What HIGH SCHOOLS and UNIVERSITIES have the best drama programs?

[battleknight24]

???

[sir_captain]

1. As much as it pains me

I'd have to suggest Yale

[EnfantTerrible]

2. I don't know about high schools

But maybe I can help with Universities.

If you mean Universities in the strict sense (not conservatories) than IMO the best is NYU grad. At the undergrad level there are alot of decent programs, but speaking as someone who makes their living as an actor in NY, undergrad doesn't matter a whole lot in the big scheme of things. That said, there are always exceptions to the rule: Juilliard is the best school for acting in the country whether your 18 or 28 yrs old. There you receive graduate level training right out of high school, if your lucky enough to get in. I was lucky enough (though I was 25 not 18) and so I speak from some experience. NYU Grad rivals it and many would argue that it's the best and rightfully so. At that level the differences in the training are semantic. What both offer that only a few can come somewhat close to matching are connections. The folks you train with become leading professionals in the field whether it be "Movie Stars" or Broadway Stars, directors, playwrights, producers, Artistic Directors... they go on to shape the industry. These institutions also make the task of finding representation 100% easier than for someone right off of the bus.

The most important thing to remember if you are seriously thinking of pursuing a career as an actor is this: Training programs offer you techniques and tools to optomize, explore, open up, the talents you already posessed going in. I don't ascribe to the belief that acting is a trade that can be learned and executed by rote... that if you ascribe to one particular school of thought you are a more legitimate actor than someone who doesn't. I've seen performances by actors with little or no training that blew me away... and I've seen performances by people with the best training money can buy that have left me embarrased for them. I guess what I'm saying is it's not an exact science. It's an art and what will benefit you most from any program is the amount of yourself you put into it. Your life experience and your soul, your awareness of the world around you and of yourself are what determine the kind of actor you will be... good acting programs give you the tools to access those variables with consistency, imagination, and fearlessness.

I hope this was helpful to you. One parting bit of advice... the actors journey is a lonely one and totally unique to each individual so take all advice with a grain of salt, hang on to what rings true to you, question everything you hear, be fearless in following your heart (because there's no rational explanation you can give to anyone as to why you would choose this profession), and never, never let go of the dream no matter how hard it gets. It's an heartbreaking profession and it's a life affirming profession.

Good Luck.

[battleknight24]

3. (OPH) I'm not trying to pursue a career in Acting... let me explain...

... I'm going to help out my with my old high school's One-Act Play program this coming spring... we have a fairly decent program... we've won about 8 district titles over the past 13 years, including 5 in a row (2000... my senior year, I was the lead actor... to 2004... this coming year we will be shooting for 6 in a row...) But we have never made it all the way to the State Finals.

I was looking for information on the best drama programs in the US just to get some inspiration I guess.

Wish us luck this season... I know we have a state title (somewhere) in us!


Peace,

[onebigbadwulf]

4. I recall my alma mater being quite high UC San Diego

then again I could be wrong.