Qualifications & Courses

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the age requirements?
Why not accept younger applicants?
What can I do to prepare before I am the right age?
What other performing arts course do you recommend?
Do you run any short courses or preparatory courses?
What's the time line for applications and auditions?
Will having a degree help me?
What sort of interaction with the industry occurs?
What are the hours?
Why is the School bi-cultural?
Verified academic transcripts: what are they and how do I get them?
I don't have an email address: does this matter?

Acting Questions

Where do I audition?
How does the audition process work?
Could I have some advice about choosing my audition pieces?
Can I bring props and/or music to my audition?
Why do I have to sing in my audition?
Any particular type of song I should prepare?
Who will be on the audition panel?
I'm currently overseas and wish to audition by video. Is this possible?
How many people audition and how many are accepted?

 

What are the age requirements?

Successful applicants for the acting, entertainment technology, management and costume construction courses are required to have turned 18 on the first day of the first term (in 2011 this is Monday 21 February). There is no upper age limit.

Why not accept younger applicants?

The age restriction is necessary because the course is very emotionally and physically challenging. A certain degree of intellectual rigour is also required and over our 39 year history, we have found that these three components are not often found together in those under 18.

Of course, we acknowledge there are younger people there with emotional, intellectual and physical maturity, but our experience has taught us that life experience is of great benefit, therefore we have chosen this age stipulation as the optimum time for a young person to come to this particular school and undertake this particular training.

We often have a wide age range within each class (for each of the last three years, we have had a student of approx 40 in the incoming group) and we feel that a 20 year range in the ages of the new students is quite a challenge.

What can I do to prepare before I am the 'right age'?

As for what to do while you prepare for entry to Toi Whakaari the main idea is to get as much experience as possible, do part time courses, work on other people's plays and films (check out your local amateur repertory theatre or your school), put on your own plays or make your own films - all of your experience will be useful. Some of our students work to gain some money behind them for their studies. The other option is to do some other course.

What other performing arts course do you recommend?

The performing arts courses that seem to provide many of our current students include: Hagley Community College, Otago University (Allen Hall), Victoria University, TAPAC, the Wellington Performing Arts Centre, UCOL, Young and Hungry, Auckland Theatre Company Education Unit and the National Youth Drama School - these places all give a really good grounding in drama and particularly in the needs of the ensemble and have a very good 'Toi Whakaari Success Rate'.

Do you run any short courses or preparatory courses to help me prepare?

Toi Whakaari holds short courses in most secondary school courses, often these courses are technical, costume, design or acting based. Check this out for information on upcoming courses.

What's the time line for applications and auditions?

Applications to enter Toi Whakaari are now open for 2011 and close:

Will having a degree help me?

Anyone who's already studied for a degree has an advantage in that they understand the discipline of study as well as possessing research skills and the maturity that comes with a university background. As a specific advantage, though, it's negligible ... it's how you present at your audition or interview that counts. Director Annie Ruth describes it as demonstrating "courage and flexibility on the day".

What sort of interaction with the industry occurs?

Of major significance is the secondment programme, in which our students organise to apprentice themselves with a theatre, film company or drama school either within NZ or overseas. In addition, during your three years as a student, you are given every encouragement to absorb as much local theatre and film as possible, including cheap tickets to most Wellington-based shows. The practitioners from local theatres and film companies have a close working relationship with Toi Whakaari and are often contracted to teach block courses.

An 'agents' night' held annually gives the entertainment industry and our acting graduands a chance to interact.

What are the hours?

Classes and rehearsals are generally scheduled between 8.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday, however some classes occur between 8am and 6pm and there is some evening and weekend work required during production times and for special projects. This takes precedence over any out of School commitments.

Why is the School bi-cultural?

Te Kura Toi Whakaari o Aotearoa: NZ Drama School acknowledges Te Tiriti o Aotearoa: The Treaty of Waitangi as the foundation document of the country. To honour this document the School needs to instil an awareness of the culture of Aotearoa New Zealand in its diversity and history while initiating an awareness of the Schools' responsibility for sharing and furthering Maori culture.

Through the lens of a Treaty Partnership, the School will continue to explore and celebrate the theatre, dance and performing arts of other cultures and races of Aotearoa New Zealand. The diverse origins of immigrants over the last 50 years enriches the intake of students and expands the studies and productions within the Schools.

