19 Problems Only Drama Students Will Understand

A degree in Drama can open a world of opporunity. It gives you a chance to learn about yourself as an individual, to boost your confidence and greatly improve your social and communication skills. It’s the ultimate way to boost your appreciation of everything theatrical and performative – it’s also a well-known fact that studying drama is the most effective way to learn how to be a tree…

Here are a few dramatic problems that only you performers can truly understand:

1. Being asked, “But why don’t you study Maths…or Physics?” despite the fact you can barely count to 10…

“Oh yeah, because being a ‘Mathematician’ is a real job!”

2. Landing a supporting role in the end of year show and hating the lead more than you did Santa when you discovered he was a fraud…

Why don’t they ever really break a leg?

3. Hearing ‘Defying Gravity’ and fondly remembering how it pulled you through that cringey High School crisis…

High School can be a really difficult time- especially if you speak fluent Musical…

4. Resisting the urge to wear all-black every day because that look is totally Community College, but then you live in constant fear that your outfit’s outshining your talent…

Nothing will overshadow your theatrical talent and charisma- not even your wardrobe.

5. Getting hold of a script for the very first time and feeling like a true Artiste…

Now you’re going to read it in as public a place as possible – people are bound to ask about it and then you can brag aboput your starring role… “What?! Yes, I might only have one line but it’s the best line in the show, dammit! Without that line, this show would be nothing. Nothing!”

6. When you don’t pay enough attention to the highlighter…

An eternal reminder of the role you didn’t get…

7. Your extensive repetoire of character performances makes life a constant balancing act of emotions – it’s hard being so many people at once…

It really can’t be easy to carry so many feelings at once – people don’t appreciate you enough.

8. Costume Fittings literally make you regress back to early childhood…

“Pantaloons! I GET TO WEAR FRILLY PANTALOONS!”

9. You never really cared when the token ‘Theatre Couple’ missed their cue because they were making out backstage – you were ready to take their place like some kind of evil-genius…

“What’s that? She can’t go on? Oh, what a shame! Well…if it’s any help, I happen to know all her lines. The show must go on and all that.” Mwahahahahahaha!

10. Being able to relate everything in life to Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot’…

Guess what…

(spoiler alert)

Godot isn’t going to come.

11. You’re definitely going to need therapy after some of those character exercises…

“Great rehearsal guys. Now let’s never speak of it again…”

12. Stepping into Hair & Makeup and catching up on all the show gossip…

13. Winning an award and seeing it as a practice run for that Oscar…

You already have your acceptance speak on lock.

14. Owning enough cast T-shirts that you could wear a different one every day of the year…

And you know what? It still doesn’t feel like enough!

15. The deathly smell of the costume cupboard that forever lingers…

It smells like sweat and overacting…

16. Your fake smile is now so on-point it convinces even you…

That’s showbiz, kid.

17. Your co-star is really not committing to his lines and you’re just like…

Everyone knows you look pathetic if you don’t fully commit. It’s acting 101…amateurs.

18. You’ve found glitter in every bodily orifice…

Every. Single. ONE!

(Even the ones you definitely forgot you had…)

19. A lecturer gives you homework during Dress Rehearsal week and you’re just like…

“I have no time for assignments! The theatre waits for no one – don’t you understand?! My audience awaits me.”

So, there you have it. All the world might be a stage, but it’s not all fun and games. Being a drama student isn’t easy – and being that tree is definitely much harder than it looks!

Image via Christian Bertrand / Shutterstock.com

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