In 2019, my kids joined CYT Tri-Valley, a local youth theater company. And now, I can proudly say that we have been a "musical theater" family for nearly 8 years. As my older children graduated from the program, my younger ones eagerly stepped up to take their place. And I love how my children are flourishing in this environment.
In the age of AI this and AI that, theater remains something that is hands-on and real. It's in REAL time, with REAL sets and props, put on by REAL people who can make mistakes right in front of your eyes.
AND I LOVE IT! People collaborating with people, working together towards a goal, there is nothing I love more!
If you're considering whether or not your child should try theater, here are some of the things beyond singing and dancing that my children have learned.
1) They learn to work hard and have fun at the same time.
First of all, the theater arts isn't for everyone. If your child doesn't like to sing, or dance, musical theater may not be for your child. Still, I have a son who likes to sing but not dance, and now he dances if it's required in a show. He learned! He worked at it! And it's the kind of work that is also fun. After hours and hours of rehearsal, these kids are still smiling and laughing and having a good time. When the actors do a song or dance or scene ten times in a row and nail it the tenth time, it's very rewarding. (Theater also requires a time commitment. My kids are in rehearsal 9 hours a week, and tech week is another thing altogether.)
2) They learn teamwork.
I like to compare theater to a team sport, except it's MORE team-oriented than most sports I know. There is no one sitting on the bench. You can argue that there are the main roles and there are the smaller roles, but still, everyone gets to be on stage and EVERYONE contributes to the show in a valuable way. And if one person isn't on task, the choreography won't work. Or the dialogue or flow of the scene. You have to work with your fellow actors or it doesn't work at all.
3) They learn to be responsible and dependable.
Every actor needs to take care of learning their part, whether it involves lines or singing or dancing. Our company puts kids in charge of knowing where their props are and hanging their costumes up. They learn the show; they learn their entrances. I watch the kids rush off the stage to quickly change their costumes and be ready to step on the stage again. Their head has to be in the game. And this piggy-backs on to #2. If they know their stuff, their fellow actors can depend on them. Nothing is more frustrating than working with an actor who is not in the right place at the right time.
4) They learn to study people.
Acting is unique in that in order to be a good actor, you need to understand people and their motivation. Actors are students who study their scripts and study people around them. They need to understand emotions. They learn accents and speech patterns so they can sound different from their normal selves. They learn to walk and move differently. And in doing so, they learn to find their own voice.
5) They learn to be confident in themselves within a safe, group setting.
I do need to mention that not every theater group nurtures community and friendship. Actors can be very catty and competitive. But we found a company that puts community above competition, and the environment is like a greenhouse where every little plant can flourish. And what is wonderful about theater is that a beginning actor doesn't have to be onstage by him/herself. Your child is up there with other actors (people they trust), and that helps a child push past the fear of stage fright. The theater term for the background singers is "ensemble", which literally means "together" in French. Your child isn't alone up there.
6) They learn to solve problems.
What happens when an actor skips a line? Or when a prop is missing, or breaks on stage? Actors think fast to fix the problem and move on, whatever it is. Sometimes this means helping a fellow actor who falls or is missing a prop.
6) They learn the feeling of accomplishment without competition.
When the show is done, and the audience is cheering and applauding, there is nothing like the rush and the feeling of pride that arises in an actor. All the work has paid off. The show, even with its mistakes here and there, was a success. And the actors crossed the finish line together.
7) They learn disappointment in a safe environment.
I keep talking about the environment, and this is a very important factor. Children need an environment that feels safe (the home should be their first and foremost "safe environment.") If they trust the people they are with, they are more willing to open up, try new things, and show their emotions. In the theater world, there is always going to be disappointment. Even in our company, where previous experience is not required, we still ask actors to audition, and there is still the possibility of being "cut" (not being cast in the show.) We do our best to cast everyone who auditions, but reality is we cannot cast more actors than the theater can hold, PLUS we cannot cast everyone as the lead. There will always be a small number of actors who get the lead, and many who are in the ensemble or smaller roles. Kids come in with high hopes, but we teach them that the directors will cast them in the role that best suits them. Disappointment is unavoidable. But it is a part of life. But I love that the kids are learning it in our theater company first, before they go out in the professional world.
8) They gain friends, and they can be a light.
My kids' closest friends are from their theater group. They feel that they can sing and dance and be goofy together. And being homeschoolers, sometimes the world feels too small, so it's wonderful for us to have a community outside of homeschooling and church. My kids are also meeting children their age who do not homeschool or attend church. Some of these children do not have a happy family life. This is when I remind them that they can be role models, and shine Christ's light wherever they are.
