Theater teaches life lessons, benefits actors

Dramatic, heart wrenching monologues. Slapstick, comedic stage fights. Costumes, makeup and recitations of old-timey text. This is what we usually think about when it comes to acting, whether on stage or screen.

Depending on your experience, acting may be something you see as just a showy form of entertainment for dramatic people, or a specific “gift” that only theater nerds like me or celebrities were born to do. What could standing on a stage reciting dramatic lines possibly apply to in the real world?

Believe it or not, a lot more than you think. From my years participating in theater and current acting studies, I have gained some enriching and challenging lessons that have helped me grow more socially aware, understanding and confident as I navigate the world of adulthood. I hope others can take from these lessons as well.

One of the first skills that can be taken away from acting is an increased sense of empathy. When acting, it is critical to gain a deeper understanding of the character one must play and to see the world from their point of view. Actors must study the text for clues about their character’s background, relationships and how they deal with things in their own way throughout their environment.

Playing someone other than yourself gives greater perspective into the interesting and diverse lives that surround us. One must empathize with someone who has a different experience in order to play that character in an authentic, human way. Even if we can never relate to a character entirely, we can still take a step back from our judgements and find ways in our own experiences to better how we treat others in relationships.

Something else you can learn from lessons in acting is the art of communication and collaboration. Unless it is a one-person show, actors share the stage with fellow actors and work in close communication with each other. The authenticity of the acting depends on the relationships one builds with the others, figuring out how to carry the weight of the performance together.

Even if you don’t get along with your scene mates, it is still important to put effort into professionally communicating and collaborating so you can get what you need out of each scene. Additionally, actors must communicate with their directors, mentors, and others working behind the scenes, like any other profession, to keep the show running smoothly.

Lastly, acting can teach us is to have a greater sense of self-confidence, especially when things do not go according to plan. Say you are leading a professional meeting or presenting research. You are going to need to think like an actor in these scenarios as you are presenting yourself in the way that you want to be seen and communicating your information effectively.

Actors must spend time learning this skill by improving their projection, posture and annunciation, especially when making their first impressions as their character to an audience. Confidence in oneself also teaches the important skill of improvisation, which is incredibly useful in the workplace as plans can change in an instant. No matter how much preparation we can do, there will always be curveballs in work or life. Acting can teach us confidence and resourcefulness under pressure, which is what actors use onstage all the time. As said in the theater, “the show must go on.”

Now, I am not saying that everyone should drop everything to become an actor, but we should consider looking into these skills and the many others that actors must attain for their performances and see where we can apply them to our own future endeavors. I encourage anyone to take an acting or improv class if they ever have the chance, regardless of if they are a theater person or not. Trust me—they’re also super fun.

Acting class has given me immense creative and social growth that has helped me in real life scenarios. I hope that by sharing these lessons of acting, others can see that the performing arts has much more to it than meets the eye.