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The way to stardom
Many thousands have applied over the years but only a few have been able to gain admission to study at the Shanghai Theater Academy -- "the cradle of movie stars."
It's a lifestyle that is the fantasy of thousands of youngsters and earlier this month some 2,000 of them were at the Shanghai Theater Academy -- "the cradle of movie stars" -- hoping to turn the fantasy into reality. "This year, more than 2,000 students from all over the country are competing for only 50 places in the academy's most keenly sought-after school -- the Acting Department," says Wu Aili, an admissions official with the academy. "Their young restless hearts sincerely believe that a successful application for admission to the department will be where their dreams take off." Shen Yuwen, 18, is an eye-catching applicant because of her energy and outgoing demeanour. Studying at a Shanghai technical school, Shen looks much more fashionable than her peers with her stylish make-up of liquid lipstick and eye shadow. But, if applicants want to impress the professors, they have to wear their natural look -- cosmetics are not allowed at the entrance interviews and examination. "To be frank, a big attraction for me to become an actress is the dazzling on-stage finery I can wear," Shen says with a chuckle, her eyes glittering with excitement and expectation. "Imagining a versatile me clad in different costumes is so exciting and cool." Her words produce a forced smile from her mother, Gu Baoyu. "Actually I'd rather my daughter would be admitted to a comprehensive university," the 40-something mother says with a frown, exhibiting a traditional bias against acting. "An acting career is not very stable and secure. But it is my daughter's dream and at least I should support her to have a try." The applicants include some who have had several years' work experience. Though they left the campus years ago, they confess that the lower academic requirements for art majors was the impetus for their application. "I decided on applying just one month ago, after a friend's encouragement," says Zhou Weijie, a handsome 20-year-old who works in a local branch of Intel. "I have had little time to prepare for the examination and even missed the pre-training classes. But the fun of life is the countless new challenges it presents, isn't it?" And a fellow worker, also competing for a place in the Acting Department, is Song Wenyi, a sweet-looking young woman who doesn't conceal her ambition to enjoy the rewards of stardom once she achieves fame as an actress. "I'm eager to change my future," says Song, whose only previous performing experience was at a company party. When a by-stander compliments her saying she looks a little like Taiwanese singer Evonne Hsu, Song smiles happily. From March 12 to 18, the entrance exam was divided into three rounds, each lasting two days. The first round included recitation and performing, singing and a "body language" test (dancing, martial arts or gymnastics). The main difficulties applicants faced in the second and third rounds were probably recitation and an impromptu performance where examiners gave the students a role and called on them to improvise. "A pretty face and good bearing, known as the 'hardware,' always come in first place when deciding who is to be eliminated," says Fan Yisong, associate professor teaching the academy's acting performance classes and a jury member for the entrance examination. "Yet this competition is not a beauty contest -- acting skills, imagination, intelligence, passion and personality also count." Unlike general college entrance exams, the three rounds of tests depend largely on the examiners' impressions of each student, a sore point with many of the applicants. "To create a fair appraisal environment, about 10 experienced teachers will comprise the jury," says Zhang Shengquan, an official at the academy. "The final score will take each juror's comment into account and represent a comprehensive judgment of the examinee's competence." However, even gaining a provisional admission after third round doesn't guarantee final admission to the academy. The students are required to participate in the nationwide college entrance exams to be held in June and must achieve a certain mark stipulated by the academy to be accepted. If the student is lucky enough to be finally admitted, he or she will have to pay an annual tuition of about 10,000 yuan (US$1,200) for accommodation, teaching materials, attending performances and regular daily expenses. The total cost for the four-year study may even reach 100,000 yuan. "It's a big sum for an ordinary family like ours," says a mother who had accompanied her son from Sichuan Province and who declined to give her name. "We have spent several thousand yuan on travel and accommodation. What we're expecting is a profitable return after the studying at the academy. You know, high cost, high returns." However, the cruel reality is a lot of students will remain unknown even if they gain admission after surviving the fierce competition for places as well as paying expensive university fees for four years. "An actor achieves success usually when preparation meets opportunity," explains Zhang Shengquan, another official at the academy. "On average, only about one-sixth of all graduates will achieve fame. The applicants should be clear that the career path they are choosing will be a tough road and will never be as brilliant as they think it looks." Li Chao, a senior student in the academy's Acting Department, agrees. He has just successfully played a killer with multiple personalities in a play which was the department's graduation drama. The production was adapted from British scriptwriter Ben Elton's play "Popcorn" which won the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. "I plan to become a professional dramatic actor after graduation," Li says. "It's a long way to go before one can become a good actor, as expertise is not the only thing one needs. A solid cultural background, extensive general knowledge as well as a deeper understanding of life are also essential." Fan Yisong, one of Li's teachers, says: "No matter which career the students
finally choose to follow, they will find that their skills in communication,
self-expression and creativity have been greatly improved on campus and that is
a more considerable return of the major than money or fame."
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