Complaint Review: International Performing Arts Showcase

What can I say about Showcase Hollywood? Well, for starters, I am not the first person to write a complaint about IPAS. I suppose I will start from the beginning, when I graduated from Barbizon in NYC in the beginning of 2014.

After the Barbizon graduation, all the alumni are invited to audition for Showcase. I was selected, among hundreds of others across the USA. Once selected, my mother was blackmailed into paying a good couple thousand dollars RIGHT on the spot. She was not fully informed about everything in the program, and as a supportive mother of a model, actress, and rapper int the making, she pulled out her debit card and I was sent on my way to begin the 8 month training classes. 

During these training classes, they force acting on you, whether you are interested or not. I enjoy acting, so I didn't have a problem with it. However, I was very upset that they hindered me and would not let me perform as a rap artist, and I wasn't tall enough to do high fashion modeling. The classes were lame as hell. Every week we did the same thing. I actually skipped a lot of the classes (which took place at the Barbizon school), because every day we did the same thing. The scripts that we used for our acting were short and I was able to learn all my lines from home. The classes were unnecessary, unless I wanted to practice my runway walk. It got to the point where the classes were SO boring and pathetic that I had to get drunk before coming in because it was THAT bad, but I didn't want to disappoint my family so I would pop up, run through my lines, walk the runway, take a few pictures and go back to Harlem where I would stay with my boyfriend. I was somewhat discouraged, but hey, things had to be better in LA, right? I mean, this was supposed to be my big break! I had no doubts about getting signed to a talent agency in Los Angeles. Especially after my father invested over $10,000 in all of this.

The BEST part about Showcase is that you get to go to Los Angeles and enjoy the beautiful weather and the luxury hotel you are required to stay in. The excitement of fulfilling your dream is another good thing. However, when I signed up and went to the first seminar on my first full day, I was extremely disappointed. It was basically this acting agent gloating about his career and how amazing he was, and he wasn't giving us any information that we didn't already know. His main purpose was to promote his stupid a*s book and make MORE money off of us. I wasn't falling for it. Since I didn't have any auditions that day, I hit the town and hung out with some cool locals and had a blast. California is the bomb. But Showcase? Not so much.

The next three days, I busted my a**. My acting and modeling was top notch. I looked around at all the supposed "talent" and, not to sound cocky, but I was the best. I wasn't even nervous and didn't doubt myself for one second. However, all the events taking place at the venue were COMPLETE CHAOS. None of the STAFF even knew what they were talking about!! At one point they had us all running around the ballroom clapping and dancing and waving our hands around looking like complete idiots, just so they could film it and make a video in attempts to make MORE money off of us. There was no order in anything that went on, and regardless of the fact we all had contestant numbers, everything about Showcase was extremely disorganized. I started having anxiety attacks and couldn't wait for this to end.

Finally, Sunday came. It was callback day. I was so sure of myself and knew that I would get a callback. Well, I guess the judges really weren't paying attention at all, because they called everyone in my group except for me. For example, my number was 3118. And so they called, "3114, 3115, 3116, 3117.....3119!" So, 3118 didn't exist to them, I suppose.

Meanwhile, one of the younger girls I trained with in New York was at Hollywood Showcase for the SECOND time. I don't know how her parents could even afford to do this TWICE without realizing what a big scam it was. She didn't get a callback either. And she was sobbing, as I consoled her, along with everyone else who didn't get chosen ands was crying. Except for me. I didn't shed a single tear. I knew exactly what they were trying to get us to do - PAY THEM AGAIN & START ALL OVER and have "better luck next time" because they automatically assume who's rich or whatever. The most ridiculous part about callback day was that they had all the "winners" leave the room and then had all the losers (who were crying and disoriented) get on stage in front of everyone while one of the judges had us do stupid exercises to try and raise our confidence level. How pathetic is that? I remember I slipped out of there to do my makeup and change, because I still had a chance to introduce myself to some agents.

And as for the people who did get callbacks - they were ALL little kids, the singers and dancers, and then the super tall wannabe high fashion models. A lot of them were ugly as crap. And regardless of whether you get a callback or not, only 2% of the people who came to LA really make something of themselves.

Before leaving the hotel, EVERYONE was scattered around on about 40 something different lines trying to meet all the agents. Another CHAOTIC MESS, which is why nobody is going to make it, even if they got a callback. And so, after working so hard and fighting to make it at the top, I look online and what do you know?? It's all a big pathetic scam.

But hey, you live and you learn. And I did get an experience out of it. It's something to put on my resume, and I am not giving up on my dreams. I might actually be modeling shoes next week :) 

My best tip for young aspiring models, actors, dancers, singers, etc. - Seek out agents and market YOURSELF. Work hard and never give up! Don't let these ridiculous money hungry fools try to market your craft FOR YOU, because anyone is capable of doing the homework themselves and making their dreams come true!

Thanks for reading, and be sure to stay away from Hollywood Showcase, or anything of a similar nature, for that matter. If someone really is interested in you, THEY will be the ones paying YOU.

I still wish they let me rap instead of doing that stupid Olay body wash commercial. But there's still open auditions at the Apollo theatre in March right in Harlem, NYC. And guess what?? You don't have to pay a dime ;)