Is it economically safe to pursue a career in technical theatre?

[gafftaper]

Keep in mind you could always move into theatre and then shift into a desk job in the same industry if you find you don't like the schedule.

Good point. We have a large regional theater and a monstrous children's theater here in town. I went through their websites and counted nearly 200 jobs that didn't directly involve acting or working on crew. There are lots of office jobs available for people with a variety of backgrounds and abilities. But you still get to work in the arts and be part of the magic. It's not a bad option at all.

 

[michaelburgoyne]

As Gafftaper and others have already said, there are a variety of theatre-related careers that allow more stability than freelance work. My wife and I were both freelance lighting designers and technicians before we reached the point in our lives when we wanted a house and family. Now we both work fairly normal 9-5 hours, she's selling theatrical equipment and I'm a theatre consultant. We both spend our days working with designers and technicians, helping them do their jobs and solve problems.

There are countless theatre career paths, take every opportunity to learn "parallel" skills (AutoCAD, for example) that may ease the transition if you decide to change paths in the future.

 

[cdub260]

This is an interesting industry we've all chosen to work in, or perhaps its more accurate to say the theatre chose us. I've seen people who aren't half as good as me go on to far greater success than I ever thought possible, but at the same time I've also seen people with more talent and skill than I could hope to gain in a lifetime of doing this, leave the industry because they couldn't earn a living at it. So is going into theatre a safe career move? No. Is it worth the risk? If you love working in theatre, are reasonably talented, and a hard worker, you just might be able to pull it off.

If you're really serious about doing theatre for a living, the single best bit of advise I can give you is, learn carpentry. My first love in theatre is lighting and electrical, but in the early years of my career, I worked as a carpenter a whole lot more than I did as an electrician. Every show needs someone to build the sets, often many someones. As an example, at the Pageant of the Masters, we have 1 electrician on our staff. Thats me by the way. But we have 3 full time carpenters.

Lucky for me, I did overhire at the Pageant off and on for 5 years. I was right on the edge of leaving the industry because I was not earning a living doing freelance work. Then I was offered the Master Electrician position at the Pageant. The application was a formality, not so much because no one else wanted the job, but because, having worked with me on a part time basis for 5 years, the Director and Technical Director wanted me there full time. They didn't even look at any other applicants.

The point here is, if you are an asset to your employer(s) you will be able to earn a living doing this, but as so many others before me have said, it may take a while to reach that point.

 

[Skylie]

My mom has been pestering me about going into Tech Theater also. She wants me to pursue my original dream of being an Astrophysist. But I changed my dream when I stepped into the world of Tech Theater. I found the place where i accually fit in somewhere. Once you get really good and get your name out there then your set. I started working with a tech director at a local pro theater and have gotten better at it. So i say find someone who would be able to help you when your young so then when you go to college and are majoring in tech theater you just blow your professors and all of the other students away with your skills and all of your old mentors just might put a good work in for you in the long run. And if you are having trouble getting into the college that you want because they don't know your skills yet, letter of recommendations are a great way to persuade them. So start young and it will help you in the long run. Oh and i'm still pursueing my physics dream but im gonna minor in physics and major in tech theater.

 

[Grog12]

First off welcome to the Booth Skylie, please stop by our New Members Forum and introduce yourself.

Its interesting to see this thread pop back up after laying dormant for 4 years. How is everyone feeling these days about their economic viability and their career?

 

[iAdam]

Actually, thats a good thought... choosing my options in the next couple months and was going to choose technical theatre.. would be nice to know how financially viable it is as a career...

 

[Morydd]

If you love doing it, you're going to do it one way or another. That might be professional theater, it might be community theater, it might be building overly elaborate forts with your kids. Whether you can make a living at it depends on a lot of things. Right now is tough because the economy is bad, and when people make cuts, they make cuts to things like entertainment first. That said, if you know technical theater, you have a lot of skills that translate outside the theater, so you're unlikely to go hungry if you're willing to work. Keep in mind that what you major in in college, or what your first job out of high school is, isn't automatically your career. You're not locked in for the rest of your life, so if you try it and decide you don't love it as much as you thought, it's not the end.

 

[ruinexplorer]

There are many threads on this general topic in the Booth. However, let's take a look at it. Many options for working in theater are not very well paid positions. So, if you start out in the industry with a lot of debt, you may run into trouble paying the bills. I cannot vouch for the general state of affairs in other countries, but I have a fair bit of experience in the United States, and based off the economic situation world-wide, it probably is not much different. Generally speaking, the larger the city, the greater amount of opportunities there will be. However, the market for well paying positions is fairly small over all. Labor is the greatest expense for most any industry, and with all the other costs associated with putting on a production, they try to save as much on technician pay as possible. Even in a city like Las Vegas, where there are world class productions, there are also a lot of low budget shows. The pay will go hand in hand with the size of the production. Unfortunately, the same goes for those working in the convention business. Those working for the large hotels will get paid better than the smaller chains.

