Theater major

[Jaynerita]

My daughter is interested in majoring in Theater in college. As parents, we are having a hard time with this as we are not sure what kind of future it holds. Any theater majors out there who can offer us some kind of encouragement??

 

[wendy46001]

As i was not a theater major i don’t know how much relief i can give...but i was an anthropology major...(I know right now your going what)....My parents had the same thoughts...what on earth are you going to do with that....Well...fast fwd...I've turned it into a wonderful career that i couldn’t be happier with....If you have real worries...have her agree to take one or two business classes...(easy to do the first few years)...that way she can always minor in business....But college is a place where we find what is needed in life...weather it be in theater or anywhere else....best of luck to you both…

 

[freckles and boo]

I have a B.S. and an M.F.A. in theatre, as does my husband. Our degrees, however, are in design and production. The skills we acquired as designers are easily adapted to many parallel careers and we have done quite well. If she wants to act, I would be nervous unless she is very, very talented. Even if she is very good, brilliant actors are a dime a dozen. That doesn't mean she can't make it, but it is very hard. Many actors end up essentially acting as a hobby and having the infamous day job to get by. One thing that actors do learn in school is how to present themselves and communicate, which are great skills for any career. Do not be too worried yet, she may surprise you

PS If she wants to stay employed, tell her to look into stage management. Good stage managers are worth their weight in gold.

 

[Jaynerita]

Thanks so much for your input. We want her to be happy but also would like to see her employed!! I think we need to visit more colleges and ask questions.

 

[Uuaww]

tell her to minor in business, that basically opens a lot of doors.

 

[barkley]

i have a lower division degree in theatre (mostly because i was always fitting in at least one class and doing whatever production the college was producing each semester)-but i've know lots of folks who majored in theatre. more often than not they also did a minor in something else or double majored. many took teacher credentialing classes so they could teach theatre or public speaking in the schools-or use it to help secure employment as children's theatre staff. one friend was very successful by double majoring in theatre and buisness-he worked as an actor, but one of the more unique jobs he got (because he had both degrees) was managing stage shows on board cruiselines. the theatre experience/education gave him the insight into the artistic end, but the buisness degree gave him the edge for supervising staff, staying on budget and all of the buisness end of the job. last i heard he was quite successful in the directing and producing end of the buisness-he had a reputation for being able to stay on budget and run a very cost effective production.

honestly, the friends i've had who were successful in theatre were largly the ones on the technical end who either got their degrees in it or interned for several years with a good professional company. the ones who went into acting-a couple went to college or specialized performing arts schools, but it still ended up being a matter of being the right person with the right look at the right time (in fact one friend who went to a very well thought of performing arts college ended up leaving very early in the first year-he happened to do a community theatre production in the town the college was in, was seen by an agent and approached-he's made his living doing memorable one time character roles on sitcoms as well as a long stint on an old disney channel show-where he was in a costume that only showed about a third of his face and the rest of his body was inside a remote controlled costume-he joked it was'nt acting that got him the job it was 'because i don't get claustraphobic" ).

 

[goofy4tink]

Some terrific advice here! My 13 y/o dd is also hoping to major in theater when she gets to college. I have said pretty much the same things most of you are saying..but, since I'm 'Mom' she figures I just have no idea what I'm talking about. Forget that I've been around theater people since the mid 60's!!!! Looks like I'll have her check out this thread!!

 

[DisneydaveCT]

Like several people who have posted on this thread, I too have a degree in Theater Arts, with an emphasis on design and production management. Although I graduated in 1983, I did not get a full-time job in the performing arts until last year. I am currently the director of development (fundraiser) for a very old and respected opera company.

When I first graduated, I thought about trying to work for the Mouse in FL, but I was afraid that the escapism that WDW offers me would be lost. So I ended up following a career path that has largely involved public relations positions.

As someone mentioned, my theatre arts training has truly helped me with my career. Through my theatre arts training, I learned a sense of timing and the ability to speak in front of large groups.

My only regret? I didn't minor in some type of business skill like accounting or marketing. If my DD, who also loves the theater, wants to major in Theater when she goes to college in a few years, I will urge her to minor in business.

Good luck to the future theater majors.

