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How Theatre Prepares You for Any Job

Patty Craft — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:15:08 +0000

Whichever adult(s) in your world mentor you on how to succeed in life, chances are, at least one has said something like, “You can’t make a living in theatre!” As frustrating as it is to hear, let’s assume they mean well. They want you to be able to eventually support yourself in a comfortable lifestyle, and they fear a career in the arts is just too unpredictable — even though that may not actually be the case.

Let’s dispel the idea that reliable employment is only found outside the arts and remind our mentors and ourselves that fear isn’t always right.

The theatre skills you learn in school are vital to success in nearly every field of work, and when the time comes, you’ll find a way to pursue the arts out in the real world if it’s your true passion. Meanwhile, let’s do a refresher on the value of what you’re learning now.

5 Ways Your Theatre Skills Transition to the Workforce

The Bard must have seen into the future and discovered the current social media scene! Shakespeare’s line from As You Like It, “All the world’s a stage,” is embodied on social media every day. Now, you’re wise enough to know that the most effective social media feeds employ serious planning, staging, editing, and branding. Long gone is the notion that a person can simply hold up their smart phone, record themselves, and go viral with their clip!

Even beyond social media, successful entrepreneurs, teachers, doctors, lawyers, political leaders, and, yes, actors, use theatre skills daily. Not to mention there are plenty of theatre careers to consider and many ways that your theatre lessons can transfer to real-life roles. Case in point: Read our story of a self-proclaimed music kid who is now a successful sound designer.

So let’s explore the skills you already have that can help you land the perfect job.

1. Inspired public speaking can be learned.

First off, get your voice warmed up to do its job. Maybe this sounds silly, but warming up your vocal cords and preparing to enunciate so listeners can clearly hear your message is important for speakers as well as singers. Try these tongue-twisters for actors and have fun as you get ready to inspire.

Along with getting your body ready to speak, remember the power of pacing and emphasizing your words. You can partner up with another Thespian and experiment with this technique, taking turns speaking and listening. How does emphasizing too many words distract the listener? How does a slower or faster pace affect the message? Does it become more urgent if said quickly?

2. Clear communication matters everywhere.

Yes, we live in the age of text messaging and texting abbreviations abound. Maybe you’ve experienced miscommunications based on text messages that have left you laughing or crying.

Text messaging is often misinterpreted for several reasons. Perhaps the sender meant their words as a joke, for example, but the recipient couldn’t hear the laughter in their voice or see sender’s body language.

It may be trite and it’s true: An actor’s body is their instrument. The subtleties of facial expressions, hand gestures, vocal inflection, and even the direction in which an actor is speaking all tell part of the story. Try these exercises to improve your presence on stage or improve your general communication skills. You’ll find yourself giving new thought to how you walk, use your hands, and even how you use your facial expressions.

Investing in physical training is always worth the time and effort, especially when we remember how powerful our body is in communicating clearly.

3. Effective collaboration is vital to every show’s success.

We’ve all been part of a group assignment outside of theatre where some contribute more than others. And we’ve felt the resentment of having to carry other people’s loads for that assignment to succeed. Don’t be the one not contributing—you won’t learn anything from the experience, and you’ll be a burden to others in the group.

Theatre teaches collaboration intrinsically. Each member of the company—from the producer and director to all the cast members, technicians, and ushers—have a key job to do for the production to be successful. If even just one person’s job doesn’t get done, it affects the end result. Learning to understand your piece of the puzzle, own it, and execute it with commitment and authority while also leaving room for others to do the same is a valuable skill. Our directors are there to coach us when ideas abound or priorities collide, so learning to let go, readjust, and continue forward in a slightly new direction without derailing the process for everyone is also just as important in the real world as it is in the theatre.

4. Commitment to a collaborative effort includes everyone agreeing on the goal.

In theatre, one short scene in which a character’s greatest challenge is revealed can be the key to understanding their motives. Learning to work with others, whether in an acting scene or on the props crew, improves your value to a show.

When it comes to commitment, do what you say you’re going to do. For example, if you’re struggling to find a costume that’s on your list, speak up sooner rather than later. Maybe someone else on the crew knows exactly where to find that period piece of clothing.

