Starting out in the theatre can seem pretty daunting. In a world where who you know and being in the right place at the right time can be crucial, getting a foot in the door can be hard. Theatre jobs, from producing and front of house work to directing and stage management all tend to require some experience, and when it’s hard to find the experience without a job it’s easy to get stuck in a catch-22.
The answer comes in the form of unpaid jobs. Most theatre practitioners will have ‘paid their dues’ to get their start, i.e. done some unpaid work. This is less true of actors, as timing, casting and talent make up most of the business, however they will tend to do a series of smaller parts before taking on leads or long running characters. For front of house and backstage theatre jobs, unpaid experience is the unfortunate norm.
Volunteering In The Theatre
Volunteering is one of the most prevalent ways of getting theatre experience. The theatre as an art form is not well known for huge budgets unless the company is a large national or international company or is part of a wider conglomerate on Broadway or The West End. This means that most theatres can’t afford to keep all of their front of house staff on contract/with a wage, and have to have volunteers. Theatre jobs in front of house management, producing, admin and press often stem from audience interaction positions, so front of house volunteering is a great way to get some experience.
Another upside of volunteering as an usher or front of house staff member is that it is usually evening and weekend work, meaning you have a paid job to keep you solvent while getting experience, and can do as many days a week as you are able. Theatres will be only too pleased to take as much time as you can give them, and it gives you experience and gets your face known.
Internships In The Theatre
Internships in theatre are another way of getting valuable experience, and are often the next rung up from volunteering. More intense than volunteering, and often including more random (and more onerous) jobs, theatre internships are nonetheless recognised as more of a commitment the theatre work. Instead of helping out, you will usually be organising certain aspects of front of house, box office and backstage work depending on the theatre involved.
Internships can range from a few hours/days a week to all week and some weekend work, and can be short term or up to 6 months or a year. They are also in demand, and the prestige, size and style of the company can involve several interviews, so it’s best to have done some volunteering and personal theatre work first. Some pay expenses, and it is usually the larger theatres that can budget for this, but you should try to apply for those that fit your interests and needs; don’t go to a dance-oriented theatre such as Sadler’s Wells if you don’t like dance, or The Gate if you don’t like foreign drama.
Internships take up more of your time and rarely come with pay, so it can be hard to maintain yourself while doing one, however most of the production and backstage staff will have done internships themselves and are usually sympathetic to the needs of paying the rent and eating.
This also applies to getting internships in the first place. Some theatres don’t advertise jobs and positions. This can be because it costs, they don’t have time or because they don’t run set schemes. It is worth ringing up the general manager to ask, and some may even put you on to somewhere else that can help.
Residency Schemes In The Theatre
Residency schemes are the next step up again from internships. Theatre residencies focus on the specific type of theatre job you would be aiming for next and are usually full time. Some pay expenses, others a full wage, but again it depends on the type and size of theatre. Theatres such as Theatre503 have producing residencies which can lead onto renowned courses like Stage One and MAs in production. There are also directing residencies, though these tend to come after more experience assisting and directing shows.
Residencies are sometimes on the level of ‘assistant’ schemes, and in smaller fringe theatres press, marketing, development and back stage work may have assistant schemes of this level rather than full blown residencies, but the style and career level is often similar and can lead on to specific paid theatre jobs in those fields.
James Barry - James Barry is a freelance writer, director and producer. He has worked in a huge range of jobs from the esoteric to the mundane
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