Anyways, you’re here!! YAY!!

And here are just some vague tips and truths that I have gotten along the way from professionals in the industry I have crossed paths with so far.

1)The theater industry is ever-changing.

It is extremely different breaking into it now versus 10-20 years ago. It is getting more competitive (back in the day, you could show up to NYC with an Art degree and a prayer and slowly work your way up….nowadays, it’s getting slightly harder to get those design jobs without an MFA (a graduate school degree). Also, Everyone has a different path…there is no one correct path.

2)The theater industry is incredibly big and incredibly small at the same time (wut?).

There is literally theater happening everywhere. There are colleges offering theater degrees everywhere. I have lived and worked in theater in 5 different states so far. And no matter where you go, you are going to run into people who know people you’ve worked with. When you apply for jobs, it is likely that the production manager at the theatre you’re dying to work at has mutual friends with you on Facebook. It is almost guaranteed that they are going to ask those people about you. Make sure those people have only lovely things to say.

Your cover letter may say “I am a team player”…but that might not be what Tonya, the girl who was the Sound intern when you were the Scenic paint intern at XYZ summer stock last year would say. And she just HAPPENS TO BE BFFs with HEAD SCENIC CHARGE at ~*PRESTIGIOUS THEATER LMN*~. Let it be known, many times, people are gonna ask around about you like crazy before hiring you.

The fact that everyone knows everyone is also THE BEST…because you might be slightly under qualified for a job, but if ~*BFF SOUND INTERN*~ talks nothing about how lovely you are…there’s you're in!

2.5) BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU PUT ON FACEBOOK/TWITTER/INSTAGRAM/TUMBLR/LINKEDIN/YOUTUBE. BE CAREFUL WHAT OTHER PEOPLE PUT ABOUT YOU ON ALL OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL.

3) Be prepared to work hard.

Also be prepared to work your way up from the bottom. With any artistic career, really…being great takes SO MUCH TIME AND PRACTICE. During undergrad, I would have something to do/ somewhere to be most days from 9AM- atleast 7PM, if not 10-12PM if we were in tech/ running a show. Then there was homework and projects on top of that. Projects typically took 10-30 hours of work from start to finish. At the theater I worked at last year, our tech process included 4 10/12′s in a row before we went into previews. You will be tired. You just have to learn to be positive and power through it. ALSO, you won’t have thee most glamorous jobs when you start out. Everyone’s gotta put in their time at the bottom, and again BE POSITIVE.

Story Time: One of my first jobs, I had to do laundry after every show (which is typical wardrobe work) HOWEVER, a piece we needed to wash every night had been dyed red, so it bled every time we washed it, which meant I had to HAND WASH anything that was white or “nude” colored so it didn't turn pink…which was basically all dance belts. (They did give me gloves though..so that was nice..haha). Theater isn’t always glamorous. Someone’s gotta do the dirty work…sometimes, it’ll be you.

4) Be prepared for your family and friends to not understand how hard you are working.

My little brother is majoring in Aerospace Engineering right now (I think I just threw up a little). Comparatively, my mom still thinks I just hang out and draw pretty pictures in crayolas all day. People wont understand why you chose to go into the arts:

ALL OF MY RELATIVES: [skeptical AF] It’s a fun hobby, I guess…but for a career??? I mean….?

You gotta do it for you. Don’t listen to what other say, because it is very very hard for most people to wrap their heads around the uncertainty of a career in theater. (Just wait til you try to explain to your mother that you are going to move to New York City before actually securing a job there… )

5) Time Management has to be a thing

Such a huge thing that most people learn in theater school. There is no postponing opening night. Find an organization method that works for you. If your heart is set on being a designer, you could be designing 10+ shows in a year to make ends meet. I've worked with designers who were in the process of teching 3 shows in a month.

6) Broadway is not the be- all- end- all

Broadway is just a place…and New York City will always be there. And if you want to use theater as an excuse to travel before settling down, do it!! There is a lot of money in being super successful in NYC, it’s not the only place you can make a living in theater. NYC isn’t for some people, and don’t feel like a failure if you find that it isn’t for you, even if just for right now. I have made a living working in theatre consistently since graduation, and I have not yet lived in New York City.

7) At the end of the day, everybody bends at the waist and cleans their toilet, just like you.

Even Broadway Stars. Even Tony-Award winning Directors. Even Lin Manuel Miranda. An actor said this to me in a fitting once, and I don’t think I will ever forget it.

8) You aren’t going to be sweet besties with everyone. But you have to be able to fake it.

Everyone isn’t going to like you…Sometimes, they will hate you for no reason at all. Don’t gossip. Don’t bring more drama into the theater. Even if you can’t stand them. Even if they seem horribly incompetent. A designer in NYC once told me “You never know when that Meatball sitting next to you is going to end up winning that Tony Award.” They might just have all the right connections.

Just smile and be pleasant. You don’t have to share a bed with them, I promise.

9) Be willing to learn. Always.

