Careers in Theatre
Is the stage
for you?
A
career in theatre can be as rewarding as it is challenging.
It is such a multi-faceted art form, that no matter what your
talents or interests may be, there is an area of theatre for
you. From the spotlight to the dressing room; the scene shop
to the box office...theatre offers a wide variety of opportunities.
This page should help you navigate
your way through some of the major disciplines of theatre and
how you can begin your rewarding, if not lucrative, career.
An education
in theatre...
Unlike many other career paths, education is not a requirement
for working in theatre. However, that is not to say that education
is unnecessary to be successful in the field. An education in
theatre can be as unobtrusive as an acting class offered by
a local theater, or as grandiose as a Doctorate degree in any
number of concentrations. You are limited only by your imagination
and dedication to learn.
Almost every College or University worldwide offers instruction
in theatre either in the form of electives or workshop classes,
or as a minor/major course of study. Choosing a program that
fits you begins with determining what area of the art you wish
to learn.
What area of theatre do you want to study?
There are 3 main divisions of theater to explore: Performance, Production, and Technical Theatre.
Those
working in the Performance aspect of theatre
have the highest profile of anyone involved. These are the dancers,
actors, and actresses; the faces on the billboards and the programs.
Studying to become a performer should not only entail courses
in movement, acting, and voice-but should also provide a solid
understanding of what takes place behind the scenes and in the
offices. This course of study is frequently written off as "easy",
yet the #1 phobia people suffer from is having to speak in front
of a large group of people. This is the main ingredient in the
life of a performer, therefore, not for the faint of heart.
Degrees in performance vary from an Associate or Bachelor of
the Arts, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (usually only from institutions
that have an intensive theatre program), a Master of Fine Arts,
then finally a Doctorate in Theatre studies.
Technical theatre is perhaps the most challenging aspect of
the art form.
Those who work in Technical theatre are the carpenters, scenic designers, scenic painters, electricians, lighting designers and operators, audio technicians, costume designers, makeup professionals, stage crew, pyro-technicians, and ultimately the Technical Director. The technical staff are those who make sure everything visually enhances, and sometimes even takes focus from, the performers. Considering the highly specialized skills needed to work in some of these areas, it is no surprise that Technical Theatre programs are very intense, and require dedication above and beyond that of your average college student. It is not uncommon to find Technical Theatre students working late into the night under pressure from a deadline, while performers are sound asleep. While this is not an easy course of study or career, the benefits are proportionate to the hard work. The highest rate of employment in the entirety of Theatre belongs to the technical staff. This can be attributed to their ability to mold their talents to fit a wide variety of projects, as well as the fact that the skills they perfect in theatre are highly applicable in other forms of public entertainment (concerts, sporting events, conventions etc...). Typically, it is difficult to find a degree program in Technical theatre below a B.A., due to the need for adequate training facilities, and the large amount of time needed to master the technical arts.
Theatre Production refers to the "business" aspect of theatre. Those considered to be involved with production are the stage director, the house manager, the box office staff, the production manager, the front office staff, and the producers (a little obvious). These are the people behind the behind-the-scenes crew. The production staff incorporates the talent of the performers, and the skill of the technical crew then marries that with a business/advertising savvy to offer theatre patrons a complete package. Many of those who work professionally in production have dual degrees in both theatre management and business. It is difficult to find an undergraduate program that will deal with production skills specifically. Usually, you begin with a general degree in theatre arts, then move on to more specialized areas in graduate studies. Most major theaters will have internship programs to allow those interested in learning the business to do so while earning their degree simultaneously. This provides production students the opportunity to gain invaluable experience even before they enter the job market.
Establishing a career
in Theatre...
If you consider all the nuances
of the art form combined with variety of technical applications,
you will see that there are a multitude of options before you.
As a potential theatre professional, you will first need to
be aware of the various unions that control and staff theaters
across the country. Whether you are a performer, a production
team member, or a technician, you will most likely need membership
in one or more of the following:
Actors
Equity Association (AEA)
United Scenic Artists of America
(USAA)
International Alliance of
Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)
Screen Actors Guild (SAG)
American Federation of Television
& Radio Artists (AFTRA)
Society of American Fight Directors
(SAFD)
Society of Stage Directors &
Choreographers (SSDC)
BCC Theatre Program - A good place to begin your Theatre education.
Theatre Link - An amazingly complete guide to all things theatrical on the web. It houses an extensive index including casting information, international show listings, academic program information, and a solid collection of links.
Yahoo! Theatre Resource Page - A high quality links page that covers virtually every aspect of theatre: from education to employment; stage combat to directing...it is covered.
Performing Arts Online - An extensive listing of all major performing arts groups worldwide (listed alphabetically), with links to each of their web pages. Very unique, and very useful.
Samuel French Inc. - The home page for the worlds largest dramatic publishing house. Search for titles in the huge index.
Playbill Online - The most visited Theatre site on the web. This site is bursting with useful information on casting and employment, show listings, reviews, ticketing information, and links of interest.
Dramatists Guild - Site for the only professional association for playwrights, composers, and lyricists in America. Contains membership information, news, events, and very useful links area.
Theatre History Online - Searchable by region, this site gives excellent background of theatre world wide. Includes ample links, updated articles, and an extensive online archive of dramatic texts.
Theatre Net.com - A UK based site that covers the world of professional theatre both in the UK and US. Features an international box office, ample news archives, and a commendable collection of links.
Open Directory Theatre Education - Alphabetical listing of very useful and informative sites dealing with most major theatrical applications.
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