 

[Simba's Mom]

My daughter is interested in majoring in Theater in college. As parents, we are having a hard time with this as we are not sure what kind of future it holds. Any theater majors out there who can offer us some kind of encouragement??

Boy, can I relate! DS isn't a theater major, but he's a jazz studies major (in the college of music). And now he's just been accepted to go forth and get his master's degree in jazz studies. When he was a junior in HS and first proposed this, I happened to be going to WDW the next week and got talking to a musician in the MK. "What was your major?" "I have a Master's Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas," even DS's school. So I'm grasping that little straw-telling myself DS'll be well-qualified for a job at the Disney theme parks (last year he was even in a college program at DL). So my suggestion is to talk to the performers around at WDW-once you discover some of them majored in Theater (I bet some did), hopefully that'll get you through.

 

[EPCOTgrl1]

I am a Theatre Major. But my major is in production. I want to be a stage manager. The only good advise that I have for any theatre person is that you should leave both sides of the craft. So Actors should talk some production classes and production people should take some acting classes. I will help you when you step out into the real world.

PS if there are any Stage Managers and you are looking to get your equity points started check out the actors equity page!

 

[SweaterInJune]

I am a theatre major at WVU and I'll graduate in December with my BFA. My focus is now in Design/Tech; however, I started as an actor here--I've also extensively studied stage management and production. I think being truly well-rounded is the only way to make a career in this industry unless you are one of the chosen few that get a lucky(or shall I say fortunate) break.

I have had amazing opportunities while in school, but I'll admit (much to my mother's amusement) I'm a bit nervous at what lies ahead. Can I find work using my skills? Absolutely... I just worry about making enough to pay the school loans back and such while still paying the rent. I hope to forge my skills(I'm also a magician-16 years!) into a career with imagineering, while still being a designer/consultant for magicians. One day, I may pursue a full-length illusion show, but I'm just as happy behind the scenes. I plan on doing the CP this spring and see where I can run from there. I don't expect anything to be handed to me, but I am confident that with hard work I can achieve my dreams.

My advice...follow your heart. You will be stressed out and miserable if you don't... If you do, you still may be stressed out, but at least you'll be passionate about your work...and passion goes a long way!

 

[juligrl]

My daughter is interested in majoring in Theater in college. As parents, we are having a hard time with this as we are not sure what kind of future it holds. Any theater majors out there who can offer us some kind of encouragement??

Maybe you could encourage her to double major in something with an actual practical application to the real world "just in case".

Some friends of ours had a daughter who majored in theater and philosophy! She is now working part-time at a crafts store and part-time at a summer camp to pay off her huge college debt which left her with no marketable skills since she failed to get into any Masters programs.

DH and I had this discussion of "what would we do if one of our daughters wanted to major in the arts..." We decided that we would require (yes, require, since we plan on footing at least part of the college bill) them to double major in a "fallback" major (i.e. dance AND Phys Ed. or Athletic Training or Physical Therapy, Music AND Education, Art or Theater AND something in which they could actually have a career and not be a starving artist).

That said there is a chance she could discover for herself that she may also wnat to pursue alternate paths.

 

[lookingforward]

I went to Emerson College in Boston and although I was a broadcast journalism major (was a radio and television reporter for seven years before I got married w/kids) a LOT of my friends were acting majors. I even worked at a talent agency right out of college in NYC. My son, 13, is a theater major at the school of the arts in West Palm Beach and loves it. A lot of my college friends are still working as actors. One is on tour with a equity play, one was just in transamerica, etc I truly believe it is survival of the fittest, those who "hang" in with dedication.

Jay Leno (who went to my college) once said that he and his wife decided very early on not to buy a house, have kids or acquire any debt when he was a young comic. When asked why he said that he knew of countless comics who were much funnier than he was who had kids, got a mortgage, etc. and then were forced to work "normal"jobs and had to give up the lesser paying comedy jobs. It killed their careers. I tell my son all the time, follow your dreams but get ready to wait tables, work crappy jobs at night, etc. I think it is character building if acting is really, truly your dream. You are only young once! And I also agree about technical theater. It is a very good profession.

GOOD LUCK to all you thespians out there!

 

[DisneyGirl421]

My parents had the same concern about me, as I wanted to do a theatre major. But we compromised, and I'm majoring in history and minoring in theatre.
But everyone esle has had some great suggestions, like minoring in business too.