If you are starting your acting career and decide to focus on theater acting or on-screen acting, you may wonder what it will be like to work in both settings. The two media are very different, and they come with different challenges and benefits that can affect your performance, career, growth, and overall acting profile.
So in this guide, we will explore how practicing both theater performance and acting for tv and cinema can contribute to a well-round acting profile. Therefore if you are considering acting on-screen and in a theater, this is a good opportunity to learn how they can both impact your career and help you build a well-rounded acting profile.
How can Theater Performance and On-screen Acting Contribute to a Well-rounded Acting Profile?
Learning and Earning

One of the best things that can happen to you as an actor when you work in theater, and on-screen acting is that you will find a balance between learning and earning. With theater acting, you will have more opportunities to learn and develop great acting skills; you will explore different genres, styles, and stage acting techniques.
In addition, when you challenge yourself with demanding and complex roles, you will enjoy instant feedback from your audience and peers. This can help you learn and grow significantly in your career. However, you might not earn so much money, unlike when you act for tv and cinemas because the latter tends to be more competitive and lucrative. See the best starting point for beginner actors.
With on-screen acting, you have better chances of gaining exposure and reaching a wider audience, and you can benefit greatly from this prestige and popularity in the film industry. Furthermore, on-screen acting will give you a more flexible work schedule and variety, so you can choose the project you want to work on. Learn how to make a choice between theater and on-screen.
However, one important thing to know is that with on-screen acting, you will not get a good chance to learn as you would with theater acting. That is why combining both mediums in your career can help you learn and earn simultaneously, significantly contributing to a more balanced career in acting and a well-rounded acting profile.
Balance and Preference
Another fantastic thing that can result from practicing both theater and TV acting is the balance you get, plus the chance to enjoy what you prefer. As an actor, you will have your preference; you might enjoy working exclusively on one medium, depending on your interests, goals, and strengths.
You may find fulfilment and satisfaction in theater acting or happiness in film or TV acting, but choosing to work in both mediums will let you enjoy a certain level of diversity and enrichment.
Switching between TV and theater acting can give you a sense of stability because you reap the benefits of both mediums while still doing what you love, which can be either of them.
Live and Recorded
If you have learned about the differences between theater and on-screen acting, you will know that theater acting is live while on-screen acting is recorded. This means that when you act in a theater, you must deliver your lines and action in real time; there will not be a chance to edit, retake, or pause during your performance. See how stage acting differ from TV.
In addition, you will have to project your voice and gestures to a large audience and be ready to handle unexpected situations such as mistakes, audience reactions, technical glitches, and the like.
For on-screen acting, on the other hand, you have so much control over your performance; you can pause, retake, refine, repeat, and adjust your acting according to your director's feedback, the editing process, and camera angles.
In addition, you will be required to be more subtle and natural in your body movement and expressions since the camera can capture every detail of your face and body.
Imagine focusing on just theater acting. You will not know much about the things involved in on-screen acting, but combining both can help you become an expert in every aspect of acting.
You will be good at all these things and have a complete acting profile; you can fit in well with any acting medium. In addition, acting in one medium can help you see what you are lacking in the other medium and can help you balance your skills and performance.
Teamwork and Individuality
An excellent way acting on-screen and on stage can contribute to a well-rounded acting profile is the combination of teamwork and individuality in both mediums.
With theater performance, you will be required to work closely with other actors, crew members, directors, and stage manager; you will learn to support each other during the show, rehearse extensively with them and coordinate your movement and timing to avoid clashing with others.
With theater acting, you will undoubtedly develop strong chemistry and rapport with your colleagues and share the same energy and space. However, on-screen acting doesn’t involve such arrangements.
You will have independence and flexibility to work on your roles, genre, and projects. You might not interact much with your co-actors since your scene might be separate or even in different locations.
Therefore, after comparing these two acting mediums, you can see that having the fantastic ability to work with a team and also to work independently can give you a well-rounded acting profile and a successful career. No matter the settings you find yourself in, you will always be able to deliver your performance with or without others.
Skills and Talent
Theater acting lets you master a wide range of skills, such as diction, memorization, projection, movement, and improvisation. You also have to learn to be adaptable and versatile as you will act in different genres, play multiple roles, and perform in different theaters.

However, for on-screen acting, you have to showcase more of your talent, which is often unique and much needed for TV and cinema performances. These talents include emotions, personality, appearance, and charisma; you must also be reliable and consistent to follow a script or brand adequately.
However, combining on-screen acting and theater performance will give you a platform to showcase both your skill and your talent, and they can complement each other in both mediums. So, in the long run, you will have all it takes to function effectively in both settings, thereby having a well-rounded acting profile.
Pros and Cons
Some of the pros of theater acting are that you will experience the joy and thrill of live performances, connect with your audience and colleagues, and you will be able to express your creativity and authenticity without adding or subtracting from your abilities.
Some of the cons of theater acting include stress and uncertainty, less security and recognition, and dealing with the restrictions and limitations of stage acting.
Moving forward, the pros of on-screen acting include fame, flexibility, fortune, multiple options, diverse opportunities, and having more control over your performance and comfort. While some cons of on-screen acting include less privacy and autonomy, more criticism and competition, and having to deal with more expectations and demands from people, you do not even know.
Whatever you lack from theater acting, you can get from on-screen acting, and combining these mediums in your career can give you that well-rounded profile where the benefits of one medium make up for the downsides of the other medium. This way, you will benefit from every aspect of your career without even noticing the cons of each medium.
Do I Need to Hire an Acting Coach to Learn Acting?
Acting is like every other skill; the more you practice it, the better you get at it; however, it's not enough to keep practicing in front of your mirror. It would be best if you got accurate feedback from an acting coach, a professional who is more advanced than you are and is dedicated to fostering valuable talents in upcoming actors.

Working with an acting coach will help you strengthen your skills; you won't get lectures like a student about right or wrong things in acting; instead, you will get an expert to help you navigate your journey. Also, it doesn't matter if you currently have no experience in acting or you want to refine your skills; an acting coach can meet you at the point of learning needs.
Best Acting Classes Near Me
Great actors did not become great with just talent. They achieved success through effective acting coaching and acting lessons. Learn more!
A good acting coach is one who not only has passion, experience, and mastery of excellent acting methods and techniques but can also encourage, communicate and connect with students enough to foster and unleash their best acting skills and abilities. See how to choose the best acting path for your career.
The question on your mind now may be, where can I find such amazing acting coaches, or where can I find acting classes near me? Well, you don't have to worry about that because Superprof has provided an easy route to learn the best acting methods and skills regardless of your location and learning needs.
Join Superprof today for effective acting lessons that can make you a great actor in no time. See the similarities between stage and TV roles.









