An Actor Prepares- Get Megan to The Actor's Program

Kia Ora friends and whānau,

My name is Megan Goldsman and I’ve just been accepted into The Actors Program! The Actors' Program is a one-year intensive, industry-related course where I get the chance to be tutored in performing arts by professional practitioners and potential employers currently working in the New Zealand stage and screen industry. A prestigious and exclusive course, there are only 16 spaces in The Actors Program every year and I’m lucky enough to have been offered a place for the 2020 intake.

Accepting my place in this program will mean that I will need to pay my tuition fees in full in advance of me starting the program, and moving to Auckland. Any and all donations that I receive through this page will go directly towards funding my tuition fees and relocating to Auckland.

More About Me:

I'm a 24-year-old performer hailing from Hamilton in the mighty Waikato! My love of drama stretches back to morning teas on the playground with my friends, playing out elaborate imagined stories for hours on end. Since then many things have changed, but that passion remains as bright and strong as it did all those years ago. I have since completed both a Bachelor of Music (majoring in Classical Singing) and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (in Theatre Studies), from the University of Waikato, and have had the absolute joy of being a part of so many local theatre productions throughout the years (with highlights being Caress/Ache with Carving in Ice Theatre, Oliver with Hamilton Operatic Society, and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe with Stories and More).

The Journey so far:

After 2 rounds of auditions, including one of the most intensive, inspiring (and physically exhausting!) weekends of my life, I am so thrilled and honoured to be selected as one of 16 to attend The Actors Program next year! This course is unique in that the program has a 50/50 focus on both theatre and film, and that all tutors are currently working in the profession, making this one of the most relevant and up-to-date training programs around! There are no written essays, assignments, or assessments-everything works towards performance craft!

With classes in Voice, Movement, and Acting Technique throughout the week, and film and theatre performances across the year, my time on the program will shape me as an actor and person in ways I cannot even begin to imagine! But before I begin my training, there is something that I need your help with. Due to the practical nature of the course, The Actor's Program stands as an independent organisation, unaffiliated with academic authority. Because of this, the program is not eligible for student loans, and I will have to privately fund my studies. Another added financial challenge for me is that in coming from Hamilton, I will need to also need to fund accomodation in Auckland for a year. Now, I've been doing the mahi, and I'm proud to say I've saved a significant contribution towards this, but realistically I've still got a long way to go in order to be able to survive living a year in the city.

I need your help to get to Auckland and complete my studies! The Actor's Program is the next step on my path towards pursing a career in the acting industry, both in New Zealand and abroad. Anything you are able to give will be so appreciated. You are a part of my journey, and I am so grateful for your support! See you on the screen!