Expert: Peter Messaline - 8/18/2008

Question
Hi Peter!
I've read a lot of your answers to other peoples questions and it seems like they help a lot of people out!
My name is Alexa and I'm going to be 17 soon and I'm graduating high school and I have to start looking for a college and I want to be a performer so badly, it's my passion to sing, dance and act even though I'm not the best!
But I want to improve those talents by getting into a good program in college, I currently live in Montreal, Quebec.
Do you know any good performing arts colleges or programs in Montreal?


Answer
Most good theatre courses look for a proven continuing interest in acting. They like to see that you've been interested for some time, so that you'll stay interested through the course.
Montreal has the National Theatre School, of course, but the competition for that is horrific. Any good course will need an audition, so you could perhaps look for classes that will help you there.

Do find out all you can about the job of being an actor. It's nothing to do with acting, it's a matter of your psychology. Can you deal with being an actor but only acting once or twice a year? Or less often?

Here's what I found earlier for another Montrealer:

ASM Performing Arts has what seems to be a list of good working teachers. Talk to them, engage them in class and after it. When you are a bit further along, start asking them questions. Start with stuff you know something about, so that you seem less needy. Talk to them, write to them, get in touch and stay in touch. Talk about what you are doing and what they have just done. Talk about what's happening in Montreal. And build on your friendships in classes. Make it a habit to e-mail your news around as much as possible. You never know when a seed may sprout.

You might find out about the Film School at Concordia. Film schools always need actors for student projects, and you will be meeting more people in the industry, and learning about a range of parts much better than you'll get in mainstream films for years, perhaps ever.

Look at http://www.theatrebooks.com/actors_acting/acting_business.html
For a huge collection of books about being an actor. (hint: look at the very bottom of the list!)

Google around Montreal and film, TV, stage, acting, actor, casting, and that sort of thing, and see what you come up with. To be treated like one of the IN crowd, you will have to do your own research, and learn intentionally what other actors have picked up over years of chat.

I hope I have started you off down some useful lines of thought. Do read our book. It does not deal with the unique Montreal anglo acting reality, but more generally I think you'll find it helpful.