The world of acting, music and theatre may appear to many as a wonderland of fun and creativity. Just imagine being able to sing, dance and act for a living – if you’re a performer at heart, it doesn’t get much better than that.
However, being a professional in the industry is a bit more complicated than that. It requires a lot of hard work, dedication and, undeniably, talent. It’s not an easy career path, and hard truth is that it simply isn’t for everybody. However, if it is something that you are truly passionate about, the rewards of having the opportunity to perform are immeasurable.
Here are a few top tips for anyone considering trying to become a professional musical theatre performer.
Your Training Must Be Interdisciplinary
Something that is unusual about the musical theatre industry, as opposed to many other more ordinary” career paths, is that it’s essential that your skills transcend disciplines. This is super important when it comes to any kind of performance and theatre, but it’s particularly relevant in the world of musical theatre.
This means that you need to be able to sing, dance and act. But not only do you need to do these things, but you need to be able to do them well. So on top of being a talented performer, you need to be willing to put time into taking classes, attending workshops and learning from others in order to be really be able to hone your skills as a growing artist.
You Need to Have a Comprehensive Understanding of the Business Side of the Industry
Being talented and being good at singing, dancing and acting is one thing, but you’re going to struggle to succeed if you don’t know how to manage the business side of things.
This means that you need to know how to market yourself, how to audition effectively and how to network with other professionals. In addition, having a good agent that you can work closely with and have a good relationship with is also really important. They will be able to spend time finding you auditions and opportunities that you may not otherwise have been able to find on your own.
Find a Way to Be Okay with Rejection
It seems harsh, but unfortunately, it’s the cold, hard truth. The performance industry is full of auditioning for parts that you really want, and often, being turned down. There’s nothing wrong with being turned away and not getting parts – it’s completely normal and it is going to happen, no matter how good you are. But it’s about how you respond to it and whether or not you let it get you down.
Find a way to handle rejection that works for you and stick to it. Try to focus on continuing to improve your skills, listen to advice you may receive and always stay positive. Pride yourself on your work ethic and positive attitude and you’ll be good to go. Just like when you play New Zealand mobile pokies you can’t always win, but when you do, it’s amazing!