Realities of Broadway - 2007/07/13 21:54Hi, I will be a junior in High School this year, and I want to pursue a career in musical theater. However, it is basically common knowledge that the musical theater industry is extremely difficult and that most of the time actors are unexmployed. Since many of you are actors , I'd rather get answers from you rather than "hear" about it from others.
1. How hard is it to survive as an actor? 2. Do actors ever get to the point where they simply cannot pay their rent and have to go to a homeless shelter? 3. How hard is it to get work? I read that actors are unexmployed 99 percent of the time, so for how many months or years are actors usually employed? 4.and, how do they survive during their unexmployment? 5.What kinds of jobs can they get to help them survive? I know that they can get jobs as waiters, but is there anything else that they can do? Like being voice teachers, etc? 6. Do most actors continue to take acting, dance classes? 7. Even when actors are employed, are their salaries sufficient? 8. Do you feel that getting a BFA in musical theater helps prepare and train you for the industry? 9. I've heard that it is easier for men to get jobs over women, is it true?
I personally want to get into the MT program at CMU or Pennsylvania State University, but those are really tough programs. I've sung all my life, and I do take private voice lessons and although I'm not the best singer out there, I'm still pretty good. But I've never taken anything acting or dancing classes (I will start to take ballet and jazz classes soon), and I feel that my acting isn't exactly where it should be. Is it too late for me? Especially the dancing part, because don't most people start at a very early age (ballet in particular)?
I also want to have some back-up colleges, in case I don't get into the ones I audition for. What are some good back-up colleges for a BFA in MT that actually provide a good college experience and aren't extremely small in size. I prefer mid-size to large colleges like CMU and Pennsylvania State, but other than that are there any others out there that can be considered back-ups?
At this point, although musical theater is my passion and I want to do it, I just don't know if I could survive not having a job 99 percent of the time and living in poverty and barely surviving.
| | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Shannon
User Supporting Player
Posts: 117
Karma: 2
Re:Realities of Broadway - 2007/07/13 22:39I can't answer your other questions, but as for it being "too late" for you, acting-wise: No, it's not too late! A lot of people are naturally gifted actors and don't really need to take any classes. Have you had any experience acting?
I didn't start acting until 3 years ago and haven't taken any real acting classes (the ones I took at my high school were taught by someone who was neither a good teacher nor a good actor himself, so I don't consider myself to have been taught by anyone but myself). Although I sucked a bit back then because I didn't have a clue what I was doing, I think I've greatly improved since then. I did a few school plays to help, plus I joined my school's speech team and did acting events.
And this year I'll be beginning a theatre minor.
| | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Bemyescape01
User Chorus Member
Posts: 28
Karma: 0
Re:Realities of Broadway - 2007/07/13 22:48I'm a junior too,and feeling the same exact way..These answers are gonna help me alot! Thanks for asking! I never even thought of asking these questions.."Elphie... you mustn't blame yourself. It's dreadful, it is, to have a house fall on you, but accidents will happen..." -Glinda (Wicked)
| | The administrator has disabled public write access.
mandalol219
User Supporting Player
Posts: 89
Karma: 1
Re:Realities of Broadway - 2007/07/13 23:03I'm so sorry I can't be of more help to you other than telling you that you aren't alone. I'm going to be a junior as well and this college/career business. Man, stressful!!
Thanks for asking these questions!Hi! I'm Amanda Dance is my first love.. but Musical Theatre is a close second.
Currently: auditioning!
| | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Bemyescape01
User Chorus Member
Posts: 28
Karma: 0
Re:Realities of Broadway - 2007/07/13 23:06Wow..we must have alot of juniors here "Elphie... you mustn't blame yourself. It's dreadful, it is, to have a house fall on you, but accidents will happen..." -Glinda (Wicked)
| | The administrator has disabled public write access.
katoru
User Leading Player
Posts: 348
Karma: 5
Re:Realities of Broadway - 2007/07/14 01:32Well, you will pretty much NEED a day job unless you get lucky and into a long running show (be it touring or what-have-you). Don't expect to be able to rely solely on your acting, especially when just starting out.
I know of a lot of actors around here who teach acting/musical theatre classes at the local theatre schools and colleges. I know for myself, I am also a costume technician and am making contacts for myself with that career and getting more of an "in" for acting jobs. There are lots of day jobs you could potentially get in between gigs, that aren't necessarily even related to the theatre. Don't feel like you've failed because you need to do something else besides acting to survive; most of us have to as well.
As for it being too late for dance and acting classes, it's definitely not. I think even the best of the best can always benefit from more training. Professional ballet dancers do start from very young, and they still take classes every day even at the professional level, but for your purposes, it's absolutely not too late.
For men over women... It depends on where you are, I think. And I think this is way more prevalent in community theatre where it is harder to find men (well, it really is where I am, we're having a heck of a time...). I'm not sure so much about professional theatre, but I'd imagine it'd be about the same for each. You need to be able to fit the directors vision and have (and demonstrate) the skill to perform the part well. If you don't, you won't get the part and that's that, male or female.
Well, I hope I've helped somewhat. Kathleen Sera Current Shows: Aloha Pinafore - Volga Upcoming Auditions: Crazy For You - Irene Roth
| | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Juliet
User Supporting Player
Posts: 147
Karma: 0
Re:Realities of Broadway - 2007/07/14 11:17Someone has said, "Unless you truly cannot live without it, do not make a career in theater." It's really because theater is one of the most unforgiving industries. You may be good, but there is always someone better. And if you can sing dance and act the part well, you may not look the part as well as someone else does. And even if you can sing dance and act amazingly, and you look perfect for the part, you STILL may not get it, because someone else has more connections than you do with people high up in the industry. One has a better chance of getting a part in a show if one stays close to home and works regionally. I feel like New York is not all it's cracked up to be. Being on Broadway is fantastic I'm sure, but doing shows closer to home is wonderful too, and it gives you the opportunity to actually have a life. Also dancing is pretty essential if you would like to audition for Broadway. I think tap and ballet are an important asset for auditioning. I also think that it is wise to major in something besides musical theater. I am around MT students from different colleges a lot, and many of them have said that musical theater is a pointless major. Meaning, you can still have a fabulous career in theater without it, and you can't get many jobs with it. But if you really want to major in musical theater, I would say the college for it is UMichigan. They have a fabulous theater program and so many of their alumni are on broadway now. (celia keenan-bolger is one for example). I've never taken an acting class and have done just fine in auditions. I think you don't need to actually take one until college. Doing shows gives you more experience with acting when you're young. When you take acting classes as a young person, sometimes you become fake in your readings, because you are trying to ACT. In New York City, there are about 500 people on Broadway. The rest trying for it work as waiters or ushers,etc...They all want what you want, and some have been working for years and years to get a part on Broadway. There's a song from Wonderful Town called "What a Waste" that describes the situation humorously, but I think it is a very true song...
I don't want to sound harsh, just realistic.Current Show: Coppelia (Swanhilda's friend) Shows in the Last Year: The Nutcracker(Spanish Chocolate, The Prissy Doll) Little Shop of Horrors (Ronnette), Ragtime (Evelyn Nesbit), Urinetown (Little Sally), Schoolhouse Rock Live (Dori),
| | The administrator has disabled public write access.