It is very easy to get jaded with the insider knowledge of what some in the business make and what you might be making. You will often question if you are being cheated or undervalued. I would have to work full time for one company and work on-call for several others just to get by for many years. Working 6-7 days a week, every week, using my vacation from my full time job so that I could take a big call through the union, just to save up the money to get through the slow periods (summer in the desert isn't the best time). This was not right out of college, either, but over a decade later.

One thing that you will have to accept, having a career in technical theater is just as much a lifestyle as it is a job. You will have a very dificult time having a "normal" life. Those of you who desire relationships and a family life will have to find someone who is willing to adopt the lifestyle. You will be working odd hours, nights, weekends, holidays, and they will have to be ok with that (I remember having my family come to the theater so we could have Thanksgiving in the green room consisting of microwave pizzas).

Even if you do happen to work on one of those "dream" jobs, you still need to plan for what may happen next. Many of the big shows are really being hit by the current state of the economy and will either close or make staffing cutbacks. If you happen to work on a headliner show, what happens if that headliner is no longer there? I'm thinking about the closing of Seigfrid and Roy (tiger attack) or Danny Gans (who passed away). Working one of these jobs can stagnate your career (working on out of date equipment). Not having competitive skills can be a career ender.

So, is it economically safe? As with any career, it will have a lot to do with how you choose to pursue it. If you live in a small town/city that does not have a continuous tourist population, then it would probably be a bad decision. If you want to work steady hours, or working 40/week, then it probably won't work for you. If you are willing to do whatever it takes, you will be able to make this a viable solution. Just be prepared for a lot of sacrifice and to continue working and learning.

 

[josh88]

I know that in many cases it could be tough just to get started. When I graduated I applied to probably 50 different places all over the country (only jobs I was qualified for, I found more but either I didn't trust myself to do them or they wanted a higher degree, etc) and I heard back from maybe 7 of them, 5 of those were "we're going with someone else" 1 was a crappy offer and one was actually worth while. On the upside, I got that job and things are great. But I also have to teach along with it, which was my original intent. Though now I've established myself in the area and I'm turning jobs down because I can afford to say I won't work for pennies and because I'm busy enough with main work and outside jobs that I don't have the time.

Getting known by people and meeting new people is one of the best things you can do in school and then after because if they know you and your talent they'll kick work to you when it comes along. I just got on a list to help paint for the Boston Ballet's nutcracker which apparently will be pretty huge, all because my Fiancee is directing a show with the kid of someone who works for Mystic Scenic.

It's about who you know, and what you know. The more of each, the better off you'll be, that and being adaptable.

 

[church]

I went through the same struggle as a teen. I finally decided I did want to have the family etc. in the future, so I went to engineering school. My original plan was to become a engineer and then get a job for a stage lighting company designing theatre lighting equipment. My first CoOp term resulted in me working for a company that designed and built satelittes. After graduation I ended up working for them as an electronic design engineer. I am still in the satellite industry at the senior management level and I still love the technology. However it did allow me to also do theatre lighting in my spare time and that has evolved into owning my own lighting rental company. Regardless I have had a lot of fun along the way and still enjoy both roles - I am fortunate to have two things I love doing.

 

[zmb]

church, I'm looking at the same route as you right now. Did you ever find a job offer in R&D at a theatrical company like ETC, Strand, or J.R. Clancy? And where do you get to do lighting at in your spare time?

 

[MPowers]

Is it practical? I don't know. I've only been doing this since 1958, except for a brief vacation in SE Asia courtesy of my uncle, Uncle SAM that is, in 66-69. Maybe in a few years when I don't enjoy what I do and get tired of doing this and retire, I'll let you know if it's a good idea. I will say this, it's a lot more reliable than going the "Talent" route. I say this from experience. I started out as a dancer/actor. I stand in awe of those who throw their entire bankroll into that pot. A good tech will always have skills that equal a job. Over the years I have worked as a Union Electrician, CNC programer, precision machinist, structural rigging design engineer, LORT TD, University Faculty in Technical theater, rigging systems design engineer and installer. Just my take.

BTW --- it's a heck of a ride and I've loved every minute of it. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I'm not rich, I never will be. I pay my bills and live as I like. My father payed more in taxes each year than I will ever earn, but we both agreed, if you love what you do, you'll never work a day of your life. I'm still looking for my first day of "work".

