"Oh, you major in musical theatre? Wow, it must be nice to have fun all the time!" If this isn't what people say when I tell them what I study, you can bet your bottom dollar it's what they think. The popular notion that the arts are, in fact, not hard work has seated itself in the brains of several people these days, so much so that several question the importance of arts education. Everyone thinks it's easy because they only see the finished product. They see the carefully and beautifully crafted artwork of a team of people, but are completely oblivious to what it took to create it. Are you among those that share this opinion? Well, I'm here to tell you all about how the arts, with a focus on musical theatre, are no walk in the park.
1. It's so often looked down upon.
The fact that people think it's easy and not an ideal career choice is discouraging enough. It's very hard to understand what theatre and the arts are like unless you're in them and it's also very easy to judge them. Trust me, if we could be doing anything else, we would be.
2. It's harder to get a job as an actor.
We go to school and receive an education, just like anyone else. The difference for actors is that when we "apply for a job" we are scrutinized based on countless aspects such as hair color, eye color, height, weight, race, aura, and skill up against a pool of potentially hundreds of other applicants. Out of the hundreds, only one is chosen for the job.
3. Crazy work hours.
In the industry and also at school, you're often expected to do heavy physical activity for several hours a day. I've had several rehearsals that have spanned over 24 hours. In the blank space between training, you are still training, and still doing extra homework. We never stop.
4. It's mentally taxing.
Most, if not all, artists demand a lot of themselves in addition to the high expectations of those they work for and with. I've already explained that the business is hard, but add on top your own attempt of personal justification for why you aren't getting work and making a living. It can really tear you apart. We live in a world in which we're all trying to be "good enough," but we don't know what "good enough" is. The one person we have that should be rooting for us, ourselves, often isn't.
6. It's constantly working on the edge.
As an actor, you'll go places and do things that make you uncomfortable. Artists are brave people. We go the extra mile for the sake of bettering ourselves and bettering our method of communication.
7. There's always something to be improved.
There's no end goal when it comes to the arts. You may make it on Broadway or become a big shot in the film industry, but you will never be done learning. As long as you're still breathing, you will never reach full mastery of the arts. There are so many things to learn and endless perspectives to take from.
So, to respond to that comment, no, it's not so nice to have fun all the time, because I don't. I do, however, enjoy the burn of passion and desire every day that keeps me motivated. I savor being in a committed relationship to my art. I revel in hearing that I affected someone, that I had the power to inspire them in some way. I relish in the body aches, the tears, the buckets of sweat, the crumpled pieces of paper, and all of the scars that I have earned from such a grueling, yet fulfilling process. The arts are not just the lively, perfectly packaged arrays of song, dance, design, and music that you see on the stage. The arts are a way of life. A way of life that is not easy.
