So very true. I think unless a student, or the student’s family, is very familiar with the realities of the theatre business, they often have this idealistic belief. As you say, it’s only natural, but it’s why I no longer recommend this path to any students I know, or who ask for my assistance. It doesn’t mean that I don’t help them if they still decide to take the chance, I always do, to the best of my ability but there just isn’t enough work out there to make it a worthwhile pursuit for the number of kids going in, thinking that they are going to have a performance career. It’s one reason that I cringed, instead of celebrated as some here did, when it was posted recently that yet another college was starting an MT program.
One has only to look at the annual salary/employment figures available from AEA every year. Today, I sat on the other side of the table during auditions for a professional production which won’t take place until 2018. The dozen actors we saw were all extremely talented with very impressive professional resumes having performed across North America and in the West End. They were all called in for the sessions as they are all wonderful candidates for this particular show. In reality, we could cast this show a dozen times over. It’s a very discouraging feeling to know that most of those we saw today will not book the show. There are simply too many talented people for the amount of work available.
I agree with connections about connections. Having a particular school on your resume may not matter, although at times it will, what does matter is the connections that you may have made while at a particular school. That was the case for my daughter, and it has kept her working continuously since graduating. Had she not gone to her school, she likely wouldn’t be where she is now. It’s possible that she’d be somewhere else, equally successful, but unlikely. So, for her, it worked out well. This is such a crazy business, though, and it’s so unpredictable, it’s important, as has been said for as long as I’ve been on CC, and probably longer!, that graduating with debt will make this difficult path, even more difficult.