1. Our coursework is not as easy as it seems.
When you hear that we get college credit for a course called "Movement," you may scoff at the simplicity of our classes in comparison to your Chemistry and Statistics classes. What you don't understand is how much time goes into scene analysis and memorization and rehearsal. It might seem easy compared to chemical equations, but it actually requires a lot of work. And Movement... well, we seldom come out of that class without sweat soaking our body.
2. We probably don't have time.
As much as we would love to go to parties or hang out with friends, all of our time is spent either in class or in rehearsal. The time that is not spent doing those things is spent memorizing or doing homework. Our schedules are always packed; therefore, we completely lack social lives.
3. We need to carry a lot more than a backpack around campus.
If you see someone lugging a backpack, a duffel bag, and a pair of character shoes around campus, you can probably assume they're a theatre major. Being a theatre major means having classes which require movement clothes, audition clothes, costumes and props, and having them every day. You might make fun of us for not being athletic, but we get a good workout carrying our bags to and from class.
4. We are athletic.
As actors and actresses, our appearance is a major selling point for our careers. In order to be marketable, we have to make sure that our bodies are always in tip-top shape. Daily trips to the gym are a must. Gotta get that #broadwaybod.
5. We don't spend all day singing songs from RENT.
Our coursework includes much denser material than mainstream musicals. We spend a lot of time studying the plays of Shakespeare and Chekhov, among many others. We are constantly analyzing and challenging our minds...that is not to say we don't whip out a RENT song every once in a while.
6. Please don't ask us what our "backup plan" is.
We don't have a backup plan; we can't see ourselves doing anything other than theatre. We would rather live in a box if it meant that we were doing what we loved instead of working at a desk all day.
7. Our department is as cult-like as it seems.
We spend every waking hour together. When we're not in class or at rehearsal, we are probably still together. The only thing that differentiates us from a family is that we all hook up with each other.
8. Every conversation you have with us will include a shameless plug.
Each theatre student is a walking advertisement for productions happening on campus. We WILL try to get you to come to the play we're in at the moment, and you should go, because our shows are awesome.
9. Theatre isn't a hobby.
Theatre is our
passion; it's what we love and want to do forever. It's more than something we do for
fun in our free time. It's our life.
10. You will not out-dress us at a costume party.
Do not even try.
