Dramatic Art Entrance Exams 2024-2025
Exams for access to the Higher Degree in Dramatic Arts, Musical Theatre Itinerary 2024-2025
The necessary and effective studies to become an actor or actress are those that train you in the 3 disciplines: acting, singing and dance. But how and where can we study them?
ESAEM officially welcomes (from the year 2022 on) such Entrance Exams for the Higher Studies in Dramatic Art Musical Itinerary. Extraordinary Testsfor which we will have our own board and educational inspection they will be held at ESAEM’s facilities. from September 10th to 20th (registration deadline to be announced in July-August).
If you wish to take the Ordinary Exams, they will be held from June 25th to July 2nd, both inclusive, at the public school of Dramatic Art of Malaga (ESAD).
Here we tell you everything you need to know to access the Dual Degree in Dramatic Arts and Performing Arts offered by ESAEM, we will detail what the Official Entrance Exams consist of and how to take them.
Official Entrance Exams to Dramatic Arts
To officially opt for the Higher Studies in Dramatic Arts, Musical Itinerary, after fulfilling the requirements, you must take the Entrance Exams. Let’s go step by step to explain in the simplest way the whole process and what the tests consist of.
What are exactly the Entrance Exams for Dramatic Arts?
These Entrance Exams are a way to select those students with an aptitude for Higher Studies in Dramatic Art. We assess that they have some academic training in the analysis of dramatic works, so the tests include the completion of a text commentary of a play, previously indicated in the bases. The required readings for the text commentary are communicated each year through the website of the Consejería de Educación.
If you have previously obtained a Baccalaureate Certificate or some equivalent academic certification, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to doing this text commentary and answering the questions about the play in the written exercise.
In later sections we will detail what these tests consist of, both the theoretical part and the practical exercises.
Photography: students of the Dual Degree in Dramatic and Performing Arts ESAEM
When to register for the Dramatic Arts Entrance Exams 2024-2025?
The registration period of 2024-2025 for the Entrance Exams to Dramatic Arts, Musical Itinerary, for the Ordinary Call, are from May 1st to May 31st.
Later we will inform you about the registration dates for the Extraordinary Tests that will take place in ESAEM.
IMPORTANT: If you want to study in ESAEM you must indicate the option Higher Studies in Dramatic Arts, Musical Itinerary
You can consult all the information relevant to the tests in the BOJA.
Where must I submit my application to register for the entrance exams?
The registration application for the Ordinary Exams can be made in person (Calle Béla Bartok, 2) or electronically https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/educacion/secretariavirtual/solicitudes/ indicating “Enseñanzas Artísticas” and following all the instructions, from May 1st to May 31st.
The application for the Entrance Exams to Dramatic Arts, Musical Itinerary, in the Extraordinary Call 24/25 will be done through our mail address coordinación@esaem.com
What requirements must I meet to apply for the Dramatic Art Entrance Exams?
1. I must have already turned 18 years of age (or do it so within the calendar year in which I take the tests).
2. I must have the official approved Baccalaureate certificate, or an equivalent at this level. If I do not meet these requirements, I am required to pass the university entrance exam for those who are already 25 years old. If I still do not have this requirement, I can take and pass the maturity test organized and developed by the Consejería de Educación de la Junta de Andalucía. This test validates the two years of the Baccalaureate
What documents do I need to submit to register?
Depending on your case:
- Authenticated photocopy of the Baccalaureate Diploma or equivalent, authenticated photocopy of the certificate of passing the Maturity Test or authenticated photocopy of access to university for over 25 years old.
- Receipt of having paid the public fee (form 046) or of its exemption, if applicable.
- Authenticated photocopy of the DNI / NIE.
- PROPERLY COMPLETED APPLICATION, you can access it by clicking here.(If you have problems downloading it, write at coordination@esaem.com and we will send it to you) IMPORTANT! you must indicate the option of Higher Studies in Dramatic Art, Musical Intineraryto be able to study at ESAEM
- If in item 3 you have ticked box 3.2.b “Request for adaptation of access tests due to disability” we need you to attach : Medical or educational report referred to.
The following link shows the public fees to be paid (form 046):
These are the steps to follow:
– Fill in the data of the person obliged to pay.
– In the section General Data, you must indicate “Self-assessment”. Later, in the space to detail the concept of the payment, specify “Entrance exams to higher artistic education in Dramatic Art, Musical Interpretation”.
– The date of payment (which must be during the enrolment period).
– The amount to be paid is 36.76 €.
– Territorial Code: ED2915 (ESAD MÁLAGA).