Also, find the courage to say you can’t take on a particular assignment when you know it’s outside your ability or skill set. Perhaps offer to switch with someone who has the required skills. Saying “yes” when you know you can’t do what’s asked sets everyone up for failure. And the other person may have the desire to take on something else. Win/win!

5. Become more coachable and you’ll go far!

What does it mean to be coachable? There are a couple million results if you Google this query, but it comes down to a willingness to change. Yes, the willingness to set our egos aside and try new things that may (or may not) work. It’s an admission that your initial attempt might not be the best or only way to achieve a goal, and feeling safe enough to try a different approach that might not come as easily for you. Being adaptable to various viewpoints and experimenting to get the desired result is a highly transferable skill desired in almost every profession.

And it’s something you’re likely already doing with your castmates, director, or theatre teacher.

Being coachable means having a genuine curiosity about different techniques or beliefs. Communication coach John Millen has these six tips you can learn to be more coachable and ultimately more successful.

Success Beyond the High School Stage

Whether you’re taking on a leadership role and need to command attention on the “work stage,” are leveraging your years of script analysis to improve your written communication, or just working with new people and are looking to create healthy boundaries and collaboration, transferring the skills you’ve learned as a Thespian can go a long way toward helping you advance.

Patty Craft is a regular contributor to Dramatics.org.

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Your Theatrical Resume Needs These 3 Things

Laura Enstall — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 18:08:49 +0000

If you’re an actor, you most certainly need a theatrical resume. It’s different from a business resume for job applications, and it’s different from an educational resume for college applications. Here are three things your resume needs, along with a free theatrical resume template to help you get started.

1. Your Contact Information

Directors need to be able to reach you to let you know, “Hey, we want you in our show.” Provide a phone number that you answer regularly, and it’s even better if you have a voice-messaging system or voicemail set up.

If you’ve been using your school email address—or your original email from middle school—make sure it’s easily recognizable. I recommend using your first name and last name (or, in reverse order, last name and first name) @ domain.com. Try to avoid using lots of numbers, or fun names like “Broadwaybaby1234” (which may or may not have been my first email address).

Having a silly or fun email address, or one with lots of numbers and random letters, is great for personal use—but it’s not great for auditions. It leaves so much room for error if someone is manually typing it in. It’s easier to see your name on your resume, audition form, headshot and email address if they’re all the same—less room for error.

When it’s time to apply for colleges, you definitely want to have a professional email address. The only exception here is if you’re a child actor and your parent(s) want to use his/her/their email address.

You can include a social media handle as well if it’s appropriate. Some actors have their Instagram or TikTok ready for public viewing. You could also create an account where you post updates and performance videos. Some people like to put a small thumbnail headshot in the header of their resume. It’s not required but it’s an option.

2. Your Experience

You should include an accurate portrayal of your theatrical experience. Do not lie or embellish facts on your resume. The theatre community is small, and it can be figured out quickly if you haven’t told the truth about a role you’ve played or a show you’ve listed.

It should also be easy to read. Format your resume so important information is easily seen. While it can be tempting, you don’t need to get fancy with various font colors—black text is sufficient.

Here are key experiences to include:

Title of the show, the role you played, and where you performed the show. Place this in three columns (see the template for an example).
Training in dance, voice, and/or acting. If you’re a dancer, you should include classes you’ve taken. If you’re a singer, include voice lessons and choir. If you’ve taken acting classes, list them as well.
Masterclasses or workshops.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a large theatrical resume. Remember, everyone starts somewhere. If you do have a large resume with much experience, make sure it all fits on one page.

3. Special Skills

This section is fun because it gives the auditors and directors an idea of who you are as a person. Include info that helps you stand out or makes you unique. Can you juggle, whistle, make animal noises, yodel, roller skate, or skateboard? Can you do a handstand, or are you a tumbler? Do you have a driver’s license? Do you play an instrument? Give this some thought, and be ready to do any of these things in the audition room or provide supplemental material if asked.

The PDF link above should help guide you as you create or tweak your own theatrical resume. There isn’t one perfect way to do a theatrical resume, but it should be clean and easy to read.

One other thing to remember: You’ll want to staple your resume to the other side of your headshot, which should be 8×10 inches in size, so you’ll want to trim accordingly. Have fun putting together your resume!

