Drama Schools – What are they looking for?

If you’re a young (or not so young) actor, looking to get a place at a UK drama school, you might be asking the question:

What exactly are a drama school looking for from an applicant?

It’s a tough question because each individual drama school will be looking for slightly different things to make up their newest
intake of acting students. Here’s a helpful list of some things that MOST Drama schools are looking for:

* An individual who is open to new ideas
* An individual who is emotionally open and free
* An individual who has natural energy and spirit
* An individual who is unafraid of taking artistic risks
* An individual who is great alone but also works well in a team
* An individual who is focused, committed and has both feet on the ground
* An individual who has an opinion but is not judgmental
* An individual who is trainable – which means they can learn from three years of training
* An individual who will make a success of their training (or as Stella Adler used to say “they have a talent for their talent”).

You can’t grow these overnight, and if you don’t have them naturally it’s going to be a real struggle for you.
Having said all this, of course, there are some people who just impress them. It’s a gamble to hope to be that person.

Hope that helps!

Best Wishes

- Mark -