Julliard and Shakespeare

TheRealKEVP
Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:18:43 +0000

I am the strongest “don’t do Shakespeare” fellow here, but I always say DO do Shakespeare when, like Juiliard, they specifically ask for Shakespeare. Following the schools instructions must ALWAYS take priority over any other advice.

Shakespeare has always been my favorite playwright, I am not telling folks to stay away from him because I don’t like him, or something. I’m not telling people to stay away from “difficult” monologues–I think people who CAN do difficult monologues SHOULD. The ONLY reason I suggest staying away from Shakespeare–and then ONLY if the school doesn’t require Shakespeare–is simply because he is so overdone at auditions, particularly the monologues for young actors. (and yes, the reason he is overdone, like any overdone playwright, is because he is such a great playwright).

If you haven’t been through this process yet, you probably can’t imagine what it is like to show up for an audition and discover a few of the other auditioners are doing the exact same monologue you are.

If you love the Elizabethan-Jacobean language, there are MANY other English playwrights of the period, people who were drinking buddies with Shakespeare.

I don’t think it would HURT anyone to at least LOOK at some other classical playwrights besides Shakespeare, if the school you are auditioning for doesn’t require Shakespeare for the classical. Learning a little bit about theatre history isn’t going to hurt your chances of acceptance either, expecially if the only thing you know about theatre history is “Shakespeare”.

And I always realize that EVERYTHING I say is just GUIDELINES, not rules. They have each been broken succesfully by the right people. Maybe your kids are the ones who are talented enough to get away with breaking these guidelines. I don’t know, because I haven’t seen their auditions. But I am afraid there will be folks who have an exagerrated idea of their (or their kids’) talent, and who really shouldn’t be breaking these guidelines I am suggesting.

KEVP