A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO
THEATRE STUDIES
WITH THE
INTERTRIBAL THEATRE PROJECT
WHAT THEATRE PEOPLE LEARN
Discipline, dependability, loyalty, and leadership generally characterize any effective theatre practitioner's approach to theatre activities. To have worked successfully and repeatedly in the theatre is to have worked effectively as part of production teams.
For this reason, some large companies welcome theatre-trained applicants, because they are energetic, enthusiastic, and able to work under pressure. Theatre practitioners generally have polished communication and human relations skills, and they have experience working as members of a team toward a common goal.
Theatre, especially Western theatre, usually necessitates brief preparation times with unavoidable "crunch" periods of maximized and sometimes stressful productive activity. Theatre practitioners have, of necessity, developed a can-do confidence based on their successful experiences meeting difficult challenges. They have been characterized by non-theatrical employers as well-disciplined workers who learn quickly and give of themselves to their company.
The most important element of a career in theatre arts, then, is experience in theatre
production. Beside the special skills they learn to use onstage and backstage, theatre
practitioners enter the job market with a couple of important points in their favor. First,
Theatre training gives them a broader vision, with insights into human behavior, history, and the creative process.
Second, theatre's special hands-on, learn-by-doing environment gives them
training, experience and skills that can be valuable in any number of careers.
1. Oral communication skills
Many students find that theatre helps them develop the confidence essential to
speaking clearly, lucidly, and thoughtfully. Acting onstage teaches you how to be
comfortable speaking in front of large audiences, and some of your theatre classes
will give you additional experience talking to groups. Oral communication skills are
so important to some employers that they often send management trainees to special
workshops.
2. Creative problem-solving abilities
Most people expect theatre students to exhibit creativity in such areas as acting,
design, playwriting or directing, and many companies do recruit creative thinkers.
But employers are not always aware that theatre experience also helps you learn
creative problem-solving techniques. Tech theatre work-building scenery, hanging
lights, making props and so on-is a particularly good way to learn how to think on
your feet, to identify problems, evaluate a range of possible solutions, and figure out
what to do. Most major companies believe that a creative problem-solver can
become a valuable employee.
3. Motivation
Being involved in theatre productions and classes demands commitment and
motivation. These are qualities that college theatre faculty members and in some
measure, you and your fellow students, probably already possess. By our own
example, we teach each other that success comes to those who are committed to the
task at hand, be it a rehearsal or a performance. Many theatre students learn to
transfer that attribute from theatre to other activities such as classes and jobs.
4. A willingness to work cooperatively
Your work with various theatre companies teaches you to work effectively with
different types of people. Theatre demands that participants work together
cooperatively for the production to succeed; there is no place for 'me' and 'mine' or
even 'us' and 'them' behavior, your colleagues will usually let you know when you
violate the team spirit of a production. In theatre, it's important that each individual
supports the others involved. Employers will be pleased to know that you
understand how to be a team player.
5. The ability to work independently
In theatre, you are often assigned tasks that you must complete without supervision.
It's left up to you to figure out how best to achieve the goal. The ability to work
independently is a trait employers look for in their workers.
6. Time-budgeting skills
When you are a student, being involved in theatre forces you to learn how to budget
your time. You need to schedule your days very carefully if you want to keep up
your grades while you are busy with rehearsals, work calls, and the other demands
that theatre makes on your time. Good time-management skills are enormously
important to employers.
7. Initiative
Personnel managers call people who approach work with initiative and enterprise
"self-starters," people who do what needs to be done without waiting to be asked.
The complexities of a theatrical production demand individuals who are willing to
voluntarily undertake any task that needs to be done in order for the production to
succeed. In theatre, we're all self-starters.
8. Promptness and respect for deadlines
Tardiness is never acceptable in theatre because it shows a lack of self-discipline,
and more importantly, a lack of consideration for others. Being late for a rehearsal or
a work call or failing to finish an assigned task on time damages a production and
affects the work of many other people. Theatre demands that you learn to arrive on
time and meet scheduled deadlines. Employers appreciate workers who are on time
and do their work as scheduled.
9. Acceptance of rules
In theatre you work within the structure of a set of procedures and rules that deal
with everything from shop safety to behavior at auditions, rehearsals and work calls.
