Author Topic: Education Required to get a job?  (Read 5554 times)

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RParker2

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Education Required to get a job?
« on: Sep 21, 2008, 05:16 pm »
Up until recently I didn't think I wanted to stage manage profesisonally and so I pursued another path for my major in college, but now I am not so sure.  Even though my coursework has been focused elsewhere, at the same time I have been assistant stage managing and stage managing top-quality university productions, the same productions that theatre majors manage, for years.  In addition, I have gotten a few gigs from other companies or groups, a few of them paying jobs.  However, I am near finishing my degree in this other field and do not want to spend another 3 years here getting the degree in stage management as well. 

My question then is how foolish would it be to attempt to start my career with just as much if not more experience than some people with a degree in theatre production, but officially with a BA in History, not Theatre?

Thanks, any advice at all would be outstandingly helpful.

loebtmc

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Re: Education Required to get a job?
« Reply #1 on: Sep 21, 2008, 08:32 pm »
I think if you look around in the the school threads and the recent one from the CPA who was moving to theater that there are many, many of us making our living SMing who do not have our degrees in theater. A well-rounded education will always give you credibility and a broader perspective.

Meg_23_c2o

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Re: Education Required to get a job?
« Reply #2 on: Sep 21, 2008, 11:25 pm »
It sounds like you've still got the experience needed, despite having a different major.  I say that if stage managing is really what you want to do, go for it!
Superman can leap tall buildings in a single bound.  Stage managers have to lift up the buildings so everyone else can walk under them.

chops

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Re: Education Required to get a job?
« Reply #3 on: Sep 23, 2008, 05:51 pm »
I have a BA in History also.  And I think I took one theatre class in college.  As long as you have the experiance you are good to go.  I just got a job TDing at a theatre and I was selected over people with degrees in technical theatre.  It was all based on the experiance I had and the dues I had paid in the field.   
Peace,

Chops

Joshua S.

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Re: Education Required to get a job?
« Reply #4 on: Sep 24, 2008, 11:54 am »
Are you too far along in your coursework to pick up a minor in theatre?  Is there enough flexibility in your schedule that you can take any theatre classes?  While you don't need the degree to get the job, having even a bit of an academic background in the field isn't going to hurt ya.

SMrose

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Re: Education Required to get a job?
« Reply #5 on: Sep 24, 2008, 12:27 pm »
Are you too far along in your coursework to pick up a minor in theatre?  Is there enough flexibility in your schedule that you can take any theatre classes? 

I agree with jdstewa's advice.  One of our theatre department seniors just graduated with a major in theatre/minor in history.  As a stage manager, you have invaluable information as to what was going on in history when "such and such" play was written.  This adds to the overall production!

Edit: Ended quote in the proper place so that SMRose's new info will stand out. -- PSMK
« Last Edit: Oct 01, 2008, 10:29 pm by PSMKay »

RParker2

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Re: Education Required to get a job?
« Reply #6 on: Oct 03, 2008, 01:47 am »
Thanks all, I will take this into account.