Post covid, likelihood of needing a college degree for theatre?

What do you want to do in the theatre community?

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Honestly you don’t need a degree now. But it helps with the connections and networking. A lot of casting relies on certain schools. Telsey is with big with Michigan alum. Etc.

But if you’re an Alex Newell then I’m sure a degree isn’t gonna be needed. But it couldn’t hurt either. It just show that you know the basics and have good training.

But that said it sounds like you’re trying to go more behind the scenes / admin type work?

SeanD2 said: "If you don't finish the degree then absolutely do NOT list on your resume that you took courses towards a degree. If I got a resume from a college drop-out (which is what you're saying you would be) I'd almost immediately pass since I'd wonder why you don't have the ability to finish what you started. The only thing that would make me not toss your resume into the circular file is if you had some sort of extraordinary experience that offset such an impression."

Are you kidding?  You have ZERO knowledge of people's life circumstances that may prevent them from finishing an increasingly expensive commitment.  How privileged you must be to sit back with your arms crossed and look at a piece of paper and say "Oh he/she can't finish what they started".

I can't think of any job in theater that requires any type of college degree. Maybe theater management, but even then if you are able to get experience in that field you would not likely need a degree to advance.

Are you kidding? You have ZERO knowledge of people's life circumstances that may prevent them from finishing an increasingly expensive commitment. How privileged you must be to sit back with your arms crossed and look at a piece of paper and say "Oh he/she can't finish what they started".

Aw Hayley, you must be very, very young.

Updated On: 1/5/21 at 03:58 PM

At the end of the day, real life experience carries more weight than training in 80% of the theatre (unless you're a technician. If you want to be a Lighting Electrician, please get proper training). If you gut is saying don't go back, that is a very important thing to recognize. The US puts a lot of pressure on young adults to immediately know what they want to do, and to put a huge amount of money on the line to train for it - if you aren't sure, don't fork over the money. Since you said you have supportive parents, see if you can figure out some sort of an agreement with them to allow you to figure it out.
If you're interested in just about anything but performing, send a message to any local community theatres once the world has reopened and ask to talk to someone in one of the fields you're interested in. I have known of plenty of people who have sat in the corner and watched a local stage manager call a show as a way of investigating if that was something they wanted to do for themselves.
BFA degrees are a relatively new concept - while you can't really shadow performance in the same way you can other jobs in the theatre, take heart in the knowledge that the whole idea of a degree in musical theatre didn't really catch on until the late 90's, and even then it was a slow grow until the explosion around '05. Many generations of performers have gotten training outside of the college system, and you can investigate those career paths without forking over 70,000 to decide if it is the right path for you.

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"I would also point out that a huge part of college is the connections you make. The world is all about networking. It’s one of the most valuable aspects of school because you are studying alongside folks who will also work in the industry. If you don’t finish the degree, what is your networking plan?"

This is 100,000% accurate.

I graduated from a pretty well respected theatre school, and in the end, the only way I've ever gotten work was through connections. Some were from school, some were for other projects. But it's true. It's who you know and the impression you make on them.

I only graduated coming up on six years ago, and so much has changed--but if I could've done one thing about school differently, I would've interned more and volunteered more. The more you can put on a resume, the better. Stack that s_ht. Get as much experience as you can. The more well rounded, the better. Volunteer at a non-profit, food pantry. Just keep your hands as many pots as you can, because as we now know, the theatre world could freeze at any moment due to no fault of our own. Also to that end, even in B.C times, writers/directors and actors have such a hard time breaking in because there's so many of us and so many people that I know who are ten- to fifteen- years older than me were able to make their mark in a much easier economy.

I would highly, highly recommend finding something within the industry that you can do that isn't creative. Lots of folks these days got into rooms as PAs or even working front of house (which was my area of interest, though it is definitely harder). If you have any tech skills and can help for load-in load-outs, I recommend that. However, in addition to the aforementioned, I'd highly, highly recommend double majoring or minoring in something else. I minored in Writing which has helped me a little bit in recent years. I sort of wish that I had either double majored or minored in Education as well, since I later learned to love teaching and a lot of artists make money by teaching.

That being said, all of this advice is take it or leave it. Who knows what the hell the industry is going to look like or resemble in the next few years. Don't lose sight of your dreams but always have other avenues to go to make money. Theatre will rarely pay your bills.

There is no degree requirement for ANY theater job.  But so many folks want to work in theater that the people hiring need some ways to narrow the pool of applicants.  A degree is one sign of seriousness, especially from a renowned school.  Union membership is aces.   Experience with a well-known producing group is another way to stand out.  Study with a well-regarded independent coach/teacher is good.  Internships can be better than nothing.

Otherwise, why would the person hiring choose to interview/audition YOU?  

I think it helps to think about the employers' situation to better understand what you need to apply.

Can only speak from my own experience but I dropped out of high school and have made a great career out of Lighting Design.. well until Covid but what else is new. 

I've done some work as a promoter and producer as well.

It's really all about who you know. 

Started in 2005. 

Updated On: 1/11/21 at 10:45 PM

I have met a few actors who do not have a college degree in theatre. They got their degrees in other subjects that they also really loved too. Reason being is, they knew that while busting their ass to be able to professionally do theatre was what they wanted, they also wanted to be realistic too. They all wanted to have a degree in another field because they felt that, if working in theatre never panned out for them, they would have a degree in a field that they could get work in and be happy in doing so as well. Now, the performers I’ve mentioned are now working on Broadway, but still. 

did anyone else think call me jorge was a middle aged man or was it just me

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gypsy101 said: "did anyone else think call me jorge was a middle aged man or was it just me"

You're hilarious! I was surprised the OP is still in college. Then again who knows... it's possible to be middle aged man and still be in college.

As to answer the OP's question, i think he's better off transferring to a school in NYC and work part-time in the theatre industry. Also, if the parents are paying for the degree, then doesn't hurt to have it. If the OP is racking up student debt like crazy, then I'd give it more thought on whether the degree is needed. Then again, I always hear Biden is thinking of student loan forgiveness.