Waapa alternatives / opinions

Bad luck all the guys who didn't make Waapa and congrats to those who did

I'm trying next year but if I'm not lucky enough .... please list all the alternative performing arts courses that you rate Australia wide

I've done year 12 drama this year (year 11) and I have a good mark and hopefully when I do my 4 remaining subjects next year I'll have a good score.overall.. this doesn't help with audition based courses though does it

I know this is a big ask but any information about courses you or friends have done would be a big help

Thanks

NIDA and VCA are obvious, but there are heaps of TAFE courses out there across Australia. It depends on where you live, but if you're in Melb area, there's Swinburne, Deakin, Monash, Melbourne Uni, NICA (Circus school if you're interested), NMIT, RMIT, Ballarat Uni. Try asking at school if they know of anything in your area.

Good luck!

Why not take luck out of the equation and work on your portfolio during the year. If you can fit shows into your study timetable then the experience you gain during the year may be what makes you stand out from all of the other year 12 applicants that only have their direct year 12 drama activities to list.

Look around for shows in your area and start networking.

You may still be unsuccessful if they consider you as too young and inexperienced because that is their general selection criteria but you will have a better portfolio for the next time you apply.

Don

Thanks na

Thanks Don.. good advice

I've just auditioned successfully for Jekyll and Hyde... this will be musical number 21.. as I did year 12 drama this year 4 subjects should allow a little space....

I know I've got a lot more experience than most yeat 12s I talk to ( I get a few professional singing gigs too) but I still suspect luck does play a part

also as I'm quite small I tend to get told I look young (like 13) which may count against me at auditions (you know ... toddle of and get some life exerience)

On the other hand I got told the other day by a judge in a talent comp that I sound in my late 20s if she closes her eyes

Guess I have to wait and see

Danni,

You'll probably find that in most cases, WAAPA and NIDA also seek people who have some 'life' experience under their belt.

This might include travel and simply experiencing life after school - its incredible how much you will grow as a person once you've turned 18.

You'll find the average age of 1st years at WAAPA/NIDA are in their early 20s. So far, the youngest I've heard who has got into WAAPA for 2005 is 20!

By all means still audition but don't expect to get in necessarily on the first go regardless how good/experienced you are. There are many other factors to take into consideration when they select the class of 200x, e.g compatibility of people, gender balance etc. Instead, just take the audition experience onboard without big expectations...and once again you'll find how much you will grow from the experience.

You'll find how much high school is a cocoon for young people, and sometimes I marvel at how trivial my adolescent life was at times when I was high school.

Don makes a good point of going out into the community/fringe/independent theatre scene and gaining more experience, as well as networking. I think my stage craft has developed through watching many shows and watching my peers perform. My passion for theatre has been fueled by the many artistic friends I have made over the years in the industry.

Get out there - fall in love, fall out of love, get angry, get jealous, get drunk, get cultural, get oriental, try lebanese food (?!), try a new language, learn an accent, meet new people, read a new book, see lots of theatre, be in lots of theatre....try LIFE!.

Crispy.

especially when youre auditioning for waapa classical singing; they would want to have singers with the vocal maturation over 21 yo and people with good musicality(i doubt i have this hehe). I think they dont have time to help people get over with stage fright and all those things and what they want is someone who ready to do anything to perfect their skills; the future hugh jackman who will make their academy more popular hence more budget from government.

Probably (this is just in my mind) the reason they want you to do the experience is also to show that you have commitment in what you're doing and you're going to take the course seriously without dropping out in the middle.

I have to mention, I did the course at Swinburne, which is why I suggested the TAFE courses - the reason for this suggestion is that they often take school leavers, and are a good opportunity to not only learn, but take a step towards NICA/WAAPA/VCA. Many students from these smaller courses go on to do courses at NICA.

While I agree with all the comments made here, don't forget the little known courses. If you do want to do a course straight away, this is a perfect opportunity to do so. If not, keep on doing the fringe/amateur/volunteer thing until either you do get accepted at one of the courses, or until you can make a career out of it...

Check these little known courses out, because they can provide as much experience as doing the shows!

The youngest person to be entering the course in 2005 at WAAPA in BA (Music Theatre) is 18.

Any names of these people that got?

hey everyone!

Obviously WAAPA and NIDA are the two top insititutions, who like everyone has stated, take ppl who are in their early 20's, who have gone out and most likly done another degree and had life experience. Crispian said it perfectly when you turn 18, your whole life changes, as you gain independance and really go out and meet new people but also see the downside of ppl (go straight to the casino!).

The other day I was looking at the the 2003 graduating class of drama from the VCA and every single individual had another degree under their belts before getting into VCA and they were in their mid 20's.

In order to gain success and get into places, try everything! Im 18 and just finished yr 12 and Im off to study at BAPA (Ballarat Academy of performing arts). Both the acting and musical theatre courses are amazing but ppl don't know how good they are because they dont bother to travel to the country and check out the amazing facilities, this academy offers, it's in fact the 2nd top musical theatre course in Australia, with WAAPA being the top! It's still as hard getting into like NIDA and WAAPA, as over 800 ppl auditioned and 25 got in for both courses, however these ppl, like me are mostly 18 and out of school, because the academy believes that ppl this young have the energy and dedication and dont have baggage, like their own family etc to carry with them , making them more productive! Now moving out of home at 18 to live with ur mates and perform everyday, how good is thaa for life experience!! And like many other ppl I will audition for WAAPA again next year.

