I wasn’t able to schedule a lot of auditions since I’m a single mom who works full time plus, and I have limited time off and even more limited money. Fortunately, we do live close to NYC. My S scheduled 7 auditions and my D 4 or so (the rest were BA). I could not have done much more. I’m saying this not to disagree with others but to share my own experience; it’s obviously enhancing if you can give your kid all the lessons and can drive them, but if you can’t, it doesn’t mean all is lost.
It’s not just that I couldn’t do all the stuff many of the remarkable parents here do. My kids also were not the sort to do a lot of things–they were the type that prefer to focus on one or two things and do that deeply. Not saying that those who do a ton of things don’t do it deeply; more that my kids weren’t really able to do that then or they burned out.
That was part of the reason my S decided to homeschool and throw all his energy into full time regional acting starting in 9th grade. He didn’t continue to take dance lessons although he’s a strong dancer, nor did he continue to take music lessons although he’s strong instrumentalist, and he did sporadic voice lessons to keep his voice in shape–I simply did not have the money or time, and he didn’t have the time or energy. Fortunately, he had many wonderful opportunities and internships with several professional theaters; also fortunately, we live close enough to a city that once he was 15 or so, he took public transportation. He’s at LAMDA.
Likewise, my D was at a regular high school & took the other path and focused on school. She was a regular strong public school student, Merit Finalist. She did school plays (not MT). She did nothing particularly remarkable or renaissance; she was the lead in one semi-professional show, that’s about it. I couldn’t have possibly navigated her doing more, and neither could she. I had 4 acting lessons for her and about that many voice lessons–at the time that was all I could afford. She’s a senior at Northwestern.
I’m not disagreeing with anyone- looking at peoples’ schedules I’m both in awe and a bit sad that I’m a single parent with not much money (but I don’t want to waste time feeling sorry for myself!) — only adding that if you can’t or don’t want to do a lot of different lessons and driving and auditions, it can still turn out ok!