Drama and Theatre

There is a common misconception that postgraduate drama courses merely groom students for a potential career on the stage or big screen. In reality, such programmes open up possibilities to pursue a much wider range of occupations. Of course, many students will enter their course in the hope of establishing a glamorous acting career, but they will also emerge with a whole host of alternative avenues to pursue.

This wide range of career possibilities, stemming from a qualification in theatre and drama, is reflected in the variety of postgraduate options available in Ireland. One of the most significant possibilities is the MA in Drama And Theatre Studies offered by the National University of Ireland, Galway. This full-time, one-year course aims to strike a balance between performance and theory, so that students will have good opportunities to succeed onstage or in a more ‘behind-the-scenes’ capacity.

‘Students follow two core courses that are balanced between practice and theory,’ explains Dr. Patrick Lonergan, the course’s Programme Director. ‘They then choose from a range of options, in such areas as playwriting, dramatic history, theatre marketing, and ensemble performance.’

However, Dr. Lonergan does not believe that the split between ‘performance’ and ‘theory’ subjects is as clearly defined as some may think. The theoretical topics can still be hugely beneficial to students who wish to pursue a stage career, while the performance modules can also assist those who will ultimately perform a more administrative role after college. Regardless, having a grounding in both areas makes students very attractive to employers.

‘The non-performance-based modules provide students with skills in essay-writing, research, archival work, etc.,’ Dr. Lonergan explains. ‘While these skills broaden students' employment options, they also benefit those wishing to build a career in performance – since actors must also write analytically about their work, and research characters. Similarly, students who have taken courses in performance find that doing so improves their skills in areas such as public speaking and presentation. This benefits them in careers in business and the public service.’

So, what are the best/most suitable options available to students who do not wish to pursue a stage career, upon completion of their postgraduate course? If they wish to take an alternative route, in what areas would their range of skills be best deployed?

‘There are a range of options available to students,’ Lonergan states. ‘Some have gone on to further study, taking PhDs, and ultimately finding work as university lecturers. Others have taken up – or returned to – teaching posts at primary and post-primary level. Some have published theatre reviews in publications like the Irish Times and the Irish Theatre Magazine.’

So, there are a whole host of potential careers for postgraduate drama students to embark upon, but before they do, there is a wide range of courses to choose from. UCD’s School Of English And Drama, for instance, offers MAs in both Drama and Performance Studies, and Directing for Theatre.

The MA in Drama and Performance Studies can be pursued as either a full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years) option. This course aims to hone students’ ability to critically analyse and reflect upon theatre writing and performance. The course will include seminars, laboratory sessions, theatre visits and supervised research – among several other methods of instruction.

The MA in Directing for Theatre is pursued solely as a one-year, full-time option. In a similar fashion to NUI Galway’s MA in Drama and Theatre Studies, it offers a balance between theory and practice; the stated aim of the course is to ‘provide a range of advanced theoretical and practical strategies for directing practice, for the development of students’ skills and competencies, and for critical reflection on theatre practice in an Irish and European context’.

Another intriguing postgraduate option, related to drama, is to pursue a course in Dramatherapy. This is an area which has been steadily growing in significance, without fully entering the mainstream consciousness. Simply put, it is the use of theatre techniques to improve the mental well-being of participants.

NUI Maynooth offers a two year, part-time MA in Dramatherapy. Upon completion of the course, graduates will be qualified for immediate placement as Professional Arts Therapists. The programme’s modules provide an interesting mixture of dramatic and psychological aspects: Psychotherapy/Counselling, Anthropology of Performance, Clinical Dramatherapy and Psychodrama are just a few of the available options.

But, while there is obviously a vast range of achievable career options for successful drama-inclined postgraduate students, what possibilities are there for those who have their heart completely set on a professional acting career? Will they have great difficulty pursuing their dream, or will the skills gleaned in their course put them in a strong position to achieve this career goal? Dr. Patrick Lonergan believes that they have every chance of success.

‘Theatre is probably more competitive than many other areas,’ he says, ‘but students who have genuine ability and a strong work ethic should feel confident about their ability to build a satisfying career in the area.’

Plus, there is one very efficient method of securing dramatic roles: forming your own theatre company. This has proved very useful for graduates in the past.

‘Graduates with talent and determination have built successful careers in the theatre, in Ireland and abroad,’ Lonergan explains. ‘Most have done so by forming their own companies. One of Ireland's most successful theatre companies – Druid Theatre – is made up of NUI Galway graduates.’

So, of all the postgraduate options available in contemporary Ireland, a course relating to drama and theatre may be the one that opens up the widest range of possibilities. It can lead to a successful career in a related field such as acting, theatre direction or drama criticism; or it can assist an individual’s development, in a seemingly unconnected occupation such as mental therapy.