I know this article is in jest . . . but the reality is not every one who is passionate is about stage management is going to make a career in it. The job market is flooded, truly flooded. People are hard pressed to make a living at this career . . . it's a simple fact of life and there is no way to sugar coat it. The sense that I should ONLY do what I am passionate about for my career is a little immature.
To read this article tongue in cheek, he is really trying to say you should pursue what you love as a career - great, that's fine - but the reality is the simple economics may not be able to support your dream, my dream, his dream, their dreams, and then thousands of other people who want to be a stage managers as we well. I would rather a young person be open up to many possibilities of what they can do, and still live a well round, full life.
One of the many reasons I discourage young people to become stage managers (And trust me, it is my mission in life to open up people to a life without being a stage manager) is there is a world of possibilities in theater that often people don’t quite understand or get expose to early. In undergrad we had the following options for undergrad students – design, direct, act, crew, writing, stage management, construction (shop work). We focused on one of these things – like stage management – and we spend the next six to thirty years trying to chase that dream. Great, there is a world of possibilities there . . . but that’s not everything in theater – there is company management, general management, production management, production supervision, casting, talent management, booking, rentals, touring, concessions, development, fund raising, marketing, producing, box office, house management, patron services, audience development, teaching – and assistants and associate positions for all of the positions – and hosts of different types of performances – other than opera, dance and theatre – movement, puppetry, circus, industrials, events, fashion shows, dolphin shows – and a quick step to the side we have television and film – all of these are options that people can pursue – many of them take the skills of stage management, but offer more stability, less competition, and quite frankly, and not quite “in the fire” as stage management can be. Don't be so quick to say I AM ONLY GOING TO BE A STAGE MANAGER. I have seen too many people waste their 20's (and 30's) chasing a dream, only to finally wake up to the fact, the either didn't have what it takes, nor where they really ready for the lifestyle.
I understand, this is our dream, this is our passion. It’s something we love, and quite frankly, there are lots of things I love – I could really like sex (like most people do), but it’s probably, for those that know me in real life, not very realistic of me to think I can make a living at it (Ruth and Kay are snickering right now) – although I am sure there is quite a market for forty-something pudgy bearish guys in certain circles. I would love to be a professional poker player, that’s probably not going to work out for me either. Video gamer tester – I would kill for that. But, to be quite honest . . . these are difficult jobs to make a living in – and pay my bills, buy stuff, have a spouse, raise a family, help my son out in college, plan for retirement. There comes a point when you have to figure out what is important to you, and I am going to tell you a little secret, there a hell of a lot more important things in life then helping a director tell a story and help adults play dress up. There are things vastly more rewarding then doing Shakespeare in the Park, a Broadway show, a national tour, circus in a foreign country, a new play – but we, as an industry, build these things up as the end all be all of our career – and it takes something more important to come into your life and go, for example, why was it so important to me to be a part of a show in a 42-block area in New York City?
When your passion clouds your judgement - you need a 12-step program (And I have said this before, a career in theater is like a drug addiction - always looking for a next high - seriously, what the hell is going to top working on a 250,000,000 circus in China for me . . . you need to figure out how to break the cycle of addiction . . . and find out what YOU need from this career.)
Now, here’s the secret, you can still do what you love – you may just choose to do NOT as your career. We in “professional” theater spend a lot of time looking down at “Amateur” or “Community” theatre – but let me tell you, I spent three years of my life while going to grad school working with a fantastic company that cast shows with a mix of “professionals”, “students” and “community” actors – and at the end of the day, it was impossible to tell who was who, other than dealing with conflicts. I worked with Broadway actor on one of these shows who ended up living in rural life, because he wanted to raise his family outside of New York – I remember looking at him like he was crazy – what could have been better then working on Broadway – and now – I would trade almost anything to live in a nice little cottage on some land, a place for my dogs to run . . . and, when the right show came along, really doing it because I loved it – this job can be a total drag when you HAVE to do it . . . when it stops being exciting because you got the show, but you are taking the next job because you need the health care weeks. One of the best things we could do in this business is embrace those who do this job out of love, and not for the paycheck.
Okay, okay . . . enough of me on my soap box. We, and I will put myself in this generation, are ones who feel we are entitled to everything – the perfect life, the perfect mate, the job we enjoy 100% of the time, the career choice we have dreamed about, dream shows, working all the time on Broadway, all the high tech gadgets. . . but the reality is . . . not everyone us is going to live that life. Of the 15 stage managers I went to grad school with, two of us are doing it full time 12 years out. (And this is a pretty prestigious grad school.) Now, let me tell you they are living kick ass lives, doing some amazing jobs – in high profile casting, working in animation, production management, teaching – married, traveling the world, pursing second careers (one in health care), some have gone on to design, and some have quite simply packed up and made a family, and that has become their full time passion. And I am a little bit jealous.
As my mother said, "It is true, anyone can grow up and be president . . . but not everyone can." It's just physically impossible for every American to be president.
[Now, still want to pursue a career in stage management – go for it – it is going to take that type of drive, that fortitude as you just used to read through my discouraging, typo filled rant, and still want to do it – don’t, don’t just throw away what advice I offer – do take it to heart – just be open to what life throws at you – and know that you are going to change, your goals might change – you may take a break from theater – theater will always be here for you. You will get to a point on the other side of the career hump where you will get to pick and choose projects – or so I hear – and there is a way to balance this career and a family life – it just takes a REALLY patient family. Know it is going to be an uphill battle, know that there is no straight line to success in this. KEEP THE PASSION IN YOUR HEART – it’s what is going to help you through this. Use that passion and be the best you can be, and be open to the challenges this shitty career can throw at you. Stage Management is not a job choice for weak, meek silly people - it’s a calling for strong leaders, people of vision, and quite possibly caffeine and nicotine addictions. And if you are truly good at it, there will be a place in the business for you – for the Lord knows there are enough bad stage managers working out there right now.
But PLEASE remember, if this is your career, make sure it is doing all thing things a career needs to do – pay bills, provide healthcare, insurance, some savings, planning for retirement – otherwise it’s a hobby. And at some point for your the happiness in your life, you may need to find another career. If you spending 80 hours a week doing a hobby, then it may be time to find something else as a career – and let the passion burn on the side. A little theatre can go along way.]
