4 answers
Ismay
Student
Wilsall, MT
1
Question
Asked
389 views
Should I pursue musical theatre?
I've been a musician my entire life. I started violin when I was 5 and learned many more instruments along the way as well as absolutely loving singing. I live in a small town so there's very few opportunities for music, but spring of my freshman year, I went to a nearby town and saw a community theatre. I absolutely fell in love and started going to school there so I could do it. Since then I've been a part of every single production and lately I've been having a bit of a crisis.
I really want to try and pursue musical theatre professionally. My original plan had been to go into audio technology and run a recording studio but I'm starting to wonder if I could truly make it. I love it so much, and I think I'm a very good musician and a pretty decent actor (I got second in speech and drama at state) but I also don't have much dance experience or opportunities to get into it. I'm also worried that because I got into this so late, that I might not have enough experience under my belt or suddenly not like it anymore.
Realistically, would I be able to make a living in musical theatre? I don't need to be famous or rich, I just wish I could spend all day doing what I love and be able to support. I was also thinking as a back up getting a minor in education so I could work with education in a community theatre if nothing else. Anyone have advice for what I can do to prepare, or if it's not worth it and I should just stick with my original plan?
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4 answers
Michelle M.
Actress
2522
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Ismay !
I am happy that you've expressed a lot and I think that I can cover your concerns with some advice.
To start, no one is going to tell you how or through what you'll make a living from. It's all an episodic process and depends on too many factors, so my advice is to do what you love and since you are multitalented you can intersperse these interests if you do the hard work, education, training, and gain the experience outside of high school and college.
I would say to follow through with the Audio Technology interest as that is a good field for work. Whatever you do, do not major in musical theatre in college. Just take more acting, singing and dance lessons in or out of college. Get your degree in something viable like the Audio Technology.
Although there are musicals that require heavy dancing, there are some that are more based in acting and singing. Research what these particular musicals are that have little or no dancing. I was in two originally written musicals that had no dancing and grateful because I never could follow choreography. And experience is definitely something on your resume that they look at, true. Since musical theatre is a genre and the career is theater or acting, you should be open minded to getting work as an actor which includes auditioning for any musical you'd want. Actors don't just do one genre, so keep in mind, the more media and more genres you are open to, the more you can audition for.
At some point, most actors make a move to either Los Angeles or New York City. Once you get there, you register with casting agencies and read the auditions they send you via e-mail and audition for the ones that are for your type. They're not going to be all for musicals, however. If you do get cast in a professional musical, you may have to travel with the company to various cities to do the show. You'd have to join the Actor's Equity union and pay a fee to join, plus dues every month - even if you don't work. If you would be open to getting film and television roles, you'd join SAG/AFTRA, pay the fee to join and dues every month.
Many non-famous, non-superfluously wealthy actors make a living through their acting. This is just one of those careers with no straight line, no assured way to know how your career would go. Possibilities increase with lots of experience and living in one of the major acting hubs and everyone's acting career goes differently. You'd have to love acting so much that you don't care about down time or being super busy. It's not a career that you can easily know the outcomes for. Everyone must make their own decision for their future.
Wishing you all the best !
I am happy that you've expressed a lot and I think that I can cover your concerns with some advice.
To start, no one is going to tell you how or through what you'll make a living from. It's all an episodic process and depends on too many factors, so my advice is to do what you love and since you are multitalented you can intersperse these interests if you do the hard work, education, training, and gain the experience outside of high school and college.
I would say to follow through with the Audio Technology interest as that is a good field for work. Whatever you do, do not major in musical theatre in college. Just take more acting, singing and dance lessons in or out of college. Get your degree in something viable like the Audio Technology.
Although there are musicals that require heavy dancing, there are some that are more based in acting and singing. Research what these particular musicals are that have little or no dancing. I was in two originally written musicals that had no dancing and grateful because I never could follow choreography. And experience is definitely something on your resume that they look at, true. Since musical theatre is a genre and the career is theater or acting, you should be open minded to getting work as an actor which includes auditioning for any musical you'd want. Actors don't just do one genre, so keep in mind, the more media and more genres you are open to, the more you can audition for.
At some point, most actors make a move to either Los Angeles or New York City. Once you get there, you register with casting agencies and read the auditions they send you via e-mail and audition for the ones that are for your type. They're not going to be all for musicals, however. If you do get cast in a professional musical, you may have to travel with the company to various cities to do the show. You'd have to join the Actor's Equity union and pay a fee to join, plus dues every month - even if you don't work. If you would be open to getting film and television roles, you'd join SAG/AFTRA, pay the fee to join and dues every month.
Many non-famous, non-superfluously wealthy actors make a living through their acting. This is just one of those careers with no straight line, no assured way to know how your career would go. Possibilities increase with lots of experience and living in one of the major acting hubs and everyone's acting career goes differently. You'd have to love acting so much that you don't care about down time or being super busy. It's not a career that you can easily know the outcomes for. Everyone must make their own decision for their future.
Wishing you all the best !
