Every thespian dreams of having her work recognized by millions of people: of making a great movie that wins the Academy Award or starring in a hit Broadway play that rakes in Tony awards by the bushel. The sad fact is that very few performers ever reach that level of success. Luckily, however, a great actress isn't necessarily defined by million-dollar contracts and her name in lights. There are numerous opportunities to practice your craft outside of Hollywood or Broadway. Community theaters, traveling companies and even casual acting troupes do it more or less for fun. You can be an amazing actress in those environments, even as you work towards becoming a professional on a much larger field.
Instructions
1. Get formal training. The acting profession is filled with charming people who have pretty faces, but they're usually interchangeable. In order to transcend their ranks, you'll need to understand acting as a craft: the means of generating truthful emotions and creating characters that the audience can identify with. Most colleges offer courses in acting, as do local community centers. Workshops are available in most decent-sized cities as well.
2. Study great roles for women and the performances which helped make them great. This can range from classical parts such as Blanche DuBois and Lady Macbeth to modern performances in lauded contemporary films. Don't just admire a given performance: watch to see what the actress does to make it great. Look at the choices she makes.
3. Practice emulating various emotions very quickly and without external stimulus. During auditions, actresses will need to summon proper emotions on a dime. The better you can do that, the more likely you are to land choice roles. The exact methods of doing so vary by precise technique. No actress approaches her craft in exactly the same way. Learn which process works best for you and then use it to create as wide a range of emotions as quickly as you can.
4. Practice altering your appearance. Actresses face a great deal of discrimination in that regard which their male counterparts are more protected from. Everyone wants a pretty face in film productions, and many actresses are asked to maintain ridiculous standards of body shape and weight just to stay employable. Yet, at the same time, you will need to change your appearance in order to get as wide a variety of parts as you can. Practice different looks.
5. If you are serious about working as a professional actress, you'll need to develop a viable plan. Contact an agent to represent you and move to New York or Los Angeles where you can be close to the industry. Prepare formal head shots to give to casting agents (they will cost about $300) and check trade mags for auditions and working opportunities. Try to network with other performers: they can give you lines on possible jobs. Be prepared for a lot of rejection, but look for opportunities to practice your craft as often as you can in small theater productions and workshops.
