All this month we will be exploring questions, concerns, and recommendations for high school juniors and seniors looking down the runway at high school graduation and all that lies beyond.
Check out the first post in this month’s college series here.
The B.A. in Theatre
Many students will be served just as well, if not better, by pursuing their undergraduate degree in a liberal arts theatre program, rather than a conservatory. The B.A. in Theatre has many advantages, not the least of which being its breadth of study. You will graduate as a general theatre practitioner, which allows you a great deal of flexibility in your future paths. And trust me, there are many future paths for you.
It is not unusual for people to change careers multiple times these days; you’ve probably heard that before. As a general theatre practitioner, you’ll be well equipped to pivot within the field according to your circumstances in life. But here’s the real kicker: you may discover you don’t want to be an actor, after all. In a liberal arts theatre program, you’ll be learning all the facets of the art, which can allow you to find a lifelong passion you didn’t even know existed.
Many liberal arts programs are still demanding of a student’s time, requiring participation in the department show, or working in the shop or the running crew if not cast. You will still get to do plenty of wallowing in your art, but it will not be as hyper-focused on, say, acting as a conservatory program will be. There is a real opportunity to flourish in this environment.
The disadvantage of these programs is that you often don’t have the showcase that conservatories do. As a generalist, you many need to seek additional training outside your degree program, too. For example, you may need to take voice or dance as an elective to a Theatre Major, or even seek that training in the community outside the college or university.
I hope you are beginning to see that there are benefits to both options, and that each person is so unique that a blanket “this college is the best” recommendation simply doesn’t work. We’ll talk more about some of the other things to consider when making a college decision later this month.
Of course, there’s always the option to *shock and horror* not major in theatre at all. We’ll talk about that next week.
Need help getting your college audition package together? I offer private coaching for actors auditioning for advanced programs, such as college/university or summer programs that require an audition for admission. Contact me to schedule your sessions today.