1. When I decided to go to drama school, my family thought I was crazy. Although I
have done some high school acting, I had never had a serious involvement in any
kind of drama program. Acting school is so far beyond my experience that my
parents thought that I should really get a little bit more involved in something
like community theatre before making such a decision. Nonetheless, I was set on
it.
Although I hadn't told anyone, drama school has been my fantasy for years. You
see, I had always wanted to be a star. Most kids, I suppose, at some point want
to be a star. They might want to be like their favorite action hero or their
favorite rock and roller. For me, it was different. It was all I could think
about. It was like an obsession, and dated from my earliest years. I knew that
if I wanted to realize the dream, I would have to go to drama school. That was
all there was to it.
Of course, dreaming of going to drama school and actually going there are two
different things. The audition process was grueling. They say that anyone who
has the talent can make it, but it is less about talent than it is about self-
confidence. I was lacking, and it showed at first. The first two drama schools
that I interviewed with rejected me outright. I tried to be confident about it,
but I could tell that I was not making a great impression. Then I pulled it
together. I knew that I had to give an outstanding audition, and I did just
that. I got in finally! I was overjoyed.
Once I got in to drama school, however, the pressure did not drop off. A lot of
people think that acting college is really easy, but it isn't. You have to
remember that, whether you are going for the role of the lead, the best friends,
the villain, or what have you, there is always only one part that you want.
Drama schools are fiercely competitive places, as they have to be. As an actor,
director, or playwright, you have to be a fiercely competitive person. Half of
what you learn in drama school is the skill to act, but the other half is the
skill to compete. Without both, there is no way that you can succeed in show
business.