Cliff Beach
Music and marketing
9
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Cliff’s Answer
Absolutely pursue it—if it sets your soul on fire, you owe it to yourself to explore it fully. Trust me, I’ve walked that line between passion and practicality. You don’t have to choose either/or—you can build a career that’s both/and.
Look, the reality is this: Musical theatre is competitive, unpredictable, and rarely a straight path to financial stability. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth chasing. If you're already acting in every production, if you're ranking at state, and if you feel alive on that stage—that’s real. That’s your gut trying to tell you something.
Here's my advice, from one working creative to another:
Go for it—but go smart. Major in musical theatre or performance if that’s what you want, but pair it with a minor or second major in something like audio tech, education, or business. Not as a backup plan—as part of the plan. You can be a performer, a teacher, a sound engineer, a vocal coach, a director. Build a full toolbox.
Start dancing now. Don’t wait for a big program—YouTube, online classes, TikTok choreo breakdowns, community dance studios, whatever you can access. Being a triple threat is less about perfection and more about versatility.
Network and hustle. Get involved in every show you can, work on your audition game, make friends with directors, and learn how shows come together behind the scenes. That knowledge is power.
And let me be real with you: There is no “late start” when you’re in love with the craft. You’re already miles ahead because you’ve found your passion. That’s something most people never get.
Pursue musical theatre with everything you’ve got—but also build a life around it that supports you creatively and financially. You can absolutely make it, maybe not Broadway-fame “make it,” but “wake up every day doing what you love and paying your bills” make it? That’s real, and it's enough. You owe it to yourself and the world and will regret it if you don’t at least try. You can always fall back or pursue something else. Good luck!
Look, the reality is this: Musical theatre is competitive, unpredictable, and rarely a straight path to financial stability. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth chasing. If you're already acting in every production, if you're ranking at state, and if you feel alive on that stage—that’s real. That’s your gut trying to tell you something.
Here's my advice, from one working creative to another:
Go for it—but go smart. Major in musical theatre or performance if that’s what you want, but pair it with a minor or second major in something like audio tech, education, or business. Not as a backup plan—as part of the plan. You can be a performer, a teacher, a sound engineer, a vocal coach, a director. Build a full toolbox.
Start dancing now. Don’t wait for a big program—YouTube, online classes, TikTok choreo breakdowns, community dance studios, whatever you can access. Being a triple threat is less about perfection and more about versatility.
Network and hustle. Get involved in every show you can, work on your audition game, make friends with directors, and learn how shows come together behind the scenes. That knowledge is power.
And let me be real with you: There is no “late start” when you’re in love with the craft. You’re already miles ahead because you’ve found your passion. That’s something most people never get.
Pursue musical theatre with everything you’ve got—but also build a life around it that supports you creatively and financially. You can absolutely make it, maybe not Broadway-fame “make it,” but “wake up every day doing what you love and paying your bills” make it? That’s real, and it's enough. You owe it to yourself and the world and will regret it if you don’t at least try. You can always fall back or pursue something else. Good luck!
Elizabeth Bryson
Songwriter
11
Answers
Parkton, Maryland
Updated
Elizabeth’s Answer
Hi Ismay!
I saved your question in my emails. Sorry for the delay in responding. You sound incredibly talented! Your intuition seems to be moving you in the right direction creatively. Given your abilities as a musician and as an actor, you have many options. You are already delving into them and that is wonderful! Every venture into any of your creative interests will help you. It is never too late to pursue any of those as options. There is also no reason that you need to stick to just one! Speaking from experience, I studied as a classical pianist in college, but found that wasn't for me and found my abilities and interest much more suited to writing. Even though being a classical pianist didn't work out for me, it helped me when I started writing songs. Later on, I also started giving piano lessons and teaching after-school group music lessons. They were and are all very rewarding in their own way. As far as earning enough money to live on, it can be a juggling act. I've worked many retail jobs as well, not always music related, but definitely inspiration for me creatively. I hope you will just follow your heart and trust the journey. God bless you!
I saved your question in my emails. Sorry for the delay in responding. You sound incredibly talented! Your intuition seems to be moving you in the right direction creatively. Given your abilities as a musician and as an actor, you have many options. You are already delving into them and that is wonderful! Every venture into any of your creative interests will help you. It is never too late to pursue any of those as options. There is also no reason that you need to stick to just one! Speaking from experience, I studied as a classical pianist in college, but found that wasn't for me and found my abilities and interest much more suited to writing. Even though being a classical pianist didn't work out for me, it helped me when I started writing songs. Later on, I also started giving piano lessons and teaching after-school group music lessons. They were and are all very rewarding in their own way. As far as earning enough money to live on, it can be a juggling act. I've worked many retail jobs as well, not always music related, but definitely inspiration for me creatively. I hope you will just follow your heart and trust the journey. God bless you!
Ariel Andino Nuñez
Productor musical
18
Answers
El Hoyo, Chubut Province
Updated
Ariel Andino’s Answer
Show your talent to everyone, it will help. Good luck.