BWW Blog: The Top Five College Electives for Theatre Majors

Registration for classes for the upcoming Fall semester has arrived and even after two years of college, it never gets easier. I have always stressed over picking the perfect schedule with the perfect classes at the perfect times (and let me tell you, it doesn't exist). For someone like me who has an interest in all areas of theatre, electives have always been the most difficult to choose. But after two years as a theatre major, I think I have finally figured out the top five best college electives to take as a theatre major in order to become the most well-rounded and gain the most skills!

1. Theatre Tech

Theatre tech is a great resource for all theatre majors, regardless of your focus. Being well rounded in theatre will always give you a step up, whether on your resume or in an audition room. As we all know, professional jobs in theatre are hard to come by, so by having technical experience and skills on your resume, you double if not triple your opportunities in theatre. You may even find a passion for another area of theatre that you never even knew about! If you're looking for a class to help you become more well rounded, this is the class for you!

2. Auditioning Technique

Without knowing how to stand out in an audition room, many of us will end up nowhere in our career field. Learning different auditioning techniques and tips will increase your chances of landing that callback by almost half! In this class you will learn how to impress casting directors from the minute you walk in the room as well as learning how to create the perfect resume and headshot. You'll even learn how to pick the perfect song, the perfect outfit and find the perfect casting call. If you're looking to nail every audition, this is the class for you!

3. Acting 101

As theatre majors, we obviously already know how to act but, you can never learn or train too much. In an acting class, you will delve deeper into a script than ever before. You will analyze scripts and performances, as well as study some of the greats, such as Stanislovsky and Meisner. You will not only perform, but you will be challenged to try improv, take risks, use your voice, experiment, etc. If you are looking for a class to push you out of your comfort zone, this is the class for you!

4. Practicum

Learning by doing is the best way to sharpen your skills. Taking a practicum, whether as a performer or a tech person, you will always learn something new with every show you work on. This class allows you to work on a show for school credits (what more could you ask for, right?) while growing your resume. I challenge each of you to take a practicum class in an aspect of theatre that isn't your focus. I promise it will help you in the long run to become more well rounded and will help you gain more opportunities! If you're looking to expand your resume for school credit, this is the class for you!

5. Theatre Appreciation

This is the perfect class to take for any theatre lover! This class will teach you the ins and outs of theatre, from the different roles both on stage and off, different genres of theatre, the evolution and theatre and more! My class even got to go see live performances as well as perform our own original piece. If you are looking to fully understand how theatre runs, this is the class for you!

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