 Theatre -Wed October 12, 3:30-4:00PM
 Theatre
Careers
What to do with Major Webpage.
Click
here to see another site from Niagara
University
Go to this
website to view what it takes, where you can
work, various jobs and strategies to find work.
GENERAL STRATEGIES
TO FINDING A CAREER IN PERFORMING ARTS
• Complete an internship or an
apprenticeship with a local theater. Participate
in summer stock.
• Network: Talk with people working in the field
to find out about jobs and opportunities.
• Read newspapers and periodicals related to the
theater to keep up with new developments. Read
the "trades"--magazines and newspapers that
report events in the entertainment industry.
Read the "Theater" section of daily newspapers
to find out about upcoming productions.
• Get your foot in the door and get
involved with productions in any way you can. Be
prepared to do various tasks assigned by stage
managers or producers.
• Join professional groups as an
opportunity to make contacts.
• Volunteer with fundraising efforts for
the arts.
• Be aware of scams. Check out the
legitimacy of agencies and companies before
paying any fees.
• Be prepared to move to a metropolitan
area where more opportunities exist.
• A career in the arts takes patience,
dedication, and luck!
• Have a back-up plan. Be aware that the
unemployment rate for actors hovers around 85%.
Develop skills that qualify you for other
jobs while you wait for opportunities in acting.
Consider pairing theater with another career
interest or major to open up more job
opportunities.
• Theater helps students develop verbal and
written communication, public speaking, and
teamwork skills. These transferable skills
are valued by many types of
employers.
• There are many ways to be involved in the
theater while pursuing other career options.
Importance
of Internships
70%
of students who do an internship are asked to
work for that employer!-NACE
Click
here for importance of internship article
from BYU
Click
here to view internship resources for
performing art
Wolftrap Internships
Fields- Audio Engineering, Community
Program & Education, Costumes, Dramaturgy,
Electrics, Production Management, Properties,
Scene Shop, Scenic Art, and Stage Management.
Related areas may include Arts Administration,
Audience Services, Box Office, Business,
Development, Marketing & Communication,
Management, and Volunteer Services.
Mentors:
-Click
here to enter eRecruiting and Mentor
Network
-Chamberlain, Josh- 06/2004 0
Self-Employed Editor/Producer/Director
-Keddell, Katie -05/2006 - Jewish
Community Center of Greater Administrative
Assistant
-Vitrano, Jessica -05/2005-Seton Keough
High School Theatre Director, English Teacher,
Lacrosse Coach
-Wertz, Joanne -05/1983-Fairfax County
Public Schools Director of Musical Theater
program
Involvement in all
aspects of major (like joining clubs) to build
skills that all employers covet.
Click
here for power point with 25
advantages theatre majors have over other
majors.
Click
here for clubs and organizations
Click
here for volunteer activities
While you may think
that choosing the “right” major is key to
getting a good job, your long-term professional
success will depend far more on acquiring the
right skills for a rapidly changing workplace.
-The ability to work well in teams—especially
with people different from yourself
-An understanding of science and technology and
how these subjects are used in real-world
settings
-The ability to write and speak well
-The ability to think clearly about complex
problems
-The ability to analyze a problem to develop
workable solutions
-An understanding of global context in which
work is now done
-The ability to be creative and innovative in
solving problems
-The ability to apply knowledge and skills in
new settings
-The ability to understand numbers and
statistics
-A strong sense of ethics and integrity
Source: "How Should Colleges Prepare Students to
Succeed in Today's Global Economy?" (Results of
a national poll by Peter D. Hart Research
Associates, 2010).
What skills do employers look for according to
NACE??
Job Sites in Theatre
Resumes:
General
resume site
Sample Resume
Sample Resume
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