What's the best acting school in the US?

Im 15 and would like to know whats the difference ..in stage school like theater and acting school?

• Hello im 15 and have a passion for performing in front of people I LOVE it ..i want an acting career im a female :) i live in england in Greater Manchester. My career and life is based on acting its the only thing i would love to do and be on Tv ...i know some people don't get very far but you just shouldn't give up we only have one life and live once and i want to live my dream to the fullest ...So don't try and put me down and say things like ''WELL NOT EVERY ONE MAKES IT DO SOMETHING ELSE'' and things like that because i still am gonna try no matter what! and you would be wasting your time writing negative things i hope to make it and so do others .. i would just like to know if i should go theater school or take classes and which is best please leave an answer Thanks xx

• Answer:

  Hi - in the UK stage schools are really for little kids - most start by the time they're 6 or 7. At 15, you're too late to be a child actor, so you should be aiming for the world of adult acting, which is far better anyway! Of course, you're right - not everyone gets anywhere, but you're also right in that you have to give it your best shot, work really hard, and try to make it happen for you. You should start by reading every play you can get hold of, reading books, and going to a theatre club or stage group and learning everything you can. Nothing you are taught at school is a waste of time – you never know what is going to be really useful for you as an actor, and even stuff like history, geography, science, cooking, maths, etc, will probably come in handy when you least expect it. Actors need to be very intelligent, able to understand loads of subjects, well-read, for example able to read Shakespeare and so on. It’s no good reading a script if you can’t understand what your character and the others are talking about! Work hard at all your school subjects and get as many GCSEs as you can so you can get onto a college course in Drama or Performing Arts, with extras like Psychology, English, Sociology, etc. After A Levels, you’ll be able to apply to get into a drama school, although these are all very hard to get into. Up to 4,000 applicants apply for 24 places, in each school, every year. You will need to be able to work on stage as well as to camera. Singing is often required, so join a choir or try to afford lessons somehow. Dance is also useful. It’s a good idea to have some other skill which you can use to earn money in between acting jobs – you’ll need it! Typing, bar work, office work, shop work – anything you can do, really, but make sure you quite enjoy it too, as you’ll probably spend more time doing than that acting! You are looking at years of hard work, very little glamour, terrible rates of pay – if any – doing odd jobs just to pay the bills while you’re auditioning for acting work. It’s not something you should even be considering unless you’re totally passionate about acting and can’t imagine doing anything else. You’ll probably never be famous, or make much money, but if it’s what you really want, go for it. Good luck! xx