Career Option in Drama

Acting and musical theatre students develop the discipline, practical skills and intellectual understanding necessary for building a lasting career, with accredited courses providing opportunities to be seen by agents, casting directors, theatres and television companies, so vital in securing that all important first job. Graduates of accredited courses also qualify for full Equity membership on completion of their courses. A career in Drama and related fields is gaining popularity.

Performing Arts schools and colleges that cater for the development of students as all-round performers now exist in huge numbers, but there are traditionally two types of specific dance training on offer

• vocational training, and
• Dance diploma and degree courses.

Vocational courses will have more of an emphasis on the development of technical skills in dance and focus primarily on preparing students for a career as a dancer.
diploma and degree courses offer a more flexible approach to studying dance, with the emphasis on preparing students for a wide range of career options - for example, as dancers, teachers, choreographers, or managers.

10th, +2 (Higher Secondary students) with any group as the majors can choose Bachelor degree in Drama (B.A) as their career.

Training in this field is available at a number of schools and institutes all over India. These courses are offered at the levels of

• Diploma
• U.G and
• P.G
• Diploma in Drama is around two years.
• B.A (Dramatics /Theatre arts) is around three years.
• M.A (Dramatics) is around two years.

The course duration for the various programs is as follows:
There are a small number of courses, which offer dance training in South Asian and African Peoples Dance although at the moment these tend to be modules contained within courses, which offer a wide range of styles.

The Arts Council of England is working with dance companies to address the issue of training for these dance forms. Training for dancers with disabilities is also a priority area for development, and as well as working with school and colleges to make their current courses more accessible,

In Vocational Dance Training schools a range of dance styles will be  taught, including ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap and musical theatre, choreography, anatomy and history of dance and Pilates. It may also be possible to study academic courses alongside the practical dance classes.

The Total expense for doing Bachelor of Arts in Drama and its related fields are as follows

• B.A - Rs.23, 000 per year - (3 Years)
• M.A - Rs.35, 000 per year - (2 Years)

Bank loans and private loans can be easily arranged by directly contacting the banks through the college administrative.

After successful completion of the Bachelor degree, the options for higher education are plenty. A person with the above degree can opt for higher education in the following fields

• M.A (Theatre Arts),
• M.PA (Dramatics),
• M.PA (Acting and Direction) and
• M.A (Indian Theatre).

Almost all the university and institutes involving Arts offer Bachelors degree in Drama and its related fields. Some of these institutes are:

• Bangalore University
• University of Calicut, Kozhikode
• University of Hyderabad
• Madurai-Kamaraj University
• Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya , Indore
• Osmania University, Hyderabad
• Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad
• University of Mysore
• B.N Mandal University
• Rabindra Bharati University , Calcutta
• Nagpur University , Nagpur
• Pondicherry University ,Pondicherry
• University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.
• Punjabi University ,Patiala

A person who has completed B.A in Drama and its related fields has wide opportunities.
The career options that exist for drama graduates are quite extensive.
Some of them are:

• Professional Actor / Actress 
• Playwright
• Personnel manager
• Social worker
• Director
• Drama / Literary Manager
• Drama Teacher
• Arts Management
• Community Arts Worker
• Marketing manager
• Journalist
• Charities administrator
• Stage manager
• Arts administrator
• Drama teacher
• Television production assistant
• Radio presenter

The salary can be from Rs.8, 000 to Rs.15, 000 for freshers and increases with the persons experience and knowledge.
The Drama e server website contains a collection of original plays and screenplays, criticism and links to other sites concerned with theatre. It publishes both classic and contemporary works in the field of drama.

Web site link:

http://drama.eserver.org/