GSA Musical Theatre - info needed!

[Scarytimes]

Hi everyone,

In the hope that DS gets the grades for GSA or gets off the reserve list for Laine, we are weighing up the options.
Does anyone know what a typical day at GSA is like in terms of hours and mix of the three disciplines?

We are wondering whether it is more like other non-uni MT courses in that it is very long hours, or if it is closer to the uni pattern of lecture times. Not sure it can be the latter, but I ought to find out.

There is a lot on the Website about course content but not structure.

Also, can anyone confirm how many they take each year?
I remembered #38 but I can't think where I got that from and can't find anything via website or google

[Robin64]

As most MT hopefuls would give anything for a place at GSA and given how tough it is to get in I don't think there would be anything to worry about apart from getting those grades. It has the hours and high standards of any top course. The only slight negative to GSA might be it's not in London if you like living in London but in terms of the course I would not be concerned just super proud of that offer.

[Robin64]

In terms of the 3 disciplines. I think it is known best for acting and singing but they still do dance and I'm sure it will be good. It is not a dance heavy school though like Bird or Urdang.

[Scarytimes]

In terms of the 3 disciplines. I think it is known best for acting and singing but they still do dance and I'm sure it will be good. It is not a dance heavy school though like Bird or Urdang.

Thanks. We are super proud (even if he narrowly missed on the grades in the end). I was just doing the panicky Mum thing - thinking about him going away in Sept and trying to make sure he ends up at the right place for him.

I found their prospectus and realised they have a whole BA Dance course there too - I only knew about the MT, Acting and Actor Musician plus the more technical courses!

It is still bugging me where I found the 38 intake figures and why I can’t find it again!

[Robin64]

They certainly don't take that many. I think you're right it's probably around 30-38 max. Hope the exams go (have gone?)well. The students at GSA seemed very confident to me when we went for auditions.

[Scarytimes]

They certainly don't take that many. I think you're right it's probably around 30-38 max. Hope the exams go (have gone?)well. The students at GSA seemed very confident to me when we went for auditions.

Only one of the five done so far - another week of revision then no more school ever! DS loved the vibe at GSA and found everyone so friendly - he wasn’t expecting to like it and certainly wasn’t expecting an offer

[DGtherunner]

I went to the Open Day last year and they said they took 36. They do dance every day but all the different courses (foundation to MA) do the dance classes together and they stream they quite a lot so that everyone should be in a class appropriate to their current level - well that's what they said they do! At the open day they definitely implied it was long hours and very much like standard theatre school and not just normal lecture hours.

[Scarytimes]

I went to the Open Day last year and they said they took 36. They do dance every day but all the different courses (foundation to MA) do the dance classes together and they stream they quite a lot so that everyone should be in a class appropriate to their current level - well that's what they said they do! At the open day they definitely implied it was long hours and very much like standard theatre school and not just normal lecture hours.

Thanks for that - very reassuring and informative. We should have done our research properly at the start of the year, but didn’t really think it was a likely place he would end up - and he still might not.

[DGtherunner]

I went to the Open Day last year and they said they took 36. They do dance every day but all the different courses (foundation to MA) do the dance classes together and they stream they quite a lot so that everyone should be in a class appropriate to their current level - well that's what they said they do! At the open day they definitely implied it was long hours and very much like standard theatre school and not just normal lecture hours.

Thanks for that - very reassuring and informative. We should have done our research properly at the start of the year, but didn’t really think it was a likely place he would end up - and he still might not.

He's got a fantastic range of offers. I'm sure he'll be amazing wherever he ends up!

Another thing I've remembered from the GSA open day, they were very keen to push that they weren't the 'singers' course, but pushed all three aspects. I've got a friend whose DS is there and he loves it. She's just been down for the end of Y2 show and said it was brilliant. The 2nd year show is the first one they allow the public (including parents) to watch.

[lbm1e14]

I went to the Open Day last year and they said they took 36. They do dance every day but all the different courses (foundation to MA) do the dance classes together and they stream they quite a lot so that everyone should be in a class appropriate to their current level - well that's what they said they do! At the open day they definitely implied it was long hours and very much like standard theatre school and not just normal lecture hours.

Thanks for that - very reassuring and informative. We should have done our research properly at the start of the year, but didn’t really think it was a likely place he would end up - and he still might not.

He's got a fantastic range of offers. I'm sure he'll be amazing wherever he ends up!

