Drama

Acting is a trade and a skill like any other. Some people are good at accents or mimicry, or have a certain stage presence – however, to be a good actor takes a good deal of skill and training in the technical aspects of the dramatic arts.

Successful actors have a combination of talent, personality and dedication. While many drama students dream of making their Oscar acceptance speech, or working with Martin Scorsese or Angelina Jolie, just as many people make a decent living working in dance and drama without ever being recognised when walking down the street.

For those who love pretending to be someone else, and who can handle the hardships as well as the successes, a career treading the boards could be an excellent choice.

Education

Potential drama queens (and kings) have several CAO options, with a number of degree courses in Acting Studies, Drama, Film, Literature & Drama and Drama & Theatre Studies to choose from, as well as the higher-certificate course at DIT. It is also possible to take Drama as a major subject in an Arts degree. The CAO points required typically range from 380 – 450 and students also have to pass an audition to be accepted on to most courses.

Third-level Drama teaches a combination of practical dramatic arts and performance skills, along with more theoretical subjects. Subject you will study include Voice & Speech, Acting for the Camera, Improvisation, Writing, Singing and Dance as well as gaining a thorough knowledge of Classical drama, Shakespeare and contemporary Irish drama. Students may also take classes in useful business and teaching subjects.

Drama students play roles in various productions as part of their course – everything from Greek tragedies to contemporary comedies – and often become involved in college drama societies.

Options after Qualification

There is no single direct path to success in an acting career. Some people go straight from college productions to major films, but for most there are many small roles and auditions to experience before they become established as professional actors.

Young actors also need to acquire Equity cards. To gain provisional Equity membership, you will need to prove that you have had some professional acting experience.

The Work

Actors learn lines and inhabit a character to tell a story to an audience that captures a certain truth about the world. Most actors take the work available at a particular time, and you could star in anything from Spar commercials to full-blown Shakespearian stage productions.

Working as an actor isn’t all about glamour. If you are working on a TV drama, you could be waiting around for hours before they film your two-minute scene. Actors’ lives can be divided into time when they have acting work, and time when they don’t. Many graduates spend years in other jobs – whether bartending or waitressing, teaching or helping with youth drama groups – while awaiting their big break. Securing a good agent can be very important for making progress.

However, it has to be said that acting can be a tremendously enjoyable and fulfilling profession. Being an actor is closer to a vocation than a career. A small percentage of actors do become rich and famous, while many others get real satisfaction from their jobs, even if the material rewards aren’t fantastic.

Personal Qualities & Work Environment

Getting up on stage or in front of the camera can be a difficult and stressful way to make a living, and a good quantity of self-belief and ambition is useful for a career in drama or dance. The hours can be highly irregular and people often have to travel a lot, which can affect your personal and family life.

Money

Although high-profile actors can command outrageous pay packets, extras or small parts in a TV series or in adverts might make €200 a day. Larger roles will pay more – starring in a TV advertising campaign can pay €3,000. However, this won’t happen every day. Actors starting out often have to supplement their incomes in whatever way they can.

Jargon

Classical Drama: Ancient Greek and Roman plays, usually comedies or tragedies

Take: Acting out a scene or part of a scene. There are usually several takes before a director is happy with a scene

Star: Someone more known for their personality, looks or personal life than for their acting ability

Job Title

Actor
Dramatist
Extra

Further Resources

Irish Actor’s Equity
Liberty Hall
Dublin 1
Phone: 01 858 6403
Web: www.irishactorsequity.ie
Email: equity@siptu.ie

National Association for Youth Drama
34 Upper Gardiner Street
Dublin 1
Phone: 01 878 1301
Web: www.youthdrama.ie
Email: info@nayd.ie