What’s the point in drama school?

It seems to me that as I work with students that have already graduated from drama school or college that something is missing in their training. Would I be naive, arrogant, or insane to suggest that what they are missing is their actual actor training? Well, more and more colleges are offering courses in acting and performance, but I’m not seeing the level of performance improving. In fact, I’m seeing it… suck. When I go to see actors in training doing public performances… they’re… not that good. Even those from the top schools, even those that are about to become our country’s next big thing, aren’t… that… good.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there are benefits of going to drama school and college, but i’m not sure what they are. Okay, you get to meet some pretty great people. But that’s not particular to drama school. You can meet them in other places. You get to work with professionals with experience and excitement. Yes, but that is also possible… in the profession itself.

Isn’t spending three weeks on a project about the Greeks or Brecht is… somehow… outdated? Shouldn’t they spend an awful lot more time on helping actors to be the best possible actors they can be, rather than trying to fulfill outdate curriculum? Especially when the basic acting skills seem to be lacking.

If you leave drama school with little or no actual improvement in your performance skills, then why go? Because you need their badge. You want their logo on your CV/resume.

And well.. that’s frankly not good enough. Just going for a seal of approval is a waste of your money and time because it will open doors for a while, but after that, if you haven’t got the work and you don’t have the technique you’re done.

If drama school is just a badge, a mark of approval, isn’t it just a big expensive waste of time. I’ve begin to think that drama school actually disables, confuses and disempowers actors. On the flip side, in my studio, I see complete beginners, total amateurs, people who do something else for their living wage, spend just two or four hours a week toiling and after a couple of years.. they’re good, actually, they’re REALLY good. REALLY GOOD. In 4 hours per week? Without the fancy building? Without the famous letters on their CV? Well to my mind, if we can achieve this in much less time and for much less money, then the drama schools better be doing something better than we are, cos frankly, we’ve got them beat.

I know it sounds arrogant. I know that, I re-read it. It sounds arrogant. But just cos it’s arrogant, doesn’t make it a lie.

I am often dumbfounded by how badly wrong many drama schools get it. They train people in the art of the craft but don’t provide them with the tools to get food on the table.

The romantic notion of the struggling artist living in a bedsit is for the birds. There is nothing cool or romantic about it. You need to be positive and proactive out there; hustling to gain a position within the industry.

One thing is for sure. No-one will turn up on your doorstep with a leading Hollywood role for you to play. You need to go out there and claim it; you need to be business-savvy about how to get in front of the right people.

Part of your acting training should focus heavily on this. I know that’s what I drum into my students and we go to great lengths to equip them in the right way.

Your acting training should be a great experience but it has to face you in the right direction to take on the realities of today’s industry.