What Education Does an Actress Need?

Acting is a glamorous and potentially profitable way to make a living. As with any other career, the proper education can help improve your chances of making a living as an actress. There are several ways you can obtain an acting education. The type of program you choose will need to reflect your goals and budget.

Function

Acting schools prepare students to act in plays, TV shows, commercials and movies. As an acting student, you will study such subjects as improvisation, voice and speech, camera technique, soap opera acting, scene interpretation, auditioning, movement and character. Programs can run from a few weeks to several years, depending on the school.

Types

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's degree programs in drama and theater. Your high school grades must be good enough for general admission to the college. Depending on the program, you may be required to audition before being accepted as a drama or theater major. Students enrolled in these programs take general education classes in addition to drama and theater classes. Students who eventually decide that acting is not the right career for them can still use their degree in a behind-the-scenes capacity or can enter a new field.
Acting workshops are intense programs in which instruction can be completed in one weekend or last as long as six weeks. Some workshops are held as summer programs at colleges or universities, while others are conducted by community or acting groups. Workshops are usually less expensive than formal acting schools.
If you don't want to attend college and want more than a workshop can offer, you will probably be interested in attending an acting school. These schools only teach acting and don't require students to take any classes not related to acting. The more prestigious schools, such as the Stella Adler School in New York, require auditions and acceptance is very competitive.
Nearly every community has some type of acting school or program. These schools can provide you with a good foundation in acting and are usually much less expensive than the more prominent schools. Local schools may require an audition.

Size

Before you make your first tuition payment, ask the school how many students will be in each class. If you are taking a class about acting theory, it won't matter if the class is large, but if you are taking a participatory class, you will find that the smaller the size, the better. Smaller classes ensure that you will be able to participate and receive feedback from the instructor every day.

Considerations

While an acting education will undoubtedly help you become a better actress, your education will not be considered when you are offered a role. During an audition the only thing the director, producer and casting director will consider is how well you played the part.

Warning

If a school boasts of producing famous actors and actresses, ask for names and then check the websites of those people to see whether they mention attending the school. Even if those actresses and actors are graduates, it doesn't necessarily mean that the school will be the right one for you. Ask to sit in on a class before you make a decision. If you don't feel comfortable with the instructors, it won't matter how prestigious the school is supposed to be.

Resources

• Actorstore.com
• Actor Tips