Dearest Theatre Lovely,
Hello. Everything is gonna be okay.
We all know how hard it is to make a living with theatre. You might be having a hard time today coping with that. If not you’ve probably had at least one moment in the past where you’ve wondered if you’re cut out for life in theatre. Maybe you work backstage or onstage. Either way, things are gonna be fine.
Read MoreI’ve been living in New York City for about a year and a half now, as of this article. Since moving here soon after college, I’ve had the chance to have my own plays produced in various festivals, as well as the chance to go see plenty of shows on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and loads of indie productions throughout the city. Yet it hasn’t always felt easy, and when you get here, you realize that it’s not always as glamorous of a life, as it might sound.
Read MoreIt’s the end of winter. You can’t think of anything more satisfying than sitting at home in your pajamas with the fire on and a steaming mug of chocolate in hand. But...you’ve got a rehearsal. You dread leaving the house and braving the storm, de-icing the car and attempting to carry all of your props and costumes without risking injury. Then you arrive at the venue, begin your craft and forget all about the world outside.
Read MoreI am the type of actor who brings everything they could possibly need during the run of a show all on that first day. My dance bag is overflowing with extra tights, therabands, clear nail polish, baby powder, everything I need and possibly things I don’t need. But my philosophy has always been: “I’d rather have it than need it.”
But not all actors are like me. If they were, the dressing rooms would be too cluttered to function and no work would get done. As long as one cast member or a group of people provide for their dressing room, things generally turn out just fine.
So for those of you getting ready to “move-in”, here are 5 Dressing Room Essentials you’ll be glad you brought.
Read MoreA couple weeks ago I ended my run in Mary Poppins. It was my bucket list show and a bucket list role; y’all, I was a tap-dancing chimney sweep! Sold out shows, adoring family and friends coming to watch, and I only dropped a line once. Pretty good run.
So it stands to reason the post-show blues would hit and hit hard. Here’s how I decided to combat them.
Read MoreFrom my ten years of hindsight, and not quite ten years of toiling in the difficult world of professional theatre, all the wisdom I am fit to impart on my younger counterparts this week is: Enjoy it.
Read MoreI remember a moment when I was a freshman in college, and I had my first one-on-one meeting with the technical director of the Theatre Department. Near the beginning of the meeting, I remember him asking me a simple question: “What are your ambitions?”
Read MoreThe beauty of community theatre is that you don’t have to have any experience or training: you can come as you are, show what you can do, and hopefully leave on a positive note. However, that means that all walks of life are mingled together on stage. From the woman who’s just there to pass the time after a long day at work, to the boy who’s fresh out of theatre school with dreams of Broadway, everyone can share the space.
Read MoreAs one of a plethora of 30ish mezzo-sopranos with a decent voice and the ability to move with some semblance of grace, I know at any given audition there’s 10 of me for every 1 spot they’ve reserved in the show for my type and vocal ability. There’s a decent amount of “stuff” on my resume but the stuff doesn’t begin to come close to highlighting my abilities. As much as I dislike the corporate job-interview process, I do wish the community theater audition process borrowed some from the corporate world. Because 16-32 bars isn’t enough time to learn I’m more than my resume.
Read MoreSpeaking from personal experience, I know that drama gives kids much more than just confidence. Growing up I was never athletic, so I was never part of any organized sports team.
Sure I took Physical Education, it was required, but being painfully shy, and having no natural athletic ability left me standing waiting to be picked when team captains began choosing their teams.
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