Summer Employment while in College

mom4bwayboy
Tue, 10 May 2016 03:14:21 +0000

@toowonderful - S was offered an ensemble job for a local theater. It would have been one show over 2 - 3 weekends. Rehearsals would have started in June and the performances would have overlapped with the start of school in August (an hour away). They offered $500. S declined. He could have lived at home, but there would have been an hour’s total drive time for each rehearsal and he would have needed one of the family cars to get there. The experience and the local “networking” would have been nice, but S did not see it as worth it for an ensemble position and he really hopes he can break away from the “local scene”. He would have felt differently for a lead or supporting role. None of the actors are Equity, but with the plethora of MT programs in our neck of the woods, the quality is pretty good. He felt that if he was going to commit to such a length of time, the pay should be better. Some of his school mates have gotten lead roles at this theater, but he doesn’t know how the pay compares.

My feeling is that sometimes it’s worth it for a college-aged or older actor to take low pay for a theater gig, but ONY if there is some other really great “payoff” - working with a fantastic director, learning a new skill that has “value”, working in a desirable city/venue, etc. Otherwise, it’s my belief that working for such low pay just perpetrates the de-valuing of creative skills - it happens every time a skilled creator is asked to “donate” their unique abilities to a non-profit or an intern pays for the “privilege” of slaving away a summer to get “experience”. Yes, it can be fun. and yes, there can be real learning, and yes, there are “dues” to pay for experience or portfolio pieces, but when it becomes borderline exploitation. it’s time to draw a line - IMHO.