My Child Loves Acting - How To Get Them Involved?
18 June 2023
Acting can be a skill, a hobby and a career. Whichever of these your child aspires to, the benefits of taking up acting are considerable. It builds confidence, teaches collaboration, gives children a creative outlet and is a lot of fun. If your child shows an interest in acting, and wants to pursue it further, getting involved in the theatre is easy.
Look for local theatre classes
It might surprise you how many theatre classes you can find, even in small towns. Sometimes independent companies and teachers will run classes, and other times it might be local councils, schools or even theatres themselves. Attending any class is the best way to get involved in the theatre. Classes will welcome beginners, and teachers will be full of a passion about the craft that they want to pass on to others. Be prepared to travel, too. If a class in a nearby town has a good reputation, it can be worth making the trip to experience it.
School and community plays
Get involved in the stage by getting on-stage! As with local classes, you might be surprised to find how many amateur productions are being put on in your local area. The buzz and excitement of being part of an actual show can’t ever be replicated. If your child is interested in acting, then being part of a production is a wonderful experience. If they want to pursue acting as a career, getting experience in real productions is vital.
Acting school summer courses
All acting and theatre schools offer a range of courses, which will include summer, evening and weekend classes. Attending any acting class is good, but going along to a school that’s dedicated to the performing arts will give children a real insight into the world of theatre. For pursuing acting as a career, these classes are vital. Even as a hobby, the experience of attending a course at a real acting school will be unlike anything else.
Attend the theatre
If your child loves acting, find opportunities for them to see acting in practice! Attending the theatre doesn’t have to break the bank. As previously mentioned, if you take time to look around you’ll find many amateur and smaller productions being put on all the time in your local area. If you can, try to vary what you go to see, for example musicals, theatre, one-man shows, etc. That way your child can see acting in all its forms.
Coach and support them
There are ways to keep the fun of acting up at home. You could help your child work on a monologue from a show they’ve seen, or help them get hold of lyrics and backing tracks to sing to. You can find many dance tutorials online, as well as many online acting classes you can subscribe to, many of which are taught by industry veterans.
Casting calls
This isn’t something you’d consider when first starting out, but when your child has gained a bit of experience, they might like to try attending a casting call. As with taking part in a real production, attending a real-life casting call can provide a bit of excitement and buzz, and you never know where it might lead! Just be aware that no reputable company will ever charge you for attending auditions, so if there’s a fee, don’t go.