Expert: Taylor Sheppard - 7/29/2008

Question
QUESTION: how do i evaluate the many degrees and schools out there.  i am a sr in HS and want to focus on acting.

ANSWER: Hi Bob,

That's a good question! But it leads to more questions:

1. What is your goal? To act, direct someday. To do theatre, or become an actor/writer/director?

2. What is your financial situation? What can you afford? Out of state tuition? Or will you establish residence in the state of the school, THEN, apply and pay in-state tuition?

3. From the 2nd question: do you have family or other ties that would cause you to need to stay closer to home?

4. What kind of grades do you have? Do you have experience to audition for a school that requires auditions to be accepted? Schools like Juliard do.

There are many good schools: Juliard, for acting on it's own, USC for overall film studies...one of the biggest RTF programs (radio/TV/Film), several in New York, Harvard, and even University of Texas in Austin has had some big names graduate and succeed. A little station break here: You don't HAVE to go to a big name school. My alma mater, Texas State University, has a good program and has turned out good actors and creative minds.

One student,Thomas Carter,pitched an idea to the networks in the 1980's. He wanted to film a couple narcotics detectives who worked undercover, were stylish studs, and here is the kicker: use music from the ACTUAL bands that performed the songs. (before then, sound-alike musicians would do the songs to save money. That's before the "suits" woke up to cross marketing music/media!) He got a few rejections, but one network bit, and we got "Miami Vice"!

Another graduate is Powers Boothe. He was in "Red Dawn", "Southern Comfort" and "Tombstone" He won an Emmy for playing Jim Jones years ago and has had recurring roles on "24" and HBO's "Deadwood". He has had an extensive career on stage and TV. He went on from Texas State to get his MFA (Master of Fine Arts) from Southern Methodist University.

Where you go, as you see, depends on a lot of things. I think any school you choose can be good, a lot depends on the student. The advantages of "name" schools is that they carry prestige and may open a few doors, but not everyone can afford or successfully apply to the big schools. And a lot that have gone to the big schools didn't go anywhere. It's up to you!

Best, Taylor

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

QUESTION: Taylor,
My name is Amy actually. Though all of my experience has been on stage, I would be looking for a college where I could explore both stage and film acting. Grades are A's mostly, ACT 28. Money...depending on financial aid maybe can afford about 25K yr.  The only catch with going out of state (IL) is increased cost. Only other family is in florida. As for audition, I have the stage experience but would seek some coaching to polish an audition.  Local community theatre Cats (Alonzo), West Side Story (Consuelo), Beauty and the Beast (Babette) and Our Town (Emily).  Several various High School productions including Guys and Dolls (Hot Box Girl)and Guildenstern and Morganstein are Dead (The Player). High School Drama competition winning 2 all sectional medals in both Soph (Our Town, Mrs. Webb) and Junior year.(Seven Menus, Ruth). Mostly musicals available here where I get minor rolls, though the director often expands the role some after a few rehearsals. In drama productions though I typically get more major roles.  I know acting may be a long shot but I wouldn't forgive myself for not trying.  If I don't make it as an actor I want to be involved in the field in some capacity.

Answer
Well, Hi Amy,

I hope you did not feel that I would not take you seriously as a female on this column. If you got that impression, forgive me. If that was the case, you may have gotten it from my Disney answers. Each time I get the Disney question I want to scream. Seriously. I try to give benefit of the doubt, but I really am growing tired of the writers who don't want to do any work, but hope I can hook them up to Disney!

To answer your question, in my opinion, you should go ahead to a school in Illinois. It would fit your monetary requirements, you are interested in theater and Chicago is BIG on that, almost as much as New York. As I said, name schools are nice, but being an actor is almost tantamount to taking a vow of poverty! lol! You will struggle enough on the way without giant student loans bogging you down. I live pretty simply. I have two cars, both from the eighties. To be fair, I love them, they are unique and fun to drive AND paid for! My red convertible and black coupe version of the same car are my babies and I fix pretty much anything on them myself. Let's face it: cars are a bad investment and they always get older. If they work well and are good on gas, great! Learning to budget money is important for an actor. Just like that rap, "You wanna be a rock superstar..." sage advice. "Save your money..." Even if you make it big, what goes up must come down.

Anyway, you sound like you have a good head on your shoulders!
check out these schools in IL:
http://www.a2zcolleges.com/arts/Drama/il.html

As I said, much of the success is the actor, not where they went to school.

Please keep me posted on where you go on your journey. I would be very pleased to know that the knowledge I learned through hard experience helped someone get there!

Best, Taylor