Laura Enstall is the owner and founder of Audition Well. She helps students conquer audition fears, stand out in the audition room, and find the theatre program that’s a perfect fit. Follow Audition Well on Instagram for audition tips @auditionwell.

The post Your Theatrical Resume Needs These 3 Things appeared first on Dramatics Magazine Online.

Theatre Jobs Beyond the Stage

Natalie Clare — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 17:30:13 +0000

Theatre jobs abound even if production doesn’t seem like the right fit. Professional theatres operate in nearly every major city in the U.S., and New York City is rich with theatrical operations. Arts administrators typically work in nonprofit organizations (and enjoy perks like free tickets!). Think of them as being behind the scenes in a vital less visible way!

The Theatre Communications Group concluded recently that nonprofit theatres around the U.S. contributed about $2.8 billion to the economy and employed 145,000 artists, technical production staff and administrators in 2019. About 16 percent of that workforce was administrators. So, what kind of work is performed in administration? Many theatres employ positions you’d see in any company — IT, human resources, and accounting — but let’s take a look at jobs that are unique to the theatre industry.

Theatre Jobs for Artistic Leadership

What productions should be featured on stage? What should the forthcoming season look like? How is the institution contributing to the theatre industry? These are the questions that artistic leaders consider in their role. They’re often the “face” of the theatre, as their perspective and approach guides each season’s work. They usually work with literary managers and artistic associates to stay on top of industry news, events, and trends. Many of them may direct productions as well. They’re responsible for representing the theatre and for cultivating relationships with artistic leaders at other theatres and community institutions.

Management Theatre Jobs

Budgets and contracts and salaries, oh my! A theatre can’t run without general management to oversee its day-to-day operations. General or executive managers deal with all things business- and accounting-related. That includes negotiating contracts (with artists, staff, agents, publishers, and licensing houses), understanding union regulations, overseeing the theatre’s budget, and ensuring that the theatre operates efficiently. They’re responsible for making sure each department and each production adheres to institutional, financial and legal guidelines. They often work closely with artistic leadership — and they’re usually the one who signs everyone’s checks.

Theatre Jobs Devoted to Development

The majority of professional theatres function as nonprofit organizations rather than commercially driven entities. That means they stay in business through sponsorships, donors, and grants in addition to ticket sales. Development raises the funds and capital that theatres need to survive and thrive. They lead fundraising campaigns for specific projects, and they maintain relationships with members of the theatre’s board of trustees. Robust development departments typically employ positions that are specific to individual giving, institutional giving, donor engagement, and grant writing.

Marketing in the Theatre

How does the work onstage, behind the scenes, and in schools reach the public? Marketing folks work to “get butts in seats.” They communicate directly with the theatre audience, single-ticket buyers, season subscribers, and potential attendees. Through public relations, they stay connected with news outlets and media figures to promote productions and the theatre as a whole. With fast-evolving nuances in digital media, marketing departments often employ social media strategists, data-driven associates, multimedia designers, web developers and video content creators.

Ticketing Services & Front-of-House Staff

Once the public has been engaged and they’re ready to see a show, who do they contact for tickets and who do they call if they have questions? Ticketing services! They assist with purchases, subscriptions, seating questions, accessibility needs, and general information. They might also be responsible for selling merchandise and gifts. Front-of-House staff works before, during, and after the performances on site. They usually sell concessions, tend bar, hand out show programs, and make sure audiences are seated in time for the show to begin.

Education & Engagement as a Theatre Job

Theatre has long had an educational component, providing students with artistic and cultural programming. Education professionals interpret the stories of the productions and create lessons and workshops that coincide with performances. Sometimes they provide in-class learning opportunities to supplement students’ curriculum. Education departments often integrate community engagement as well by hosting talk-back discussions, dramaturgical presentations, and interactive events that directly engage the public.

Theatre arts administrators come from all walks of life. Some of them have theatrical training and performance experience, and some just share an interest in the arts. Some administrators may not have any experience with the medium at all! What unites them all is a dedication to theatrical institutions.

Natalie Clare is a Cincinnati-based writer who composes original content for brands, organizations, and publications. As a storyteller, she writes fiction and nonfiction, and she directs and produces works of film. Visit her at nataliecwrites.com.

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