7 answers
Ashton
Student
Salol, MN
3
Questions
Asked
266 views
What advice would you give for trying to get into the professional theater/acting world?
I am wondering what advice can be given to help me be able to try become a professional actor. I am also helping direct a play, any advise for that would also be appreciated.
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7 answers
April Ramey
Music Production
4
Answers
Everson, Washington
Updated
April’s Answer
I recommend going to a Performing Arts College to study theater. Many actors and actresses have dedicated their lives to this profession. Most started by getting a degree and learning from others in the field.
My suggestion would be go to a Performing Arts Collage to study being in the theater.
April recommends the following next steps:
Ricardo Islas
producer
35
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Ricardo’s Answer
Hi Ashton,
Acting is about discovering moments of truth, both around you and within yourself. Here are two practical tips to help you grow as an actor. First, get involved in as many projects as possible. Acting is like a muscle—the more you use it, the stronger you get. Second, pay attention to the world around you. Watch how people behave, talk, and react. Try to understand their feelings and perspectives. This will help you deliver genuine performances, not just imitations.
Also, consider taking classes. Learn different methods, like Chekov, not just "the method." Academic and practical training together will help you become a great actor.
Acting is about discovering moments of truth, both around you and within yourself. Here are two practical tips to help you grow as an actor. First, get involved in as many projects as possible. Acting is like a muscle—the more you use it, the stronger you get. Second, pay attention to the world around you. Watch how people behave, talk, and react. Try to understand their feelings and perspectives. This will help you deliver genuine performances, not just imitations.
Also, consider taking classes. Learn different methods, like Chekov, not just "the method." Academic and practical training together will help you become a great actor.
Nat Christian
Writer-Director
12
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Nat’s Answer
Ashton.
There is no diploma that makes one a "professional" actor.
Just Act. And keep acting. Doesn't matter where - little theater, something you put on with other actors at a park, schools, wherever. Just act.
You say "professional." I'm assuming you want to get paid and become noticed more and more.
So, if you feel you are ready look for auditions in all of the trade "papers" (on the net).
But keep working on your craft.
and
Keep trying out.
Hope this helps
Nat
There is no diploma that makes one a "professional" actor.
Just Act. And keep acting. Doesn't matter where - little theater, something you put on with other actors at a park, schools, wherever. Just act.
You say "professional." I'm assuming you want to get paid and become noticed more and more.
So, if you feel you are ready look for auditions in all of the trade "papers" (on the net).
But keep working on your craft.
and
Keep trying out.
Hope this helps
Nat
Neil Tardio
Director
6
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Neil’s Answer
Congratulations on starting your journey into acting! The acting world is full of support, and with the right skills, you can act anywhere. Becoming an actor can seem complicated, but there are clear steps to follow. You can join a theater group, take acting classes, attend workshops, or enroll in summer programs. There are opportunities in both theater and screen acting, and many actors explore both. With the growth of media, there are plenty of opportunities for actors, and it's unlikely AI will replace them soon.
Here's how to get started: read a lot, watch a lot, and attend a lot. Dive into plays, autobiographies, and fiction. Watch films and documentaries about acting. Go to as many plays, classes, and workshops as possible. Act because you love it, not for fame. Acting is a tough but rewarding path, filled with both challenges and the chance to live your dreams.
To succeed, become a great listener, stay curious, and be open to feedback. Accept praise and criticism, whether it's for a school play or a big film. Acting requires patience and self-belief. Explore content from actors you admire, take notes, and develop your understanding of the craft. Once you've done your homework, take an acting class. Listen, ask questions, and take risks. You have to put yourself out there to grow as an actor.
If you're interested in directing, the same principles apply. As a director, you'll guide the crew and actors. Great directors aren't afraid to seek help and value others' opinions. They have a vision but are open to input, making informed decisions that show true leadership.
