Reply to my daughter got into carnegie mellon's drama school

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[quote=Anonymous]Here's a side that people aren't talking about.  FYI, I am only a community theater performer, but I have been a theater reviewer in the DC area and I know a fair bit about the local drama scene in this region.

There are thousands of actors out there for every part.  That includes Broadway, all of the off-Broadway theaters, and the full list of regional theaters around the country (there are several additional theater regions like DC that have pretty active communities that can support a lot of local actors), plus Hollywood and the professional film acting industry.  Even with the many venues/industries/media/places were actors can work, there are still far more who want to be actors than all of those industries can support.

And it's a lot more than just talent and even casting couch.  A HUGE factor is opportunity.  Being in the right place, the right type at the right time.  Networking is all about getting those opportunities.  Going to good schools helps because talent agents/scouts/directors look to good schools to "find" the talent and look for the right types.  Good teachers know good agents or directors and can connect you with people inside the industry.  Even if they don't have the right opportunity for you then, if someone they know puts in a good word for you, then later, if they have an opportunity, they'll reach out to you and you may get a break that you would otherwise never have even known about or been considered for.  Many people get their "break" through networking.

Good schools like CMU give you an extra step into the world by giving you the networking to get opportunities that you may otherwise never even know about.  So, OP, your daughter needs to stop and think about what she wants.  There are many who graduate with theater degrees and do not get into the very cut-throat and die-hard work of theater.  If you are referred or network and are offered opportunities, then you have to be ready to jump and take all opportunities.  The only really acceptable way to decline is to do so because you already have another part that you've been cast in.  It's a very intense world and the only reason to go to high-powered schools like CMU is if you are ready to dive in and sacrifice other parts of your life to be in the industry.  If that's what she wants, CMU gives you an extra foot up on others by giving you access to more opportunities.[/quote]

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