Post written by Toronto Stage Manager and Producer, Erin Maxfield. I have been working professionally in Toronto’s arts and culture sector for just over two years, and as wonderful as it is to be pursuing my passion, there are a few things I wish I had known back when I was in high school, before I decided to study theatre in university, and long before I entered what people refer to as the “real world” (??) which I guess can be defined as a place where, instead of working for grades and learning new skills with the safety net of school, you’re working to pay your rent, honing the skills you already have, and learning new ones because you have no choice and someone’s got to design sound for the show you’re working on, so you better figure it out. The entire list of things I wish I had known is probably too long for a blog post, but I hope these three things will help you wherever you are within your journey of pursuing the performing arts. Erin (far left) pictured here with the cast and crew of "In on It" - February 2017 1) Choose your path wisely, and for nobody but yourself.My personal path towards a career in the arts was not an easy one, nor was it straight forward. I spent the better part of my late teens and early 20s having no idea what I wanted to do, beyond the desire to be on stage. Like every young actor who’s fresh out of high school (where you may be a big fish in a small pond), I dreamed of becoming famous. I dreamed of being in Mirvish productions, and I even let my mind wander to consider what it would be like to be on Broadway. Regardless of how far-fetched my desires could be at any given moment, it came down simply to this: I dreamed of a rewarding career pursuing my passion. Enter skeptics. From some of my friends, to some of my teachers, from my long-term partner to my own family: I was discouraged left right and center. One time, when I opened up to a guidance counsellor about my career aspirations, rather than guiding me on how to go about attempting to make this a reality, he told me that it was too hard to make it as an actor and that I should pursue something more lucrative. Though I’m sure he had my best intentions at heart, his opinions about what I wanted to do with my life were enough to shake my confidence, and his comments added fuel to the festering self-doubt that lives in virtually every teenager. When I was in high school, the pressure to pursue post-secondary school immediately after graduation was ridiculous. That was 10 years ago, and I imagine it hasn’t changed much. I felt like an absolute failure when post-secondary school didn’t work out for me the first time. I spent more money than I’d like to admit to attend university in order to study the social sciences because it was the only field that didn’t bore me to tears; that, and it certainly felt more “lucrative” than pursuing theatre. How ironic. I ended up dropping out of university because I started performing in community theatre productions, and that consumed my time and energy outside of whatever part-time job I had back then. You’d think that performing in multiple shows would have given me more confidence to pursue acting as a career, but outside of the bubble of brilliant mentors and fellow artists, the most important takeaway was that I didn’t have a degree, community theatre wasn’t making me any money, and so it must be a waste of time. As happy as it made me to work on these shows, and as valuable as it was to build a resume in order to pursue theatre as a professional career, what others saw was “social time” that wasn’t “getting me anywhere” so I eventually stopped doing that as well. For the next couple of years, I jumped from job to job in order to pay off the school debt I had already acquired. I eventually developed a fear of running into familiar faces in my hometown because they would inevitably ask about school and work, to which I would embarrassedly respond that I never finished, and I currently worked at a call center (a job that was so demeaning and abusive that to this day still gives me nightmares). This fear and anxiety resulted in moving to another province, and hastily applying to post-secondary schools once again, if not to get other people off my back, then to finally pursue what I wish I had known was inevitable all along. My point in all of this is that people are going to doubt you no matter what you choose to do. Heck, you’re probably going to doubt yourself more than anyone else, but you cannot allow others to dictate how you will live your life. If you know that you want to work in the performing arts, then take the time to figure out for yourself the best way to do this. Maybe that means putting off school to try your hand at the many different positions within theatre before you decide what kind of training will best serve your interests or future career. Maybe you already know that there is no option for you but to act; you still need to adequately research training programs to decide if you would prefer classical training, musical theatre training, or more of a focus on contemporary work, or collaborative creation. In short: You are in charge of your future in this field, and only you know the best way to set your goals and follow through. Seek advice from people who actually want to help you, not people who project their own fears onto you. It is important to listen to the advice that comes from close friends and family members, but not if they’re telling you to give up. 2) Learn as much as you can about the jobs that exist within the arts and culture sector.One of my favourite things about theatre is that it is a complex and multidisciplinary medium. The number of artists that come together in order to create a piece of theatre is a wonderful and necessary aspect of the field. I studied theatre at the University of Guelph, a program I describe as “choose your own adventure” because, although there are mandatory classes you must take in order to graduate, I was encouraged to try multiple things including writing, directing, design (set, costumes, and sound), and even set-construction. This kind of program has its benefits and its drawbacks, but only you can decide what kind of program will serve your best interests. That being said, in my experience