– Payment Concept: TJ50 (For academic services).
Once everything is filled in, click on the VALIDATE tab. 3 pdf sheets will be generated: you can make the payment online or print the 3 sheets, go to the bank and make the payment.
Attach the payment receipt together with the application form and the required documentation through the virtual secretary’s office or at ESAD.
Photography: shooting by students of the Dual Degree in Dramatic Art and Performing Arts ESAEM.
Once I have successfully registered, where do I have to go to take these Entrance Exams and when?
After this period of presentation of applications, the provisional list of Admitted and Excluded Students will be published on June 4th (which will also be sent to you by email).
Allegations against this list may be submitted on June 5th and 6th.
On June 10th, the definitive lists of Admitted and Excluded students for the entrance exam will be published.
The tests in the ordinary callwhich will take place at ESAD, will be from June 25th to July 2nd (both inclusive). During this time the tests will be held on different days, the results, lists of admitted students, time for claims and final admitted students will be made public.
In case of passing this test I can only have access to these courses along the academic year for which they have been organized.These courses are valid for any of the approved schools of higher education in Spain where this degree is officially taught, provided that there are vacancies.
The student applicant may submit only one application for each line of teaching in the Extraordinary Call, being authorized to request the specific test only for one specialty.
What are the Dramatic Art Exams, Musical Theatre specialty?
Now we will detail the contents of the ordinary tests for the 2024-2025 academic year that will be held in Esad.
EXERCISE 1. DRAMATIC TEXT ANALYSIS
(maximum duration 2 hours)
First of all, you will have to analyze one of the classics of Spanish dramaturgy. Afterwards, you may be asked questions about this play, which you must have read before taking the tests. These are the 3 dramatic works that you will have to read before taking the Entrance Exams, since one of them will be chosen by draw on the day of the test:
- Six characters in search of an author, Luigi Pirandello.
- La estanquera de Vallecas, Alonso de Santos.
- As if it were tonight, Gracia Morales
As a tip To pass it successfully, focus your skills on the points that the examining board will evaluate through this exercise: your maturity and knowledge, your ability to understand concepts, your linguistic level and your ability to relate and synthesize, and one of these will be the work chosen for the commentary and to propose the questions. This exercise will have to be passed by students taking the exams in all the specialties of these teachings.
An important point to be evaluated is the level of analysis you make of the text from a theatrical perspective that considers historical, social and artistic aspects of the play. You can prepare this point specifically not only by reading the work but also by looking for authors who have contextualized it in relation to these aspects. We advise you to choose important authors, academically endorsed, do not prepare the contextualization of the work with any document you find on Internet.
Below there is an example of a Theoretical Test so that you can get an idea of the questions:
- Life and work of the author of the work to which the fragment belongs. (2.5 points)
- Context in which the work was written. (2.5 points)
- List all the main characters that appear throughout the play and their relationship to one another. (2 points)
- Analysis of the attached text. Conflict, style, character, tone, location of the fragment within the play, evolution and development of the characters that appear to reach that point and, finally, reflection on how you would deal with the staging of one of the characters. (3 points)
EXERCISE 2. PRACTICAL PART
MONOLOGUE
This test consists of the interpretation of a dramatic monologue where your expressive skills will be assessed. You cannot choose the monologue, it will be determined by the official call for entries. To choose between male and female.
FEMALE MONOLOGUE: I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, I’LL CHANGE YOU.
Libretto: Joe Dipietro. Music and lyrics: Jimmy Roberts.
ROSE:
Hello. I am Rosa Carboni. No! Ritz! Rosa Ritz. That’s right. Rosa Ritz. Yes. Carboni was my husband’s last name. But he is dead. Whoops! In fact, he’s not really dead, we’re divorced. I just prefer to think he’s dead, it cheers me up. I am divorced. Divorced, divorced. Oh, but quite divorced. Actually, I should stop talking about my divorce. My divorce was like… like having my heart removed without anesthesia. Like spreading my guts all over the floor. And no one even bothered to come and calm me down. Well, I guess this is not a very attractive thing to share with you. Okay. I bet my phone is ringing by now. Well, about me… Oh, I have just signed up for self-defense classes. It was either that or sushi classes. So I chose wrestling, that’s how I get even. And to be franker, I thought it would be a good place to meet men. Unfortunately, the class is made up entirely of divorced women, hoping to meet men. Yes, seven divorced women beating the crap out of each other, while next door twenty-five single men learn to slice sashimi. Well, at least I’m back on the market.
