Bio

[askiboot]

Hi, Im relatively new to Control Booth, and I have a question about writing a Bio. I was asked by a person at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis to write a bio for a summer internship. I have never written a bio as my high school doesn't include bios for techies. What are some suggestions for writing this bio? I have worked on 15 productions in 4 years doing a bunch of jobs and working my way up to the student technical director. What are some things that I should say and do you have any examples?

Thanks,
Alex

[derekleffew]

For examples, just read the program/Playbill/Stagebill from any professional production. Here's one example: A Chorus Line on Tour - Official Website. Not much difference between tech and acting biographies in this case.

That being said, here's one of the best, from the above site:

THARON MUSSER (Original Lighting Designer) has been the lighting designer for 117 Broadway productions among which are: Long Days Journey into Night; Mame; Applause; Same Time, Next Year; A Little Night Music; California Suite; The Prisoner of Second Avenue; The Sunshine Boys; Ballroom; The Act; The Real Thing; Tribute; They’re Playing Our Song and 42nd Street. Ms. Musser won Tony Awards for Follies, Dreamgirls and A Chorus Line. She was the staff lighting designer for the Phoenix Theatre, the National Repertory Theatre Company, the American Shakespeare Festival, the Mark Taper Forum and the Dallas and Miami Opera Companies.

Once you have a draft, we'd be glad to help you with it.

[askiboot]

Thanks Very Much!!

here's what I was thinking, first off I think it is for a bulletin board of interns, so it can be longer than something in a playbill and can include interests and other things.
"A Lighting Intern at CTC as well as the Student Technical Director at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School, Alex first started working on productions in 7th grade, where he helped with lights and worked backstage in Little Shop of Horrors and continued on to become the head of the lighting department in 9th Grade with Cinderella. Alex has completed 15 productions at BSM including Little Shop of Horrors, Into the Woods, Jr., Laramie Project, A Dolls House, Guys and Dolls, The Crucible, Godspell, Jr., Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Junior High: The Musical, Seussical, Romeo & Juliet, Cinder Edna, West Side Story, and the Lighting Design for Anne’s Dance Studio Recital. Alex looks forward to working with CTC and continuing to develop his career in lighting. Alex is an Eagle Scout who enjoys working with others and teaching, as he is also a ski instructor with SkiJammers."

Suggestions Please.

Thanks,
Alex

[gafftaper]

Love the begining and end but I would tweak the middle. I would cut most of the shows you listed. You've told us you did 15 shows. Most people don't want to read the names of all of them.

So here are some suggested approaches to tweak the middle of your Bio...

Leave it how it is but only list three or four shows.

OR

"Alex has worked on every show here since ___ including our recent productions of ____ and _____. "

or

"Alex has worked on 15 productions here. He is most proud of his work on ____ and _____."

or

"Alex has worked on 15 productions here. His favorite shows were: (list three or four)"

Just my two cents worth. You should also check with your director to see if what you are writing is similar to what others are doing. You probably don't want to have yours too long, too short, or just really different from the style that others are using.

[derekleffew]

But Gaff, Tharon's bio listed 17 shows, and Alex's only 14. Alex I agree with Gafftaper. Also never list a show more than once--it seems repetitive. I like "Alex has worked on 15 productions here. He is most proud of his work on Seussical as head floor sweeper and WSS as human stage weight." Don't forget to italicize the titles of shows.

[gafftaper]

Yeah Alex, there's a little joke here you may not be getting. Tharon Musser was sort of the mother other modern lighting design. When you read she designed lights for a show that means she designed lights for THE ORIGINAL production. So she's entitled to list a bunch of shows in her bio. In high school and college people in the audience are really more interested in you the person than in a list of shows.