Was Majoring in Theatre Really Worth It?

An Article, by Natalie Shaw

It's difficult to explain to some teenagers that going to college is worth the trouble. In their adolescent minds, they believe that college will be much more of the same, mundane school work they've done through high school. It's especially difficult to convince them to major in Theatre, if that's where their passion lies; even more-so, if their parents would disapprove of a degree in the Arts. If I'm honest, a degree in the Arts appears to be quite a bit more expensive, as well. I owe about $10,000 more on my student loans than my husband does, simply because of our choices in degree programs. 

As a teacher, I always encouraged my students to choose the major in what would make them happy. I majored in Theatre because I knew that's where my passion lies, but that won't be true for every student. However, I did have one or two students who decided to major in Theatre after being introduced to it in our middle school classroom. And, you may find it surprising that I didn't teach Theatre, except for one school year. I taught Gifted and Talented English and Humanities for seventh and eighth grade, where we worked on Shakespeare, Chaucer and a lot of poetry for a few semester units. With our Shakespeare unit, students were required to perform in, or direct a scene, from Romeo and Juliet, and everyone was required to audition. We digested the play, analyzed Shakespeare as a person and a writer, worked on sword fighting for the fight scenes, and talked a lot about the choices that the characters made that led to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Naturally, the fight scenes had many of the boys immediately captivated. But, getting to play with swords isn't exactly reason enough to choose Theatre as a major. Even being obsessed with Theatre isn't really reason enough to choose it, either. 

Parents of college students want to know two things: 1. How much is this going to cost me? And, 2. Will my child still depend on me for a long time after they graduate? Students usually want to know: 1. How much is this going to cost me? And, 2. Will I have to move back in with my parents after graduation? That's if they're insightful enough to ask these types of questions. 

So, is it worth it? On paper, it seems that it wouldn't be. I used to also worry about what potential employers would think of me for having chose a degree in Theatre. Would they think I look less reliable or that I don't take my life choices seriously? Well, on paper, it could look that way, so it means that we must know how to defend it and prove that it is really one of the best possible majors for someone to choose, because, realistically speaking, it is. 

I'm grateful that my parents weren't the type of people to think I was frivolous for choosing Theatre as a major. My father said, "Listen, Natalie..."(he was always getting my attention like this, somehow.) Continuing, "Listen Natalie, employers don't care what you major in, as long as you finish college. They see your dedication to seeing it through. They see that you earned a degree!" I was grateful for his pragmatism. And, I found, later in life, that he was right! But, besides that, majoring in Theatre taught me so much more about life, humanity and the human condition. My intuition about human behavior, awareness of my surroundings, ability to ground myself in tough situations, interactions and communication with others, and general sense of self all benefited greatly from my acting, voice/movement classes, and dance classes. Additionally, I was able to better frame-out events and social behavior in History, after taking courses in the History of Costume and Decor and Theatre History I, II, III and IV. In a nutshell, I became aware of PEOPLE, from the past and the present-- as individuals and as a society, forcing me to be less self-focused and more aware, compassionate, and well-rounded. What other major does that?!

But, don't just take my word for it. When I asked members of the Dallas Theatre Journal Members group page on social media, "Was Majoring in Theatre Really Worth It?" I received some spectacular responses. Playwright and author, Stacey Upton-Bracey says, "I use the skill sets daily as a I interact/listen to [people,] and cope with life." Business Development and Education Manager, Martin Mussey says, "Studies in the arts teaches us so much about collaborating and teamwork, working with diverse people, and problem solving in the moment. All skills that are so necessary in any workplace." Teacher and Librarian, Glynda Welch states that "Theatrical literature develops empathy and understanding of people. Working on a production is the ultimate team building exercise..." Actor and Associate Artist for a Theatre company, Bradford Reilly, had a lot of insight in his reasoning for majoring in Theatre, including, "Theatre History provided me a lens in which to view the past and provided context to learn about a swath of ways to view the world. Understanding my own energies and how I can be a force to be reckoned with. Learning how to establish trust by being vulnerable with a scene partner...Creating something out of nothing... Making last connections with some of the most passionate people on earth."  

Let's also take a look at the pattern of careers that many of our DTJ members have today, Robyn Mead had a successful career in advertising sales for newspapers in North Carolina and in Texas. Lisa Kroeker Hamilton, my own high school Theatre teacher has spurred many students on, including me, for twenty-eight years. She is yet another reason why I pursued a career as a Theatre Journalist for my own news-source. Janette Oswald had a twenty-plus year career in internal audit and security. Janie Allen Breor is a retired Theatre teacher. What about our DTJ Reviewers--what do they do every day? Sara Jones is an International Account Manager for a logistics company. Aubrey Tarantino is a Title IX Coordinator for a college. Eddy Herring is a Sourcing and Facilities Contract Manager for a global IFM company. David Ellivloc is a Senior Project Manager and Business Analyst working in the securities brokerage industry. Grant Palmore is a Multimedia Designer at a Saas Technology Company.  And me? In addition to journalism and my twelve year teaching career in the above mentioned, I previously worked as a phlebotomist for a local blood donation site, and become an honorary nurse/doctor/caregiver to Andrew Shaw's and my beautiful medically complex son. I had given up Theatre, for the most part, for fourteen years to raise our sweet boy, and his neuro-typical brother. They are both a dream come true, but, man, it's great to be back! 

Did we all became famous? Are we performing on Broadway, in films or on TV regularly? Not necessarily, no. Did we end up living on the streets of New York City, begging for money and work? Of course not! Are we still happy with our choices? Definitely! There are so many ways to be successful with a degree in Theatre that don't include Broadway or Hollywood. And, even though many of us start out thinking that's all there is to acting and there's no other way to be fruitful (myself included,) we soon find the joys of life outside of Theatre, as well, that give us a stronger sense of security and normalcy. Studying Theatre didn't make any of us flakey or unreliable, quite the opposite-- it made us embrace responsibility, life and the people in it! And, the best part about Theatre is this: it's always there, many times it can work around your schedule, and (like your best friend) you can always come back!