1. It improves your public speaking skills.
2. You learn the value of teamwork.
In school they try to teach this skill with group projects, but it isn't nearly as effective. In theater, you learn to compromise and collaborate with many different kinds of people, or there's no show. Theater people know — every individual is valuable, not just the stars.
3. It teaches you empathy.
4. You become a master of stress management.
If you can learn how to put on a great show when seemingly everything goes wrong, you'll be able to handle any college all-nighter or insane work presentation. You'll be way more collected because you already know the payoff is worth the stress.
5. You'll gain confidence.
6. But you'll also learn some humility.
There often isn't time for sugarcoating in theater. The spirit of theater is supportive, but you better believe you will get some honest, critical feedback that you must meet with an open mind. You'll learn how to have your weaknesses pointed out to you and how to work on them without taking it personally.
7. It teaches you how to deal with rejection.
8. You'll know how to work on a deadline.
In school there are make-up tests and project extensions, but in theater the show must always go on, whether or not you're ready. Being in a play teaches you (forces you, actually) to find creative ways of meeting your deadline and coming up with effective shortcuts in your work.
9. It is a surefire way of gaining reading skills.
10. You'll gain a higher appreciation of the written (and spoken) word.
Theater has informed culture all over the world throughout history. Studying it exposes you to many great works of literature and ideas you may not otherwise encounter. Even if you don't end up pursuing it for the rest of your life, there are few directions in life you can take that haven't been influenced by the artform.
11. It makes you more charismatic.
12. Your memorization skills will be on point.
It's a lot more than just remembering words and lighting cues. The memorization tricks you teach yourself, and the way you learn to multitask on stage can inform the ways you study, work, and organize your mind later on in life.
13. It gets you in the habit of staying physically active.
14. It teaches you some real-world professionalism.
For many kids, theater is their first exposure to behaving professionally. You have to make a good impression, show enthusiasm, work hard, compromise, keep your emotions in check, support your peers, and treat your superiors with respect. All skills you have to master if you want to be taken seriously in your professional life.