Theatre teaches you the importance of rules, a concept that's important in any organization.
10. The ability to learn quickly
Theatre students and practitioners, whether they are memorizing lines or learning
the technical aspects of a production, must have the ability to absorb a vast quantity
of material quickly and accurately. Your work in college theatre will show that you
have the ability to grasp complex matters in a short period of time, a highly-valued
trait to employers.
11. Respect for colleagues
In theatre you discover that a successful production requires contributions from
everybody who's involved. Mutual respect is essential. Working on a production
teaches you to respect and trust the abilities and talents of your colleagues. A
prospective employer will appreciate the fact that you have learned the importance
of respecting your co-workers.
12. Respect for authority
Only one person can be in charge of any given portion of a production. Theatre
demands individual creativity and dedication, but actors and technicians cannot rely
on their subjective perceptions, theatre teaches you to willingly accept and respect
the authority of the director(s). Being a reliable follower is a trait employers look for
in their workers.
13. Adaptability
Theatre practitioners must be adaptable and flexible. You need to be willing to try new
ideas, accept new challenges, and have the ability to adapt to constantly changing
situations and conditions. In one production you may be a member of the prop crew;
in the next, perhaps you are in charge of make-up, publicity or the box office; in a
third production you might have a leading role. A worker who is versatile and
flexible is highly-valued to most employers; both traits prove that you are able and
willing to learn new skills.
14. The ability to work under pressure
Theatre work often demands long hours. It is important that everyone involved with a production be able to maintain a cooperative and enthusiastic attitude under pressure. The ability to remain poised under such tensions is an asset that will help you cope with stress in other parts of your life, including your job.
15. A healthy self-image
To work in theatre, you must know who you are and how to project your
individuality. But at the same time, it is important to recognize the need to make
yourself secondary to the importance of a production. This is a tricky balance that,
although difficult to accomplish, is a valuable trait.
16. Acceptance of disappointment
Theatre people learn to deal with dashed hopes and rejection on a regular basis.
Who hasn't failed to get a role he or she really wanted or a coveted spot on a tech
crew? You learn to accept that kind of disappointment and move on and try again.
Employers need workers who are resilient enough to bounce back from this kind of frustration.
17. Self-discipline
Theatre demands that you learn how to control your life. More than other students,
you are forced to make choices between keeping up with responsibilities and doing
other, more immediately gratifying, things. An employer will respect that ability.
18. A goal-oriented approach to work
Many aspects of theatre involve setting and achieving specific goals. In employer's
terms, this experience indicates that you have learned to be task-oriented and
capable of finding practical ways to achieve goals.
19. Concentration
Busy theatre practitioners, involved in a production or other theatre projects while also working or
taking a heavy academic load, must learn to concentrate if they are to succeed.
Acting classes in particular demand concentration; once you have learned that skill
as an actor, it can be transferred to other activities.
20. Dedication
As you work in theatre you learn to dedicate your energy-your very being-to doing
your best to create a successful production. Many theatre students discover tat
committing oneself to a given task is deeply rewarding. Employers respect workers
who have learned the value of dedication.
21. A willingness to accept responsibility
Theatre students sometimes have an opportunity that is seldom given to students in
other disciplines-the chance to take on sole responsibility for a special project. You
can expect employers to value this unusual ability.
22. Leadership skills
In theatre you also have the opportunity to assume leadership roles. You may, for
example, assist a director or designer and lead other volunteers, serve as a crew
chief, or even design or direct a production yourself. Leadership training like this
can open the possibility for comparable opportunities in a company that hires you.
23. Self-confidence
Theatre training teaches you confidence in yourself. Your accomplishments in
theatre demonstrate your ability to handle a variety of jobs, pressures, difficulties,
and responsibilities.
Incidentally, theatre training also prepares you for a career in the theatre. The
versatility and discipline learned during the process of working in the theatre allows you to design and implement a career strategy in theatre.
PAUL RATHBUN, PhD: MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERTRIBAL THEATRE PROJECT
BOX 9101
DURANGO, COLORADO 81302
888 270 3947 x81
www.intertribaltheatre.com