(at least one of the hyperlinks herein was constructed in a spirit of irony)

The burgeoning theatre scene in the San Francisco Bay Area has seen the growth of theatre groups that straddle the line between amateur and professional fringe. Most of my students are not yet union (AEA) members. On the one hand, this expands their options for casting, and on the other hand, limits it.

For actors who haven’t trained in a conservatory program, it makes sense to gain experience with semi-professional-amateur groups. Working with directors and performing, teaches rising actors where they are weak and where they are strong, where they’ve developed and what they need to improve. Life-long learners and good actors alike, are highly self observant and self-evaluating.

The key difference between my students and some of their fellows is that they continue to train, alternating between acting commitments and classes. These rising actor students enjoy working deeply and they like learning. In our local theatre climate, moving back and forth between classes and productions is a good way to learn. This is a prime example of iterative learning process. Acting labs should provide safe spaces in which artists can develop their understanding of themselves as performers, away from the public eye.

To Train or not to Train

Ever since drama schools became a mainstay of British theatre, there have been roughly two opinions on training in the UK. Highly respected actors such as Jeremy Irons have been purported (I couldn’t find the quote) to say they don’t believe in acting training, you just get out and do it. Actors who have had good training usually view drama school as a tremendous foundation.

Let’s look at the reality of the self-made actor. Notable actors who haven’t had formal training began their careers in film/theatre surrounded by highly skilled actors and directors. They watched, they learned and were challenged by the directors they worked with. Film in the US, and all entertainment mediums in the UK hold participants to a high standard. American culture has a strong track record when it comes to understanding the power of the moving image. British culture values language, with theatre forming a cornerstone of British heritage.

Are you Jeremy Irons? And do you live in the UK?

 

For someone like Jeremy Irons who began his career young, a working life in the theatre is a training in itself. Good drama schools and good teachers give their students a tremendous start. The best teach their students how to keep learning. Clearly, when making a case for training versus experience, the quality of the training must be weighed with the quality of work in each specific environment. In other words, it entirely depends on the local theatre culture and structure. It’s a very specific question.

 

Focusing back in on our local scene, if you’re a rising actor, there are some pitfalls of which you should be aware! When rising actors stop taking classes and work only with semi-professional groups, they fall into a seductive trap. The trap deepens if said actor becomes a favorite of the company and is cast sequentially over a whole season. This actor is now a big fish in a small pond, and possibly – regrettably! – the best thing on that stage. Such a rising actor (unlike Jeremy Irons back in the day), is not being challenged, nor learning by example from others. This actor stops developing, and worse still, bad habits become entrenched.

You can never lose by being a life-long learner: The choice is yours!

The conversation with my students ended with the group in complete agreement. You can never lose by being a life-long learner. You can lose a great deal if you drop your training and spend most of your time in theatre environment where you are not being positively challenged.