List ways of developing a performing arts career-
• Going to Drama School
• Going to university
• Going straight into the business after college
• Finding an agent after college
For each one identify general pros and cons-
• Going to Drama School pros –
By going to Drama school you are extending the level of knowledge that you have of performing arts (Acting) and therefore you are learning new skills that could very well help you in the long run.
You are also actively building more relationships by going to Drama school which could give you some referrals and help you get jobs easier.
And finally you can put on your actors CV that you went to that Drama school and did how ever many years there. This can also help you get jobs because some Drama school have a very high skill level that you need to match to attend.
• Going to Drama School cons-
By going to Drama school you are not actually working in the business, sure you’re still in the business, but you’re not working. And if you spend 4 years in Drama school in those 4 years you could have gotten a really good role in a play or film and you could have skipped that whole process.
Adding to that Drama schools are really expensive and extremely hard to get in and even harder to get a scholarship.
• Going to university pros-
University can be better than Drama schools for those who are yet still not too sure on what they want to do. This is because university adds a wide variety of different performing arts related roles that you’ll have to study. So if you weren’t quite so sure about Acting but you’re really enjoying directing then you can switch your focus to directing.
University can give you a wide range of contacts so If you want to contact a good director, they have you covered or an actor again, they have you covered.
It is much easier and cheaper getting in to university than it is getting in to Drama schools.
• Going to university cons-
If you have made up your mind that you want to do acting, and just acting, nothing else then university is a bad pick for you because your attention is going to be divided in-between many different performing arts related subjects so you’ll not be able to give acting 100% of your attention.
• Going straight into the business after college pros-
You will get an early start unlike everyone else that went to Drama school and university. This way your making money and doing what you love straight away.
You’ll be learning all sorts of new things as you do them and so your going to have more practical experience than other people.
You’re going to be making relationships with different actors and directors directly instead of it being through others, so they can recommend you to different directors, and they could even ask for you directly in one of their next shows.
• Going straight into the business after college cons-
It will probably be a very rough start and a very rocky road for you going into the business straight away. You might get no jobs either which is always bad and so you’ll be making no money.
You won’t have many relationships that can give you a referral to different directors and theatre companies.
Depending on your skills and eagerness to work with others you’re either going to get or lose the job.
• Getting an agent after college pros-
If you’re able to get a trustworthy agent then you’re set. You’re going to be getting jobs from your agent and then your agent can refer you to people they’ve worked with before.
• Getting an agent after college cons-
You’re most likely not going to be able to get a good agent after college, at least not a trustworthy one.
From the above, add pros and cons relating to you specifically-
• Going to Drama school pro-
I get to focus on the only thing I want to do (Acting)
• Going to Drama school cons-
It is very hard and expensive to get into a drama school.
• Going to university pros-
I get to be more versatile with performing arts.
• Going to university cons-
I only want to focus on Acting
• Finding work after college pros-
It would be fun and exhilarating for a while and I would be very hyped up. I feel like I would be able to get quite a few opportunities. And I don’t have to deal with the stress of school work. I get to make money
• Finding work after college cons-
It would be exhausting after a while, I’d probably struggle with getting jobs and money would be hard.
• Getting an agent after college pros-
My agent would give me jobs.
• Getting an agent after college cons-
I have absolutely no idea how to get an agent and I probably wouldn’t care to get an agent right away.
Identify what you need to prepare for auditions/interviews-
A monologue/speech
If relevant identify alternate plans for your progression in performing arts-
Staged combat lessons
NickForstmanClarendon 