VCA have a foundation musical theatre course, which if you can afford to attend it (10000), go ahead it is a great part time one year course, and you can still have a part time job! In 2006, VCA will have their first Bachlor of Musical Theatre starting, which is a full time 3 year course like BAPA and WAAPA, however they do say that if you havent done their foundation course its very hard to get into.

National Theatre in St Kilda also have a 1 year course, which is highly regarded in the industry, so that is worth a look at.

If you're from qsl way, there is a good musical course at griffith uni i think, which is in mackay, however they only audition in qsl, so for us melbourne ppl its a bit of a drive or you can send in a video, however it is harder for them to assess your abilities.

There are heaps and heaps of courses around, especially for straight acting, like the Actors centre and actors institution in sydney. Monash have a fantastic course, if you can get the enter score of 91.75 and if you want to do drama teaching, Deakin has the top course!

Kepp up with ur musicals, both WAAPA and BAPA remarked at how experienced I was for such a young performer and I have done no where near 21 shows, so u are well on ur way to being very prepared...also make sure your monologues are well prepared, as your acting abilities are just as importent as singing and often your monologues are the decider for if you get a call back!
For more experience, try directing and costume design etc as well, particallyy easy to do in your school musical, as I had to step in as director when our one got sick, and that has made me so much more versatile as an actor and the institutions love to see you trying all avenues, as the employment rate for actors is so low!

Good luck with everything, year 12 is fine!!!
Hope I have helped
luv chelle

Thanks everyone for the responses

Still looks like I'll have to leave lil ol SA

chelle Ballarat does look interesting but competition still sounds tough... any close/on campus accomodation


I got my year 12 drama results today (I'm in year 11 but asked to do it)
Yay got a 20
and chelle I couldn't be in the school production because I was in amusical so I was set designer and stage manager.. and you're right... very useful experience

I'd really like to do a recognised course somewher next year


BTW where exactly is VCA??

hi guys,

i didn't make it into the musical theatre course for 2005, but WAAPA recommended that i develop my theatre skills further at Stage Door School (which is also in WA). they have a full-time and part-time musical theatre course. the director there is an ex-waapa lecturer.

so maybe this is an alternative for people who didn't make it this time round.

VCA is in Melbourne, just around the corner from the Victorian Arts Centre and Flinders St Station.

Danni,
BAPA has heaps of accomodation, as most ppl are not from ballarat. There are fantastic lil apartments on the campus but most students prefere to find a house somewhere else, as if you live on campus you neva leave school. If you go to the BAPA website there are lists of available houses for students, all with great facilites at good prices.

VCA is located on St Kilda rd, Southbank, it is a fanatsic location, easy to get to via train.

Well done on ur drama marks, I got 39 which surprised me, but drama was great fun. Yeh our school has the same rule as you, that you cant do the musical and senior production, so that was fanatsic that you helped backstage!!

Love Chelle

i think we need to address the fact that whenever people (of all ages) talk about these institutions they are filled with a dread that allows these organised university courses to assess our acting ability based on no more than a short impersonal audition. People allow their own self esteem to be ripped apart because of the opinion of seemingly knowledgeable people sitting in their ivory towers...
Does everyone know that there are books, vidoes, articles, magazines, amatuer productions, films, stories, and most importantly people out there in the big bad world who can teach you a thousand times more about acting than a selective bunch of 'Experienced' professionals could ever communicate to you. It may seem like a less organised way to achieve it but i suggest that if you expect to hone and master your acting abilities in three years then you are deluding yourself. And when you leave study, if you are ever assessed as worthy, then you will be faced with exactly this learining situation anyway as you are forced back into the real world...
I personally have been through one of the institutions highly regarded by the australian acting community (no names), but from my experience i dont offer commendation or share in the idolization of them. Instead i offer this advice. Strive to get in, if you dont it means nothing more than that. Acting institutions in Australia were never authorized the power to eject or hinder people from their acting careers. Dont give up. Find out where YOU the actor belongs and work slowly and surely to achieve that. And on a more serious note, for anyone currently studying in an institution keep a watchful eye open. I suggest that there is much less sparkle under the cover of reputation, and that you still have the right to stand against chronic unfairness and emotional and physical intimidation. You are worth more than the petty games of lecturers and other students. dont stand for it.

i hope this reaches those who most need to understand it.


merry christmas



ps. besides, who ever heard of an actor that thrived within walls.

I attended the showcase of a new singing and acting course in Sydney. It was one of the best showcases I have ever seen. The course is run by a school called Sing OVer king in Newtown. Not sure if they have a website or not?

Good luck

i was just wondering why you are so unhappy and bitter with your treatment in your institution? do you regret your training completely? did you gain nothing from it? i am wondering because i am very interested in persuing a career in acting and wanted to go to waapa or nida or vca...

Hey Danni,
If your interested in other places in Australia...
I've just finished 2nd yr doing BA in Music Theatre at The Ballarat Arts Academy (BAPA), It's a great course lots of fun and hard work... Very sad to leave it... There is VCA with a foundation course and starting up a BA course in the next year also... get onto VCA for details