<p>EXSBDAD, if you think about it, with a few exceptions, most liberal arts undergrad degrees do not give graduates the credentials and experience to obtain a meaningful job in their field of major and for that matter provide limited employment opportunities even in other areas. Students who graduate from a college theatre program spend 4 years reading and analyzing dramatic literature, takes classes on the history of theatre touching on the social and cultural events and history in which theatre has developed as an art form. Students are required to work incredibly long hours and can’t survive in these programs without a strong work ethic. They learn how to work collaboratively on complex projects and how to present themselves and communicate well with fellow workers and an audience. They develop poise and confidence. All of these are skills, knowledge and experience valued in the workplace. Graduates with degrees in theatre are not at a disadvantage compared to most other majors when it comes to obtaining the kinds of jobs open to students with undergrad degrees. And as alluded to by KatMT, many theatre majors go on to graduate and professional programs in areas other than performing arts. Degrees in theatre are viewed as every bit legitimate as any other liberal arts major when it comes to grad school admissions.</p>
<p>A couple of days ago, I was listening to an interview with Aaron Lazar, a clearly successful, regularly working performer. He stressed that graduates from undergrad theatre programs must have a long range view of achieving success as a performer and suggested that a period of up to 10 years was a reasonable horizon.</p>
<p>So for me, the question is not what my daughter will do if she doesn’t “make it” but instead is what will she do to support herself as she is working hard to make it. In my view, having a good solid “plan B” is all about the latter and not the former. And the development of a good “plan B” is something that I think students need to be thinking about and progressively preparing for from the outset of college and not at the end as graduation looms.</p>
<p>In my daughter’s case, in anticipation of her graduation last May, she spent her 4 years in college mapping out a game plan that would enable her to have reliable steady income with which to support herself after graduation. She chose areas she loves , that draw upon may of the same skills and talents required to be successful as a performer and that afford the flexibility in scheduling to enable her to audition and work as a performer. Throughout college and presently she works as a dancer, dance manager and MC for an entertainment company. Through that job, she networked with a photographer who has provided commercial print opportunities and with a wedding planner for whom she works as a “day of” assistant. She obtained a certification as a spinning instructor and is employed at 2 athletic facilities in that capacity. She spent the last 6 months completing the certification process to be a personal trainer and has been hired by one of the athletic facilities as a fitness instructor and personal trainer. These are the things she will rely upon for her support and sustenance as she grows and develops as a performer over the years to come. For as long as she has the desire to perform professionally, this is a structure that will work for her.</p>