I want to become an actress but have no formal training. I am 29. How do I go about this?

Answer 1

It is necessary for our survival to have dreams, but it is also necessary to recognize reality.I did not look up the exact number, but my guess is that for every 10,000 well-educated, talented musicians, only one will become famous. It is probably less than that. It is the same for acting. The field is competitive because the rewards are great. There are hundred of university graduates in the field of drama and during their courses of study they are taught how to get auditions, managers, etc. if you live in NYC or LA, you may be able to persue SOMETHING, but at 29 yrs old you are a bit too aged to begin a career as an actress. I live in a town, population 17,000, and if you do not have a degree in Performance, you are not allowed to 'try out' for the local stage presentations. One of my favourite movies is CHORUS LINE. You may need to watch it again. However, I want to remind you about Dreams. I said they are necessary. I do not think you would have an interest in 'stage' unless you had natural ability. I am an excellent musician. I chose to have a family instead of moving around every 3 days like performers must do. I changed my dream from being a professional musician to being a writer/composer, performer. I am working at perfecting a CD currently. Perhaps one day Bob Dylan will hear one of my songs and perform it (my DREAM). Maybe you need to differentiate the ways you view achievable goals and dreams. If I lived in a town and enjoyed acting, I would make myself well-known by doing things like dressing-up in 19th century costume to tell stories at local venues, like nursing homes, libraries, street corners, bistros. Work for free, or for tips. You may one day be discovered, and your DREAM will come true. In the meantime, you can be living your dream in a realistic way. Good Luck !

Answer 2

If you're serious you will need an agent to get anywhere. A lot of my friends are trained actors, those with agents get more auditions and jobs than those who don't- just the way things are with so much competition. Training at a good drama school will help with that as long as you are good, no, make that the best. If not, I'm afraid you will spend a lot of time in flexible jobs such as waitressing and telesales whilst you wait for that elusive big break. It's great to have a dream but in such a competitive industry, you have to be realistic about your ability, talent, drive and ambition. If, honestly, you know you won't be the next big star of TV, radio, films or theatre, then why not take up your chosen field as a hobby- all the fun and enjoyment without the pressure of mounting bills and rent arrears!


For training etc. you should check out the Equity website- the British Actors Guild. They are very knowledgable. This is their guide :


"So you want to be a performer?

Performers need to be talented and skilled. They also need stamina, dedication and self-discipline. Nearly all professional performers have had training either at a drama or dance school or at university. Courses at specialist drama, dance or other performing arts schools tend to be more vocational and practical than university courses which by and large are more theoretical.

We are just finishing a project on careers information with both of the Sector Skills Councils that cover the entertainment industry. As a result there will soon be profiles of jobs such as actor, stand up comedian, stage manager, walk-on artist etc available on this website and on the sites of Skillset (audiovisual industries) www.skillset.org and CC Skills (live performance industries) www.ccskills.org.uk. Keep checking the sites.

There are BTEC National Diplomas in performing arts which many colleges teach. These are equivalent to A levels and normally require four GCSEs at grades A-C for entry. These can be a platform to move onto training at a higher level such as the BTEC Higher National Diplomas, or specialist courses at drama school.

If you are interested in a career in drama you should contact the National Council for Drama Training at 5 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SN - tel: [phone] or www.ncdt.co.uk. They will be able to provide a list of colleges which run accredited drama courses. Professional training on an accredited course is perceived as by far the best way to enter the acting profession. Some government funding is available for people on such courses. The Council for Dance Education and Training at Toynbee Hall, 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6LS, tel: [phone], or www.cdet.org,uk should be able to provide similar information for those interested in dance. You can also get information on courses at all levels from your local library. There is also the Conference of Drama Schools which represents most of the leading drama schools in the UK and they have a very useful website with information about different careers in the entertainment industry, www.drama.ac.uk. Many of the members of this group offer degree courses in acting. Please note that auditions form part of the entry process for places at specialist dance and drama schools.

There is also training available for people wishing to learn circus skills and comprehensive information on this can be found at www.circusarts.org.uk

Younger people can find out about less lengthy training by contacting theatres in your area to ask if they run any theatre groups or workshops. You could also contact local private dance and drama schools to see if they run weekend or summer courses which will not clash with school timetables. The names of theatres, schools and their telephone numbers can be found in the publication Contacts. A copy of Contacts can be obtained from Spotlight, 7 Leicester Place, London WC2H 7PB – tel: [phone], or you could ask your local library to get a copy. There is also the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain www.nyt.org.uk, and the National Association of Youth Theatres www.nayt.org.uk.

Another useful publication is the weekly newspaper The Stage. Their website, www.thestage.co.uk has, in addition to news, general information about the performing arts in the How To Guides section."

Courtsey of www.equity.org.uk

Good luck, be realistic and have fun!

Answer 3

Sista, we'd all like to be actors/actresses, but without charisma, some talent, and a lot aof luck, we don't all get to be that person. And then, it can be very short-lived, and kill those who lack the inner strength to deal with having everything at their fingertips.

Answer 4

Get a real job or act like a nutter in Leicester Square in the premiers; if you are like you might get arrest with a celebrity and make some contacts.

Answer 5

Start as an extra until you can join the Guild. Once you're in the Guild, look for an agent. Audition for commercials, and pass out your headshots to everyone.

Answer 6

Try local theatre first. You can try workshops and weekend readings. Also, take an acting class at a community college. One class, not a full schedule. I would also try a public speaking course.

Answer 7

You have to know someone in order to get in the door. Or go to acting school. If you are tall thin and look good go to modeling school alot people get in the door that way. You will make some contact and connections.

Answer 8

Take some classes then go to auditions. Or skip the classes and go find a part. Good luck!

Answer 9

Become an extra first and work your way up. There's loads of agents on the Internet.

Answer 10

Join a local drama club or a college course. Good luck.