1. "That's a really hard profession, are you sure."

For people who have decided to major in this, it is heard way too often. We understand this thoroughly, and we have decided to take the risk to enjoy and do the thing that we love and want to do for the rest of our lives.

2. "What's your backup plan?"

This sounds like the people going into this industry are planning to fail. They will keep on learning and work to the best of their abilities, in order not to do that.

3. "Just don't go to rehearsal today."

You should never minimize the importance of rehearsal. There are a lot of things that need to be learned and done in a short amount of time. Rehearsal time could be anywhere from (depending on the theater platform) months to three weeks.

4.) "I can't wait to see it crash and burn."

If anyone remembers when TV networks started to do live musicals, a lot of people weren't expecting much, and automatically thought they would be bad. Even if you ended up not thinking they were good, judging them before you saw them did a huge disservice to the people behind and in front of the camera and the hours of work they did to make it happen. This goes for anything you might be seeing in the theater.

5. "__________ is being revived"....AGAIN?

I want to see another revival of "Anything Goes", Guys and Dolls", and Chicago as much as the next theater geek, but i am always more excited about creative, innovative and beautiful new work on Broadway and beyond. That is why I'm so happy that such new work has been introduced to the great white way in recent years. Examples include but are not limited to "Hamilton"," Dear Evan Hanson" and "A Bronx Tale" (even if the source material was a movie.)

6. "It was just a cash grab musical."

Like I established in #4, there is no "just" in theater. Tons of work, and hundreds of hours, went into getting productions up on their feet.

7. "My favorite musical is Wicked and (more recently) Hamilton."

I agree, Hamilton and Wicked have amazing scores and books written by genius talents, and that's why they are so popular. But there are so many amazing shows that you should check out, you shouldn't settle for the first two musicals that come up when you search "Top musicals on Broadway". If you want any ideas of musicals or plays you need to see, check out "Tick Tick... Boom", "Be More Chill", and "Noises Off".

8. "You should go to college for academics instead of acting, acting won't pay the rent."

This should be obvious. Actors go into theater NOT for the money, but for the enjoyment that only performing gives them.

9. "You don't look like an actor."

Even if you will never play the leading man or the young ingenue, there is a place for everyone in the theater.

10. "You must have a lot of free time."

Unlike a lot people who want to go into an academic profession, actors and actresses (artists in general) have to be well versed in all aspects of their profession before they even enter college. Between voice lessons, acting classes, dancing intensives, school work, plays we might be doing at the moment, and other after school activities we don't have a lot of free time.

11. "The theater must be a really hard place to meet friends."

Even though the theater might be a little more competitive than other professions, it is like most others. There are good and bad people. Most of the people I have met in my theater experiences have been the best people and friends I've ever known.