“Quite honestly I never had a desire to be an actor. I tell people, I did not choose acting; acting chose me. I never grew up wanting to be an actor. I wanted to play football. In about 9th grade an English teacher told me I had a talent to act. He said I should audition for a performing arts high school so I did on a whim. I got accepted.” PeopleShouldArtSaidPlayWantedSchoolDesireActorsActingTeacherTalentFootballGrewGrew UpHigh SchoolAcceptedHonestlyPerformingGradesAuditionsWhimPerforming ArtsEnglish Teacher Author:Ving Rhames
“I didn't go to a normal high school. It was for people in the performing arts.” PeopleArtSchoolNormalHigh SchoolPerformingPerforming Arts Author:Marla Sokoloff
“I went to really good New York City public schools that had arts programs. So in junior high, I got into the drama department. From there, I went to a performing arts high school in New York City called Laguardia and I just kind of fell into the professional side by happenstance.” KindArtSchoolSidesCitiesNew YorkDramaHigh SchoolProgramPerformingDepartmentNew York CityPublic SchoolJuniorsJunior HighPerforming ArtsHappenstance Author:Merritt Wever
“I’m very much half-American - my mom is American. I grew up in Australia until I was 16 then I finished high school over here because I got into this performing arts high school.” ArtSchoolHalfGrewMomGrew UpHigh SchoolMy MomFinishedPerformingAustraliaPerforming Arts Author:Betty Who
“I went to a high school for the performing arts and I lived and breathed music. It kept me focused; it kept me sane.” ArtSchoolHigh SchoolFocusedPerformingSanePerforming Arts Author:Beyonce Knowles
“I went to the High School for Performing Arts in New York for acting. I've studied it on and off for years and have done some theater and film.” YearsArtDoneSchoolFilmActingNew YorkHigh SchoolTheaterPerformingAnd OffPerforming Arts Author:Carole King
“I barely slept during high school because I was too busy dancing and acting all the time. The plan was to go to my dream college that had one of the best performing arts programs, and then go to LA to follow my dream of being an actress.” ArtDreamSchoolActingPlansCollegeHigh SchoolProgramDancingBusyActressesPerformingToo BusyPerforming Arts Author:Rachele Brooke Smith
“I went away to this summer program after my junior year of high school. They used to have this thing called the Governor's School, and they had it for different disciplines - science, math, performing arts. I auditioned and I got accepted, and it was an eight-week program away from home. I went for acting. I was 15, and I turned 16 while I was there, so that was a seminal moment for me. It made me realize the life of it, the discipline of it, and the joy of that discipline, where it was all we did.” YearsArtMadeDifferentMomentsHomeSchoolUsedJoyRealizingActingWeekDisciplineSummerHigh SchoolProgramEightMathAcceptedPerformingGovernorsJuniorsAway From HomePerforming ArtsJunior YearJunior Year Of High School Author:Zachary Quinto
“It was also incredibly serendipitous that I would later learn I shared a birthday with Whoop [Goldberg ]. I went on to be inspired by many other artists and forms of art, and was soon directed to a place that would help harness my experiences and develop my voice within the craft, LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts in New York City.” ArtHelpingSchoolFormArtistVoiceCitiesNew YorkHigh SchoolInspiredCraftsPerformingNew York CityHarnessBe InspiredPerforming Arts Author:Aisha Hinds
“[Larry Laurenzano] gave me a junior high school saxophone to take to high school, because I was always taking one of our school horns home to practice and I couldn't afford to buy one. He gave my friend, Tyrone, a tuba and he gave me a junior high saxophone for each of us to use at Performing Arts High School with. My audition piece was selections from Rocky. We were not sophisticated. But we had some spirit about it. We enjoyed it, and it was a way out.” WayArtUseHomeSchoolSpiritPracticePiecesHigh SchoolMy FriendsEnjoyedPerformingSophisticatedAuditionsSelectionHornsJuniorsLarrySaxophoneJunior HighPerforming ArtsHigh School JuniorTubas Author:Jon Gordon
“Families that I lived with a little bit in junior high and quite a bit in high school and college. Just to have a safe, sane space with food and things like that. That's what I needed. And people were really kind and really generous. So I think the world kind of opened up my first years of performing arts, studying classical saxophone with Caesar DiMauro.” PeopleThinkingWorldYearsFirstsKindLittlesArtSchoolBitsSpaceStudyCollegeNeededSafeLittle BitHigh SchoolPerformingGenerousSaneJuniorsSaxophoneJunior HighPerforming Arts Author:Jon Gordon
“I was finishing up at High School of Performing Arts and finally, by the end of junior year and start of senior year, made some progress as a 16 year-old classical saxophone player. But not really... not like how the legit cats do. But I love the [Jacques] Ibert, love [Alexander] Glazunov, love the [Paul] Creston.” YearsArtMadeEndsSchoolPlayerProgressHigh SchoolCatPerformingSeniorJuniorsFinishingSaxophonePerforming ArtsSenior YearJunior YearLegitFinishing Up Author:Jon Gordon
“I went to performing arts high school, and I took dance and acting every day. Then, I went to Marymount Manhattan College and I have a B.A. in acting, with a concentration in theater performance and a minor in musical theater. I studied there for three years.” YearsArtSchoolThreeActingCollegeHigh SchoolPerformancesTheaterMusicalPerformingConcentrationThree YearsMinorsManhattanPerforming ArtsMusical Theater Author:Jenna Ushkowitz
“I went to a performing arts high school, we learned Shakespeare, I did 'Fences.' When you train, you can do anything.” ArtSchoolCan DoHigh SchoolTrainPerformingFencePerforming Arts Author:Marlon Wayans