TCTC is pleased to announce that the dates of the 2010 LAMDA exams have been confirmed and that Christopher Marlow, LAMDA examiner, will arrive in Texas on April 22. During April 23 and 24, Mr. Marlow will hear candidates in solo acting, duo acting, group acting, choral speaking, speaking verse and prose, solo musical theater, duo musical theater, and reading for performance.
Candidates who wish to share their prepared pieces with the public will have the opportunity to do so on Saturday, April 17, following the conclusion of Acting Conservatory showcases by the Act One class and the Act Two musical theater class. These presentations, held in the Rogers Theatre, are available at no charge. The event will begin at 10 a.m.
2010 candidates include Suzanne Alford, Jonathan Baggs, Brianna Beard, Scott Borgert, Haleigh Bowdin, Elise Bower, Hannah Bower, Cassie Burchfield, LeeAnna Burgdorf, Katie Cargill, Ryan Cargill, Ryan Castner, Kailey Cotter, Madelynn Crow, Emily George, Abigail Greene, Matthew Goode, Hannah Jacobsen, Kerron James, Hannah Johnson, AnneMarie Jones, Zane Liston, Kayce Loveless, Byron Matlock, Caleb Matlock, Joshua Matlock, Lisa Morgan, Justin Purser, Lexie Rains, Hunter Regian, Brooke Rhodus, Kendall Rhodus, Hannah Root, Robin Root, Alec Runge, Julia Runge, Katie Simms, McKenna Simpson, Jordan Smith, Linda Stamper, Timber Stamper, Hannah Staples, Nathan Steele, Hilary Umholz, JJ VanDeventer, Abigail Vidal, and Evan Wilson.
Thank you for your interest in the examinations by the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) that will be offered in the spring of 2010 at Tyler Civic Theatre Center, 400 Rose Park Drive, Tyler, Texas, USA (TCTC).
The precise dates of the examiner’s visit will depend upon the number of candidates to be examined and the examiner’s travel schedule. Tentatively, the examinations will be held in late April. While an examination itself may vary from five to eight minutes, for a child, to 25 minutes, for an experienced adult presenting a monologue or public speech, the examination schedule itself is pre-set and strictly observed. You should plan to arrive at the examination site no fewer than 30 minutes before your scheduled examination time.
Following your presentations, the examiner will give you brief verbal comments. You will receive, within two months, a lengthy written evaluation and a specific numerical score stating whether you passed with distinction, passed with merit, passed, or failed.
You may opt to be coached by TCTC staff or choose self-coaching. This is strictly your choice, based on factors such as your schedule and how far from Tyler you live. Being coached in no way guarantees that you will pass the examination. The examiner is not told who has been coached and who was self-coached.
If you choose to be coached, you and your coach will arrange, at your mutual convenience, six sessions between January and mid-April 2010. Coaching is not available on weekends, so if you choose coaching, you should live within a reasonable driving distance of Tyler and be able to reach the theater during weekdays. Coaching will include choice of material and development of that material.
If you choose self-coaching, you will have a conference with one of TCTC’s staff to review pertinent materials, all of which you will be given to take with you. These will include LAMDA standards, options you have for appropriate choices of presentation, and specific resources to locate presentation materials. You will be expected, by a date certain, to inform TCTC which level you wish to attempt and in what category (prose, poetry, devise, public speaking, musical theater, etc.) you wish to be listed.
Candidates are urged to be realistic in choosing goals and presentation materials. The material should be challenging, but not impossible to master, based on the candidate’s skill and experience. The various levels set by LAMDA will be thoroughly explained to both coached and non-coached candidates.
All candidates will be expected to comply with LAMDA rules and procedures, which are clearly set forth in written materials that will be distributed.
The minimum age for a child to be a candidate is six years. A child is encouraged to bring a favorite toy, game, or book to the examination so he or she can chat with the examiner.
There is no maximum age for a candidate. TCTC’s facilities are ADA-compliant for physical access. Upon prior notification, TCTC can arrange for ASL signing, but the signer’s fee is the responsibility of the candidate requesting signing.
Candidates are requested to dress in black and use only one physical prop, as needed. The examination will be in a room, not onstage, and two benches and a table will be furnished. You are expected to furnish a photocopy of your text to the examiner as you enter the room.
No persons except you, the examiner, and anyone with whom you may present a duologue will be permitted in the examination room during your presentation. Each member in a duologue presents a monologue as his or her second piece. Musical theater candidates may have a person accompanying them, but the accompanist must leave the examination room after playing. An alternate accompaniment is pre-recorded music.
