Providing more than just acting classes, a 4-year bachelor’s degree in theater includes courses in all major aspects of performance and production, such as acting, directing, theater history, play writing, production design, costume design, makeup and theater technology. Actors are professional entertainers who play a role in a play, movie, or television show. While many aspiring actors have visions of becoming a star, the day to day grind isn’t quite as glamorous. Actors read at auditions, competing with hundreds or thousands of performers, and many find work behind the scenes as extras or in one-line guest roles.
As stars of both stage and screen know all too well, they are never more exposed than when performing on stage. The power of theatre lies in its capacity to connect the audience directly with the onstage actors through a single shared experience. Success here can make or break an actor’s reputation. While earning a degree may help you develop your craft and prepare you for a career as a working actor, there is more than one way to become successful in this role, and that’s part of what makes it so difficult. It’s a competitive field, where people face a lot of rejection, low paying work, and irregular scheduling. Education—in any form—pays off here, as even beginner actors are expected to know the industry basics, from auditioning to being in front of a camera.
