All I want to do is perform..? How can I convince my parents?

Question

I come from a rich lame preppy family and they expect me to go to an ivy league school and be a doctor or something, but all I want to do is perform! actingsingingdancingwise.

I'm not some untalented fool wannabe, im actually semi okay, Ive been Annie in a touring production around new zealand and mabel in pirates of penzance and chip in beauty and the beast and etc etc blah blah, I just want to fly to new york and act in a crappy off broadway theatre and be happy!

how can I convince my parents this/how can I get there?

Answer 1

You tell them exactly how you feel and just go for it! Just be persistent about it

Answer 2

To entertain will take sacrifice, so you might as well start sacrificing now, here's how, many musicians I know perform and practice, and hone their skills, and at the same time work a none related job, so you can go to school and hone you performance skills at the same time, and even slip in a class or two to hone your skills.

Answer 3

Just tell them how much you love it.

Answer 4

Tchaikovsky's father desperately wanted him to be a lawyer.  He submitted to his parents wishes and went to law school, but hated it.  Later went to conservatory to study music.

I don't know how to answer your question.  Luckily, my girls have a mom who studied music in college and totally "gets" where you're coming from.... and a dad who doesn't want them to pursue a white-collar career.  But you have to find a way without being disrespectful or rebellious.  Luckily, you're only 15.  Spend your last couple of years in school showing them how important it is to you. Take every production you are in very seriously.

Answer 5

You need to show your parents how serious you are.  Get involved in any performance that comes your way (but don't push yourself too hard).  You are in high school, so go for the leading roles.  Also, as you look for colleges, do some research outside of ivy league.  There are a lot of good schools that focus on academics and have outstanding performing arts departments.  

From what I can tell, you have talent.  I was a chorus member in pirates of penzance when I was a freshman in hs, and if you were able to play mabel, that's saying something!!

Answer 6

go to a good school that has a good acting /drama departments. once you're there start taking the classes you want, and since you can afford it, DON'T STOP UNTIL you're done with Grad school. Then if you do fail as an actor, you can fall back on teaching and still have a respectable profession. Sounds like a great life. Good luck.

Answer 7

You are really lucky to have the opportunities that have come your way.  Keep acting and stay in school.  The best actors are educated and intelligent.  They read a lot.  If you are good (better than semi okay), you might get an offer to do something on Broadway while you are still young.  Otherwise, when you are 18, you could come here, but it is very, very difficult to get a part, especially the starring ones you have been doing.  Maybe your folks would be happy if you would attend the drama department of an Ivy.

Or look at this site:  http://www.newschool.edu/  This is where James Lipton (Actor's Studio) teaches.  They have a drama department and even have some online courses you could try.  The more you know about the theater, its history, and all its crafts, the better able to find a job you will be.

Answer 8

Go on the internet and look for movie auditioning get a try out or whatever and get the part tell your parent this is your dream and tell them you got a smal part in a movie theres no way out for your parents.

Answer 9

At some point, you take ownership of your adulthood and realize that you do not need your parents permission, as long as you are willing to pay your own way in the world.  If you want to go to New York, like thousands of other somewhat-talented folks, and starve, that should be your choice, but you can't expect your parents to be delighted at the prospect.

What you are really asking is, "Why won't they support me while I try my dream?"  It's YOUR dream, not theirs.  If you want to live your dream, then you need to find a way to do it on your own, without your parents support.

If you don't feel like you can do that, then you don't have what it takes to make it in New York.  Even if you DO, the odds are against you -- but it's sometimes easier to look back and say, "At least I tried," instead of "I wish I had tried . . ."

If you were particularly clever, you'd go on to the Ivy league school your parents want you to attend -- and major in drama :-)  Yale has an excellent drama department.  Having a college education and experience in a somewhat protected American environment before you set off for Broadway is NOT such a bad thing, you know.

Answer 10

I'm a music major now a band director:

Any school you go to you will have to audition for. If you pass you are good enough, if not you know you need to change your focus. I'm going to tell you something though. Performance majors get SLAMMED! You need to start joining every vocal group you can while you are still in school, because you have to audition for college when you are a senior in HS. Someplaces will just throw your applicaiton out the window if you don't have instruction from school

Answer 11

I have a similar background - my parents HATED  the fact that all I wanted to do was perform. I just love it! So what I did to appease them was get really good grades. ( except in math - I suck in  Math no matter how much I study) But I worked hard to get grades in all other subjects. This was how I convinced them to let me pursue it .  I also did a double major in college -( one for them and one for me). and another way to show them how you can make a good living at performing is to make a list of performers and their salaries - you can research this online - like Tom Cruise makes 20+ million per ,movie Miley Cyrus has made 16 million already and she's not even 15 yet  etc.

Money talks with rich parents! You can go to an Ivy league school ( like Yale - which has a great theater program - lots of stars went there - it carries a lot of weight in show biz)

Just keep singing and taking dance class and get better and better at it. Nothing says more than success and if its the only thing that makes you happy - go for it!!!!!

I didn't let my parents stop me and I have made a great living doing what I love to do! Only you can live your life - your parents can't get inside your skin and "be" you.

Happiness in your work is the greatest thing in the world!

Go for it and GOOD LUCK!

Answer 12

I've spent a lot of years around budding young performers. Please excuse me for saying so, but you, my dear, sound like a typical cop-out case. Anyone with half a clue would understand that Ivy League schools welcome performing artists, but only the one's that can make the grade. Many of them go on to Juliard for post graduate work. ALL of them work in performing arts after they graduate, if they want to. No waiting tables. No other menial jobs!

So, you're tired of trying. You're tired of the pressure... I feel for you, it isn't easy! Nothing in life is easy. Copping out--giving up isn't the best thing for you. Go to sleep tonight and tell yourself on the way to dreamland that you are the one. You can do it. You can be the best!

Wake up tomorrow and understand that your parents want what's best for you. More importantly, you want what's best for you! Kick some butt kiddo! I'll be buying tickets to watch you some day!

P.S. I love the simple patter tune from Penzanze! I hope the actor that played the major general did it justice.

Answer 13

Just do it and when you become famous they will feel like idiots for trying to talk you out of it.

Edit: For all you losers giving me thumbs down: she didn't state her age at first.