Taking years off to get experience

[SirLadySM]

Hello All,

I have a couple of questions that I'd love some opinions on. I have taken a year off before going to grad school to get more professional experience to help me in grad school. But to me, that year wasn't enough. I got some gigs but I felt like I didn't learn enough. It wasn't until I got a job at a small Equity theatre in spring that I felt I was on the right track. So I decided to take another year off to get more SM gigs to get more experience. And wouldn't you know it, the Equity theatre I worked for asked me to work with them for their next season! Ecstatic I am, but I wonder if it is alright to take two years off before grad school? More over, is it a good thing to work for just one theatre even if it is equity? Should I try to work at other theatres as well?

Any advice anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading this.

[Jessie_K]

I highly recommend taking a few years between your bachelors degree and your masters degree.  Make sure you really want to be a stage manager before you commit to a school.

[DeeCap]

I took about 13 years off between my bachelor's and my master's degree.

I think many grad programs like to see some experience following undergrad. My thought is that grad school will always be there, but some experiences won't be.

[MatthewShiner]

And maybe in the time off . . . you may find that you may not need to go back for your graduate degree.

[SirLadySM]

Thanks so much for the feedback. I feel better about my decision to take a couple years off. This has got me into thinking about really going out there and getting to know the world of professional stage management. I don't have to rush into grad school.
Besides employers like to see some work experience instead of just education, right?

Thanks so much for your help!

[ambrosialx]

I had a somewhat similar experience. After my Undergrad I had gotten into National Theatre School (It's a big deal in Canada) as well as several other schools so I was in a pickle...do I relocate to go to grad school and if so which school. I consulted my mentor who is an amazing designer known around the world and she told me that I had so much experience and work lined up that going to grad school would be a waste of time and money, for me obviously not for everyone. I think her point was strike while the iron is hot. If you've got good work and feel that you are still learning comfortably not stumbling around in the dark then Grad school will be there when things start to cool off. Plus pay off some student debt before accumulating more I say!

However there are some people that thrive in a more academic setting and are very content being career students doing Blyth or Shaw in their summers and more power to them!!