I am writing this review, because when I was looking at conservatories around the country, there wasn't much information of this place - I am doing this review for students researching - as I wish someone had for me.
I graduated from the musical theater (MT) program semi-recently. I know the acting program is a mixed bag (some bad some good teachers, similar things to my review, I've seen a lot of bad acting graduates, some okay). Not sure about film, but I reviewed MT
There are a lot of issues with the musical theater program. One of which is most of the classes you're in, is sitting and watching everyone else in your class perform or do a musical number, and wait in line for your turn. This is common in conservatories, but added with the next few cons it's an amplified negative experience.
The only time as a musical theater student you will receive private voice lessons, is in the very first semester for FIFTEEN minutes a week. I am not kidding - then you're on your own. As the semesters progress from 1st to 4th semester, it gets progressively worse. (The only good note is the ballet class is top-notch, but you can go to this class without being a student).
One of the teachers for the acting class (in both programs) is actually banned from directing at theaters across Dallas - I learned this through several sources from theaters I've worked at. The reason is, she is just very unpleasant to work with.
You have 3 semesters of jazz dance class, but 2 of mine were wasted. One of the teachers likes to mediate for half the class (I am not exaggerating), and all of the jazz teachers I've experienced, don't always teach musical theater. Combined with meditating and other genres, and even talking/doing nothing, actual work for musical theater dancing is probably a quarter of all classwork in a dance class.
The meditating and stretching done in this class is sometimes repeated in the next class of the day, and the next. It's like they're trying to kill time.
You get a real class with the director of the musical theater program in your last semester, and he is really nice, unfortunately this quality doesn't transfer to teaching. He knows a lot of generic stuff anyone can tell you, as he does have Broadway credits. But if you do your research and actually look at his resume - all of his work has been for dance and his looks in his youth. It was also common for him to cancel classes or let you go early. The math on this was I was only in class in classtime roughly half the time, now split that remaining time among however many students are in your class (SOMETIMES). We spent entire classes listening to music and other useless trash.
You are never educated on the industry. I left school not knowing a thing about the equity union. You also are required to get your own headshots (fine), but they bring in one photographer for an entire class to give you a salespitch and pay $350 for an hour of his work. People in this school are stupid enough to get headshots from him - even though his headshot subjects literally have redeye lol.
There's realistically one musical to be in... But the productions are really, REALLY bad. I'm talking low-low budget - and worst of all, they don't tell you they pre-cast the shows (even if you have the best audition), so there's a chance you can graduate while only being a rock in the background of the school musical (but they sure take credit for you if you're sucessful, happened to a friend). Most weekdays I would go to school 6 hours a day...of that time so much useless time-wasters I can't even mention due to length (they include teachers taking long breaks, not teaching,hours a day of stretching/meditating, class cancellations, normal teacher time fillers but excessively).
When I first came to the school I'd never acted before. It wasn't uncommon for the director of the MT program to make fun of, or verbally abuse someone for saying one line odd - I guess that might be normal in in real productions...but you're trying to learn and there's no lesson out of his bullying.
I remember one time someone said a line wrong on the first day of having the content and he kicked them from the classroom after screaming
There were some good teachers, some really good ones...but it's just too far outweighed with the negativity.
On top of that, for the entire school day you're with the same people, in the same classes, for 15 months. And you'll watch them as they never improve after over a year...it's tremendously sad. The "showcase" they do for graduation to show off your skills to agents is embarrassing. I've watched several and I just cringe the whole way through. Every director in the program considers themselves an actor. It doesn't always translate.
PLEASE. Look at all options. This place is not worth the money. There are positives...but they're just outweighed normal things you can find in any program. If I can make one reader consider another option...then this long review was worth it. read more
