Hi everyone
I am a male actor and I am at a crossroads.
I really enjoy acting when I do it and I’m good at it (i.e I get the leads in my high school);
But I’m not addicted to acting. My mother always comes to me when I’m playing video games and asks how I’m expecting to be a working actor one day if I don’t spend time researching acting and how to get better.
Basically, I like acting when it is placed in front of me but I don’t chase it down. I would love to have a passion for acting but it just isn’t there. I dream of being a working actor but do I have a chance if I’m lazy?
If I can’t make it I don’t know what I’ll do. I don’t know what I want to do with my life but I would love it to be acting. Is acting in cards if I don’t have a huge passion? What else could I do with my life?
@actingkid101 Your life is what you make of it, in the real world no one will “place” acting in front of you. You have to really hustle and work hard. Actor training is a process, not a result (i.e. getting the lead role). You are contradicting yourself by saying you love to be an actor but at the same time not having passion for it. You need talent, passion, drive and lots of hard work (and luck) to make it where you could make decent living out of it. What grade are you in? Do you take acting classes in your community and pursue whatever training you can get? It’s not about the lead role but the process if you want to be serious about it. If not, that’s ok, it’s better you figure out now what you want to do than waste time on doing something you are not passionate about.
Hey @actingkid101 - tough question. My advice would be not to try to choose your career right now - high school is a weird time. Students are asked to study all kinds of subjects they don’t relate to and much of the curriculum is generic as opposed to focused on one area of interest. Also high school acting success is mostly a statement on the local competition for roles, not a guarantee of a successful future. If you like Acting but don’t live for it, look for colleges that allow you to act but don’t try to pursue an Acting degree - it’s too competitive and too specific. Go somewhere where you don’t have to declare a major just yet. If you love video games, look into taking courses in computer programming or design. Feel around a little to see what else piques your interest. You’ll need to work hard at something someday, whether it’s Acting or something totally different. Give yourself time to find your passions rather than writing yourself off as a lazy actor.
Hi! I’m pretty new here, but thought I’d comment, because I understand how hard it is to make a decision without good information. My son is a junior theatre performance major (straight theatre–not MT), and some of the best advice he received early on, is that if he could imagine himself in any other career except for acting, to do it. Theatre performance is far from an easy major, but if you’re passionate about it, it’s worth it. If you’re not, then it may be best to make it a really rewarding hobby. Maybe understanding my son’s or other students’ experiences will help. My son stayed in state for school because they offered him fantastic merit and talent scholarships–his school isn’t top tier, but it’s the best in our region, up and coming, respectable, and still very demanding. In addition to the entrance audition, students are required to do a sophomore review and re-audition at the end of their third semester to continue in the program. On top of course work, scene work, and student or faculty directed shows, the students are also required to audition for the professional regional repertory theatre affiliated with his school. If they get a part, they can’t turn it down. Because he’s cast often, that means 36 hours of rehearsals (6 hours per night, 6 days a week) for the six weeks the show is in production. The kids have to schedule their lives and course work around the Rep schedule vs. the other way around. Sometimes the kids are cast in two or three shows (Rep theatre and smaller productions like student films or student directed plays) at a time. My son sleeps, eats, studies, acts, and occasionally goes out with friends. He loves it, and wouldn’t do anything else for the world, but it’s not an easy life. If you’re ready to make theatre training a major commitment, and you’re passionate about it, then do it. If you need more time to decide, take it, because it’s a big decision, and you need to be sure it’s right for you. If you’re still not sure, or you’re not willing to put in the work and effort required for success, then you may want to consider a different major and do theatre for fun. There’s nothing wrong with that! Community theatre is a wonderful and rewarding hobby. Lots of schools give non-theatre majors the opportunity to audition for shows, just for fun, or to see if it’s right for them.
Passion and drive are essential in the field for success. It is possible you could fall into a great situation but the people we know who have had a measure of success in college and beyond have had a real passion for the art. Many will tell you - if you can see yourself doing something else, do it. It is a difficult road for those doing it for a living. I agree with @sugarpiehoneybunch - you can always do it “on the side” or in your community if you want to supplement your extracurricular activity.