AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ARTS
New York, and Los Angeles, California
The College and Its Mission
Founded in New York in 1884, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) was the first school in the United States to provide a professional education for actors. Since 1974, the Academy has operated an additional campus in the Los Angeles area, making AADA the only degree granting conservatory for actors offering programs in both of the major centers of theatrical activity in the country. Now in its second century, the Academy remains dedicated to a single purpose: training actors. The love of acting, as an art and as an occupation, is the spirit that impels the school. For the serious, well-motivated student ready to make a commitment to acting and to concentrated professional training, the Academy offers more than a century of success; a well-balanced, carefully structured curriculum; and a vital, dedicated, and caring faculty. Academy training involves the student intellectually, physically, and emotionally. Designed for the individual, it stresses self-discovery and self-discipline. Underlying the training are the beliefs that an actor prepared to work on the stage has the best foundation for acting in any medium and that classroom learning must be put to the test in the practical arena of a theater. The soundness of this approach is reflected in the achievements of the alumni, a diverse body of professionals unmatched by the alumni of any other institution. (Performances by Academy alumni have received nominations for 72 Oscars, 57 Tonys, and 202 Emmys.) The time spent at the Academy can be an important period of development for those who become professional actors as well as for those who eventually choose other paths. All students are expected to make a commitment to professionalism, excellence, and discipline while enrolled at the Academy. The American Academy of Dramatic Arts is a nonprofit educational institution, chartered in New York by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. In New York the Academy is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and in California by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Both schools are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre.
Academic Programs
The Professional Training Program requires two years to complete. Students who meet the requirements of the program receive an associate degree. A third-year performance program is offered to selected graduates. Students who successfully complete this program earn the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Actor training.
The first year consists of two 12-week terms and one 6-week term, providing a total of 30 transferable college credits. Classes include acting, movement, voice and speech, vocal production, acting styles, and theater history. The primary goals of the first-year program are to achieve relaxed, free, and truthful use of oneself in imaginary circumstances; to gain awareness of the body in terms of alignment, flexibility, and strength; to develop an open, well-placed, and well-supported vocal tone; to acquire clearly articulated standard American speech; and to increase understanding of the historical and stylistic backgrounds of drama. Students may enter the first year in mid-Septemberor late Januaryfor the course in Los Angeles; late Octoberor early Februaryfor New York. Admission to the second year is by invitation. Selection is made on the basis of progress, potential, and readiness to benefit from advanced training, as evidenced by the quality of first-year classwork and examination play performances. The second year begins with advanced classwork designed to reinforce and build upon the learning experiences of the first year. Emphasis is gradually shifted to performance opportunities. Additional courses are given in fencing and stage makeup. The second-year course provides 30 transferable undergraduate credits. Workshops to deal with specific acting problems are set up as needed, and, toward the end of the second year, seminars are scheduled to familiarize students with basic procedures for attaining professional employment. Upon completion of the second year, students graduate from the Professional Training Program with associate degrees. Admission to the third-year program, which emphasizes performance, is also by invitation. Students who undertake a third year of study become members of the Academy Company, the school's performance ensemble. Selection is based on the individual's potential and the overall concept of a balanced acting company. The practical development of the actor is continued through study, rehearsal, and performance of fully-produced plays in Academy theaters over a thirty-week period from late summer to late winter. Agents, casting directors, and other professional personnel are invited to see Academy Company productions, and counseling is offered to assist third-year students in launching professional careers. Students completing the third-year program earn an additional 30 college credits and are awarded a certificate. Guest speakers from the professional world are regularly invited to the Academy to share insights with the students at special assemblies.
The Academy also offers a six-week summer conservatory for those who would like to begin to study, to refresh basic skills, or to test interest and ability in an environment of professional training. Classes begin shortly after the Fourth of Julyand are open to anyone of high school age or older. Teaching standards are identical to those of the Academy's degree and certificate programs.
Costs
In 200405, the cost of the full-time program was $14,900 for tuition and $450 for the general fee. (The general fee covers the cost of accident insurance, costume and production costs, use of the library, and student identification.) Students need to budget an additional $600 for purchasing books and scripts, dance attire for movement class, a makeup kit, and other expenses related to the training. The cost of housing varies. On the average, housing, food, transportation, and personal expenses can amount to approximately $11,000 to $13,000.
Financial Aid
The Academy makes every effort to assist students in need of financial aid. The Academy participates in various financial aid programs, including government administered grants, loans, and college work-study. Grant awards are determined by financial need. (Only United States citizens and permanent residents are eligible for government-sponsored aid programs.) Payment plans (for those eligible) assist students by extending the payment of tuition over a period of time. Scholarships, awarded on the basis of both need and merit, are available to qualified students, including a limited number of Trustee Awards to first-year students. New York City and Los Angeles offer numerous job opportunities for students desiring part-time employment, including on-campus employment (work-study).
