Should i do community theater

But how do you pick which one to do? Here are some of the critical features of Community and School theatres along with pros and cons to help you choose! The number one way to pick between school and community theatre is the show! If being in a production of Hamlet, no matter where it is is a must for you, then the production of Guys and Dolls going on at your school would not be as tempting.

What if the local community theatre is putting up The Crucible and your school is putting up A Streetcar Named Desire. Allowing you to struggle as to whether you d rather play Marry Warren or Stella Kowalski? You could try to do both, but then you would not be giving either role the attention it deserves. Community theatres are wonderfully specific to their region and community, so every one of them has their own flair and way of doing things!

You are a part of a team. When you miss a rehearsal, take the initiative to find out what you missed and get caught up before the next rehearsal. Always have a pencil on hand. You will need to jot down stage directions and notes as they happen. The creative team will be annoyed if they have to tell you a second time.

Every person who is part of the show is integral to the finished product. There will be regulars and already established friend groups. If it does, find other newbies in the cast and start there. Then, get to know everyone as you work on scenes together. Just being friendly and saying hello goes a long way.

Another way to bond with members of the production and get involved is to help out with backstage tasks when you have downtime. Making props, helping build or strike the set, marking up the floor or even just tidying up the stage or rehearsal space are all good options. Every production has drama going on backstage and onstage. Try to stay out of it. If you find yourself involved, diffuse the situation to the best of your ability. Keeping the group as cohesive as possible will ensure the best performance onstage.

In some companies or groups, you will be required to provide your costumes. Establish that as early as you can and start hunting for those perfect pieces. If you are responsible for getting your own costumes, be sure the director approves of all your choices. You will be expected to practice and review on your time. Showing up to a rehearsal unprepared is unfair to your fellow castmates and the creative team. Ask questions if you are confused or need something repeated.

Giving a poor performance will be far more embarrassing, so get clarification if you need it. If you have a conflict, speak to that person directly, if you can, or take it to the director. Avoid spreading gossip at all costs. The worst thing you can do is talk to someone else in the cast. The more people involved, the bigger the problem gets. They are just trying to make the show the best it can be, and their approach may not be the same as yours.

Keep your chin up, listen to what they are saying and take everything in stride. Make sure you warm up before every rehearsal. There may not always be time to warm up as a group, so leave yourself a few moments to stretch your limbs and vocal chords. Keep the diva moments to a minimum. It is good to try new things and grow as an artist, but if you are really uncomfortable with something, speak to the director about it. Most are very accommodating and will do their best to rework it.

Be patient. This post is such a gift. I am officially going to bookmark this and look back at it every time I begin to slip and let the word "professional" hurt me again. This perfectly and succinctly encapsulates a message that desperately needs to spread. Thank you for this rejuvenating balm. Excellent article.

I face this issue on a regular basis when trying to stage productions with the Ismaili Muslim community worldwide. The challenge is to achieve what are "professional" standards of excellence with voluntary community theatre artists.

Our work is fueled by love and devotion; passion for dramatic literature; the work itself is the reward. I say "our work" because I am both a professional and voluntary theatre worker. We have recently created an ensemble known as Drama Wallah just like when a tea maker in India is called Chai Wallah. Our dramas can be sweet or spicy masala. This made me want to jump up and applaud.

When you're young, the idea of being a "theatre professional" is so liberating. But so often in adulthood, it feels like a burden. Kudos for this. Great piece. PS: I've worked with so many incredibly talented and dedicated actors who don't get paid for the work they do. Conversely, I've worked with some mediocre, lazy, and difficult people who make more money acting "professionally" than I can imagine. These labels don't necessarily indicate talent or work ethic, for sure.

Loved this article, Eli. For folks that ended up doing it on a "professional" level, most would never, ever have gotten there without doing a TON of "community" first. Community theatre is how most of us met our network of friends and colleagues, and it's how we learned to grow and get better.

Community theatre prepares you for the hard work. If you can go to rehearsal night after night after your day job, piece together your own costumes, and spend all of your free time learning lines and hanging up posters for your show, only to perform for 14 people in the audience and you know every single one of them , then you know you really love the work itself, and that's so paramount.

I've worked "professionally" with some folks that didn't seem to embrace the WORK and they didn't seem grateful for the paycheck, which blows my mind. It's too hard a thing to do if you don't love it. I think most theatre artists, whether they pay their bills via acting or not, found their love of it doing community theatre.

It's open to everyone, no matter your experience level. Everyone gets a chance to play! Acting makes people better people. A very interesting article. I think there is a strong line between professionalism and being a professional. I think there is a lot of shaming in the profession against people who claim to be professional.

Going back to the basic definition:. Professional: adjective: 1. So the adjective version has two definitions. Being connected to the profession and being engaged in a pastime or hobby. The problem to me is that the hobbyist and the professionals are on equal playing ground. I know very few people who aren't educators or full time equity actors who are making a living solely from theatre acting.

I'm convinced that the only way that someone can be truly professional in the theatre is to each be equal shareholders in a for-profit theatrical venture. Improv groups seem to have this down.