If you don’t know something, ask. Be interested in learning. Every professional was once a beginner. Everyone started somewhere. Work hard, and you’ll be amazed as how quickly you start seeing results.

‘Nuff said.

10) Theatre is COLLABORATION.

I don’t know a single show that is about the set design. And Wicked would be a whole lot less cool if it was just actors on stage without Sets, Lights, or Costumes… and god knows, no one would remember design meetings if Stage Managers weren’t on point with the emails. Please know and appreciate how many people it takes to have a successful show. I never understand rivalries between the different areas (why would someone choose to be an assistant stage manager if they don’t like actors when 75% of the job is…communicating with actors…? I don’t get it.)…so don’t give into them. And everyone you work with will know something that you don’t.

Until next time!

I currently work at a regional theatre as a wardrobe supervisor, and I have been running wardrobe on and off for about 3 years. If you choose to try working backstage in any capacity, whether it be stage management, wardrobe, or deck crew, you will realize fairly quickly what does or doesn't work for you. While everyone has their own unique preferences, these are just a few of the things I have found I can't live without backstage.

1) Skechers Go Walks.

Seriously. I thought I was never going to be one of those people who forwent fashion in the name of comfort, but these shoes are a HUGE game changer. I first realized that I might need to up my shoe game when I shadowed with a shopper at a costume shop in New York City-- a job where you can expect to walk 5+ mile on any given day. Shortly after, it then became all too clear that comfort was going to have to take precedence at my first profession tech week, at a company where tech consisted of 4 10/12's. I would go home at night and not be able to get up off my bed after I sat down.

I finally gave in and bought some Skechers Go Walks and have never looked back. It is the biggest game changer imaginable if you are like me, and are on your feet for up to 16 hours straight. I have also run into multiple Stage Managers in the NYC area who swear by these shoes as well.  As a theatre artist, you are on your feet constantly, so you have to take care of them!

Funny story, at my current theatre, during our first show of the season, all the backstage interns joked around, saying things like "I think I'm good...I always wear my TOMS anyways," when I recommended comfortable shoes. By the 3rd show, all of them had these. And the black/black option is perfect for any theatre's backstage attire, as even the stitching and the logo are black! (And make sure you get the ones with the Goga Mat Technology that I linked to above, because I found that the Goga Mat insert has the most superior support.)

2) Hand Sanitizer

One of the most important things about working backstage is staying healthy. This is actually a lot harder than it sounds. Working wardrobe, you are always working very closely with the actors, and if one of the performers you dress gets sick, it is only a matter of time before it reaches you. I will go through weeks backstage where every time I go through a door, I will put a little hand sanitizer on.

Not only disease, but working backstage, you tend to come in contact with a lot of dirty things that you'll want to freshen up a little bit after touching. Sweaty costumes. Used tissues and cough drops. It always makes me feel a little better to sanitize periodically throughout my day. One of my lovely actresses just bought me this spray sanitizer, and it's a small obsession of mine currently. It smells so good!! And everyone can benefit from a calming lavender during tech week!

Previously, I've always really liked the Bath and Body Works Pocket Bacs. I love getting slightly interesting holders for them, to add some black pizzazz to my otherwise boring backstage ensemble.

3) Oil of Oregano

In the same vain, as soon as the plague starts going around the cast, I start using Oil of Oregano. You put 4 drops of it in ice water and drink it, and it is supposed to boost your immunities (like a natural Emergen-C). I have been sold on this stuff every since I was Eliza's dresser in a production of My Fair Lady, and my Eliza got so sick, she would have coughing attacks all the way through our quick changes, and I never ended up getting whatever she had.  When you drink it with water, it has a bit of a "natural" flavor, but it's not overwhelming.

4) Ritz Crackers Snack Tubes

An amazingly easy snack that is perfectly portioned and easy to eat on the go if you start getting hangry but still have 30 things to do before you can sit!  Enough said!

5) My Happy Planner

As a wardrobe supervisor, I am constantly scheduling meetings with designers, my shop manager, and the production manager to ensure a smooth transition as I am planning out how a show will operate backstage.  I also am keeping track of my intern's hours, as well as work I need to get done for my side freelance gigs and commissions.  I adore my Happy Planner that I bought last summer.  There is so much space to write everything you need down.  It also has a very aesthetically pleasing design, and countless different ways you can personalize it, and I'm all about the personalization!

I want to hear from you!

 What are some of your must-haves for working backstage? Comment below!



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So I had this idea about taking all the experiences (I guess I’ve had quite a few…but also not very many, in the grand scheme of things) in the theatre/art industry to help young/ rising artists in this world. As a twenty-something trying to forge their path in an artistic field.
I’ve realized that I love to mentor/guide/give people advice that I wish I had when making the decision to pursue theater. I am also the kind of person who wishes they could just buy a guide book to life and Amazon Prime that shit right to my doorstep (10/10. Would read.) and follow it word for word so I don’t have to make hard choices. But I guess if I can help/ make this world a little less scary and overwhelming to just one person, I have accomplished something.
…
Which brings me to my first topic!!