Faculty
To achieve its objectives, the Academy requires that its faculty members be well trained in the various performing arts disciplines; seasoned by professional experience; mature, objective, and sympathetic in their relations with students; and exemplars of the commitment to excellence that the Academy hopes to instill in its students. In their own training, the Academy's faculty members represent all of the master teachers and significant systems and philosophies of the performing arts of the past half-century. Their professional experience is diversified, encompassing a variety of positions in film, television, and theater. In selecting faculty members to support its specialized programs, the Academy places more importance on an instructor's professional training and experience and teaching ability than on traditional academic credentials. The student-faculty ratio ranges from 16:1 in classroom instruction, to 4:1 or 3:1 in some performance situations.
Student Body Profile
Academy students reflect a wide diversity of backgrounds and geographical origin; they come from every region of the United States, from Canada, and from many other countries. Enrollment in 2004 was 275 in California and 265 in New York, with a combined average of 20 percent members of minority groups and 20 percent international students. Forty percent of the students are men. The average age of an entering Academy student is 22. Less than half of all first-year students come directly after high school; others enroll after a range of experiences, including college, military service, or other careers.
Student Activities
Students at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts are bonded by their love of acting. A common interest and the collaborative nature of the training contribute to genial social relations among the student body, and, accordingly, school-arranged activities are usually related to the performing arts. Academy students are frequently invited to attend all types of theatrical events for free or given the opportunity to purchase reduced-priced tickets. Every effort is made by the school to facilitate the cultural enrichment of the students.
Facilities and Resources
The Academy in New York is housed in a six-story building that is a registered New York City landmark. It includes classrooms, rehearsal studios, dance studios, a video studio, a student lounge, locker areas, and dressing rooms. A library, made possible by a grant from CBS, is a handsome facility, organized to serve the special research and study needs of the actor. Three theatersa 160-seat proscenium theater, an intimate 160-seat thrust-stage theater, and a semiarena theater that seats 103are used for classes, rehearsals, and productions. Production facilities include a prop department, a costume department, a scene shop, and a sound room.
After housing its West Coast operation in leased space in Pasadena for more than twenty-five years, the Academy purchased a campus in the heart of Hollywood and took residence in 2000. Situated on 2.25 acres adjacent to the historic Charlie Chaplin Studios, the new campus includes a theater, ample parking, a library, and spacious classrooms and studios.
In place of on-campus housing, AADA offers a variety of attractive off-campus options through special arrangements with local housing resources.
Location
Located in midtown Manhattan, the New York home of the Academy is within walking distance of the Grand Central and Pennsylvania train stations, the Port Authority bus terminal, and Broadway and off-Broadway theaters.
AADA Los Angeles is located in the center of the motion picture and television production capital of the world. The new campus is a short walk from Hollywood Boulevard and is surrounded by film and television production companies. The California Freeway system affords access to beaches, deserts, and mountains.
At each location, the training at the Academy is enhanced by the exciting variety of nearby cultural and recreational opportunities afforded by New York and Los Angeles.
Admission Requirements
AADA seeks talented and highly motivated applicants. An audition/interview is the cornerstone of the admission process. The overall policy is to admit individuals who seem both artistically and academically qualified to undertake a rigorous conservatory program of professional training. Readiness to benefit fully from such training is assessed in the audition/interview. Auditions, whether for entrance into the program in New York City or Los Angeles, may be held at either school. In addition, regional auditions are held annually in major cities in the United States, Canada, and London. The audition requires the performance of two contrasting, memorized speeches (one comedic and one dramatic) from published plays (one period and one contemporary), the total performance time to be no more than 4 minutes. The audition appointment includes an interview. In the audition/interview, special attention is given to the quality of the applicant's instinctive emotional connection to the audition material. Since good listening is so fundamental to good acting, the auditioner notes how well the applicant listens in the real world context of the interview. Other criteria include sensitivity, sense of language, sense of humor, vitality, presence, vocal quality, cultural interests, a realistic sense of self, and the challenge involved in pursuing an acting career.
All entering students must hold a diploma from an accredited secondary school or its equivalent. Transcripts of all previous academic work must be submitted; previous college credits may not be transferred. High school seniors should submit SAT or ACT scores. Two letters of recommendation are required before an audition is scheduled. International students who are fluent in English are welcome to apply. AADA is approved for the training of veterans.
Application and Information
The Academy operates on a rolling admission basis, but early application is encouraged. There is a nonrefundable application fee of $50. Admission decisions are made within four weeks of the audition. Further information may be obtained from:
