Sensible career plan vs reckless abandon

[PhryneFisher]

I’m at one of those points in life where I feel things could go many diff ways.
I am early 40s, kids at school, and have been volunteering at a different school for a few years, while kids were little. Now, the school have offered me the chance to train to teach, which is a massive opportunity that I should embrace. (It’s a paid training placement, which are like hen’s teeth).
I really want to improve myself, obviously I want to teach or I wouldn’t have applied, but, there’s a niggling part of me that wants to jack it all in and go to drama school, of all things.
I have never done anything like that before, but have always wanted to, did a couple of school plays but wasn’t confident enough to be “the star” then as life went on, didn’t even pursue it.
I went into admin for the NHS after school, but knew I wanted something different and I thought it was teaching.
I still do, but can’t ignore this itch.

I THINK my deep down fear is that all anyone tells me is that teachers never have time to do anything apart from work, so I’m worrying that if I qualify I will never realise my dream.
But on the other hand, I can’t just give up a massive opportunity for something that might never happen.

I fully understand that this is some MLC/nerves thing, but can someone please reassure me that everything happens for a reason?

Rather than drama school, could you join an amateur theatre group?

At our age, if there's something you're truly passionate about, and you can afford it, it's high time to just go for it. Otherwise you risk serious regrets.

Which one are you passionate about? And could you afford either?

I can afford the teaching route, because it’s a paid post. Can’t afford to go to drama school. But that’s the one I REALLY want to do. I THINK.
Essentially, teaching is head, acting is heart.

TBH, Ehlana, that’s probably my best option, at least to see if I am any good, but in my head I just won’t have time any more.

Realistically - what would you do after drama school, harsh as it is the reality is you're unlikely to get any regular work would you end up doing a PGCE and teaching anyway?

Are you in or near a big city where a drama school runs evening acting classes?

One class a week could give you a lot of insight into how you really feel about it.

Oh god don't go to drama school. You've got an amazing opportunity to retrain- for free. Don't waste it and be the weird mum in the playground that's 'an actress!' You're 40, the chances are slim and you could have a successful (but equally as hard as acting) career as a teacher that guarantees income each month.

Cole, no, about 90 minutes from the nearest.

I think this stems from someone from my year at school winning a bloody BAFTA last year (not for acting though). Maybe I feel like I need to achieve more, but am worried that I’m not up to the challenge, so am setting myself up for a fall.

Maybe.

Also, maybe I think too much...

If you can't afford drama school, it's all a bit academic (pardon the pun) anyway, isn't it?

Im sorry, you might get a few "follow your dream" comments in here from airy fairy tyoes. Seriously do the pgce. No work will result even if you could get in / afford drama school.

One of the school mums is actually an actress but a real one she's worked at her entire life and she's kept it up even when she's had children. She's been in TV shows that you'd actually know of and she acted in the big theatre in our city. He used to run childrens drama classes. It helps that we live in a big city. She does a lot of radio work. She doesn't earn a lot of money. It's more of an add-on (vocation) to her husband who supports the family.

You don't say in your post if you've spent your entire life pursuing acting in an amateur fashion but even then I'd say it's not worth trying to turn into a career.

Is there an evening course in acting you could do? Or definitely get involved in amateur dramatics now. Maybe you can end up teaching drama.

Also when I graduated I used to be friends with a bunch of drama grads. They went for various adverts and bit parts in Crimewatch etc. Showed up in crap plays through the university network. I listen to them talk about how they used to think that they'd have integrity and not take on advert work but now they'd be glad of anything. None of them ended up getting very far with their acting careers. And they were a lot younger. Admittedly it wasn't RADA.

Unless you really want to teach, don't do it. It's crap job and takes over your life. Do what makes you happiest.