About Arlene Schulman Expertise I have been a director, dramaturg, actor and acting coach for over twenty-five years and am happy to share my expertise in learning to act, character development, taking direction, acting styles and techniques, auditioning techniques, how to choose an audition monologue or song (but NOT specific audition songs or monologues), learning lines, script analysis, acting in musicals, dramas, comedies, farces, mysteries and even new plays in their first productions.
I am NOT a voice teacher or vocal coach. My expertise is in acting and directing, not in singing. I can not advise you on specific audition songs, vocal exercises, how to stretch your range or on solving vocal problems. For that you need an expert on singing and vocal work. And there is at least one very good one on this list.
Experience I have been a director, dramaturg, actor and acting coach in the NYC/NJ area for over twenty-four years. I have directed dramas, comedies, musicals, mysteries, thrillers and farces as well as directing original plays in staged readings, workshops, showcases and world premieres. I have worked with all level of actors from amateurs to Equity, from children to seniors.
Organizations Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers - associate member Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of America - associate member Shakespeare Association of America The Shakespeare Instititute - MA candidate - "Shakespeare & Theatre"
My name is Jason. I'm 23 and just finished my first year of teaching. Even though I went to school for Music Education, I've recently decided to change my focus from education, to musical theater performance. I am going to get my Masters in Musical Theater, and then go out and attempt to make it in the scary world of a proffesional Musician. My question to you, is when I graduate in two years, where should I look first? Should I move to Chicago or NYC and just audition for shows? Also, where can I find a good agent, how much do they cost approximately, and is there a special way to find out who's holding auditions for shows? It's all new to me right now, and I'm sure I'll learn moe about it when I'm getting my degree, but I just wanted to get any info I could right now. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Jason
Answer Hi Jason,
You are right. You will learn more about it by the time you get your degree. If you are in a good school with a really good program, they will have a class that you can take in "the business of the bizness". Many schools don't give this class, although I can't imagine why. If yours doesn't give it, go out and find one and take it. Knowing how the business works is just as important to making a career as knowing how to act. After all, you can't get the chance to act unless you first get hired.
Speaking of which, just a note here, a career in Musical Theatre is a very, very difficult one. Remember, musicals are only a small percent of all the shows that are cast and an even smaller, in fact miniscule, percentage of film. I've directed and cast musicals in NYC and I am constantly astonished at the incredible talent, vocal and acting skills, of all the actors who are NOT working. These people should all be on Broadway, but there are so very few roles for so very many people that even those with terrific talent and training often go for huge stretches without getting cast. So if you actually want to make a living as an actor, I strongly suggest that you make sure that all of your musical theatre skills are top notch - acting, singing and dancing - and that you really concentrate on your acting skills so that you can also audition for theatre and film non-musical roles with confidence. Otherwise you will end up being a [waiter, programmer, word processor, administrative assistant, proofreader, or whatever your day job is] with occasional time outs do a show.
As for where to look, it depends on what you want. I almost never suggest that a newly graduated aspiring actor move to NYC or LA - or, to a lesser extent, Chicago - before they have any real professional experience. These are not places to learn or to get your feet wet. These are places to go when you are ready to compete with the best. Audition for shows in your own area, or, if you want to move, look for an area that has a significant number of small professional and regional theatres, and even summer stock, all of which may do a considerable amount of musicals and which are either non-Equity or have a contract that allows them to cast non-Equity actors (since you will not yet have your Equity card and, thus, will not be able to act in full Equity shows - which are the only really paying roles in NYC). Then, when you've built up a good resume, that's the time to consider moving to one of the major theatre centers of the country.
As for agents... It constantly amazes me how little people, even aspiring actors, are aware of what agents actually do. While the actor does technically hire the agent, it is the agent who choses the actor, not the other way around (unless you are a huge star). And an agent doesn't "cost" anything. An actor never, ever, pays an agent a fee or salary. An agent gets 10% of whatever work he gets for his clients. Which is why you can't just "hire" an agent. Agents only get paid if their clients get work. So they will only accept clients who they are sure they can "sell" - someone who either have a proven record of successful hiring and projects, or someone who they personally see in performance and impress them with very something very special in their talent, look or charisma, or, sometimes, someone who has been personally recommended to them by someone in the industry - a director, casting director, or producer - who they trust implicitly. So... what actors do is to research agents to find those that they think would represtent them (their kind of talent) well and who they think might be interested in them. Then they send those agents headshots and resumes (which usually won't get looked at - they may simply file it, or they may drop it in the trash - they get thousands of headshots and simply haven't got the time to screen every one of them and still service the clients they have). Then, when you are cast in a show, you send those agents a postcard - either from the publicity packet of the show or your own with your headshot on it, to let them know that you are performing and to invite them to the show. Then you cross your fingers and hope that they have nothing to do that night and decide to come. And then that they like your performance enough to approach you with an offer.
Sound hard? You bet. I know actors who have been in NYC for YEARS and still haven't attracted the attention of an agent. And these are terrifically talented people. It's a crap shoot. Part talent, part training, part networking, and a whole lot of luck.
As for who's holding auditions... every community has newspapers or websites or the like which posts auditions. In the major areas (and sometimes other areas as well) you can always check out "Backstage" or "Backstage West", either the newspaper, which is available in most major cities, or online at www.backstage.com, which has a open to the public area of some articles, but which you need a paid subscription to to access the audition notices. You can also check out www.playbill.com which as audition notices every day. You have to subscribe, but it is a free site. Additionally, most theatres these days have websites which often lists audition dates and requirements (especially non-professional theatres). Those who don't, you can always call to find out where they post their audition notices.
Well... there's a start for you, Jason. There is much, much more, some of which I know, some I don't. If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to try to answer them for you. And I wish you much luck in your studies and your career.
