James Bowden is the founder of The Dorset School of Acting – nationally recognised and Dorset’s first and only full time independent drama school.
After graduating from Rose Bruford in 1994 James has been fortunate enough to have worked regularly as an actor in theatre and TV.
![Do you need to specialise in Acting or Musical Theatre or could you do both_550 [i_2111] Do you need to specialise in Acting or Musical Theatre or could you do both_550](http://www.actorhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Do-you-need-to-specialise-in-Acting-or-Musical-Theatre-or-could-you-do-both_550.jpg)
Photo Credit: adapted from Steven Pisano via cc
Acting and musical theatre?
Most of the recognised Drama Schools offer either separate Acting courses or Musical Theatre courses or some are known for just one aspect of performance.
Do they need to?
The reality is that when you leave drama school regardless of which school you went to, the jobs that you get will depend on how you do in your audition. I trained as a classical & contemporary actor yet the majority of my professional work was in musical theatre.
If you have the ability to do all three disciplines then you become eminently more employable.
The key thing is that acting is at the core of all the disciplines, it is essential that you can convey truth and tell the story of the character whether through text, song or dance.
Here at the Dorset School of Acting we believe that in order to prepare our students fully for the industry and improve their chances of employment, they should be taught in all disciplines.
This is a core belief that runs through all our full time professional training courses whether our 1 year foundation course or our 2 year accelerated course.
It is essential to always remember that the drama school you go to needs to give you the best possibility of employment at the end of the course; so one that can prepare you in both acting and musical theatre is surely the best one for you and will offer you the best value for money.
At the end of the day it is expensive to train as an actor so a course that gives you the best preparation for the realities of the industry is the one to invest in.
The Dorset School of Acting’s 1 year Foundation Course in Acting & Musical Theatre is based on the first year of a BA Acting and prepares it’s students for all the aspects of auditioning for accredited Drama Schools. The 2 year accelerated course in Acting & Musical Theatre commences September 2014. Check out the course at www.dorsetschoolofacting.co.uk
About DSA
The Dorset School of Acting is nationally recognised and Dorset’s first and only full time independent drama school.
The DSA offers a vocational course preparing students for further training at drama school or a professional career in acting depending on ability.
With advisors from the most prestigious drama schools in the country, the school provides a systematical approach to the art and craft of the actor whether in classic and contemporary acting or musical theatre.
Similar Posts from Actor Hub
-
There are many different classes all teaching different techniques but which one should you choose? Stanislavski, Stasberg, Meisner, Adler or Spolin? Here is a brief introcuction to their techniques.
-
Working in musical theatre demands a versatile performer of a high musical and vocal standard, with strong dramatic and verbal ability, together with dance and movement skills. If you are thinking about applying for a place at a musical theatre school, here is an insight to what the audition panel may be looking for.
-
Studying at drama school will take up more time than a full time job. In addition to the 9 to 5 days of workshops and lectures there will be additional early morning warm ups and evening rehearsals for those end of term shows. Take a look at the day in the life of a drama student. Be prepared for some hard work!
-
Guest Post from Actor and DSA Founder James Bowden – where do you invest your (or your parents’) hard earned cash? The first thing to ask is why a foundation course?
-
Guest Post from Actor and DSA Founder James Bowden – The pitfalls in choosing the right monologue are daunting. How do you choose the right one?
-
Guest Post from Actor and DSA Founder James Bowden – There is a massive difference in academic and vocational training. Are you really prepared for it or do you need a foundation course?
-
Choosing an audition monologue can be hard work. Here are some of our choices. Make sure whatever you choose you read and study the complete play.
-
Drama School Auditions share your advice and tips with others. What monologues did you do, what songs did you sing?
-
There seems to be three distinct types of drama school: musical theatre, acting for stage and screen and acting for collaborative and devised theatre. So which type of drama school is best suited to you? Here is Actorhub’s guide to all three.
-
The drama school interviewing panel have a difficult job to do. They have to find the best students for their course. Students that have a hunger and passion for acting. So what are they actually looking for at a drama school audition? Here is a list of the essential and desirable qualities they will be looking for.