Berridge is a great opportunity to figure out if acting for stage is the path for you while you decide on what to do after high school. I can not express how WONDERFUL the acting (including some of the film) staff were. I can only speak on behalf of my acting experience but this is an acting basics program. This is not the place if you are looking for an intense, advanced program. If you're just starting out, absolutely do it, no questions asked. It's a great experience culturally and to make connections. But is not for an actor who is looking for a pre-professional program. I also worked with some of the film students and teachers and would recommend the film program but can't speak on behalf of studio art. Have specifics of what you want and don't want when you do interviews, ask questions, and do your research!
Private Note to Provider (optional)
This has absolutely nothing with anything you could've done about this and I want you to know I didn't base my review on this at all because it's not a fair judgment of this program but I want to make you aware. It was very hard to have a positive experience when you didn't have half your concentration showing up to class. I know music took two students away and one left but it was very difficult for someone like me who wants to do this professionally and not have everyone giving 100%. The students in acting definitely hindered my experience. I consider myself fortunate that when I asked Duane to give me more scenes he did because then I had something to do. I was so grateful when Simon assigned me more work as well. I know you went to great efforts to have everyone feel like they were part of a community and to speak up when something was wrong, but this group was still wrapped up in high school drama. Now I will say there were some WONDERFUL students who if I hadn't made friends with I would have been miserable. They were kind and funny and made this experience worth while. I know that every semester can't have such unprofessional students like that, it was just a shame that mine was. To me, this was marketed as a professional acting for stage program for people who are serious about getting into this industry. It's hard to tell if I didn't get that experience because of a program or because of the students. The first half I considered the very basics. Once we got to Shakespeare I was feeling a bit more challenged but, once again, as someone who wants to enter this industry I feel as though there could've been more. I want to commend you again on a wonderful acting (plus some film!) faculty as they improved my time at Berridge by 10.
