Everyone has a talent. Some of us are really good at making people laugh in awkward situations. Some are fantastic storytellers. Some are known for their imitations. People with talents such as these make good actors. An actor cannot make it on talent alone. An actor needs to train long and hard to hone that talent, and needs to keep learning and training, just like a musician or a dancer, to keep the skills sharp. Acting teachers have an important role in the lives of actors.
An acting teacher may work with serious actors, who want to make it as stage and film stars. These acting teachers help their students achieve their full potential. However, some acting students are not interested in becoming the next Brad Pitt. Some just want to be able to give a speech without shaking, and some might love pretending for just a few hours a week. Teachers often approach their students with the goal of making the students feel better about themselves, and improve their communication skills. Very rarely do acting teachers emphasize theatrical success on a large scale.
Acting teachers may also teach singing, dancing, script study and warm-up exercises. They may hold auditions, and put on plays with their students. They may also give audition advice, critiquing lessons, and show their students how to write up resumes. They may also arrange for agents or scouts to meet with talented students.
Acting teachers in public schools, colleges and universities have other responsibilities. They often have to teach other subjects, mark papers, create exams, meet with parents, and research and write on their own. Acting teachers who run their own schools are required to look after the financial, supervisory, and management duties which go along with having an independent business.
Interested in teaching acting? Acting teachers need to be creative communicators and be able to evaluate people without being judgmental. They should be organized, confident and full of energy. Acting teachers need to be agile thinkers with good memories. They should be interested in all aspects of theater, from acting techniques to lighting and set design. They should be patient, sensitive and willing to commit to helping people realize their potential as not only actors, but communicators, listeners and critics.
Typical Tasks
Plan classes
Teach students of all ages acting skills from a range of styles
Coach students in speaking clearly, voice projection, and movement
Teach students about plays and the history of drama
Assess students' performances
Prepare students for performances or exams
Direct rehearsals for performances
Teach other subjects
Run their own business
A typical day for an acting teacher involves a lot of listening, watching and advising students about their development. They will teach according to an established plan, curriculum, or guidelines, or they may get to create their own. They spend some of each day reading scripts. Acting teachers spend much of their time indoors, in classrooms, in studios or on set, interacting with a number of students, technicians, and professionals. Their days could be long, especially if they teach outside of public schools. They may work weekends and evenings to accommodate clients. They may travel in order to run workshops, around the city and around the world.
Workplaces, Employers and Industries
Acting teachers can work in public schools, colleges and universities. They may work for private acting schools, as well. They may work independent of any organization, and work from their own homes, the homes of their students, and in community centers.
Long Term Career Potential
Acting teachers can open their own private acting school, become talent agents or managers. They can pursue careers in acting themselves, or get involved in other aspects of theater, such as writing, directing and producing. Acting teachers can go on to teach a number of other subjects, or can return to university and become professors in theater studies. They can also write self-help books for aspiring actors, as well as become motivational speakers.
Educational Paths
Acting teachers need lots of experience with theater. Regardless of whether or not they are teaching in schools or privately, acting teachers should try to collect as much experience with theater as they can. They should learn all about set building, directing and costumes. They should be trained or practiced actors themselves, in order to understand what it is their students are attempting to do.
Some teachers become successful on reputation alone, while others work toward bachelor's and/or master's degrees in drama or education. Teaching qualification is required if you want to be involved in public schools; however, a teaching certificate is not a requirement for people who want to work as a private acting coach.
