Vassar Powerhouse Theatre

[dededarlin]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 1:04pm

I just got accepted into the Vassar Powerhouse apprentice training program for this summer. I am trying to get more information on it. Have any of you gone to a Powerhouse production, or do you know anything about the program? I am so excited about it! If you have any info, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

[ACTlete676]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 2:58pm

I was on the website but couldnt find any deadline date. Did it already pass?

[dededarlin]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 3:34pm

yeah, it was March 14...but they might still be accepting applications. i'm not sure

[suzycat]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 5:11pm

Yes, I did the program two summers ago. It was great. Are you in the acting program? If so, you take classes in voice, acting, text, and movement (and i think one more, but i forget). I found it very useful.

They've debuted some great stuff there. Good Vibrations workshopped there last summer. Sideman and A Year With Frog & Toad also debuted there. I get season tix every year (since it's only 45 min from my house), and I've loved almost everything I've seen there.

Also, Powerhouse often has major celebs. James Barbour, Lucy Liu, Mia Farrow, Marcia Gay Harden, Kieran Culkin, and Jill Clayburgh just to name a few. And they stay in the same dorms as you!

Everyone gets their own dorm room, which is nice. No air conditioning, though, so bring a fan.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 5:32pm

I did the program both as an acting apprentice and then the following year I was a stage-management intern. I think it's a pretty good program overall. One thing they don't tell you in full is that you have to work on crews for the professional shows, but it's sort of cool.

Do you have any specific questions?

[dededarlin]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 6:53pm

thanks for responding! I do have a couple questions if ya'll could answer them for me... i'm from louisiana, so i intially thought that i would fly up there. but now i'm thinking it would be much easier to drive and have my car with me. what do you think? also, about how many people are in the acting program, and how do they cast the apprentice shows? did you feel like you learned alot? haha, i hope it doesn't seem like I am interrogating you...i am just curious about it. thanks for your help!

[dededarlin]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 6:59pm

oh! one more thing...are most of the apprentices in college, or is it a mix of college and highschool ages?

[suzycat]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 7:11pm

>>but now i'm thinking it would be much easier to drive and have my car with me. what do you think?

I had my car with me - it was no problem.


>>also, about how many people are in the acting program, and how do they cast the apprentice shows?

I'm not sure how many there were... maybe 30 (possibly more). as far as casting the shows, they hold auditions (i'm sure you probably have info about what kind of pieces they want) and they cast farily quickly - no callbacks.

>>did you feel like you learned alot?

I did - it was the first time I had formal training in acting, so I learned a lot. You get to work with very gifted people and it's great to meet people from all over the country. Plus, it looks great on a resume!

>>are most of the apprentices in college, or is it a mix of college and highschool ages?

When I was there it was a pretty good mixture. A few more college students than high school students, however.

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 10:20pm

When I went it was pretty heavily college aged, but that was about 3 years ago.. I would guess at that time it was around 25/75

In terms of learning a lot- Well it was a mixed bag. I had this really bad teacher teaching me Meisner, but I also had a really wonderful director for my show. I think it depends both on who you get and what you do with it.

Ed, the program director is AWESOME.

I second though, it looks great on a resume.