On Being a Performer and PhD-er

Given that I'd never even vaguely entertained the idea of committing to a PhD until one of my future advisors suggested it on a Zoom call (hi Steven!), it surprises me how frequently Dojo actors ask about postgrad research. After all, it's a life move very few of our folk make.

Nevertheless, it's apparent there's some curiosity / intrigue / interest in life as a performer and a PhD-er, so this article will unpack what this (unusual) dance entails on paper and in practice. This will necessarily be more of an opinion piece than our usual evidence-informed offerings, but will make for a nice companion to its predecessor ("On Being a Person Who Performs") – and hold us accountable for walking our talk in this regard 😅

On paper

At the 30,000-foot view level, committing to a PhD (in Australia, at least) means committing to 3–4 years of full-time research and study.^[1] Under the guidance of a specialised advisory team, you're expected to make an "original contribution to your field" and produce a ~80,000-word thesis (or alternate format equivalent^[2]), which you then "defend" in an oral exam.^[3]

In short, it's a non-trivial academic commitment, and, as a result, one that's rare for actors to take on. 

I should acknowledge that, while some professions essentially require a PhD,^[4] acting obviously doesn't. Running the Dojo doesn't, either. I'd assume it unlikely any actor would commit to a PhD for the additional letters after their name.

What this means, though, is that I "pitched" a prospective project to my prospective team; I didn't sign on to an already approved project they were "advertising" (which, depending on the field, can be the convention). But given that we aren't the conventional PhD population, I'd assume most actors would only come to the PhD party with a passion project of their own.

Amongst the many things I knew nothing of were the scholarships available to make such a commitment feasible (at least in Australia). For instance, the "tuition fee scholarship" is common and covers tuition fees, the competitive "living stipend scholarship" covers fees and provides a modest payment to contribute toward living expenses, and the even more contested "top-up scholarship" comes in addition to covering tuition fees and contributing to living expenses.^[5]

In the spirit of full transparency, I was awarded a living stipend scholarship, for which I am indescribably grateful. Like many, I've held some life 🙃 force 🙃 draining 🙃 Muggle Jobs on the actor's path, so to be working on something life-force-charging while being renumerated is not something I take lightly.

Financial gymnastics aside, it's also just a tremendous privilege to have the opportunity to deep-deep-deep-dive into a project one considers meaningful. The Dojo has been doing this work since 2019, but there's a marked difference in the needle-moving we've been able to effect since becoming a postgrad to pre-becoming one.

Finally, I must bold, underline, and highlight the importance and influence of one's advisory team. By some still-unfathomable fortune even greater than the scholarship awarded, I was able to snare a team of not only extraordinary scholar-practitioners, but extraordinary people, too. They don't believe me when I say this, but they are some of my favourite humans – period – and working with them continues to be one of the most humbling experiences (shout out to Steven, Cliff, and Véro 🫶).

In practice

At the boots-on-the-ground level, PhD-ing is hard – performer / PhD-er balancing act aside. And I say this as someone who did well in school, would self-identify as a nerd, and has lost more than one acting gig for being "a bit too intelligent" (true story). This level of academia is a whole other ball game.

If we then add the desire to remain somewhat engaged as an actor during candidature, we go from playing 3D chess (already mind-melting) to playing 4D chess. It's the math lady GIF embodied. 

All that said, it is possible. It takes intention, discipline, serious time management, and a whole bunch of trial and error, but it is possible.

Personally, I've found "small" screen roles, voice-over work, screenwriting stints, and a three hour / day, six days / week Training Menu to be the best fit alongside my studies and running the Dojo. I also keep those precious interruptions (four 3-month "pauses"^[6]) up my sleeve for Whole Body Yes acting opportunities that require extended dedicated investment.

Looping back to a point above, the ability to pursue a life-force-charging project with this level of intensity has been such a gift. Perhaps this is a Tahlia thing, but I seem to thrive most when my sense of meaning and mastery come from related but separated sources.

For instance, I no longer have to mentally pretzel acting (my source of mastery) into something that "means" something super-duper profound. This, in turn, has actually improved my acting because I'm now free to act for the intrinsic love of acting. I'm more playful, less serious; I care more about the process and progress, less about the outcome.

Similarly, I'm at my best as a postgrad when I remember to unburden the PhD of expectations of mastery (that's what "small" acting gigs and my Training Menu are for). I'll be so real, I have never felt this incompetent. The learning curve has been steep and ceaseless. But every time I've questioned my life decisions (frequently) or even contemplated dropping out (at least once), the sense of meaning has kept me in the game when the going has got tough (most days).

Last but not least, I'll bold, underline, and highlight one's advisory team once more. From my perspective, they can make or break the whole damn dance. I got real lucky. REAL lucky. I'd liken it to building one's actor team (i.e., agent, manager, coach, etc.). If you choose to commit to this PhD thing, think long term. You'd shoot yourself in the foot by rushing or forcing a fit.

TL;DR? 

No worries. Here are the three key takeaways: 

• A PhD is a significant commitment, and one that, understandably, few actors decide to take on. 
• However, if you're super fired up about a specific topic, a PhD can offer a profound sense of coherence and meaning (which can be lacking on the actor's path). 
• Balancing the performer / PhD-er life is possible but requires intention and time management. The optimal configuration will vary from person to person, so expect some trial and error before you find your flow.

Citations

^{[1] [3]} https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/programs/doctor-philosophy-7501

^[2] https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/higher-degree-research/my-thesis/1-thesis-preparation?p=2#2

^[4] https://louisiana.edu/graduateschool/blog/careers-require-phd-or-doctoral-degree

^[5] https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/programs/doctor-philosophy-7501#scholarships

^[6] https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=246

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APA 7: Norrish, T. (2026, May 28). On being a performer and PhD-er. The Actor’s Dojo. http://www.dojoactors.com/performer-phder/