What am I doing? Where am I heading?

Since being faced with the dry spell I am currently in, I have been trying to focus my acting goals by asking myself what I actually want from my artistic career. I was never too concerned with what my specific goal was before throwing myself into post-college theater.

In retrospect that was probably fuck-all stupid.

I knew I wanted to act. In theater. That was all. Since moving to Chicago, I have felt like a total theater traditionalist and prude. I have realized how little interest I have in edgy new works or divised theater pieces. It is mainly because when I see or read new plays they have often been shit.

Which is a horrid generalization I know, but out of all the plays I have seen in Chicago they have all been new works. Only 3 of the 10 I've seen have been good.

Not fun odds for an audience member or actor. (And we wont mention the ones I've auditioned for and, thus, read. It's too painful.)

So anyway, I am trying to decide what I particularly want from my acting career to see if I am heading in the right direction. Due to my classic predilections when it comes to theater I've been reconsidering my attitude towards returning to school for a more intensive and, honestly, non-American acting eduction.

Schools across the pond seem, from the outsider's perspective, to be more firmly grounded in the classics and aware of their importance to present day creativity. Besides the fact that there are more hoops to jump through when applying to Irish and British schools, I have other reasons for hesitating.
 I should not go back to school if it is merely in hopes of getting connections and creating a better environment after finishing the program.

I should go to school for the training. Pure and simple.

Too many people focus on schools/studios that have the biggest names in the business or have this connection to that theater company. But that isn't a good enough reason to spend a small fortune.

Being prestigious does not guarantee quality classes or that you will connect with their method of teaching.

Therefore, I am going to take a hard look at the programs across the pond and maybe try out a shorter 10 week course before committing to years of my life.

If anyone out there has any tips on acting & programs in the Anglo-Celtic Isles, I'd love to hear whatever you've got! Or anything acting related for that matter!

-B