If you're a theater major or a theater lover, I'm sure you'll be able to relate to these commonly asked questions. We understand that these questions may come from a good place, but after hearing them 50+ times, they start to get a little old...
1. "So like what are you planning to do with that degree?"
Pretty sure anyone who is going to college to pursue a theater degree has heard this question multiple times. What most people don't understand is how versatile a theater degree really is. Yes, it is a competitive field to be in but the opportunities to perform are endless. A theater degree means that a person is committed, communicative, flexible and good at taking direction, traits any employer would love to have. The arts are important and if we are going to keep them, we need future generations to continue learning and creating.
2. "Ok, so you want to be like, famous?"
Lets back up a minute. If there is one thing I know about my fellow peers who are pursuing theater it is that we don't do it for the recognition. Sure it's awesome to get praise for the hard work we have put into a show but fame isn't what most of us are striving for. We do it for the love of the art. We do it because the theater is a place people can go to escape their day to day struggles. Somewhere they can sit back and see a work of art come to life right in front of their eyes. We do it to make people laugh, cry, and feel things that they didn't even know they could feel.
3. "Your major must be so easy and fun!"
While theater majors do enjoy doing theater, it isn't always fun or easy. It can be both physically and emotionally draining. One minute you are hysterically laughing on stage and the next you are thinking back to an emotional time in your life to make you cry. Not to mention 10:00 p.m. rehearsals are not uncommon in the theater world. You will be asked many times to step out of your comfort zone, and believe it or not, not all our classes are performance based. A theater history test is just as hard as a European history test.
4. "So you want to live in New York City?"
Oh yeah, because the only place to get a job with a degree in theater is New York City. (that was sarcasm). Yes, NYC is beautiful and offers many job opportunities but there are other places in the world that offer just as many if not more.
5. "What's your backup plan?"
This is basically a slap in the face. Please refrain from saying this. Are you saying I am going to fail at this so I need to commit to something else? If you're majoring in theater why not commit to it fully so you can work to be the best you can be in it. We major in theater because we are passionate about it and it is what we want to do. Just like every other major.
Yes, we have all thought about and heard these questions many times and yet we have still decided to pursue our degrees. A major in performing arts is so much more than the performance itself. It's about learning as much as we can about the aspects of the industry because we want to be a part of it. Though we appreciate your concern, believe it or not, most of us do know what we're doing.