Oh, and I have just found a job as a telemarketer. Basically, I call people, try to sell them something and they hang up on me. It is very rewarding. Besides, they pay me shit. And between the shit they pay me and the shitty pension my husband pays me, I can’t even afford someone to take care of the kids…. Because, yes, I have children. Well, that’s not very attractive. So, video sir, I hope you don’t hate children. Even though I do. Oh, I don’t hate my children, of course not. I hate the concept of having to raise them alone after your dead husband takes off on your fortieth birthday. Oh, my God. I have just said he left me, no, it was the other way around. And moreover, do you think he left me for someone better? Nah. That’s right, I was having a mid-life crisis and he didn’t even have the decency to leave me for someone younger, prettier and firmer. He left me for a size XL with a grandchild and a broken hip. And now you’re wondering what’s going on with Rose Ritz!
And now, after fifteen years of waking up next to the same inert mass of baldness, Rose Ritz is ready and in control, even though she had to stop the car three times to puke on the way to this humiliating video shooting where there’s only a one in a thousand chance she’ll find a decent guy because she doesn’t want to be alone for the rest of her life due to her dead husband abandoning her for a lame grandmother. So he said, without warning: “I’m in love with someone else”. And he left. Then, everything stopped. My life. For three days I lay in bed crying, the world simply stopped. And yet, here I am…. on the sixth anniversary of the colapse day of my life… I’ve come here… to make Rose Ritz’s first video appointment. So… choose me, video sir, please choose me….
MALE MONOLOGUE: BARNUM THE MUSICAL.
Libretto: Mark Bramble. Music: CY Coleman. Lyrics: Michael Stewart.
BARNUM:
Go away! Out of here! I don’t want to be the candidate in four years! I want to be so now! (The two companions
leave).
Now I realize! (talking to his wife) in the six months that I have been campaigning I have deceived more people than
in all the years that I dedicated myself to the noble art of trick and spectacle. I got into politics and look how I have ended up!
Look at me, Charity! Can you see how my own colleagues have supplanted me? Was what I did before so bad? Is
the world of phenomena so bad? (looking at the sky) Charity, look at Abraham Lincoln, he had a vision! He imagined
a society of free men and the vision was so strong that they ended up in a cruel war. Can you see, Charity? In fact is this
a proof that doing tricks is the best thing I can do? Is it worse to show a white whale than to dream and convert
my dreams in lies, in wars, in social poverty? (Barnum becomes more and more irritated) I’m not good for this, Charity! I
I believe in fantasy, in illusion and not in the grey world of politics. Change the world? I will change it thanks to my gift.
(Even more irritated, almost shouting, he picks up a beaker and climbs on it) I’ll change it being who I am!
MOTION TEST
(maximum duration 3 minutes).
You will have to perform a dance exercise that you must have prepared in advance. At the time of the test you must bring a CD and pen-drive (we recommend both media in case one of them fails) with the music you are going to use to perform your exercise.
We advise you to come with a clear mind, as the board may propose body exercises for you to demonstrate your expressive abilities, your sense of rhythm, coordination and flexibility.
VOICE TEST
a) TEXT IN DRAMATIZED VERSE. You will have to present the board a text in dramatized verse, with a minimum of 8 verses and a maximum of 14.
b) TEXT READ AT FIRST SIGHT. To be provided by the board
c) BREATHING EXERCISES
d) EXERCISE OF RHYTHM AND INTONATION PROPOSED BY THE BOARD
e) EXERCISE OF VOICE PROJECTION INTO SPACE
f) SINGING EXERCISE. You will have to prepare and perform by heart a song of your choice that is part of the theatrical musical repertoire (musical theatre, operetta, zarzuela, cabaret, music-hall, etc.).
g) DANCE OR MOVEMENT EXERCISE: You can add a short choreography or movement to accompany the song chosen in the singing exercise or free choice (maximum 3 minutes).
For the tests, it is important that the applicant brings music ready to connect to a stereo system via Bluetooth or minijack.
During the performance of these practical tests, the examining board may interrupt or finish the exercises whenever they consider appropriate. As a tip to pass the practical part successfully, concentrate on the points that will be evaluated, such as vocal, interpretative and body skills.
Photography: students of the Dual Degree in Dramatic and Performing Arts ESAEM
Evaluation Criteria
The publication of the evaluation criteria depends on each board and each call for applications.
At the September 2023 Convocation they were as follows:
- EXERCISE 1
*The grade will be between 0 and 10 with two decimal places.
*All submitted sheets must be signed by the student and stamped by the centre.