working and job-hunting in this field (at least in Toronto), even “entry-level” positions require that you already have a considerable amount of experience, and skills that can be used over a wide variety of jobs. Even if you’re happy supplementing your income in an unrelated field while you look for film/tv/theatre gigs on the side, the more you know about various positions within the industry, the better-off you will be. Are you an actor or a writer? It never hurts to know what it takes to produce a show from start to finish, in case you want to start your own theatre company, put your own work on stage, or act in the plays of your choice. Do you want to be a director? Consider becoming familiar with design, because understanding design as a medium will make it easier for you to communicate your directorial vision to your cast, crew, and audience. Interested in stage management? Learn as much about technical theatre as you possibly can. If you have a chance to learn how to program and operate a lighting board, or to hang and focus lights, don’t hesitate for a second. Learning about the multitude of skills and jobs that exist in order to put on a production will not only help you in your career interests and your own personal creation, but you will have more empathy and understanding for each artist you work with, which is paramount to the success of a show. The Crucible - October 2016. Directed by Chelsea Woodard. Stage Managed by Erin Maxfield. 3) Get extremely good at managing your time and your life.Hard truths: If you attend a post-secondary school with the intention of pursuing any theatrical discipline, it’s not going to be easy. You’ll be working on shows, writing essays, working on personal projects, and hopefully balancing extra-curricular activities as well. At the time, you’re going to think your teachers have it in for you and don’t give a hoot about your mental or physical health (and sometimes you might be right), but being overworked in school is an excellent way to hone time-management skills, and being overworked in school is nothing compared to being overworked and unable to deal with it effectively when your livelihood depends on it. If you don’t learn how to efficiently manage your time and multiple projects, you may lose out on opportunities that you need in order to build your professional resume or pay your bills. Last year, I was holding a full-time job Monday-Friday, in rehearsals for a play I was stage managing, and in the beginning stages of building a social media presence for a new theatre company, while also learning how to produce (two shows) for the first time. I can’t stress this enough, and I apologize if it’s not what you want to hear, but there is rarely such a thing as free time. Don’t misunderstand me: It is absolutely imperative that you rest, eat properly, and maintain your health (mental and otherwise), but chances are your carefree days off will be few and far between. And when they arrive, you should take full advantage in order to catch up on all those books and Netflix shows, but it’s also probably a good idea to cook for the next long stretch in order to stay healthy. Working this way can be exhausting, but it can also be invigorating when you recognize just how much you are capable of. Plus, if your family pokes fun at you for going into the arts, you’ve got a long list accomplishments to boast about (nicely). In short: Invest in a daily planner. Organization isn’t lame, it’s totally necessary! Four Hours - February 2016. Directed by Helen Monroe. Stage Managed by Erin Maxfield (pictured far left). I’ve only been working professionally in the arts for two years, and I’ve already learned a lot about the kind of work it takes to “make it” and be “successful” in this industry (in quotes because you are the only person who can define what each of those terms means to you). I have adjusted my dreams and adapted my aspirations for personal reasons, and sometimes out of necessity. Having to do that doesn’t make you a failure, it makes you human. It also doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to go back to those aspirations at a time in your life when it makes more sense. You may book three jobs in a row and think your struggles with auditioning/job-hunting is over, but then maybe you won’t book anything for 6 months. Something you learn quickly about this industry is that contract jobs come and go, some years are better than others, and it takes a lot of dedication and tough skin to work in this field. To my fellow creators, I say this with the utmost faith in you and I say it with encouragement: If you are an artist, you will find a way to create art, and it is okay if it’s not always easy. The feeling you get when you close a show after a run is incomparable, and it only swells when you consider what you personally did to make that happen. There are times when I regret how long it took me to get to where I am, but I never regret choosing this path even when it’s at its rockiest. Author: Erin Maxfield Erin is a Toronto-based stage manager and producer originally from Peterborough, where she attended Adam Scott CVI and performed in productions including Annie (ASCVI), Cabaret (PTG), Company (ASTC), and Wonderful Town (St. James Players). She attended the University of Guelph’s Theatre Studies program where she discovered her passion and skill for stage management. When she’s not in rehearsals or tech/show-week, Erin works as a casting assistant for various films and television shows that are shot in and around Toronto. Selected SM credits include: In On It (emerGENce Theatre) The Crucible (Kindling Collective) WILF (TGTO), Harold and Vivian Entertain Guests (TGTO), Seven Ages (Second Strike Productions), Four Hours (New Ideas Festival 2016), Thumped! (Ten Toes Dance Theatre Company), The Black Sheep Project (University of Guelph). Upcoming: Erin will be directing and co-writing a play for the 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival! Follow @ECM_Theatre for details.
2 Comments
Pat Flood
2/23/2017 02:38:01 pm
Great advice!!!! I'll post it for my students
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Erin M
2/23/2017 05:15:49 pm
Thank you Pat.
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