From the moment I decided to pursue musical theatre performance in college, I was hit with a storm of doubters, questioners, and (of course) haters. I can’t say I blame them though. I am pursuing one of the riskiest careers out there and unless you were a die hard theatre kid in high school, it can be hard to understand that my college experience is just as difficult as anyone else’s. Here are a few misconceptions and clarifications on what hundreds of students have devoted themselves to.
1. Majoring in musical theatre is like triple majoring.
Everyone going into musical theatre is hoping to turn into the coveted “triple threat.” We are all working our butts of to be amazing singers, dancers, and actors. In today’s industry there’s a lot of pressure to find perfection and so we’ve overloaded our schedules to do just that. Some people would argue that we are overachievers, but if asked we could give a laundry list of ways we wish we were better.
2. No, I’m not just playing acting games in class.
It always surprises me how often I’m asked this question. Sometimes we do get to play an acting game or two. Sure, we have a lot of fun playing but this is more than just a game for us. It’s an assignment like any other that requires our full focus.
3. Our classes are more academic than you'd think.
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If you take a look at a music theatre class schedule, you’d see a lot of exciting classes like “Acting for Musical Theatre” and “Music Theatre Literature.” On that same semester, you can also find “Music Theory IV” and “English Diction.” Aside from practicing performance, we also spend hours analyzing speech patterns and learning the science behind why music sounds the way it does. Even though it’s fascinating, that doesn’t lighten the blow as you struggle through assignments on the different pronunciations of “r.”
4. I feel a very different kind of pressure from my professors.
A lot of people think that I’m a performance major because I don’t work hard enough or I just want to have fun all day. On the contrary, performers work just as hard as anyone else, but in a different way. Any given day, music theatre students will have to perform in front of people three or four times. Then, after putting our hearts into our work, we will be given a list of reasons why our performance wasn’t good enough. We stand and hear why our voices didn’t ring bright enough or our “arm did a weird thing in the second verse.” Not only will we be critiqued on our performance but our physical appearance as well. I can’t count on two hands how many times someone has suggested I lose weight, change my wardrobe, or dye my hair a different color. That kind of pressure creates a huge challenge that all performing students have to cope with.
5. Every day is an emotional roller coaster – literally.
Depending on what show you’ve been cast in, a music theatre student could play five different characters in a single day. This makes for a melting pot of emotions that we live and breath when we perform. Some days it can be difficult to separate your daily life from what your characters are going through. That being said, nothing is more inspiring than living with all the ups and downs of the characters we play.
6. My version of the lab is called a practice room.
Most of our blood, sweat, and tears happen in a 6’x8’ room with nothing but a piano and a mirror in it. Sitting at a piano bench with your music in front of you is one of the most daunting feelings in the world. It’s just you and your voice that you have to keep you company for hours of grueling practice to hit that one note in the bridge. Many times, I’ve found myself laughing and crying at the same time while trying to achieve my own high standards. But it’s not all bad in the practice rooms. You can always see people jamming in a trio, laughing off a bad rehearsal, eating dinner, or even taking a power nap.
7. It's not always fun.
It's not always easy have a "fun" major. We spend all day in classes only to have a few minutes to hopefully get a meal in and then run from one rehearsal to another. Every major has long days and ours is no different. Sometimes it can be the most exciting thing in the world to have a packed day. But other times, it's just exhausting! Even though we are doing what we love the most, it's still work just like anything else.
8. When we go out to the theatre, we're actually doing research.
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Of course I love a night out at the theater as much as the next person. But ultimately, when I go out to see a new show, I'm automatically scanning for a part I can play. Is there a place for me? Is this a show that I could work in? Should I start learning the music? Am I a good enough dancer to do this one? All this research comes in so much handy when it actually gets time to the real test: auditions.
9. Auditions and callbacks feel like my own personal Hunger Games.
One week each semester, our entire lives are devoted to auditions and callbacks for the 30-some productions we will put on that semester. Don’t let the bow ties and high heels fool you though. These people are out for blood. Imagine finding a class that your school has that is perfect for you. All you want in the world is to take that class. Then, imagine knowing that of the roughly 250 people applying for the class, only 20 will get to take it. On top of that, you only get a minute to prove to a table of professors that you should get this class. That’s what an audition feels like and no one ever really gets used to it.
10. There will always be someone around cheering you on.
Just because we get serious for auditions, doesn’t mean that all of the students don’t love and support each other. You’d think the football team was winning the home game with the way performers cheer on their peers. We know exactly what it means to nail that tap routine and we aren’t shy to hide our excitement. Aside from friends and family, our voice teachers function like our own personal cheerleader. Sometimes they spend more time reassuring us that we can do this than they do teaching us voice.
11. At the end of the day, I’m doing what I am the most passionate about.
Despite all the tears and hours in the practice room, I wake up every morning knowing that I will get to do what I love. It doesn’t matter if you’re studying performance, anthropology, or chemical engineering. No one’s college major is easy so let’s stop making it a contest. If you love what you study everyday, I wish you nothing but luck in your future. Keep pushing through the hard days and reach for your dreams.
