Being A Theatre Artist

Being a Theatre Ar-st 

“If there’s any  other profession  that will make  you happy, do  that.”  

It is a life of  rejec-ons,  ﬁnancial  insecurity, and  general  instability.  

Equity Actors   •  2% work in NY  •  8% work elsewhere  •  90% have other  employment 

You have to love theatre in order to  build your life on it.  

But if you love  it enough to  get past the  challenges,  there is  deﬁnitely a life  in the theatre  for you. 

What if you  don’t know?  Are you  was-ng your  -me?  

Whether or not  you have a career  in the theatre, it is  worth studying.   There are many  invaluable life skills  to be gained  through its study.   

So what does it take to  pursue a life in the  theatre?  

Raw Talent  A Well‐Maintained Instrument   Cul-va-ng  a Strong CraS   Observa-on Skills   Discipline   Intelligence   A Rich Emo-onal Life & Experience   Healthy Self Esteem   Professionalism   Chance  

But it takes  more than just  raw talent . . .  

Raw Talent   A Well‐Maintained Instrument  Cul-va-ng  a Strong CraS   Observa-on Skills   Discipline   Intelligence   A Rich Emo-onal Life & Experience   Healthy Self Esteem   Professionalism   Chance  

Dedicate yourself to keeping your  instrument in excellent shape. 

Keep yourself  healthy.  

Raw Talent   A Well‐Maintained Instrument   Cul6va6ng  a Strong Cra;  Observa-on Skills   Discipline   Intelligence   A Rich Emo-onal Life & Experience   Healthy Self Esteem   Professionalism   Chance  

Keep training and exercising  your technique. 

Raw Talent   A Well‐Maintained Instrument  Cul-va-ng  a Strong CraS  Observa6on Skills  Discipline   Intelligence   A Rich Emo-onal Life & Experience  Healthy Self Esteem   Professionalism   Chance  

“Get out of your head.  There’s  nothing in there anyway.”  

Find the truth in the  details of the world  around you.  

See the big picture, too.  

Raw Talent   A Well‐Maintained Instrument  Cul-va-ng  a Strong CraS  Observa-on Skills  Discipline  Intelligence   A Rich Emo-onal Life & Experience  Healthy Self Esteem   Professionalism   Chance  

Showing up.  

Make a consistent  commitment to excellence in  your art.  

The process is the product.  

The life of an ar-st is not  a state of “being.”  

What we become ul-mately  consists of what we’ve been doing.  

Create a working environment that  is demanding. 

Everyone should feel challenged.  

Raw Talent   A Well‐Maintained Instrument  Cul-va-ng  a Strong CraS  Observa-on Skills  Discipline  Intelligence  A Rich Emo-onal Life & Experience  Healthy Self Esteem  Professionalism   Chance  

Keep  learning . . .   . . . about  everything.  

Cul-vate an  expansive  breadth of  knowledge.  

People who are  successful are  interested in  everything—not  just their one li`le  niche.  

Raw Talent   A Well‐Maintained Instrument   Cul-va-ng  a Strong CraS   Observa-on Skills   Discipline   Intelligence   A Rich Emo6onal Life & Experience   Healthy Self Esteem   Professionalism   Chance  

Live.  

If the work is your whole life,  you bring less life to the work.  

Study yourself.  

“Sing your life.”  

Raw Talent   A Well‐Maintained Instrument   Cul-va-ng  a Strong CraS  Observa-on Skills   Discipline  Intelligence   A Rich Emo-onal Life & Experience  Healthy Self Esteem  Professionalism  Chance 

Who you are is  u`erly exposed  through your art.    So, work on  yourself.   

Love yourself.  

Don’t let your ego  interfere with the art.  

Surrender.  

Find your own  voice by leang  go.   

Be conscious of the anxiety and  stress that you create for yourself.  

Give yourself permission to fail.  

Give yourself  permission to  succeed. 

Raw Talent   A Well‐Maintained Instrument   Cul-va-ng  a Strong CraS   Observa-on Skills   Discipline  Intelligence   A Rich Emo-onal Life & Experience   Healthy Self Esteem   Professionalism  Chance 

What a theatre ar6st does  requires other people.   

Actors are dependant on  playwrights, directors, producers,  run crew, stage managers, ligh-ng  designers, costumers, prop  masters, sound crew, benefactors,  fans, parents, family, partners,  children, friends, and other actors. 

Cul-vate good rela-onships with  all of these people or they will take  you down—peg by peg.  

E-que`e is key.  

Respect people’s -me and eﬀorts.  

Be prepared.  

Create an atmosphere of trust in  your working environment. 

Everyone should feel comfortable  enough to take ar-s-c risks.  

Experiment. Explore.  

The work  space is  sacred.  

Whatever is  revealed in  rehearsal . . .  stays in  rehearsal.  

There is no room for  gossip or cliques or  bullying or social warfare.   

As part of an ar6s6c ensemble, we  exist outside the world of gossip  and social climbing.  

It is diﬃcult to make good art.  

Learn to give  helpful,  speciﬁc,  construc-ve  cri-cism that  is not self‐ serving. 

Avoid giving empty compliments. Coddling  is harmful to an ar-st’s progress.  

Learn how to  take cri-cism.  

Cul-vate a thick  skin.  This  business is  largely  rejec-on and  uncertainty — and none of it  is personal.   

Raw Talent   A Well‐Maintained Instrument   Cul-va-ng  a Strong CraS   Observa-on Skills   Discipline  Intelligence   A Rich Emo-onal Life & Experience   Healthy Self Esteem   Professionalism   Chance 

Best wishes.   

Being A Theatre Artist

0 comments

Notes on slide 1

1 Favorite