*For the correction, the criteria established by the University Entrance Examinations Management Commission will be followed. Aspects such as the correct use of written language, the adequate use of specific vocabulary and the concreteness and synthesis in the exposition of ideas will be taken into account. In addition, 0.1 will be deducted for each spelling mistake. For each mistake related to punctuation, as well as for incorrect or inadequate expressions and for poor presentation or handwriting, the final grade will also be lowered. A maximum of 2 points may be deducted.
- EXERCISE 2
Interpretation
We will value the expressive and interpretative skills and the capacity of each applicant to make the text their own. Physical construction, characterization, internalization, organicity, rhythm, conflict, background, understanding of the text…
Body
We will value the expressive and corporal capacities as well as the sense of rhythm, flexibility and coordination of each applicant. The fluidity of movement, the control of space, psychomotor skills and the necessary impulse that every movement generates.
Voice
We will assess vocal, musical and interpretative skills as well as the basic concepts of breathing reflected in both the spoken and sung voice. Intonation, articulation, rhythm and vocal projection.
*The grade will be between 0 and 10 with two decimal places.
*A “No Show” in any of the tests will result in the board not being able to make an average mark between the different parts of the exercise.
Photo: Rosalía and Antonio Banderas at the 2019 ESAEM Antonio Banderas Performing Arts Awards Gala.
What to do after passing the Tests?
Once you have passed the entrance exams for the higher degree in Dramatic Art Musical Theatre itinerary, you can enroll in the school of Dramatic Art or Performing Arts of your choice. In ESAEM we offer you the option of studying AD + AE (Dramatic Art + Performing Arts) in a Dual Degree.
The ESAEM academic program thus combines official subjects from the official Dramatic Arts degree with other complementary subjects relevant to the training of any actor or actress, which will also be certified with their own diploma and are not usually found in other teaching programs. Audiovisual interpretation or other types of dance other than classical ballet, are some of the subjects that expand the academic offerings of ESAEM, so that students can address any type of format in the professional field. For example, playing a character in a fiction film, television or digital platform.
At ESAEM, Málaga Higher School of Performing Arts, you will be trained not only to obtain your degree, but also to be prepared to work in musical theatre as well as in the best audiovisual productions.
In order to make this dual degree possible, the Dramatic Arts teaching staff has been enlarged with teachers who combine their work in the classroom with professional activity in first level productions in the theatre, dance or audiovisual sector. ESAEM has a teaching staff who are working professionals, who do not only share knowledge with students, but the most qualified ones can give them their first opportunity at a professional level. At ESAEM, Dramatic Arts subjects are complemented with other different and innovative Performing Arts subjects that delight students, and encourage the best performance in class in all disciplines. The dual degree of AD + AE allows students to have an accredited higher degree and at the same time training connected to the professional world, so that production companies, television and top level companies count on our students for their projects.
In addition ESAEM, through its department of cultural management, establishes agreements with major producers of series, films, theatre, or the Film Academy so that students can enjoy professional offers in first level productions.
After passing the Entrance Exams in Dramatic Arts specializing in Musical Theatre you can enroll in ESAEM. Since the demand to study at ESAEM is very high and places are quickly sold out, in order for you to arrive in time to enroll, we will give you the opportunity to reserve your place in advance.
ESAEM offers three lines of Higher Education in Dramatic Arts, Musical Itinerary, with a total of 75 places.
If you wish to enroll in ESAEM, once you have completed the tests and obtained the grades, you simply have to send the grades obtained (via screenshot) to the email coordinacion@esaem.com or secretaria@esaem.com.
Extraordinary Call for ESAEM
In the case of not passing this Ordinary Call you already know that ESAEM has been granted a second Extraordinary Call to be held in our ESAEM facilities, fromSeptember 10th to 20th. The deadline for this application will be open in July (we will inform you later about specific dates, content, etc.).
What can I do if I do not pass the Tests?
If, in the end, the candidate does not pass this test to the Higher Artistic Studies of Dramatic Art, you will always be able to stay in Malaga with ESAEM studying the private degree “Degree in Performing Arts”.This is our own training that includes all the Dramatic Art subjects plus those of Performing Arts (dance, singing and acting). In this way, with all the training acquired during the first year, the student who begins his or her studies in the Performing Arts Degree will have a much easier time passing this test the following year.
If for any reason you do not pass the official entrance exams, ESAEM can offer you a place to enroll in the private line. It also gives you advice to inform you about the possibilities of accessing the next course to the teaching line of the official degree. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to assist you and offer you the help you need in your academic and professional career.
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