A Year End Theatre Question Conversation

At the beginning of December I received an email on my contact page from a young lady who was starting to look into colleges and their programs. She had found my paper portfolio blogs (here and here) and had a few more questions for me.

One question I asked if I could share was, "If [I] could go back, would [I] major in something more specific?" A little backstory; I received my Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Studies at a liberal arts college before choosing to work on my Masters of Fine Arts in Costume Design at a conservatory program. Below is my answer:

"My answer would be no, I wouldn't change what I ended up majoring in. I believe majoring in theatre made me a more well rounded theatre professional and allowed me to understand the demands on my fellow theatre professionals. For instance, as a designer it is important to know how a garment goes together, sewing classes are important. It is also important to understand what an actor's blocking is so the design is able to be moved in appropriately, Taking a movement class or acting class helped with this..."

I then went on to explain why I believed my liberal arts undergraduate experienced ultimately helped me build up a knowledge bank I still draw from when designing. My love of learning that was cultivated during these liberal arts classes along with different research techniques have aided me greatly when working on a theatre piece. 

It was nice to chat with someone a little about theatre this pas year. I hope that all the students getting ready to go into programs in the fall can do so with the same optimism I did when attending my undergrad. I look forward to getting back to our stages when it is safe. Until then, support your local theatres and artists.