Not a day goes by that I don't think about my trip to NYC that happened less than a month ago! It was truly a special and exciting time.
During my time in New York, I had an interview with my good friend Daniel Hoeft, who is at AMDA studying musical theatre. He is now in the cast of "Hairspray" as a chorus member and will be graduating in June. He is extremely talented and I learned lots of information during this interview.
I first asked him to let me tour AMDA. At the time, the school was under lock-down for security reasons, but the security guard let me in after a few suspicious glances and taking my ID.
Dan showed me the practice rooms, the dance rooms, his dorm- basically everything there was to see! It was SO much different than I expected it to be. Everything was small and cramped-although cool to still be in New York- and I realized how good we have it here! Every floor only had one shower, so that means 30+ people to one bathroom every day, which would be crazy at this school.
Another question I had was about safety. Being in New York means being in a large city, with many kinds of people. I wanted to know how safe he felt going to AMDA. His answer was exactly what I wanted to hear; he said that the safety of the school is high. He feels like its a small community, and everyone looks out for each other. He even talked about how he feels safe at night walking back alone!
Of course, hearing about how at the time he was auditioning for "Hairspray" made me want to know all about the audition process! What was required? Is it super intimidating? Are people generally supportive? Dan said that generally auditions are very intimidating if you get nervous easily, however he finds it easy to focus his energy on not thinking about other auditions, but just by thinking about what he can do better. He says that it is a cattle call audition, and that most times casting directors are mostly interested in what you look like, and if your personality fits the character you are auditioning for. This is one of the most important things they are looking for, so it's important to be yourself! This way, you can get a role thats perfect for YOU. He said that in most auditions, its a 16 bar selection is required, and to put it neatly in a binder for the accompanist. Also, the more you prepare, the better you will feel. So be prepared! Dan says that to prepare for an audition he practices in front of as many people as he can, but only chooses a select few people to ask for criticism, because everyone will have a different opinion.
I also had questions about the social life around NYC. How does one be smart with money when you're in such an exciting place? He says to have extra money set aside when you move to New York, so that when you get here and splurge on something, (it happens) you won't be fresh out of money that you actually needed. Eventually, the initial buzz feeling of the city wears off, and you can settle down and start enjoying the free things New York has to offer.
I was also curious about how many times he has seen his family, and if it is hard for him. He's very close with his parents and he says that its important to set aside time to talk on the phone, or Skype. Doing so will really help with being homesick.
All in all, I got the impression that Dan absolutely loves where he's at, and he loves the feeling of being in such a great place with so many opportunities.
Oh and I still want to go back.
Laura Schachner
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