Life as a Thespian 🎭

As a Thespian, I can confidently tell you that this life is a blend of passion, dedication, and resilience. I remember clearly when I was an undergraduate, my life revolved around rigorous trainings in a course popularly known as Theatre Workshop, this course is a 2 unit course but very dangerous if you ever dare have a carry over in it. The workshop involves honing skills in acting, voice projection, movement, and character development. Auditions are constant. Generally, being a thespian , auditions become a constant reality, it comes as a mix of excitement and potential rejection, as actors audition for roles in plays, films and other performances. Being a thespian, you should be able to bring stories to life.

As a thespian, you go through intense rehearsals which demands long hours of memorization, blocking of lines, and character exploration. You also find the constant need for self-promotion, networking, and to seek opportunities.

When I was an undergraduate, before I became a thespian, my coursemates and I went through rigorous trainings, intense rehearsals just so we could be qualified to be inducted as a full thespian. We wake up as early as 5/6am so we could get ready for 7am rehearsals. Every single day, we leave the comfort of our hostels early and get back in late. Sometimes we have overnight rehearsals so we could block our lines and be perfect for the day of our practicals. I can say it’s not easy being a thespian.

Life as a thespian is fun, but also very intense and demanding. The amount of work our actors, actresses, producers, directors, sound-men, light-men etc put into making viewers enjoy a play is very commendable.

Financially, it can be challenging, especially with the periods of unemployment between gigs. However, the rewards are immense if you can persevere.

In summary, the life of a thespian is about storytelling, you should be able to use your body, voice and emotions to connect with audiences and create meaningful experiences. It is challenging but also a deeply rewarding path for those who love the craft.