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HopingForMFA

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Everything posted by HopingForMFA

  1. I lurk this sub-forum fairly regularly because I, too, wanted a PhD in English Lit before going into another field. With that being said, I feel like if you have to ask strangers on the internet about what you should do, it seems clear to me as an outsider that this isn't the right choice for you. I share that with the caveat that I don't know you and you can do whatever you'd like with your life and time; and ultimately, none of us can make that decision for you. However, you seem to have a history of posting here and waffling back and forth about getting a PhD or which sort of program you should be attending, etc.. Perhaps releasing this and moving on in another direction, one you clearly state you'd be happy in, is what's best for you. But again, we're just all strangers on the internet.
  2. My biggest fear is that they're not doing a cycle this year. However, I feel like they would have told us already. No, I have never done URTA before - this is my first time. I am glad it's virtual though because I have a feeling that'll off-set a lot of the anxiety of the holding room and the cattle call aspect of it, you know? I auditioned for NYU my first year auditioning for schools (Jan 2019) and I got through all three rounds of callbacks and got to audition for Mark. But I wasn't brought to call-back weekend. It was an experience for sure.
  3. DePaul, URTA, and USD (the flagship, not the Old Globe), if they figure out how they're doing auditions!
  4. I don't. Maybe you can expect not to get one? But then again, maybe they still need to finish picking their 50... who knows.
  5. just NYU with an offer or not....
  6. So I auditioned for Brown in Providence and they said if you don't get a phone call for either the wait list or an offer to join the class, you're going to get an email from Brown Graduate School saying "thanks but no.". Maybe it's just slow? I dunno.. What do you mean by NYU started? As in, they're not done making callback weekend offers? I auditioned for NYU on the 28th, were you there?!
  7. Hi all. I am waiting on potential callback weekend news from NYU (waiting is hard -- has anyone heard ANYTHING?). I also got an end-of-hour callback at Yale, but was not invited to end-of-day interviewing. Still a win to make it down to the final four of the day (only one person moved on to that interview).
  8. I auditioned for Brown at their Providence audition this past Friday and they said a week, week and a half...
  9. @LittleSarah here is the current thread. My CWRU audition was awful last cycle they opened apps, haha.
  10. One of the best pieces of drama ever written. Period.
  11. I'm not a Playwrighting student (Acting) but reading The Wolves by Sarah Delappe.
  12. I feel good to okay. I went to NYC to get some coaching from a Yale grad and she said I have a lot to offer as an actor and to these programs and it made me feel really good. Now it's just up to the powers that be. I'm excited to show them me.
  13. Y'all, I finally found my Shakespearean comedic. Which is, ironically, from a tragedy.
  14. So there's a lot to unpack here. Here are my thoughts: As much as I understand the exposure and connections aspect of wanting to be in an MFA program, IMHO, the desire to further train and develop your skill and craft has to be paramount. From my friends that have already gone through MFAs, you're working to your bones day in and day out, five to six days a week depending on the project and program. Are you given exposure and connections your final year through an industry showcase? Yes, absolutely. But that industry showcase isn't guaranteed to get you anywhere in the industry. You may have some people interested in you and you may get representation but that representation isn't guaranteed to get you any roles, etc. There's no rhyme or reason to this part of the universe, it just is and you have to give yourself over to the very real possibility of absolutely crashing and burning. The idea that you can't break into screen acting past 24 isn't true, IMHO. Speaking purely from knowledge, Lupita N'yongo had a single professional credit, a short for MTV, when she was accepted to Yale Drama and then went on to win an Oscar for her first film. Plenty of actors don't start until their 30s, like Alan Rickman. You are correct, though, in saying that those stars got lucky in knowing someone or starting early (Emma Stone, JLaw, etc). Can you clarify for me what you mean by "just lead to acting in local theater on the weekends?" Are you mentioning community theatre? Because, if so, IMO, if you have an MFA and are actively pursuing your career, you shouldn't be working at the community theatre level because that's all "for the love of it," for better terms and it's what people do as a hobby rather than a vocation. There are, however, plenty of smaller theatres that are professional in nature (ie. Equity, paying their talent, etc) that only run shows on weekends though in order to fray operational costs. But I also know MFA grads that have found other career paths and do only do community theatre now because they aren't actively pursuing acting or a similar career path and want to do it for fun. If I can ask, what is wrong about teaching drama? For me, the theatre is full of people who are exceptional at what they do and choose to teach full-time or part-time because they understand the need to "send the elevator back down for someone else." If that isn't your primary focus in obtaining an MFA, cool, but to avoid the path all together because you may "have to" teach to make ends meet seems.... I don't know, it just left an impression on me. TL;DR: I can't tell you if an MFA is the right path for you. Nor can anyone else. That has to come to you through you. I can only offer you my perspective: I have decided that being happy in my work life is a non-negotiable for me. This is the only thing I can imagine myself doing and being genuinely happy in my work life. Amidst all the crap it throws at me, all the curveballs, all the disappointments and heartbreaks, this line of work makes me happy and even when I hate it, I still love it. That's why I decided to commit to an MFA. So that's me and my two cents, which you can take with a grain of salt as I'm some random internet 20something. Good luck to you!
