I have been taking acting and vocal classes with the same instructor for about a year, but now I want to do vocals with him and study with another instructor for acting.
This person was my first acting instructor, and I like him a lot on a personal level, but I feel kind of stagnant in the class. I was talking to my parents about it the other day, and I realized that I was all excited about vocal class because we're doing lots of new things and producers are visiting class, but in acting class we do the same thing pretty much week in and week out, our feedback is kind of blah, and there's not anything I can actually go home and work on.
Thinking about leaving gives me this immense feeling of betrayal, but I don't know why. He has done an awful lot for me, and even though I will still be working with him, I still feel bad. Does everyone get this feeling when changing instructors? This new acting teacher I'm considering comes very highly recommended. I'm excited about seeing if he can take me to another level or give me a different perspective.
I am also wondering: Since I have been with the same instructor since June of last year, is it time to move on? Does having multiple instructors on your résumé look better than having one for a long period of time?
—Climbing, Los Angeles
Dear Climbing:
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to your questions, but let's start with the second, less complicated question: It makes very little difference how many acting instructors you have listed on your résumé. The names are much more important than the numbers. Ten unknown acting teachers will mean less to most casting people than one well-known and respected instructor. Additionally, most agents and casting directors are unconcerned with how long you've studied with your mentors. They are more interested in the results. It sounds like you're relatively early in your training—having studied only briefly with one teacher thus far—so there's certainly no onus on you to make a change.
That said, choosing an acting teacher and managing that relationship (for better or worse) is a highly personal affair; it's between you and your teacher and perhaps, eventually, your representative. If you feel stagnant in your current class, it's probably best to make a change. I don't know if you've committed to a new class yet, but you should take your time finding the right one. Referrals are great, but be sure to sit in on the class before signing up. Look for someone who specializes in acting technique and doesn't do double duty in singing or other disciplines. Think too about teacher reputations. Again, a well-respected teacher's name is a boon to your résumé.
Speaking of well-respected, I asked a few highly esteemed instructors to comment on your first question, about moving-on guilt. Well-known Los Angeles acting teacher Ivana Chubbuck, author of "The Power of the Actor: The Chubbuck Technique," says, "There's a special bond an acting teacher has with his or her students. An acting teacher requires, even more than a therapist, [access] into an actor's private and innermost secrets. Not to heal, as a therapist would, but rather to use them as 'colors' for the canvas that is creating a character in a role. That being the case, when an actor leaves to explore another teacher, it can feel like your mate or child is abandoning you."
Does that mean an actor should never move on? Of course not. Chubbuck continues: "Even though that feeling has occurred to me, I have told some of my students that since they have only studied with me, perhaps finding another way would add to their craft. It's not easy to do this, but my students' welfare and skill level is more important than my personal attachment."
Jason Bennett, founder and director of the Jason Bennett Actor's Workshop in New York, agrees. "When a student feels it is time to move on," he says, "the healthiest and most clean way for a teacher to support and empower the student is to honor their decision fully and completely. No teacher can ever know the path any student is supposed to take, and it can be very painful and wounding for teachers to cling to students when the student feels they need to move on. If a teacher starts fighting with you, pressuring you, manipulating you, or threatening you, run away fast. Unfortunately, we hear stories of this all the time."
Los Angeles–based commercial casting director, teacher, and actor Carolyne Barry recommends these steps to ease the transition: "I do suggest you know who you will be training with before you leave, so there won't be a long lapse in your training. Then give the teacher a month's notice, maybe buy them a small thank-you gift, and write a very nice note thanking the teacher for his or her contributions to your life and career. You might also say that you may like to come back in a year or so and would like the door to be open."
Many teachers recognize that students need a variety of influences to become the best artists they can be. Barry continues, "I usually urge students to move on after two or sometimes three years. I believe that when an actor gets too comfortable in a training environment, they're probably not being challenged enough. And after a solid foundation has been created, it is very beneficial to get another point of view."
"My relationship with my students is about them and their success," echoes Bennett. "It is about empowering them with tools that justify self-confidence and independence. Many of my students come back to me after exploring other classes; they know I'll be thrilled to hear all about what they've learned during their explorations elsewhere. It makes me excited for them. And often I'll have new things to teach and new territory to explore, because of all they've learned and brought back to our school. If it's time to move on, move on. Hopefully, your teacher will support and love you in the process. If they don't, it is a confirmation you should move on."
Whatever you decide, keep in mind that you have every right and responsibility to get the best education you can find. Yes, goodbyes can be painful for both student and teacher, but your path is singular—it's your own. No teacher, no matter how great, can chart your course.
"An educator must educate—that is our premier responsibility—whether it be with me or someone else," concludes Chubbuck, "and we must operate accordingly."