How Actors Form Supportive Communities When Training

Acting onscreen or on a stage may seem like a practice limited to the arts. However, there are real-world benefits of acting that can help us improve different aspects of our lives. According to We The Parents, acting classes and experience can help people from a very young age, fostering engagement and interpersonal experiences that significantly impact one's academic, social, and emotional lives that aren't obtainable through traditional book and classroom learning.

Interactive learning experiences — such as an acting class or workshop — can bolster a healthier view of one's self. This improves self-esteem and self-confidence, which are essential in interpersonal communications, whether at university, in the workplace, or at home. Moreover, meeting and working with fellow actors can connect one with like-minded individuals to build a strong network. This post will examine how actors form supportive communities when training and why community matters.

Working on rapport and chemistry

As mentioned in our introduction, acting relies heavily on interpersonal experiences. Unless you only perform monologues, you primarily act with other people. This post from LinkedIn's Theatrical Production page explains that rapport and chemistry are essential for creating believable and engaging performances. One of the most critical aspects of developing rapport is to be present and attentive, be fully aware of what is happening, and be willing to experiment and try new things.

Of course, rapport and chemistry aren't exclusive to stage performances. In business, it's about who you know. Developing critical communication skills from acting classes can help you improve the outcomes of networking events. Insights from Forbes highlight that more important than who you know is how well you know them. Rapport building is a crucial element of business success, as you'll be able to meet and form relationships with like-minded people whose values and goals are aligned with yours.

Sharing notes and feedback on characters

In acting, notes are guidelines for how an actor can improve their skills or character. Notes are also crucial for communicating what is necessary in the context of performing without unnecessarily interrupting scenes or acts. However, an unspoken rule in theatre states that actors shouldn't give fellow actors notes, as this constitutes directing from within. Still, this doesn't mean actors can't help each other thrive, especially in acting classes and workshops. After all, acting and learning are collaborative processes.

As with students working together in uni, actors can benefit from sharing their insights with one another. Note-sharing platform Studocu highlights how students collaborating on notes, summaries, and other materials can ace their education. With millions of study resources and documents available, their user base of active student communities helps each other succeed academically by sharing — rather than working alone. So while you wouldn't want to hijack a director's role by giving your co-actors notes, you can still share ideas to help each other learn and improve.

Trusting and collaborating with each other

Another essential element of acting and the communities we form comes from developing trust among each other. As acting is a collaborative practice, actors must build confidence that their fellow actors will accurately perform their lines, scenes, and blocking. This develops a sense of reliability and accountability from each other, as one actor's slip-up can negatively impact another actor's performance.

In a previous post titled "Why Acting Skills Are Key to Success in Business", we emphasised the importance of connecting with others. Learning how to hear the wants and needs of others and share your thoughts effectively with them will help you succeed in business. One of the critical acting skills to develop is the ability to listen, which is just as important in a corporate setting. Like with acting, mistakes or accidents in a business workflow can affect an entire team or department. Improving communication skills to develop trust and collaboration can help prevent miscommunications and mistrust in the workplace.

If you're interested in exploring more benefits of acting for your professional, social, or personal development, you can check out all our offerings on our home page for more information on programs, courses, and workshops.