Another thing I've remembered from the GSA open day, they were very keen to push that they weren't the 'singers' course, but pushed all three aspects. I've got a friend whose DS is there and he loves it. She's just been down for the end of Y2 show and said it was brilliant. The 2nd year show is the first one they allow the public (including parents) to watch.

That's interesting. I'm sure when we went to the open day 3 years ago they said they only did a public performance in 3rd year. Good to hear. DDs college do 8 public performances over the two years. They learn so much "on the job".

[Scarytimes]

Thanks for that - very reassuring and informative. We should have done our research properly at the start of the year, but didn’t really think it was a likely place he would end up - and he still might not.

He's got a fantastic range of offers. I'm sure he'll be amazing wherever he ends up!

Another thing I've remembered from the GSA open day, they were very keen to push that they weren't the 'singers' course, but pushed all three aspects. I've got a friend whose DS is there and he loves it. She's just been down for the end of Y2 show and said it was brilliant. The 2nd year show is the first one they allow the public (including parents) to watch.

That's good to hear too. I think GSA have gone through a bit of a change with Julian Woolford in charge of MT and perhaps he has introduced more showcases? I guess courses adapt all the time and pick up ideas from other places as well as trying to keep their own USP.

[Laurellen]

In terms of the 3 disciplines. I think it is known best for acting and singing but they still do dance and I'm sure it will be good. It is not a dance heavy school though like Bird or Urdang.

Thanks. We are super proud (even if he narrowly missed on the grades in the end). I was just doing the panicky Mum thing - thinking about him going away in Sept and trying to make sure he ends up at the right place for him.

I found their prospectus and realised they have a whole BA Dance course there too - I only knew about the MT, Acting and Actor Musician plus the more technical courses!

It is still bugging me where I found the 38 intake figures and why I can’t find it again!

The Dance course is the University of Surrey and not GSA. Yes they are the same place officially but GSA told my daughter that they don’t like the dance students from Uni of Surrey saying GSA on their CV as their standard is not the same. The dance course was there at the university before GSA moved onto their site. (It would be like saying the University of Greenwich dance degree is the same as Bird college because they oversee the degree paperwork).
I did also hear that the contact hours are less than Bird/Urdang but as they only take 38 I guess that’s ok.
I know people who love it but I also know people who would rather Go to a more dance based or commercial college. It’s all about the feel of the place when they audition.
Good luck for wherever he ends up!
X

[Scarytimes]

The Dance course is the University of Surrey and not GSA. Yes they are the same place officially but GSA told my daughter that they don’t like the dance students from Uni of Surrey saying GSA on their CV as their standard is not the same. The dance course was there at the university before GSA moved onto their site. (It would be like saying the University of Greenwich dance degree is the same as Bird college because they oversee the degree paperwork).
I did also hear that the contact hours are less than Bird/Urdang but as they only take 38 I guess that’s ok.
I know people who love it but I also know people who would rather Go to a more dance based or commercial college. It’s all about the feel of the place when they audition.
Good luck for wherever he ends up!
X

Thanks for that. I had lumped them together because of the University guide results for Uni of Surrey and that has them all in one bucket, but I appreciate that they aren't the same as such and GSA has a long history of being Grant-Bellairs school of Dance and Drama outside Uni of Surrey.

I have clarified that it is only a 36 intake as I found my notes (still don't know where I got the original info though) and their group chat has confirmed for him that they have two classes of dance per day which is reassuring. He really loved it and the attention they paid to the acting part of the audition really sold it for him. Looks like that is front runner now - A levels notwithstanding

[Scarytimes]

The Dance course is the University of Surrey and not GSA. Yes they are the same place officially but GSA told my daughter that they don’t like the dance students from Uni of Surrey saying GSA on their CV as their standard is not the same. The dance course was there at the university before GSA moved onto their site. (It would be like saying the University of Greenwich dance degree is the same as Bird college because they oversee the degree paperwork).
I did also hear that the contact hours are less than Bird/Urdang but as they only take 38 I guess that’s ok.
I know people who love it but I also know people who would rather Go to a more dance based or commercial college. It’s all about the feel of the place when they audition.
Good luck for wherever he ends up!
X

I'm still researching - mainly on their Website and thought it worth posting here that the BA Dance does come under GSA, though it may not have done in the past I guess. Their prospectus says that they also have the option to join other GSA disciplines for extra-curricular technique classes. Just in case someone is looking back at this thread in the future.

[bop2thetop]

My DD graduated from GSA last year and there were 38 in her year. And yes as others have said it is long hours and an intensive course as you would expect from a drama school.