Anyone with a theatre degree?

[LittleMissMusical]

Theatre can still be her passion without her having to major in it. I started performing at the community and regional level at age eight and continued through my senior year of high school, and considered it a passion and a hobby. I was very fortunate to have parents who supported my love of music and theatre growing up, but also taught me to be realistic. The chance of getting the job that I wanted in that field was slim, regardless of the fact that I had been in over 30 shows and taken lessons most of my life. I grew up accustomed to living in a nice house and going on vacations with my family multiple times a year, and if I wanted to grow up and live life like I was accustomed, I needed a good job. My dad told me that if theatre was my "dream" then I had to take the initiative, and I had to fund it myself. I am now a sophomore marketing major in Nashville, TN. I sing in two choirs and get a good chunk of scholarship money for just participating in the music program. last spring I got perform in a musical and I have had the opportunity to be an extra (a paid position) on ABCs Nashville. Just because I am not a theatre major does not mean I have to give it up all together, and with the 96% placement rate for business students at my school, I know I'll have the opportunity to interview for, and hopefully get, a high paying job in my field. Do I still dream that one day I could perform on Broadway? Sure I do, as unrealistic as it is. But am I unhappy with my degree plan? Not at all, I actually found something besides theatre that I'm good at and that I know I can succeed with.

 

[Princess Mulan]

My advice to a potential theater major is the same I would give any student in any field: Learn to think critically and analytically, and learn to communicate effectively.

As any of us who have worked for awhile know, jobs can disappear in an instant. Entire companies and entire career fields can become obsolete. So it is important to be able to adapt and to have skills that translate into any field.

 

[mnrose]

Are we raising the same kid? My D is also 14 and also LOVES theater. She is passionate about nothing else...although her theater interest is as a full "triple threat" (acting, singing, dancing). She is already looking at which schools to attend for college. She is looking to attend an arts intensive high school her jr and sr years of high school. She tries out for everything and anything having to do with theater. She also does a musical theater studio after school and on weekends.

From the beginning, I've told her it's a long shot, but to follow her dreams. She claims, as a teenager, she'd rather be poor and happy, than rich and unfulfilled. I think she is right. She has said more than once that she feels ALIVE on the stage...like nowhere else. What is interesting is that she is otherwise a shy person....you'd never know it to see her on stage. LOL!

She also knows that she would be wise to keep her options open. She is JUST 14. Heck, I changed my mind about career and aspirations about a dozen times between 14 and college graduation, when I finally decided on law school (which wasn't even on my radar until my last year of college).

Parents are meant to support their children's dreams. It is not my job to quash her dreams at such a young age. If I thought she was being unrealistic, I'd gently guide her toward a realistic view....which includes having a college degree so she has options. Going straight from high school to a career is very very unlikely! Otherwise, there is no harm in dreaming, and dreaming big. Just my view.

 

[mnrose]

My advice to a potential theater major is the same I would give any student in any field: Learn to think critically and analytically, and learn to communicate effectively.

As any of us who have worked for awhile know, jobs can disappear in an instant. Entire companies and entire career fields can become obsolete. So it is important to be able to adapt and to have skills that translate into any field.

Yup. This is what I say to my kids. The world looks VASTLY different now than it did when I was 20. I can only imagine how it will look in another 30 years. Who can predict with any accuracy whatsoever what will and will not be possible career choices? Learn how to learn. Learn how to be a critical thinker. Learn to write, and write well. Theater majors will have in spades the ability to respond orally to any question....a job interview is just another audition. But, the other things are skills they should also work to improve.

 

[minkydog]

I think what she does with her theater degree depends a lot on her drive and motivation.

What killed my desire to to pursue a career in theater was my first three years after graduating...working many hours a day, mostly into the evenings and only having Mondays off, with no vacations, burned me out. I like my 9-5 Mon-Fri. two+ weeks vacation a year with 401k and paid healthplan.

........ and willingness to go where the work is.

I totally agree. I was not a theater major, but my cousin was. She and her DH both majored in theater. She found out right quick that she needed to work at a steady, stable job, what she calls "the non-starvation side of theater". She now teaches Theater at Rutgers. Her DH works in NYC, Chicago, and LA in various theater, TV, and commercial endeavors. It's not easy for them. He is on the road, away from home for weeks sometimes. When SAG goes on strike, he's out of a job.

DD21 planned to major in theater. She got into a theater program at a good college with great theater/TV connections. She was really excited about it, until she actually got there. What she found out is that although she had been a big fish at her HS, college theater was full of big fish and she was just one of a very competitive crowd. DD realized that she didn't really have the drive to make it in that field. College theater was very different from HS theater for her. Ultimately, she opted to go to tech school where she is set to graduate in May with an AS in culinary arts. Interestingly, she uses theater and art quite a lot in various competitions and other coursework.

Good luck to your DD. High school is a time to try new things. I hope theater arts give her great pleasure and whether she ends up majoring in theater or not, she will always be able to use those skills in her life.

 

[tar heel]

I would never tell my children what to major in, and I'll pay the same amount toward an arts degree as I would for one in engineering. I don't want my kids to be 40 and miserable b/c they didn't try to do what they are really passionate about. My youngest is a junior theatre double major and my middle child has a BFA in studio art. They are talented, creative and extremely passionate about what they do, and there are plenty of companies that value those skills. They also have/will have degrees from good/outstanding universities.

 

[disneydee6]

I have many friends who pursued theatre. One is successfully acting in plays in NYC, I know two who worked for disney (one at disney cruise still), Another is an usher. A good amount of theatre majors I know double majored or had a minor. I would encourage her to pursue her dreams, but it's a competitive field. If she's willing to do the work and time, then why not?

I will say, when it came to my degree, I also entered a very competitive field. The only real way for me to get a job was to move and get an advanced degree. She has to be absolutely willing to do what it takes if she has a passion for it.

 

[Colleen27]

I would encourage you to support her in following her dreams. You don't want to be the one she blames for not trying to do what she really wants to do. Who's to say she can't be successful?

Both of my kids want to persue Fine arts degrees. My husband said that it is fine. They just need to get a college degree.

My husbands opionion is that most jobs want a college degree. It doesn't matter what it is. He is in the computer/ management field. He said that most people working for him do not have computer or buisness degrees.

That's my feeling as well. I'm currently back in school at 35, getting the degree my mom strongly discouraged when I was 18, and I know I may never work full-time in my major field (journalism). But the degree is still worthwhile because 1) it is helping me develop skills and confidence I can use in a freelance capacity and 2) the jobs I'm most interested in locally want to see any degree or a non-specific English-related or liberal arts degree. So it will open doors regardless of the limits on major-specific job opportunities.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

My niece was the same way. She talked her parents into the theater of Arts college I think it's called in Phila. She is 40 still paying student loans, way behind on them, and not working in the field. She finds local theater work, volunteer. Her jobs are usually customer service and food industry.

 

[disney212]

I work with folks who have degrees in history, teaching, nursing, French, theatre, English and business; several have advanced degrees. It is a financial services firm. My company likes a diverse background and is always voted a best to work for winner. My latest VP doesn't have a degree at all. He has worked his way up through the ranks, one of the VP's used to be a secretary so anything is possible with hard work.

Your degree doesn't always determine where you end up.