Here's how to get started: read a lot, watch a lot, and attend a lot. Dive into plays, autobiographies, and fiction. Watch films and documentaries about acting. Go to as many plays, classes, and workshops as possible. Act because you love it, not for fame. Acting is a tough but rewarding path, filled with both challenges and the chance to live your dreams.
To succeed, become a great listener, stay curious, and be open to feedback. Accept praise and criticism, whether it's for a school play or a big film. Acting requires patience and self-belief. Explore content from actors you admire, take notes, and develop your understanding of the craft. Once you've done your homework, take an acting class. Listen, ask questions, and take risks. You have to put yourself out there to grow as an actor.
If you're interested in directing, the same principles apply. As a director, you'll guide the crew and actors. Great directors aren't afraid to seek help and value others' opinions. They have a vision but are open to input, making informed decisions that show true leadership.
Rafael Diaz Montelongo
Consultant
563
Answers
Raleigh, North Carolina
Updated
Rafael’s Answer
Hey Ashton, my career has been in engineering and business rather than theater, but honestly a lot of the same principles apply because breaking into any competitive field comes down to putting yourself out there relentlessly and building real experience wherever you can. The fact that you're already helping direct a play is huge because that shows initiative and gives you both sides of the craft, which will make you a stronger actor and a more well-rounded professional in the industry. My advice would be to audition for everything you can regardless of how small the role is, build relationships with everyone you work with because this industry runs on connections, create your own content if opportunities aren't coming to you, and never stop training whether that's classes, workshops, or just studying performances you admire.
Rafael Diaz Montelongo
Consultant
563
Answers
Raleigh, North Carolina
Updated
Rafael’s Answer
Hey Ashton, my career has been in engineering and business rather than theater, but honestly a lot of the same principles apply because breaking into any competitive field comes down to putting yourself out there relentlessly and building real experience wherever you can. The fact that you're already helping direct a play is huge because that shows initiative and gives you both sides of the craft, which will make you a stronger actor and a more well-rounded professional in the industry. My advice would be to audition for everything you can regardless of how small the role is, build relationships with everyone you work with because this industry runs on connections, create your own content if opportunities aren't coming to you, and never stop training whether that's classes, workshops, or just studying performances you admire.
Dora Endre
Filmmaker and stage director, writer
18
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Dora’s Answer
Hi Ashton,
What a wonderful dual path you're already walking: performing and directing at the same time is such a rich way to learn, and honestly one of the best things you can do for yourself as a theatre artist early on.
Let me start where I always start, and where I think everything else flows from: you. The pressure of the artistic world: auditions, rejection, financial uncertainty, comparison, the hunger to "make it" - can quietly erode your creativity and your sense of self if you aren't grounded first. You can work on the most exciting project, live in the most vibrant city, and still feel lost or blocked if you aren't present within yourself, on a good energy, connected to your own inner world. So before craft, before networking, before anything: invest in yourself as a human being. Meditate, journal, move your body, find your stillness. Read something like Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way - genuinely one of the best companions for any young artist, actor or director alike. It opens you up from the inside out. Learn how to connect with the world and others on a deeper level.
Now, on acting specifically: train but choose your training wisely. Find a method or approach that resonates with you rather than just the most prestigious-sounding school. Stanislavski, Meisner, Chekhov, Viewpoints, physical theatre: explore as many as you can and see what clicks in your body and your imagination. Take classes (capitalize on trial classes too), join community theatre, student productions, fringe projects, anything that gets you on your feet and in front of an audience regularly. Audition even when you don't feel ready: especially when you don't feel ready. Bravery is a muscle and the audition room is where you build it. Learn to be rejected gracefully and move on quickly. Every single working actor has a drawer full of nos. The ones who make it are the ones who didn't let the nos define them.
