<p>Broadway, National tours and even local theatres aren’t the only place to eventually find employment but it is always interesting to read the Playbills or review the bios online of the casts. You’ll see a variety of schools, degrees and backgrounds. There are websites for every show with the cast and bios. Since this is the eventual dream for most of these kids it’s an important step in research and can be an eye opener to who has gotten hired and their college backgrounds. As you wonder about different schools, BA v BFA, etc what can speak louder to success than the people that are doing it and getting paid. </p>
<p>Then there are the Sutton Fosters - you run into someone that didn’t finish college. I think Sutton is a good example of this type. She didn’t just drop out of CMU after one year and make it. She had finished her high school education by correspondence course while touring with the Will Rogers Follies. In researching other actors that find employment without college I usually find this kind of background - early success in Annie, playing a child in Les Mes or other experience when young where they have proved themselves. As has been pointed out on CC, Directors and Producers are reluctant to hire even very talented young actors without a college education when they get to this age. There is too much investment in the shows to risk hiring someone without the discipline and ethic to show up for rehearsals and the 8 rigorous performances. Having completed college speaks more to them of having that capacity.</p>