Post-graduation time off?

[gNat]

I am about to graduate college and am currently looking for work in theater (and completely freaking out about this fact).  But, I'm also looking at alternative options, such as teaching abroad for the next year or so.

Would it be harder for me to get jobs if I don't immediately jump into the professional theater world right out of college?  Or would most employers understand a gap in my resume, especially considering the current economic situation? (Let's play the sweeping generalizations game!)

[MatthewShiner]

One of the good reasons not to be dates on your resume is because of gaps in your employment.  I don't think taking some time off will hurt your chances for jobs in the future.  To be honest, many stage managers take "time off" - work hard on tour for 18 months, and then takes some down time.  It's happens a lot.

My only concern about taking time off is are you going to lose forward momentum you have built up?  Will you loose hot connections? 

The last thing is . . . if you get out of the business for awhile, will it be hard for you to come back to it.  Let's be honest, making a living in the arts is hard work, and if you find you can make a living doing something else, it's awfully hard to leave behind a stable paycheck and jump back into the world.