As a musical theater major, I am constantly asked what my backup plan is, and most, if not all, adults are shocked or concerned to hear my answer… I don’t have one. Contrary to popular belief, it's not because I don’t have the drive or because I’m lazy. Quite the opposite actually, with eight to 13-hour class days five days a week, not including rehearsals, homework and two jobs, I would say I’m a very driven person. So, here are my 5 reasons I don’t have a backup plan, and I’m OK with it!
1. You never hear people ask a business major what their backup plan is.
This is probably my number one pet peeve as a MT major. Getting a degree in any field does not guarantee a job after graduation. Just like any other career field, performers have to work hard and be reliable to get a job. A degree is just not enough any more. To get a job, you have to be the total package. Smart, a good interviewer and right for the company. Performing is no different. You have to be knowledgeable about your craft, present yourself in a way that screams “hire me” just like an interview (in about 20 seconds or less) and you have to be right for the role.
2. This is my passion, I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else.
Nowadays people tend to go for the “secure” option instead of their passion. I refuse to be unhappy just so I can be “secure." I have known since kindergarten that I wanted to be a performer, I would not be happy doing anything thing else. Plain and simple.
3. I’m not going to plan my life around potential failure.
Having a backup plan is essentially planning for future failure. If you’re just planning on failing something, why even try? Growing up, I was always told, “If you fail, you fail, but that doesn’t mean you don’t give it your all.” I have chosen to live by that motto and give performing everything I have!
4. It’s going to feel really good to say “I told you so” one day.
Now, this is going to sound really vain, but we all secretly can’t wait for the day when we can hold our Tony or Emmy above our heads and say thank you to all the people who said we couldn’t do it. Those people motivate us each day to dance an hour longer, sing a bit higher and push ourselves a little farther, just to say we could do it.
5. I’m living my 5-year-old self’s dream
You know that little girl who danced around the kitchen in a pink dress and declared she was going to be a ballerina one day? That was me. That is me. I never gave up on my 5-year-old self. I am living the dream each time I walk into a theater or pick up a script. I am living the dream each time I walk home at night and ice my aching body from hours of dance. I am living my dream each day and wouldn’t trade it for the world.