 

[JBrennan]

I graduated in 2009 with a BFA in Theatre Arts. I was able to find work pretty consistently in the Bay Area from my junior year but it took a lot of hard work, hoofing it to different interviews, and long hours for little pay to get those jobs and connections. Since graduation I've been working full time as ATD at a junior college north of Chicago and freelancing in the city when I can squeeze it in. Next year I'll be going to an amazing grad school for a MFA that will essentially cost me only the cost of living for three years, and not because of FAFSA, but because the school knows what artists make and does everything they can to provide their students with enough aide to make it work.

Can you make a living in technical theatre? Hell yes. Is it as lucrative as my friends who were business majors and making 2 to 3 times my salary the year we graduated? Hell no.

To me you gotta figure out your wants and your needs. We all want the big pay checks, but I would guess that most of us on here need to be fulfilled by what we do. Work and study hard, don't be a jerk, and remember to get out of the theater for a few hours on the really sunny days, and everything will work itself out.

 

[Blake]

To me you gotta figure out your wants and your needs. We all want the big pay checks, but I would guess that most of us on here need to be fulfilled by what we do. Work and study hard, don't be a jerk, and remember to get out of the theater for a few hours on the really sunny days, and everything will work itself out.

I Just need to know that I can support myself in a decent little apartment and survive off a little more than rice roni and pringles!

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Think about this. You might work a ten hour, with 8 off, then another 14, 8 off again, and then 4 more. After that you might not get a job for a week. You can make thousands from OT in one week and then that's it for a month Reversely you might work a whole month of small minimum hour calls.

Can you make a decent living? Yes. Is it stable and reliable ? Not always. Most of us take as much work as we can when we can get it to prepare for when we don't. Lean how to manager your funds and realizing that in the current job market this is life.

 

[Drmafreek]

What a wonderful thread this has turned into. I must say, after having read through the entire thing, there is so much wisdom that what I have to offer is minuscule in comparison. The question: "Can you make a living in technical theatre?" Really, the answer is, why would you want to make a living in technical theatre? Out of undergrad, with a BFA in theatre, I decided to not follow my dreams. Instead, I got married, and started working as a 911 Operator/Police Dispatcher. The money was great. There is something to be said about working for the government. But, a year later and I was hankering to get back into my dream job. Luckily, I had a connection, and was able to get into grad school for Scene Design without much more than the word of my undergrad TD. Sometimes it truly is who you know. And so I dropped my job, and in 2001 went back to grad school in downtown Detroit. Needless to say I had to sweet talk the wife into moving there.

Fast-foward 10 years later and I am now the tenure track design professor at a small private liberal arts college. Now, for those that think you make a ton at private colleges, those are the big universities, not the colleges I work at. I continue to work professionally, in fact I have a gig in Pittsburgh in September, my first design for that city. But money is tight. And with two children, it makes it all the tougher. Even at the academic level, your hours are crazy. Especially during show weeks, where I see my family in the morning for breakfast and that is it.

In the long run though, the one thing I can say, is I love my job. I love designing. I love tech theatre. I love teaching the next generation. And if I had stayed back in that 911 job, I'd be making at least 20k to 40k more than what I make now. But I would hate it. And I wouldn't be happy. So before you ever think about if it's economically viable, make sure it's the only thing you will be happy doing. Because if there is another choice, go with the alternative. Theatre can be tough. But it can also be rewarding.

 

[Kelite]

Keep in mind you could always move into theatre and then shift into a desk job in the same industry if you find you don't like the schedule.

Well said Victor. As we read press releases in the trade pubs, many fresh out of college employees have degrees in acting as well as technical theater. The insight gained from obtaining a degree in theater allows a sales approach buffered with a knowledge of products and (correct) processes. So many people with whom I communicate have musical and/or acting skills, they were just able to find steady (and presumably) gainful employment while looking for their 'break'.
This industry is an eclectic mix, for sure!

 

[neotrotsky]

There's a TON here that's nothing but good stuff. Really can't add anything else other than what I did to diversify.

When I lost my job in 2008, I also ended up moving back to Phoenix and starting flat over. Working in theater is always feast or famine (more famine at times). But, to make ends meet until I could figure out the recession and how it REALLY kicked Arizona hard I drove a Taxi. Let me tell you: NEVER resort to driving a taxi!! You will appreciate every show you work and not hate humanity as much as I do today. But, I suppose it's why I scramble so hard to keep the gigs I have.

I ended up deciding to go back to school to master audio engineering. This is because I had gained most of my work as a Stage Manager and a properties designer. But, the more I worked the more I noticed how theater companies pay out the ass for live sound engineers, especially if it's for a musical. Also, most venues don't have the proper equipment for anything more than a basic performance. When you need a full cast of Lavaliers, 8 track digital recording and the mess that goes with that, most venues will lease out and I can assure you, if you think you're good at sound, run a show with 15 lavs, full recording, live musicians WITH canned elements through Ableton Live and do that for 6 weeks and then let me know if you think you can hack it. It still makes me stressed and I get paid to do it! Also, with an education in live sound I have a great fallback: Musicians! Yes, it's not theater but I have a strong background in music (Dad was a union giging musician and mother was a studio drummer when she was much younger), and any band who is halfway average will know the value of good kit and a good engineer right after their first BAD show!

