Talent Isn’t Enough. Who You Know Matters
Hannah Crawford, OnStage Blog Editorial Staff
This title can be a hard pill to swallow. Because after all, shouldn’t we be able to stand on our own two feet because of our education or the talent that we possess? In a perfect world, of course. But we are far from living in a perfect world where both prejudices and connections can open doors for some while quietly closing them for others.
Of course, talent matters, and I’m not saying that it doesn’t. But we have to wake up to the reality that the arts are a truly small world. And in that small world, people talk, and people know people. Who you know in this small world and how you’ve met them truly plays a huge role in the opportunities that will come your way.
Have you ever experienced someone in the arts world who just walked up to the door and it automatically opened, as if they were walking into a grocery store? Meanwhile, you are standing at the loading dock out back, waiting for forever to be let in. And that seems unfair to you, doesn’t it? Yes, in a lot of ways it can be (and yes, I’ve seen a lot of unfairness spread around.)
However, for the purposes of this piece, I want to focus on the benefits of who you know. And not only that, but the fact that it is OKAY to utilize that to give yourself the best opportunities for your performance career.
Doors Only Open for a Reason
One thing I want to make sure that we understand here is that when doors open, there is a reason. Doors, unfortunately, don’t always open because you’re good at what you do. But, because people trust you and want to work with you again.
We always say, “The arts are a small world.” It is something I’ve heard my entire life. However, when you’re actually in the weeds of it all, you see how truly connected the arts world is.
Directors talk to each other, and stage managers recommend people they trust to work backstage. You’d be surprised how one good or bad experience can travel much further than we think.
So, let me just get it out there that every interaction matters. I don’t care if you’re seeing a show somewhere new for the first time and you introduce yourself to the director. Or make a point to speak with the stage manager for a few moments. It is something that may feel insignificant to you, but those are often the ones that blossom into something more.
How to Get Yourself Out There Without Feeling Fake
Do you ever just feel like “ugh, this is awkward, I can’t just walk up to someone and strike up a conversation like that. It’s so fake.” And I’m here to tell you not to have that outlook. I have made so many connections in every area of life simply by having those seemingly “innocent” introductions.
Introduce yourself without overthinking it
Follow up with them shortly after
And then continue to stay in touch
Okay, let me break this down into actionable steps. I met a Performing Arts Non-Profit Executive Director 2 years ago. It was because of a connection I had with one of the doctors I work with for my day job. I was sponsoring an ad in the playbill, and I just introduced myself to her via email.
But I didn’t just introduce myself as the marketing manager. I told her a bit about my background in performing arts and my passion for non-profit work. It was a simple, seemingly innocent introduction that received a generic “aww, I love that! Thank you for sharing” type response.
Flash forward two years, and I would stay in touch just randomly via email (checking in simply by saying hi and hoping they were doing well. The easiest way to make these “check-ins” a natural reach out versus a forced one is to tie it to something such as a show you just saw of theirs, a comment a patron of theirs made on a social media post that resonated with you, someone from the organization you ran into at an event, etc.)
Then I had an opportunity to sponsor their upcoming Mardi Gras, and I just loved being involved as much as possible. Over time, the Executive Director asked me if I was willing to serve on the board of directors. I attribute this to 3 different things:
My connection (the doctor who put me in touch)
My background in the arts and sharing it
Continous follow up and being involved where I could
Then flash forward to me going to lunch with her and the board president, and before I knew it, the board voted me in 100% unanimously.
It was a seemingly innocent introduction that ended up leading to this opportunity two years later. It won’t always happen immediately.
But be patient, connections always pay off.
Don’t Burn Bridges
I’ve talked about this before, but felt it was necessary to bring it up here again for this piece. The arts are a small world, and if you burn a bridge, it will inevitably burn another bridge somewhere else.
Take, for example, my job as a marketing manager. If one of my fellow marketers used a videographer for a shoot and didn’t have a good experience with them, I will, hands down, absolutely never hire that videographer. The same can be said for the arts. Artists talk.
Let me dive into a bridge I didn’t burn, but very well could have. I was set to be an ASM for a show. I told them my work schedule upfront, and all was good. A few months before we were to start, they released the finalized schedule, which included a few conflicts (that I had already been up front about). They shared that they couldn’t compromise on those conflicts and withdrew the offer.
I was particularly upset about this because I had a small break before and was looking forward to jumping back into a show. However, I took a deep breath, told them this is why I was upfront about my schedule in advance, but also that I understood their need to have someone present without the conflicts I had. Yes, it would have been easy for me to give them the proverbial finger. But, I didn’t. I ended with I looked forward to working with them in the future.
Now, here I sit 3.5 years later, and they asked me to work tech for them backstage for their upcoming production of The Sound of Music. Do you think that would have happened if I had burnt that bridge? No, it would not have.
Alright, let me wrap this all up by saying that at the end of the day, be the type of artist that other people want in the room. We ALL have an artist we’ve worked with that we don’t want to again (whether it is laziness, drama, constant negativity, etc.)
This piece isn’t about how to be fake and just play the game so you can get in the door. Because guess what? Once you get through that door, you have to continue proving yourself. It can go sideways if you don’t take the effort to be the type of artist other people want there.