Which schools?:

There are many drama schools to consider. Here is a list of some that you might like to look at. I have placed these schools into tiers, but please do note that this is only based on my overall perception of the schools from personal experience, second-hand knowledge and from general reputation in the industry as far as I understand it. The only schools I have personal experience of working in are Guildford School of Acting (GSA) and Italia Conti. Other people are likely to have different views on these tires, and it is only intended to be used as a wide-lens look. All of these schools have something to offer and a top tier school is not necessarily the right school for all students.

Top tier schools: ArtsEd, Guildford School of Acting (GSA), Mountview, Italia Conti, Urdang, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD), Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), Bird , Trinity Laban, Laine (but this is much more of a dance school)

Second tier schools: Royal Central (this would be top tier for acting but I would place it second for Musical Theatre), Performers College, Associated Studios (2 year fast-track course), Emil Dale Academy (EDA), Leeds Conservatoire, London Studio Centre, London School of Musical Theatre (LSMT)

Third tier schools: Performance Preparation Academy (PPA), Wilkes Academy, Millennium Performing Arts, The Brighton Academy (TBA)

It’s always a good idea to cast your net wide. You may also be surprised by schools you didn’t think you would like until you attend an audition day. You can apply for 5 courses through the main UCAS application, but you can also apply for 6 courses on UCAS Conservatoires. Some of these are acting or classical singing courses, but there are some Musical Theatre courses that you can apply for through this application. Currently, I am aware this is possible for the following schools: Leeds Conservatoire, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

What to prepare?:

Firstly, it is important to apply early for most of these courses. The sooner you apply (assuming you are well-prepared and ready!) the better; mostly because many of these schools see a huge influx of applications in January/February, so if you have managed to organise an early audition, there may be a higher chance of getting a recall before they are inundated with applicants.

Make sure you have your audition songs and monologues prepared. Different schools have different requirements, but if you start preparing early and find all of the following material, then you should be covered. As soon as you can, start putting together a spreadsheet for the different schools and make a note of what they are asking for. The schools have different methods of audition, with some schools using Zoom or self-tapes as a first round before moving to in-person for second round. As so many of the schools use self-tapes as a first round, it would be sensible to practice this early on. Use a plain background (preferably white) in a room with a lot of natural light. Don’t wear clothes that have busy patterns or logos, but do choose a bold colour. Keep hair tied back or off the face and avoid noticeably heavy make-up or jewellery. If you have a ring light, this can be helpful for adding dimension to the face. Do use a device with a decent camera and microphone, but it doesn’t need to be expensive. Most people will use phone cameras, and this is fine.

Songs: You should ideally have two golden age legit songs (pre 1960, sung in a ‘head-dominant’/M2 dominant voice, not MT Jazz/Standard Broadway repertoire) and two contemporary Musical Theatre songs. Ideally you should have a ballad and an up-tempo one of each. You should prepare the full song, as well as a 2 minute, a 90 second, and a 60 second cut. It’s best to print separate sheet music for each cut, label it clearly and put it into a folder with a narrow spine that will lay flat against the piano. Try to keep the contemporary songs post 1990 and make sure they are reflective of you as a singer. People get very worried about their song being overdone, but remember that if it really suits you and shows you at your best, then you should sing it. The main reason to avoid singing songs that are very popular is because it puts you in direct competition with how ever many other performers are auditioning with it that day. It also brings with it a certain amount of expectations from the panelists. But if you really believe a song showcases you better than any other song you’ve learned, then commit to it and sell the song. Choose material that is ethnically appropriate, and a suitable age for you to play. Please make sure that you have good knowledge of the show that your audition material is from, including background/historical context and knowledge of the composers. Do put the work into Acting Through Song, especially if you are a dancer first and you don’t naturally think about ATS. If you don’t already have a one-to-one singing teacher, then do try to find one if you are able to.

Monologues: You should also prepare four monologues (two classical and two contemporary) with 90 second and 2 minute cuts of each monologue. It’s best if you have a mix of comedy and dramatic monologues. Always perform your monologues in your natural accent and try to avoid content that is particularly extreme emotion. Again, choose pieces that are reflective of you as an actor and that are age and ethnicity-appropriate. As with the songs, make sure you have seen or read the whole play and that you have knowledge of the playwright and the context. Treat it like you are going to be playing the character in a whole show, not just a monologue. This will set you up better for the audition not just in your playing of the role, but also in case they choose to redirect you or ask you questions about the character or piece.

Dance: I am very much not a dancer or dance coach, but my best recommendation is to prepare as much as you can by attending as many classes as possible. If you are an actor-singer who is new to dance, then wherever possible, find yourself a one-to-one dance teacher who has experience with working with MT students. Don’t be afraid and get out there to as many classes as you can to give yourself the best shot possible.

Instrumentalist?: If you are an instrumentalist, do check out some of the actor-muso courses at schools like GSA, Mountview and Rose Bruford. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland are also well known for preferring performers who also have an instrument.

Interview: Do also think about how to prepare for interviews. Have some questions ready about the course and be prepared to answer questions about why you think the school and the course are right for you. Try to think about more than the surface level. What really makes you tick when it comes to performing? Do you also have other interests that you can talk about? What is it about theatre that you love most? Spend some time drilling down for bigger answers to these questions than just “it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do” etc. Give the panel a chance to really get to know what is special about you.

Personal Statement:

It’s common to worry about what to put into your personal statement, and often in audition-based courses people think it’s a waste of time. But this is another opportunity for you to tell the school about the things that set you apart. Avoid focusing purely on performing experience. Of course you should include it, but they also want to know what else interests you. Perhaps you have been a student ambassador, or you have volunteered with a charity – these are the kinds of things that help them to understand you more and what it would be like working with you.