out there so if you're any good its easy to get some experience.

Thou gleeking milk-livered pignut!
hehe if you press the insult thing, it adds that!

dear OCC,

i know this reply is a little late! but am just writing to say thankyou for your message as you wrote alot and it probably took a while to write it all and sum it up for me, so thankyou!
So you went to the careers expo? theres another one comming up soon, ECU live. Was the expo good? did they let you ask questions?-- goodness i really need to, as some people say the TEE scores are important and others say they are not.-well are important-but aren't.
-YAY! being confused is fun!...................sad ...help, me, help me help me!...

also,um,my friend said she heard something about ECU having drama courses that go for 3 years but are not part of WAPPA, we don't know if this is true but i just thought i'd ask cause you went to the careerday.

thankyou again, and, YAY HUGH JACKMAN WON A TONY!!!

bye OCC!

hello b!

lets, just say, that after reading your letter, i sat back in the chair and puzzled over your "Thou gleeking milk-livered pignut! hehe if you press the insult thing, it adds that! " for...........probably 5 years, without sleep.

????? (laughs) -it took me, yep, quite a while to understrand and see the insult button next to the post one! well! now i can sleep peacefully!! (laughs)..........also who thought of putting "pignut" there?

yes,i' m in year 12 also. i go to Mercedes College in Perth. So you live in Sydney then? i went there for the holidays for 5 days, i had so much fun! i saw The Lion king, it was wonderful.

Whats that WAPPA masterclass thing? is that like a short class ,like that NIDA on tour thing? have you heard about that, the NIDA on tour short courses? it sounds good, i just have to build up the courage to go! You can read about it on their website if you want

http://www.nida.edu.au/

sorry i dont know how to do links, so you'll have to type the adress in!!

also, i guess i haven't really thought about other schools, as i'm still not to sure about moving city's (scary!) and WAPPA is also supposed to be very very good for musical theatre. but i know, i should look at other schools as i will probably have to leave Perth to do well anyway!

how are you finding year twelve?
thankyou for your letter!
hope you can reply soon!
bye!

laura