How to Get Your Child Into Acting

Are you interested in getting your child into acting? It may seem like a difficult industry to “break into,” but it is not impossible. Many of the people whose children become actors tend to do similar things. The successful child actor has both training and experience to augment his talent.

Acting Training in Your Area
Your child might begin his quest to be an actor at the local level. This means that in many cases, your child may start right where he or she is. Look around your city or town. What is available? If your area has a children’s drama club or a drama coach, then that would be ideal.

Acting Experience at the Local Level
Many experienced actors began as children, acting at their local level. Is there a community children’s theater in your area? Community theater is an excellent start for a child and makes a nice addition to a beginning resume. Your child will never forget the times he had as he or she makes their stage debut in children’s community theater.

Additional Exposure from Leveraging Talents
Many times, a city will have talent contests or beauty pageants. These events can help a child gain the poise and self-confidence needed as a professional actor. Any additional talents like juggling or playing an instrument can add to the child’s appeal to casting agents. Seek out contests and have your child join as many performance-related things as they can without overloading them.

Move from Small to Large Markets
It is true that not everyone is lucky enough to live in large markets like Los Angeles and New York. However, opportunities are always available to those who seek them out. Do the very best you can to find opportunities where you are. Create the best resume you can, highlighting experience, training, and special talents.

A Word about Musical Theatre
Children who work in Musical Theater can demonstrate talent and expertise in the “triple threat,” which is singing, dancing and acting. Obviously, they need prior training in all three. Dancing lessons and acting workshops are a “must.” In many cases, a child simply does not have a strong enough singing voice to be in musical theater. Even if this is so, it is wise to work with a voice professional, because having a rich, melodious voice is vital for stage acting. Working on the voice can actually benefit any performer.

If your child is school-aged, you might try for musical theater, only to find that the child prefers to focus on one of the three (singing, dancing or acting) in the future. It can be wise to start wide and then narrow the specialties as the child gains maturity, and it becomes more obvious what is his best area. Some children will simply state that they prefer one of the three areas. Begin training with no preconceived notions because at times children can be surprising. It may seem impossible, but a very shy child can simply blossom under the right theater instructor and show that drama and acting is for them. Sometimes, the way the child is on the stage can be opposite from what they seem to be like in regular life.

This is a beginner’s guide to assist your child in getting into acting. Begin with the understanding that the child must obtain training and experience. Allow them to pursue legitimate opportunities that are available to them. If you live in a small market, do not despair. Gain experience and succeed where you are and then move to larger markets, such as New York or Los Angeles when the time is right.