I RECEIVED plenty of interesting feedback on my post The truth about drama school, so I thought I’d dig a little deeper…
Drama school is a once-off networking opportunity
Make the most of the industry connections offered to you while you’re there, since they’ll be far more important to your career than any skills you pick up. Skills can be learnt on the job, but contacts are what gets you work.
The industry will rarely give you more than one moment to shine
Forget about cashing in on being a drama school graduate long after you went to it. Make a splash in your last year and you’ll be noticed. After that – this will sound harsh – people with think there must be something wrong with you if nobody employed you on graduation.
If you feel you’re not getting to make a big splash at drama school
Dive in, don’t wait for permission. Think of a way to get something happening.
Don’t give all your great ideas away
Keep some things back for yourself. It’s rare, but some drama schools like to claim intellectual property rights over student work.
Get used to having no social life
Theatre almost always happens at night – you’ll be working when your non-theatre friends are partying. Make friends in the hospitality scene.
Drama school is a great educational add-on
But if it’s your only qualification or skill-base, you’ll be unemployed (and cash poor) for most of your life. Get some other employable skills under your belt before, during or after drama school.
Drama school friendships need to be strong enough to endure competition
But they very often aren’t.
Drama school takes a while to get over
The last time I was at one was 20 years ago, and I’m still processing the experience on this blog!
© Michael Burge, all rights reserved.
Michael Burge Media 
Lol, me too Michael! I’d like to add if I may :), work on building your self confidence prior, so you don’t waste potentially precious networking hours on procrastinating due to paralysing insecurities!
Well said Shelley … those paralysing insecurities (and I had some HUGE ones) will only be called “blocks” at drama school.
Yeah. Blocks. What a terrible word that itself stifles the very essence of creativity and self belief!
If only they knew we’d love to remove them too! They shouldn’t employ graduates and industry people at drama school … just psychotherapists!