Verified academic transcripts: what are they and how do I get them?

These are the official documents you will have received from your secondary school, university or the training institution you attended after leaving school. We ask to see them in order to gauge what your interests and areas of acheivement have been thus far, but they will not be a deciding factor in whether or not you are accepted into Toi Whakaari. If you no longer have these documents, please contact the relevant institution for duplicate copies. Details on verification are included in the application form.

I don't have an email address: does this matter?

Yes! This is the main method of communication used by the School from the audition process onwards, so best organise one now. Your email address should include your first name and surname.

 

Questions About the Acting Course

Where do I audition?

Auditions (acting) are held in September and October in:

Check here for dates.

You will be advised of venue and dates nearer to the time. Those who are recalled attend a weekend-long workshop and a further audition at Toi Whakaari from 23 - 25 October 2009.

How does the audition process work?

You will be asked to attend a half day audition of around 3.5 hours with around 10-20 other applicants. There will be a group warm-up and you will be introduced to the panel.

The group is then normally split into pairs (or threes) and you will audition with someone else. This involves you doing your audition pieces and being given direction by the panel. Don't be surprised if they challenge you to take your monologue in a brand new direction.

Often the person who is auditioning with you will be asked to help you out, and you will help them out too. You will also be asked to sing by yourself (without any accompanying music). Sometimes your actual audition time will last 10 minutes, sometimes up to 30 minutes, but you should come prepared to spend the entire half day at the audition.

Could I have some advice about choosing my audition pieces?

You need to prepare and learn by heart:

Unlike most drama schools, Toi Whakaari does not provide a list of appropriate pieces, in part because we are very interested in what the auditionees choose themselves. Their choice gives us an interesting glimpse into who they are and what they have prepared. It's best to choose a character whom you respond to and can identify with. Make sure you have a solid understanding of the whole play when you're preparing your piece.

Our rule is that we do not accept self-written work, and we provide further loose guidelines as follows:

Classical Piece:
Shakespeare is preferred but we also love seeing the Greeks, Oliver Goldsmith, Ben Johnson, Middleton, Behn... we do not recommend anything else written later than the start of the 20th Century (e.g. Wilde, Chekhov, Ibsen, Strindberg) because these are too contemporary in language, form and psychology and so are too similar to the auditionee's choice of contemporary text. What we are after is to see how you handle classical language, structure, breath and meaning.

Contemporary Piece:
Think about some contemporary playwrights you might enjoy, e.g. Sam Shepherd, David Mamet, or Pinter; or some of our New Zealand writers such as Renee, Hone Kouka orRoger Hall.

Some other playwrights whose work you may like to consider:

Can I bring props and/or music to my audition?

No. We are interested in you and how you react, not in what you can hide behind.

Why do I have to sing in my audition?

There is a strong emphasis placed on singing at Toi Whakaari. As a bi-cultural school, students and staff learn a repertoire of traditional songs in te reo, usually sung in powhiri, to welcome visitors, celebrate an occasion etc. All students go to repertoire singing classes every week as one of their core subjects and learn a wide range of songs, mostly in four parts. This is taught by Jane Keller, who also trains the second year actors for the annual cabaret show towards the end of the year, in which each student is required to sing solo as well as with the group, cabaret style. As far as playing musical instruments goes, students have plenty of opportunities to demonstrate and pursue their expertise in this area.

Any particular type of song I should prepare?

No, but choose something you enjoy singing and remember it must be sung unaccompanied.

Who will be on the audition panel?

Usually two senior members of Toi Whakaari's acting department, plus one representative of the theatre profession in each centre.

I'm currently overseas and wish to audition by video. Is this possible?

Yes, although it is not ideal as it means there is no interaction between you, other auditionees and the panel - an important element of the selection process.

Make sure your video is New Zealand compatible.

If you are recalled on the basis of your initial video audition, you absolutely must be able to come to the recall weekend.

How many people audition and how many are accepted?

We receive around 200 acting applications and everyone gets an audition. We select around 40 for the recall weekend and up to 20 for the first year intake.

 

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Laurel Devenie

"At Toi Whakaari we celebrate both an ensemble spirit and individual ambition. You make the choices and together we will work to develop your career."

Miranda Harcourt

Acting Graduate 1984
Past Head of Acting, Toi Whakaari

 

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