The 2010 examination fees to take the examination at TCTC depend on whether you are or were a TCTC student in 2009/2010. “TCTC student” is defined as a person enrolled between August 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010, in an Acting Conservatory class (including one-on-one audition preparation tutoring) or a workshop offered by the TCTC education program including, but not limited to, adult acting, technical skills, and stage combat. A non-TCTC student must include $75 with his or her application.
Payment from candidates is due no later than February 15, 2010. Payment may be made in two ways:
- if you come to the theater and present a Visa® or MasterCard®, you may pay by credit card or by personal check
- if you mail payment to the theater at 400 Rose Park Drive, Tyler, TX 75702, you may pay by check.
You may complete (but not save) an online candidate application form by clicking here. All application forms and payment must be received by February 15, 2010.
For further questions, please contact education director DeAnna Hargrove at 1-903-593-7827 or write to info@tylercivictheatre.com.
Results of the 2009 LAMDA exams were revealed on July 18 during a presentation ceremony in the Rogers Theatre. The event was managed by Katie Marchant, TCTC’s summer intern sponsored by the Texas Nonprofit Theatre Association.
Helen Williams, the examiner sent to Tyler in May by the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, had already given her rating to four group acting teams at level 2 intermediate, grade 5, all four of which passed with distinction. These four teams, all members of the 2009 U.K. Troupe, and their Troupe colleagues will enjoy an all-day workshop at LAMDA next month in London during their trip there to present The Mark Twain Show.
The results distributed on Saturday furnished the passing candidates with their individual results. Each person who passed received a certificate and a detailed written critique with numerical ratings in the candidate’s interpretation, technique, and knowledge.
Out of 100 possible points, the three passing rates are 50-64 points, pass; 65-79 points, pass with merit; and 80-100 points, pass with distinction. The Texas candidates who passed ranged in numerical ratings from 60 through 96. Three candidates received bronze medals, and two candidates earned gold medals.
The candidates and their areas of endeavor included:
Zoe Anderson - solo acting, level 2 intermediate, grade 4 - pass with distinction
Danielle Benton - musical theater for the actor/singer, level 1 foundation, grade 1 - pass with distinction
LeeAnna Burgdorf - solo acting, level 1 foundation, grade 3 - pass with distinction
Conner Campbell - solo acting, level 1 foundation, grade 1 - pass with distinction
Ryan Castner - solo acting, level 1 foundation, grade 3 - pass with merit
Callie Crozier - solo acting, level 1 foundation, grade 3 - pass
Scharlanne Crozier - public speaking level 3 advanced, grade 6 bronze medal - pass
Randal Daud - solo acting, level 3 advanced, grade 8 gold medal - pass with merit
Mackenzie Fowler - solo acting, level 1 foundation, grade 3 - pass with distinction
Andrew Goodwin - public speaking, level 3 advanced, grade 6 bronze medal - pass with merit
DeAnna Hargrove - solo mime, level 5 - pass with distinction
DeAnna Hargrove - solo devised performance, level 5 - pass with distinction
Dillon Hill - solo acting, solo acting, level 1 foundation, grade 1 - pass
AnnaMarie Jones - musical theater for the actor/singer, entry level - pass with distinction
Kirby Lemon - solo acting, level 1 foundation, grade 1 - pass
Kimberlee Martin - musical theater for the actor/singer, level 2 intermediate, grade 5 - pass with distinction
Jessica Purser - solo acting, level 1 foundation, grade 3 - pass with distinction
Justin Purser - solo acting, level 2 intermediate, grade 4 - pass with distinction
Lexie Rains - solo acting performance, level 1 foundation, grade 3: pass with merit
Lexie Rains - musical theater for the actor/singer, level 1 foundation, grade 1 - pass with distinction
Hunter Regian - musical theater for the actor/singer, level 2 intermediate, grade 5 - pass with distinction
Hunter Regian - solo acting, level 2 intermediate, grade 4 - pass with distinction
Hannah Root - solo acting, level 2 intermediate, grade 4 - pass with distinction
Austin Sheridan - solo acting, level 2 intermediate, grade 5 - pass with merit
Nathan Steele -solo acting, level 1 foundation, grade 1 - pass with merit
James Svetlik - solo acting, level 3 advanced, grade 6 bronze medal - pass with merit
JJ VanDeventer - musical theater for the actor/singer, level 1 foundation, grade 1 - pass with distinction
Sam Walker - public speaking, level 3 advanced, grade 6 bronze medal - pass with distinction
Frances Whiteside - solo acting, level 3 advanced, grade 8 gold medal - pass with distinction
To learn more about LAMDA examinations, visit http://www.lamda.org.uk/exams/index.htm. The 2010 exams in Tyler have been scheduled for next April. Application information will be posted in the autumn.
