Working in the Theatre

One thing I’ve learned being in the theatre here at SDSU is that you have to be a professional at all times. You can still make friends, goof around, and have fun, but it’s still a job and you’re expected to act like an adult when the situation calls for it. I was an assistant stage manager for a musical here on campus back in 2015 and it was probably one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever had to do and that’s coming from someone who worked at a Starbucks next to a high school. I had many responsibilities and my stage manager relied on me to accomplish these tasks in a prompt and timely matter. We did a musical that took place in a Florida trailer park so we had two trailers on stage that could rotate to reveal an interior with the help of automation. However, the set designers decided to try out a new automation technique on one of the trailers and of course, during one of the shows, it broke down. And of course it was the trailer on my side of the stage! So what ended up happening was I had to wait for the automation cue and conduct two stage crew members to turn the trailer at the right time, in the right direction.  It was probably the most stressed I’d ever been in my life and I screwed the call up a few times, which only made it worse. In that moment, I wasn’t very professional and I lost my cool a little bit, but I learned that from then on, I had to keep a level head and take things as they come. I’ve also learned that working behind the scenes on a show is usually a lot of tedious, thankless work and you just gotta trudge on and act like it doesn’t bother you. I mean, I don’t need anyone to kiss my ass, but a “Thank you for all your hard work” would’ve been nice to hear once and a while instead of being ignored and having all the focus be on the actors. On the acting side of this career I’ve chosen for myself, you still need to be professional, but you also need to stay humble; you don’t know everything there is to know about acting and you never will so don’t act like you do. It’s so important to have a good attitude; it could mean the difference in whether or not you’ll get the part. If you’re an okay actor and a nice person, the director may pick you over the talented jerk. When I’m acting, I’m an eager student willing to learn more about this person whose life I’m now stepping into. Directors like actors who are willing to delve into the world of the play and are willing to go to places inside themselves that they may not have visited before. I’m also aware that this part of the job usually involves a lot of rejection and as an actor you have to be able to handle rejection; this is something I myself still really struggle with. In this business, as well as in life, there’s always going to be someone who is better than you and the best thing you can do is respect that person’s talent and continue working on yours and hope it’ll be right for the next job. Jealousy will get you nowhere and it just makes you look bitter. It also helps to know your theatre history in this business; you should know the classics as well as what’s new and exciting. Works allude to each other all the time and it’s important to know what they mean. Personally, I should read up on some of the more contemporary plays and there’s a few Shakespeare plays I haven’t read yet that I need to. You also have to learn to be very in touch with your emotions and be able to sift through them in order to find the right one for your role. Be warned, you might cry, but that’s ok, you gotta get that emotion out somehow. I picked a career that is difficult to get into, but I love it and I can’t see myself doing anything else. I know what I’m up against and I know what I need to do to be better.