Theater is a leadership skill

The Lost Folio: Improvised Shakespeare

​When I do workshops all over the country, I am always encountering the same question: “My kid wants to go into theater… what do I do?!?!?!”
The look of fear and concern from the parent is evident.
I usually have to unpack the discussion to find out what exactly is their concern about a degree in the arts?
Always, the answer is: “They will never make enough money to survive….”
This has led me to talk openly about what I have learned from my training in theater. I learned:

• How to take $50 and make an amazing set that challenges and excites audiences.
• To motivate people to work for very little, or nothing, in order to accomplish a goal.
• To manage difficult personalities, and to discover ways to communicate that could bring individuals together to work in a team.
• How to engage an audience (customers) into paying money for my product, and how to make them think they can’t live without what I have to offer.

 
In short, I learned sales, fiscal responsibility, leadership, management and presentation skills.
 
Theater training is leadership training. Taking the talents of others and directing them into a cohesive project, which is inclusive of all of their abilities, is a skill that only a true leader can accomplish. Listening, responding, and motivating others to work towards a goal larger than their own individual part is the essence of leadership. Creating theater is the essence of leadership.
 
So, when a concerned parent asks me that question, I always say “Let them.” The truth is, your child will learn more about themselves (authenticity) and more about others (emotional intelligence) then they will in any MBA program. They will learn how to tell a story, motivate a team, and use whatever resources they have to make a vision come true.
 
Theater is the skill we all need and use everyday. And if you don’t have it, find an actor to teach you.

Find out what theater training can do for your team - email Andrew today!

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