<p>Me too. (I am a regular lurker and don’t post much but I had to chime in). Especially since Culinary Arts is not a particularly easy or well paying career - my understanding is you really have to love it and be willing to put up with low pay, lousy hours, etc. Very few people become famous chefs or successful restaurant owners. Hmmm. Sounds kind of like theatre doesn’t it in terms of a guaranteed payoff?</p>
<p>What about going to college somewhere where you can major in something more practical to appease your parents (maybe business or something that is less specific than culinary arts) and double major or minor in theatre - it wouldn’t be a BFA program but perhaps you could get a BA and continue your training and participation while you are in a college/university that your parents approve of?</p>
<p>There’s also no reason you can’t continue to pursue your music outside of school. I interview a lot of musicians for various publications, and I’d say at least half of them (and some of the really smart ones, btw) skip college and just get out there and play.</p>
<p>Perhaps we should give marylandchick’s parents credit. They are encouraging her to study something that they think is her strength and they actually know her. How is that wrong and isn’t it their job to nudge? Culinary Arts is a risky field as well so clearly they are not risk adverse. Sounds like she’s excited about the idea too. But that doesn’t have to stop her from taking acting classes, working on her music etc. In future and if something breaks and it becomes her career, wonderful. I know plenty of people that started off in other fields and then life took them on a different path. Me for one.</p>
<p>I can understand your parents worrying about pursuing acting in your education, although I feel as if a theater education prepares one for just about anything. However I think Culinary Arts and Entrepreneurship is possibly an even more difficult career to pursue. Entry jobs in that field are typically extremely low paying, have very long hours, and are difficult to obtain. Be sure to investigate that major thoroughly before committing to it. I hope you are able to pursue your interest in theater.</p>
<p>If you are going to be working long hours for low pay ANYWAY, why not do it in pursuit of your dream, instead of in pursuit of something other people told you to do?</p>
<p>Again, that’s a lesson I had to learn the hard way. I remember the character in the movie “The Commitments” saying he was enjoying being an unemployed musician much more than he enjoyed being an unemployed pipefitter. I think about that when I have periods of unemployment. I got the qualifications I have to try to avoid unemployment, but I end up from time to time being unemployed anyway. So if your going to be unemployed (which happens to everyone) why not be an unemployed actor, instead of being an unemployed something-you-don’t-really-want-to-be?</p>
<p>If your strength and commitment is not in acting and you have a plan B then you probably should pursue plan B. A good friend in the business came to my D’s high school and spoke to the theatre department. She explained to the kids what being in theater really entails and the energy and drive that is needed to be successful. One of the students asked her if she had a plan B when deciding on whether to become a performer or not. She told them she didn’t and has found that those that do have a plan B usually don’t make it in the business. I’m just concerned that your plan B is just as difficult and unstable. But if culinary arts is your strength as you say, then that’s the route I would go.</p>
<p>My commitment and strength ARE acting, but I am an even better cook. I did end up compromising with my mom: I joined theater club to test if I have the commitment. I think I will, and yes, I do love Culinary Arts and Entrepreneurship, but I love acting as well. So, I’ll let you know how it goes :)</p>
<p>P.S. I’m going to Broadway w/ the theatre club and wanted to know what you all thought of the Phantom of the Opera (if you’ve seen it)!</p>
<p>There is nothing wrong with pursuing a career as a cook, and then making theatre one of your hobbies. I know a number of people for whom theatre is something they do as a hobby outside of their career. That’s the direction you are going now.</p>
<p>“Hobby” has pejorative overtones. Just because you major in a different subject or just because you have a day job that brings in income, doesn’t mean that acting and theater are not your passions and your true vocation. Not all paths are a straight arrow. </p>
<p>Here is an example: my oldest daughter majored in English and Philosophy at a selective liberal arts school (a so-called “potted ivy”.) She has performed throughout her life but it never occurred to me she would be a performer. After college she started a small collaborative theater company. But she has a full-time job that pays her rent and helps bankroll her growing company. It is hard work but she is focused, and the company is growing, improving, and gaining recognition. Eventually she hopes to leave her job and devote herself to the company and a school she’ll start, but it’s a long range plan. One could call what she does a “hobby” but she wouldn’t. </p>
<p>I don’t think it’s a bad idea to major in culinary arts if you have a talent for it. Keep your mind open–the world is huge and full of opportunity. </p>
<p>As for combining culinary arts and performance (and one of my other favorites, glass), here’s something just weird and thrilling enough that I can’t not mention it: [The</a> Act of the Table ? UrbanGlass](<a href=“UrbanGlass”>The Act of the Table | UrbanGlass)</p>
<p>I really don’t like the term “Plan B.” To me it implies, “If I fail at Plan A.” The reality is that virtually every successful actor has started out simultaneously pursuing an acting career AND working a survival job. That may be working retail, or office temp work, or hairdressing, or substitute teaching, or carpentry (think Harrison Ford). It can also be computer programming or physical therapy. The main requirement of a survival job is a certain degree of flexibility.</p>
<p>It isn’t a cop-out to plan for a reasonably lucrative survival job.</p>
<p>There are survival jobs within the performing arts, too.</p>
<p>My parents used the term “hobby” as a pejorative when I was younger. I don’t mean it in that way. I now have many hobbies in addition to my career, and there is nothing wrong with that.</p>
<p>I know many people for whom theatre is a hobby. They are wonderful, happy people, and have quite a diversity of careers.</p>
<p>All I am saying is that if you want to have acting be your career instead of your hobby, you should indeed devote yourself to it 100%. There will be time for a “plan B” later in your life. Don’t get a degree in some other field now if you want to make acting your career. (You can always get a “plan B” degree later, whether another undergraduate degree or a graduate degree).</p>
<p>Yes, most actors who are just starting out take survival jobs, which indeed are often jobs in restaurants. But they don’t need degrees to do those sorts of restaurant jobs. If you decide to switch acting to a hobby and make the restaurant a serious career, you can take whatever additional classes or degree you need at that point.</p>
<p>My parents wanted me to make a list of majors I would do…I don’t think they’ll be happy with it…
-Acting
-Culinary Arts
-Entrepreneurship
-Journalism
-Songwriting
-Fashion Design</p>
<p>I think you might benefit from a large university which has a culinary arts program as well as other areas of your interests along with a non auditioned BA in theatre arts. Three that I know are URI, UNH and UMa Amherst. You should of course double check if the theatre opportunity is auditioned or not and if there is a BA still because these schools are always changing their programs. Of course one of the best culinary programs as part of a college environment is Johnson and Wales in RI. It doesn’t seem to have a theatre program but neighboring schools do so there may be some consortium. You should investigate the consortium option to see if you can take advantage of offerings of two colleges that are nearby but of course, double check on transportation and ease of getting into classes at the other college.</p>
<p>You haven’t really explained to us what your parents have to do with this. For example, are you relying on them to finance your education?</p>
<p>Which of these majors do you actually want to be your career? Earlier you were saying you wanted a career in acting, and that other things like songwriting you were going to make into hobbies. Has this changed? Do you want to have a career in some other field other than acting?</p>
<p>Okay, but wouldn’t they have to at least co-sign loans? Unless you have a big pile of cash or a free ride somewhere I don’t know how else it would be funded. But I’m all ears!</p>
