What do you need to get a career in Theatre?

I am only a Sophomore in High School but I'm thinking a lot of my college and future plans. One of my dreams is to become a dancer or actress on Broadway or something of the sort. I have been dancing for 11 years (13 by the time I graduate) and by the time I finish High School I will have four years of Drama clubs and classes and 7 school plays under my belt (small school, not much annual Productions).

However, since College is a lot of money, I don't want to study something that possibly won't get me anywhere. So I was wondering if it is almost essential to Major in Theatre or Dance in college to be in the spotlight, or at least somewhere on stage for something like Broadway. Any help at all would be great, advice would be very helpful.

What do you need to get a career in Theatre?opera music

Theatre is a collective endeavor requiring

individual achievement. A single production

may, for example, bring together the skills of

playwrights, performers, designers, and

experts in scene construction and lighting.

Theatre may be the most comprehensive of all

the arts, and the most challenging and

exciting.

While it is true that having a college degree

will not guarantee you a position in the world

of theatre (or any other field for that matter), it

is important to realize that this is the best way

to prepare yourself and to increase your

chances in the job market. Acknowledging

that there is intense competition, given the

incredible number of talented people vying for

each job, you must somehow set yourself

above the others.

A great combination is a college degree with

at least one theatre-related internship,

additional formal training or study, experience

working in the field (such as working crew on a

production, volunteering, teaching drama at a

local arts center, etc.), enthusiasm along with

a positive attitude, and perseverance.

A student concentrating in theatre arts should

emerge from the experience more

knowledgeable, confident, sensitive, and

aware of the benefits of cooperating and

sharing with others. Study in the theatre arts

offers exposure to creative dramatic

expression, primarily in front of live audiences.

It involves study of all types of artistic

performance in theaters, in educational

institutions, on TV, in movies, and outdoors.

All major aspects of performance preparation

are studied. Major areas of specialization

include: acting, directing, theatre history and

criticism, playwriting, design, theatre

technology, theatre studies (education), and

creative drama.

While many theatre majors proceed to careers

in the theatre and associated fields, their study

may also lead them to success in such fields

as teaching, arts management, public

relations, and drama therapy, to name a few.

What do you need to get a career in Theatre?opera sheet music opera theater

The first answerer provided some useful information. However, if you're aiming for a performance career, internships are of no use -- you would never put something like that on an acting resume. All an auditor wants to see from your resume is an idea of the level of professional work you've done.

I strongly recommend a college education. Upon graduating with a degree, if the performance thing doesn't pan out, you will be equipped to teach or work in some sort of arts administraion or arts management jobs, of which there are quite a few. After over 20 years of creative work [mostly onstage], I've been trying to transition into the administrative side of the arts. However, it's proving very difficult, because I never finished a degree in anything -- even though I've got arts experience up the wazoo AND have worked in a lot of administrative environs during periods where I had no arts work, employers are not willing to equate my practical experience with a piece of paper [a degree], even though I know more now than someone stepping out of college with their degree [my private studies with renowned teachers also outweigh what a college student would have experienced, but even that is not given credence].

I dropped out of college because I started getting cast in professional theatre -- frankly, I needed the money. In retrospect I could have managed to stay in school, but there you are. So I recommend you go to college -- the degree will make you marketable in one way or another.