In the last few weeks, hundreds of schools across the nation have closed due to COVID-19. For theatre majors, specifically acting and musical theatre, it’s hard for us them have most of their classes online which means a lot of self-learning. Here is a list of a few ideas that can be taught online that would be easy for the teachers and the students. Especially for dance classes, this is a great time to teach students who are going into the arts as a profession to learn things that aren’t normally taught in classes.
Self-Tapes
Self-tapes are important for any actor to learn whether it’s for a monologue or a 32-bar cut. Teaching students the do’s and don’ts of a self-tape and having them submit a self-tape as an assignment will teach them what it is and allows them to have hands-on experience without needing to go anywhere. Especially self-tapes that require movement or a dance-based video.
Audition Prep
Teaching students how to find the right song for the right audition is an easy topic to teach over the computer. Some schools have classes that students can or are required to take for their major. In addition to audition prep, teachers can teach how an auditionee should dress to go to an audition whether it’s a dance call, a cattle call, or a professional EPA audition.
A side note to audition prep, where to find auditions. Having a list of sources on the class page that post auditions might be helpful for those who are wanting to start auditioning out of school.
Headshots and Resumes
Learning how to dress for a headshot, when to get a headshot and even who to get a headshot from is always a helpful tidbit of information that an actor should have. In addition to headshots, the format of a resume is always something that an actor should know. What should you put on your resume? What should you leave off? I took gymnastics for a while but haven’t been in the gym for 6 years, should I still put that down for my special skills? (All questions that we students ask each other before an audition.)
Equity/Unions
Students don’t usually get a class on equity which means when it comes time to start looking about joining they don’t know the first thing about it. Knowing what it is, how much it is, when to join, and if one should join are all points that could be touched on in a short lecture about equity whether that’s the actor’s equity, screen actors guild, or others.
Agents
Some students know about different agencies like CESD, A3 Artists Agency, Bloc NYC or others but not everyone knows about how to join an agency, when one should be getting an agent, or what these agencies do. Learning this and learning about agencies in the area would be a great lesson for students that will be graduating soon or are looking for regional and professional work outside of school.
Types of Contracts
I will admit that I didn’t know the difference between an understudy and a standby or that there were multiple types of swings until very recently. I only found out because of research I had to do for a Broadway Vlog panel. In the same light, I did not know that some tech people have “tracks” in a show. Learning about the different kinds of tracks in a show is something that is quick and simple to teach in a blog post or even a short podcast that can be posted on the class page. The big thing about it is the different things the actor must do if they are a swing or an understudy and how being a dance captain, doing certain stunts, or being lifted in the sky by a cherry picker can change the pay of the job.
Life After College
Students are prepped to go straight into the real world of auditioning and booking but never the in-between life of not having a job or audition. Most students want to head straight to New York and begin auditioning but no one tells them how to live in one of the most expensive cities working paycheck to paycheck while also trying to audition. Learning the best time to move there and what to do when they get there regarding normal life that isn’t auditioning and booking is one of the most helpful lessons that a student could learn.
There are so many other lessons that can be taught online in addition to the curriculum that needs to be taught. With the move to digital classrooms, remember that most students are now stuck in small dorms or are going home where a dance studio is not available. Also, remember that just because students are now home 24/7 (or should be while in quarantine), doesn’t mean we have more hours in the day. We all still have the same amount of classes that we had when we were meeting in person. Now is not the time to add more busywork than we would have if we were meeting normally. In addition, some students have been forced out of dorms and back home with the family. Students live all over the US and requiring them to log on at a certain hour might be difficult for those who have left to go home out of state. This also means that they will be surrounded by more people than they might be used to in a home and they also might be surrounded by people who might not understand what the student is now being asked to do.
As we begin this transition, the Vlogs hopes that everyone moves forward with a safe, healthy and positive new lifestyle.
For more information on COVID-19 visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html