Which is harder? Getting into drama school or getting your first job

I would honestly say getting your first job. There is so much to consider. Half of the problem is to just get a casting director to take a chance on you. Drama school is hard but they look for potential. With a job you have to stand out from the thousands of other recent graduates and get the better of your own nerves too. There is just so much competition. I’m lucky in that I managed to get a casting director who liked me (Pippa Ailion) pretty early on and would always get me in the room. Then it was up to me to perform but it gave me confidence. You have be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses and just keep going in the knowledge that eventually you’ll get that opportunity, and then it’s up to you to work hard and repay the trust shown in you.

What is the best thing about playing Henri in An American in Paris?

I never dreamed I’d get to ‘dance’ like this on the West End Stage. I honestly thought the job would be given to a dancer. I knew I could sing it and act it well enough but expected the movement to be the most important consideration. Therefore I am so grateful for the opportunity that James Orange the casting director has given me here, and for backing me. I love the fact that Henri has been a real challenge for me as a performer. That even now 14 years after graduating I am still learning, still growing, still having to work hard to achieve. His big number ’Stairway to Paradise’ is a dream come true, and I pinch myself every night. I also love the fact I get to work with such a talented cast who make coming to work so enjoyable. I feel very lucky.

Looking back on your successful career to date, what words of wisdom can you give to our young performers?

Enjoy it! I know performers who suggest you have to LIVE TO ACT! But I’ve always thought you have to enjoy it first and foremost. When you stop enjoying it, your should maybe stop doing it. Also be honest with yourself. Learn from each audition or experience. If you don’t get the part you want then why? Did you forget a line? Or was the other person taller than you? Or even was the audition panel distracted? But try to learn from it and act accordingly next time. We don’t learn from our successes. We learn from our mistakes and disappointments. I didn’t get Henri by being cast in every audition I have ever had, and have failed more times than I have succeeded. Still I have tried to learn from each experience and have confidence in myself through it all.

The post An American In Paris – Part 2 of our interview with Haydn Oakley first appeared on Simply Theatre.

At Simply Theatre Academy we call the soft skills that are referred to above “life skills” – and life skills are one of the key areas in which we seek to empower our students. Theatre classes give young people a safe environment in which to practice many life skills over a repeated duration of time – but how exactly do performing arts classes help address communication and resilience?

Communication and Team Working

To quote Justin Cash in his brilliant piece Drama’s Link To Employment Skills, “By their very nature, theatre-making and play building are group tasks, involving the ability to successfully work in team through collaboration with colleagues. This is where leaders are born, where the difficult skill of negotiation is carefully crafted, where compromise is viewed as a positive outcome instead of failure, and where oral communication skills are paramount”.[2]

Resilience

Most of us are not natural actors. Many aspiring actors have to learn their craft – which means putting it into practice often – and often getting it wrong, in front of other people. Performing Arts classes therefore build resilience in pupils, preparing them for life outside of the rehearsal room. In an article from WHO Communications on the benefits of drama for young people, Simply Theatre student Lisanne Hopkins, who was 17 at the time and had been a Simply Theatre student for 8 years said: “I have learned to not constantly put myself down for doing things wrong, but to pick myself up…”.[3] The article concludes that whether or not your child is destined for the stage, Performing Arts experience can translate into success in countless other aspects of life.

There surely can be little doubt that experiences in the Performing Arts give students detailed practice in life skills, giving them confidence in their chosen pursuits and goals later in life – and crucially address the lack of soft skills that are indicated in the British Chamber Of Commerce Workforce Survey.

If you are based in Geneva, Zurich or Zug then take a look at our Drama, Performing Arts and Dance classes for young people aged 4-14. From courses that cover an entire academic year to week-long summer camps, there’s something for everyone – visit www.simplytheatre.com to find out more.

[1] http://www.britishchambers.org.uk/assets/downloads/J4990%20-%20A4%20BCC%20WORKFORCE%20SURVEY%20INFOGRAPHIC%20final.pdf

[2] http://www.thedramateacher.com/dramas-link-to-employment-skills/

[3] https://simplytheatre.com/ArticleMedia/Files/WHO%20article.pdf

The post Why our children’s careers will depend on theatrical skills first appeared on Simply Theatre.