Interested in Theatre?

TheatreFolk shares some interesting things to consider when pursuing your interest in theatre.  Having the right combination of "hard" and "soft" skills can aid you in all of your pursuits.  "Hard skills" are abilities or the knowledge you have required to perform certain tasks, for example the ability to sing to audition for a musical role.  Depending upon the job, hard skills can often be taught, such as how to operate a sound board or design lighting.

"Soft skills," on the other hand are harder to define as they tend to be more subjective.  Soft skills include personality traits and personal attributes that you may inherently possess,  or can learn to emulate by being taught and practicing them in a safe group environment.  These soft skills are very helpful to achieve a common group goal and are great to possess as they are transferable to any group effort on or off stage.

Here are some essential soft skills to enhance or work on developing:

• Be trustworthy - show up on time, be prepared, and always be prepared to perform your work
• Be able to work independently - when you are given a task be able to independently achieve what you are asked to do without constant supervision
• Be a team player - know when to jump in and help, also know when to not interfere, stay positive even in the hardest of times
• Stay calm under pressure - be prepared for the inevitable "meltdown", something will always go wrong - it's the nature of the beast, but the ability to remain above the fray and find a solution is something to aim for
• Be proactive - perform your required tasks, then always offer to do more - on a set there is always some loose end that could use your help

If you embrace some of these soft skills, you may find your theatre experience more enjoyable and fulfilling!

Read more:  What Skills Do You Need to Work on a Show?

Image Credit:  Future Stars Camps