How Acting Classes Build Confidence and Communication Skills

Imagine walking into a room, full of people unknown to you. Soon you’ll be asked to not only introduce yourself but also recite and emote 60 seconds of memorized material from a play or musical as well as sing a 60 second piece of a song. You’ll be expected to do this with composure, grace and dramatic/comedic intensity. Then, you’ll walk out of the room and will most likely never hear from the people you just bared your soul to.

What I just described above is the typical audition experience. I’ve done this hundreds of times from when I started performing at a summer camp the summer after my 13th birthday till now, in 2025, while I audition in New York and Philadelphia. I imagine it sounds big and scary, especially because of the unknowns, but after doing it for 35 years, I can truly say I enjoy it, mostly because of the self-discovery and confidence building I experienced in acting class.

Acting Classes hone in on soft skills in human connection we might not think of addressing – eye contact, vulnerability, allowing someone to see beyond the surface – all under the protection of fiction, the script! The script allows us to dive deep into humanness while not having to express everything hidden in our personal hearts. It is healing and good practice for when we are ready to share our hearts with someone, in the correct setting, so that connection can be at its truest form. The eye contact and vulnerability help us communicate with family and friends, while also allowing us to stand out in other situations such as auditions, presentations, job interviews, customer service, one-on-one meetings – I could go on and on. The confidence that comes with putting these skills into practice in class, eventually makes the situations above easier and even enjoyable, because they provide opportunities for connection.

God created us to crave authentic connection, and I believe acting class helps us understand how to offer it, which in turn will grow confidence and communication skills – a beautiful process to be embraced and practiced!