But, the key to standing out isn't just skill. As a theater guy who WENT into live sound at 30, I had the edge of being able to exist in several worlds: I knew what it was to be an actor, a theater Stage Manager and TD, and a musician and live sound guy. Knowing the ins-and-outs of various and somewhat secretive industries can give you an edge on who to ask when there's a job to sniff out and who *really* runs the show.

Also, I come with my own kit. This may sound expensive because it is, but when I can show up to a gig and tell them I have EVERYTHING they will need (even if I don't, but know where to get it so they wouldn't be the wiser), I can convince them that I'm worth an extra $100/week than the other guy when they can save a grand a week on equipment rental. No one likes to rent kit on TOP of paying for a contractor. So, the more tools I have to work with, the faster I work and the less the Producer and Stage Manager have to think. This applies to carpenters, lighting engineers, costumers and the like: The more resources and hardware you can bring to the table, the more attractive you are. Of course, this requires capital and that is probably the one unfair disadvantage to the entire tech side of entertainment. Some like me cheated: I took out student loans greater than my audio engineering degree WHILE working full time in order to get the kit I needed. Others just did the part time thing and did it slowly. But, when you can bring that edge no one else has you get the gigs first, and that's the element I recognized from my years as a barely-fed SM that I knew I could trump, especially since I can fabricate not only some of my own hardware, but write my own software if needed.

Is it a good idea: NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!! But, that doesn't mean that it isn't an awesome job that is the perfect fit for some. Remember: Do what you love. I've been unfortunate to do what I dislike and I can honestly tell you that if I had to drive a cab for 6 more months, I would've ate my gun. Not. Kidding. So, theater in a way kept me going! Beats any office job hands DOWN.

 

[Kingcaffeine]

My mom has been pestering me. She wants me to choose a path that will make me happy, but also pay the bills. She doesn't believe that technical theatre is the way to go. Is she right? Is backstage work really all that bad?

I live in a very high class town, in connecticut actaully, and we do ahve some of the best schools in the country. Obviously, its the standard of everyone here to pursue a career high up, and even go to an ivy-league college. Is it possible, if not to be come a full-time stage worker, to possibly to work on a show as well as hold some other white-collar job like our town expects us to do?

What about New York? If I were ever to work there is it economical to commute, or find an apartment there?

Man there are a lot of issues right off the bat here.
Yes it's possible to work on a show as well as hold some other white-collar job. Why anyone would want to do this is beyond this thread.

If you're looking to satisfy your parents, then something has gone wrong somewhere. You are an individual and your mission on Earth (depending on your particular take on the Universe) is to satisfy yourself.

If you're asking about the nuts and bolts of finance in theatre, yes - you can make a living wage....you must work hard (harder than you ever thought), you must endear yourself with skills to bolster that work, and you have to have laser beam focus on what it is that makes you happy. You won't get rich. Well, you won't get rich like what you think defines rich. Money is the least part. You can live in NYC and work in theatre (or a great many offshoot industries) and eat regularly. I lived in Jersey and commuted, working for a company based on Long Island, and did just fine.

If you're asking about whether a career path in theatre arts will be satisfying- yes....it is very satisfying. You will be a conduit for a great many things. Be willing to sacrifice though. Do you want to live in a nice house in Connecticut like your parents? Or do you want to live in a nice house on the outskirts of Vegas? There's a huge difference. Going to Yale (or any other school for that matter) and getting a degree in theatre that says you are 'qualified' doesn't mean $&^#. Using that degree to jump on a tenure track somewhere can work, but it won't mean much unless you can eat, pay for a car/buspass/train, and contribute to society. The financial stability of someone in a tenure track is just as shaky as everyone else. I've seen plenty of MFA's who can't patch a rack or address a fixture (or measure and cut gel, or tighten a clamp with any kind of precision, or troubleshoot a network issue). Get the skills first, then worry about whether you're satisfying Mom and Dad.

I think your initial hesitancy is pretty much like anyone else- you're afraid to jump. You're afraid that Mom and Dad might not like it, or that you might fail, or that something might not work....and that seems in line with what Theodore Geisel calls 'The Waiting Place'. Read 'Oh the Places You'll Go' for reference.

Above all- you have to be happy with what you do. If not, you'll end up like every other shmuck with a job that doesn't matter, in a place that doesn't affect anything, with a life that doesn't amount to much.

Remember- spelling and capitalization count. Get crackin'!

 

[ruinexplorer]

Great advice. However, since rosabelle is still with us, four years after her original post, I think this is best addressed as a general recommendation.