Preparing for Drama School: Panagiota, What Was Your Experience Like?
Getting into drama school begins with an audition. But how does a candidate prepare for this process, and what does it really take to be ready?
At Maria Chrysostomou School of Music & Theatre, we offer drama school preparation classes for those who wish to pursue acting professionally and apply to higher drama schools in Cyprus, Greece and other countries.
We speak with Panagiota Papakyriakou, actress and theatre teacher at the Maria Chrysostomou School of Music & Theatre and a graduate of the Drama School of the National Theatre of Greece. Panagiota prepared for her entrance auditions to the National Theatre at our school and shares her experience with us.
Panagiota, what exactly is drama school preparation and what does it involve?
Preparation consists of classes designed to prepare candidates for the full range of requirements involved in an audition. The content is adapted to the requirements of the school each student is aiming for and its specific requirements.
Candidates are usually asked to perform a poem, a song, a monologue or a narrative text. Some schools also include a theory examination, with questions on theatre history or questions that test the candidate’s critical thinking. There is also always the possibility of being asked to improvise, either based on a text or musical piece, or on something given to you on the spot.
Did you know from the beginning that you needed to prepare specifically for the audition?
No. When I decided that I wanted to study theatre, I started looking for theatre classes. At first, I joined a group theatre class at another school, but I felt that it wasn’t helping me towards my specific goal, because the class was not focused on preparing students for drama school auditions.
So I searched further and found the Maria Chrysostomou School of Music & Theatre, where I was offered individual lessons specifically tailored to my goal.
How long before the auditions do you think someone should start preparing?
It depends on the person, their age and, most importantly, how much previous experience they have with theatre.
For someone who has been involved in theatre from a young age, has experience with improvisation and theatre texts, watches performances or has participated in productions, even 4–6 months before the auditions may be enough to enter the final stage of preparation. At that point, the focus is mainly on selecting and preparing the pieces.
For someone who has little previous experience with theatre, I would recommend starting at least a year in advance. You need time to get to know yourself better through the exercises, to become more confident and open, to read different texts and discover what you enjoy and what suits you best, so that the right pieces can be selected.
In my case, because I had not taken theatre classes from a young age, although I had participated in various school productions, I started about a year in advance. I needed more experience with the subject in order to feel ready and to work together with my teachers to choose the right pieces for my auditions.
Was there anything you didn’t expect to be part of the preparation?
At the end of my preparation, just before the auditions began, my teachers asked me to present my pieces in a recital.
At first, I didn’t understand how useful it would be. I saw it more as something that simply had to be done. In the end, however, it was very important. Presenting my work in front of an audience, especially people I knew, helped me get the necessary exposure of performing in front of others and made me feel more prepared before facing the audition panels.
Is there a particular moment from your preparation that you remember vividly?
Yes. I remember that at the beginning of my preparation, I couldn’t sustain an “aaah” from one end of the room to the other.
It may sound like a small detail, but for me it was a very important moment because I realised how essential technical preparation is.
Someone may have talent and a great love for theatre, but that alone is not enough. You need practice, technique and experience with the subject in order to be truly ready for a demanding process such as drama school auditions.
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