Performing Arts?

Question:I really want to perform on stage when I am older! I am sixteen years old and sing very well. I sing show tune and theater type song (Ex: Sound Of Music, Grease, Phantom of the Opera, CATS). I have had a passion for singing and performing all of my life and have been taking vocal lessons for about five years. Also, I am in a small acting group and my teacher says I can act very well. I do not really have much of a dance background though : ( . I know that theater is a very competitive field and extremely hard to get into (that is why I will have a back up plan.) However, I still want to major in performing arts in college. I have recently been practicing singing three hours a day and take two hours of acting classes a week. If I started to take dance and a more advance acting class, could I have a chance?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I really want to perform on stage when I am older! I am sixteen years old and sing very well. I sing show tune and theater type song (Ex: Sound Of Music, Grease, Phantom of the Opera, CATS). I have had a passion for singing and performing all of my life and have been taking vocal lessons for about five years. Also, I am in a small acting group and my teacher says I can act very well. I do not really have much of a dance background though : ( . I know that theater is a very competitive field and extremely hard to get into (that is why I will have a back up plan.) However, I still want to major in performing arts in college. I have recently been practicing singing three hours a day and take two hours of acting classes a week. If I started to take dance and a more advance acting class, could I have a chance?

It sounds like your direction is in musical theater. From a musical standpoint, here is some advice if you want to become a music theater major. Don't show up not knowing how to read music, not knowing how to play an instrument, because you will get no respect from the classical singers and you will be lightyears behind them. Learn how to play some piano if you haven't already, and learn some theory, because in college you will have to learn these things guaranteed, so you might as well get a head start. And the other half of music theater is acting- can't help you there.

Of course you could have a chance!!!! It is going to be extremely difficult to break in to the industry (any part). But it's your passion and that at least deserves a try. Remember that you may feel differently in a few years or if you don't get the chance that you want you can still use your talent in other outlets that involve singing and performance...Break a leg.

Harness your enthusiasm to the best training you can get to stand the best chance. Needing to set up auditions for my play "Mad Tigers And Bears", I advertised for a week on one industry website and got 55 young women applying for just one of the roles. All the applicants supplied a CV of their professional training and experience, most of the experience was gained whilst training.

Generally, you've got to have good training to get somewhere in professional theatre. So get professional training and go for your dream!

adding dancing to your repertoire is really smart, your thinking ahead. there's always a chance, if this is what you love, then do it! ;)