On directing: and this is something I feel strongly about from my own experience, one of the most valuable things you can do as a director is learn the basics of acting yourself. Really learn them. When you understand what it feels like to stand in front of people and be vulnerable, to search for a truthful moment, to need safety and trust in a rehearsal room: everything changes. You speak the same language as your actors. You can guide them with empathy and precision rather than just giving line readings or vague notes. You create an environment where they feel safe enough to take risks, which is ultimately where the magic happens. The rehearsal room should feel like a place of play and trust, and that starts with the director. So if you aren't already taking acting classes alongside your directing work, I would strongly encourage it - not to become an actor necessarily, but to become a better, more empathetic, more communicative director.
Watch everything. Read plays voraciously. Study directors whose work moves you: look at how they talk about their process in interviews, masterclasses, books. Peter Brook's The Empty Space is a short but profound read. Anne Bogart's writing is wonderful too. See as much live theatre as you possibly can, even low-budget fringe work, because that is often where the most exciting risks are being taken.
Build your community intentionally. The theatre world is small and deeply relational. Be someone people want to work with: curious, generous, present, reliable. Show up fully. Collaborate honestly. And remember that this path is rarely linear - it is full of detours, side projects, reinventions, and quiet seasons. Trust those too.
Peace, presence and passion will take you further than hustle / chasing every project you bump into alone.
You've got this. 🎭
Dora
What a wonderful dual path you're already walking: performing and directing at the same time is such a rich way to learn, and honestly one of the best things you can do for yourself as a theatre artist early on.
Let me start where I always start, and where I think everything else flows from: you. The pressure of the artistic world: auditions, rejection, financial uncertainty, comparison, the hunger to "make it" - can quietly erode your creativity and your sense of self if you aren't grounded first. You can work on the most exciting project, live in the most vibrant city, and still feel lost or blocked if you aren't present within yourself, on a good energy, connected to your own inner world. So before craft, before networking, before anything: invest in yourself as a human being. Meditate, journal, move your body, find your stillness. Read something like Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way - genuinely one of the best companions for any young artist, actor or director alike. It opens you up from the inside out. Learn how to connect with the world and others on a deeper level.
Now, on acting specifically: train but choose your training wisely. Find a method or approach that resonates with you rather than just the most prestigious-sounding school. Stanislavski, Meisner, Chekhov, Viewpoints, physical theatre: explore as many as you can and see what clicks in your body and your imagination. Take classes (capitalize on trial classes too), join community theatre, student productions, fringe projects, anything that gets you on your feet and in front of an audience regularly. Audition even when you don't feel ready: especially when you don't feel ready. Bravery is a muscle and the audition room is where you build it. Learn to be rejected gracefully and move on quickly. Every single working actor has a drawer full of nos. The ones who make it are the ones who didn't let the nos define them.
On directing: and this is something I feel strongly about from my own experience, one of the most valuable things you can do as a director is learn the basics of acting yourself. Really learn them. When you understand what it feels like to stand in front of people and be vulnerable, to search for a truthful moment, to need safety and trust in a rehearsal room: everything changes. You speak the same language as your actors. You can guide them with empathy and precision rather than just giving line readings or vague notes. You create an environment where they feel safe enough to take risks, which is ultimately where the magic happens. The rehearsal room should feel like a place of play and trust, and that starts with the director. So if you aren't already taking acting classes alongside your directing work, I would strongly encourage it - not to become an actor necessarily, but to become a better, more empathetic, more communicative director.
Watch everything. Read plays voraciously. Study directors whose work moves you: look at how they talk about their process in interviews, masterclasses, books. Peter Brook's The Empty Space is a short but profound read. Anne Bogart's writing is wonderful too. See as much live theatre as you possibly can, even low-budget fringe work, because that is often where the most exciting risks are being taken.
Build your community intentionally. The theatre world is small and deeply relational. Be someone people want to work with: curious, generous, present, reliable. Show up fully. Collaborate honestly. And remember that this path is rarely linear - it is full of detours, side projects, reinventions, and quiet seasons. Trust those too.
Peace, presence and passion will take you further than hustle / chasing every project you bump into alone.
You've got this. 🎭
Dora