Expert: Wanda Reinholdt - 9/30/2008

Question
QUESTION: This upcoming March or April I am planning to audition for the National
Theatre School of Canada. I was too young to audition last year and so I am
currently taking a year at university majoring in drama, so that I can at least
stay sharp until my audition. They release a list in December of Shakespeare
monologues to choose from, but we have to find a contemporary one on our
own. I have been reading tons of plays from Judith Thompson and Daniel
Macivor and other Canadian playwrights but I was wondering if you could
recommend some other plays that I could potentially find a good audition
piece from. I was also wondering if you knew anything about the National
Theatre School audition process?

ANSWER: Hi Lindsay.  And thanks for writing.  

I think you made a wise choice to go to university.  Great!  And the plays you are reading sound along the right lines.  

Other contemporary writers - Lucia Lagione, Norm Foster, Heather McDonald, Sharon Pollock

I don't know about the audition process at The National Theatre School.  However, it probably is not that much different from any other process.  You go in, you do a piece that shows your best, and you wait to hear.  If you are prepared and relaxed and ready to go, you should be fine.  

Have you applied for school there?  


Does this help you?

Wanda



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yeah! Thanks. I am familiar with Sharon Pollock and I have already read her
plays Doc and Blood Relations, and I will definitely check out the other writers
you suggested.

With regards to the audition, many people have been telling me I am too
young (as I am only 17 and just recently graduated from High School) and
moreover that I simply don't have enough experience. Are there some things
that I should be doing in my theatre community to add to my "experience
resume"?

And applications don't open until December. It is a conservatory program so
they don't really care about looking at previous grades or even giving grades
once accepted into the school.

Answer
Hey there...The best way to add experience is to find ways to be in plays.  Community theatres, university theatres, and the like.  Just keep doing.  The more you do, the more you will know.  

Since you are only 17, I would recommend taking more than a year between high school and the theatre school.  I would recommend taking 2 or even 3 years to study at university and/or to just audition and act in as many projects as you can.  Fringe shows and community theatre shows would be an excellent way to increase your experience.  

Does that help?

Wanda