As a Film/Theatre double major, it came to no surprise to me when I learned that I would have to take an acting class as a part of my major. However, when it came to actually taking that class, I wasn't thrilled. See, I'm not an actor. I prefer to be the boss behind the scenes rather than the star on the stage. But, even though I've only taken a few classes in the semester, I've realized some pretty important things. Things, that I think, should be enough to make every major take an acting class.
One of the big things I've found, in almost any theatre class I've taken, but especially in acting class is that the class forms a special bond. I've yet to experience this type of environment in any other type of class. Because a large part of acting is baring a very sensitive and vulnerable emotion out to the world, to be able to do that in front of peers is hard. Therefore, for any body to feel comfortable acting in the class, the peers must be, to some degree, friends. The environment formed isn't the same one you get hanging out with your friends in their dorm room, but a special kind of feeling that can only happen when you're watching your classmates preform for you. This environment is important for everyone to experience at least once in their lives, even if it is only for an hour and half twice a week. I think being able to have this environment where the concept of embarrassment is practically null is beautiful. It allows a person to access a part of them that isn't always accessible, especially for those of us who are more shy and introverted. It's a type of freedom to being able to just bare yourself out there and know that, even though you may get critiqued, nothing is personal. It's a hard phenomenon to explain, but if you've been in an acting class you know. And I think everyone, no matter who you are or what you want to do after graduation, should experience this type of environment.
The second big thing, and this is the biggest one for me, is that acting class allows you to inhabit the persona of a completely different, fictional person, even if just for an hour or two. When you do this, for a brief moment, all of your problems just disappear. You can be someone else, you can focus on their problems, which will already be solved by the script's demands. This may sound like running away from your own problems, and in a way it is, but sometimes all you need is to run away from your problems, to hide away in another persona, so that you can come back to your own life with a fresh perspective. That's another thing that I think everyone should experience in their lives, especially in college, where problems follow you everywhere you go.
There are other things I could mention(public speaking skills, working in groups, etc.) but I think these are two big things that never get mentioned. And they're things that one can't really understand the beauty of until it's experienced. But believe me, I never thought I would be writing an article about why everyone should take an acting class. I never thought I would find these things in an acting class. But I did, and I think everyone should. Therefore, I think, if you can, take an acting class in college, no matter what your major is.