  15. IMO, an audition coach is always worth it and often expensive.
  16. Hi! I should clarify: it's not that I don't have Shakespearean comedic monologues I love, it's that I can't find any in verse that I love, all the pieces I super gravitate toward are in prose. While I think it's totally okay to present a prose monologue as a backup, I don't see the point, you know? The main point of doing Shakespeare is to show them you have the ability to do verse IMO. I played Nick Bottom this year (mammoth of a role, especially when the director didn't cut anything from Bottom), so I have stuff I could present in verse (like Pyramus in the play within a play), but eh. Applying to Brown, Yale, Rutgers, and maybe another school. CPH is like a really small program and I am not necessarily convinced they're progressive enough for me. I only say this because I am physically disabled. So I would definitely appreciate a more forward-thinking, we want to assist in creating a more equitable American theatre/entertainment industry, sort of program. I know Brown has already graduated a disabled student and has graduated gender non-conforming students and Yale/Yale Rep has an inclusion and equity taskforce and mission now; and while it absolutely shouldn't matter, because talent is talent and talent should speak for itself, being in the position I'm in, it does give me an extra layer to consider about "fit," so...
  17. That I've never heard, so I can't speak to that. I would be interested in hearing where you read that, though.
  18. Hi, I responded to you in another thread but I will respond here too. In my experience, and in the experience of the MFA grads I know, it varies. I know someone who went to Brooklyn for an MFA in Acting in his 40s and I know when I auditioned for CPH/CWRU, all of the grads they accepted were late twenties. But I also know/have friends that got into MFAs right after undergrad at 21/22. In general, I'd say anywhere in your 20s is a good time to go based on the people I've spoken to/met.
  19. Hi all. I am reapplying this year. I took the 2018 cycle off. I only auditioned for one school in 2017 to get my feet wet. I am ready to really jump in this year and bring more "me" to the process like you've all mentioned. I'm glad I only auditioned for one school the first year to just see what it was like. That school was CPH/CWRU... a great school but absolutely not the right fit for me. I finally chose my pieces. I have a question for you: how important do you feel it is to contrast in genre? Like, I have a dramatic Shakespearean, and a comedic contemp. But my backup Shakespearean is also a dramatic piece. My backup contemp is dramatic. I was super concerned with the ability to have them contrast but everyone I've spoken to (MFA grads from Yale and Rutgers) about that says if you can't find one you jive with, it's not worth learning one you won't do well and no school SPECIFICALLY asks for genre contrasting. They just ask for contrasting in general, contemp/Shakespearean verse).
  20. Hi! So I hope to be of assistance to you in this matter. I will say that in the interim between auditioning for programs I actually started producing my own work regularly/started my own fringe company (we are currently in season three). We produce about three to four shows a year, one of which is my city's Shakespeare in the Park event. I have also been involved in smaller, but well-known regional festivals and larger, internationally recognized festivals as well as limited runs with smaller companies. But I was worried these credentials don't necessarily come off as "professional" enough, ie. how do I stack against the kids who have been able to work in Equity houses already? I spoke to someone that graduated from Yale Drama and she said that the notion of professionalism they inspire is so that the applicant understands the, for lack of a better word, seriousness of what they're getting ijnto. You don't need to show them Equity credits, but you do need to show them that you're working and you want to learn more. A mentor of mine who has an MFA from Rutgers (directing) says when he was in grad school, actors got in having only ever acted in school credits; which, admittedly, made me feel better. So I really do think it varies and your commitment/what you bring to your statement and your audition are tops.
  21. I know rejections went out last week because I got one! So if you haven't heard anything, unless they're sending rejections in waves, then I'd speculate that's a good thing! Congrats on your offer! Where were you accepted, if I can ask?
  22. Got my Case rejection today. Hope you all have better luck this year than me.
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