by Ajarae Coleman
Photo Source: Photo by Anthony from Pexels
Even if you’ve been out of traditional school for a while, there is something magical about this back to school time of year. The laid-back vibes of summer vacation are at an end, our days are getting shorter and cooler (in the northern hemisphere anyway), and we feel a little more motivated to buckle down and get to work.
If you’re an actor who has taken some time off from your training, you may be itching to get back to it. So, how do you decide where to go? Acting classes are a huge investment of time, money, and creative energy, and you deserve the best training for where you are in your career right now. Here are five steps you can take to decide what training is a good fit for you.
1. Determine your current career goals.
There are countless categories of acting training available—scene study, script analysis, improvisation, stage combat, audition technique, on-camera classes—these are just a few! When you’re researching the landscape of options, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. So it’s imperative that you spend some time getting clear on your desired next step in this phase of your career. If your goal is to land a co-star on a television sitcom, then comedy and improv training could be great choices. If you want to book a national commercial, it’s time to find commercial technique classes in your area. If your dream is to work as a performer on Broadway, musical theater training might be a smart move. Narrowing your focus doesn’t limit you. Rather, it gives you much-needed clarity.
2. Get clear on your non-negotiables.
Once you pick a category for your training, it’s time to get even more specific. What other characteristics of your new acting school are important to you? Maybe you want to study with a teacher who also offers private coaching for auditions. Perhaps there is a specific technique you want to learn, like the Alexander Technique or the Linklater voice method. Or you’d like to find a large community of ambitious actors who are busy creating their own projects and inspiring one another. Dive a bit deeper and consider the full experience you wish to have with your next training.