Acting Reflections: To Do Community Theatre, or Not Do Community Theatre?

When you're first starting out as an actor, you're more often than not going to begin your career in amateur productions. Local school plays. Local talent shows. Backyard performances (that DOES count!). End of the semester final sharing. Impromptu performances on Instagram. Unless you're really lucky or born into a family of artists and performers, you just don't start out in show business in the big leagues right away. You'd have to start from the bottom and work your way up. Or, as a famous song lyric goes: 🎵 Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start...🎵 One of the easiest and best ways to get into acting and the world of theatre is found in your neighborhood: Community theatre! Many of these wonderful places have been in the local neighborhoods and communities for as long as 75 years, and even after a global pandemic, many of them are still going strong... Or least hanging by a thread. Sadly, many community theaters have closed due to the pandemic, or it could be a turnover in board members and artistic leaders, or it could be something else entirely different. But for the ones that are still going strong, they are a great place for anyone who is interested in acting or the theatre. For one thing, you get to hang out with other members of the community of all ages in your respective areas. You get to help put the set together - sawing, hammering, painting, moving, etc. You get to either choose your costumes from the wardrobe closet or use what you have to put your costume together (sometimes buying things. You get to sing and dance if it's a musical. You get to learn lines and monologues if it's a straight play. You get to have fun! But there's a catch: You get to do community theatre... for FREE! That's right! Community theatre is unpaid work, and nobody gets compensated for their hard work. Not the actors, directors, stage managers, technicians, choreographer, wardrobe mistress, and even the artistic director. But even with the lack of money for your talents, you still get to put on a fantastic show. And even if the theatre is not necessarily a big name like the Broadway or regional theaters, it still runs like a well-oiled machine. You have your rehearsals for 3-4 hours in evenings, mainly after school and work. Sometimes on weekends, too. You get to learn your lines, choreography, blocking, and how to prepare all of that before tech week. You get to experience the late nights of hell week, er, tech week, four or five days before a show opens. And you get to perform for all of your neighbors, friends, and members of your family who may have never seen you perform before (and if they have, this is a real treat because it's on a stage!). It sounds like fun, right? Well, for many years throughout your childhood and into adulthood, it can be. But after a while, you start to feel like that maybe there's more for you out there. Think about it: You've done this for most of your life - or at least several years, and while there are members of the community who love doing this because it allows them to be creative without giving up their full-time careers, or raising their families, or even enjoying this in retirement, there may be something inside you that longs for something more. Maybe you've reached a point where you're past doing community theatre, and would like to step out into the larger world of professional theatre. Maybe you're further ahead in terms of how you carry yourself as an actor and how you show up ready to work every single rehearsal and performance after doing some gigs that are higher paying or work with companies that have challenged you and helped you grow as an actor. Maybe you're ready for those meatier roles... just not in community theatre setting. Maybe you've had enough of not getting paid for your talents, and have decided that your worth is way more than doing this for free. Maybe it's time for you to move on to the greener pastures that is professional theatre. Even Broadway! But here's the question you need to ask yourself - are you ready? Are you TRULY ready to move onto the next level, one that is beyond community theatre? Let's dive into this topic because the answer may just surprise you.

Community theatre does have its benefits: you get to interact and perform with members of the community of all ages, genders, and nationalities. You get to learn the basics of how to put on a show, from rehearsals to closing night. You get to make lifelong friends and neighbors over a common love of performing. You help put the set together alongside the production crew. You get to wear some lovely costumes. You sing some of the most unforgettable songs (hopefully not becoming ear worms either!). And you get exposed to audiences, the local news and theatre reviewers, and more who enjoy and appreciate the arts. But like many things, community theatre does have its downsides. Not everyone is professional actors due to already having full-time jobs in something else entirely different and not artistic. And some cases, they're not very professional to anyone else in rehearsals and the performances due to their character. (Then again, that's everywhere). Your costumes have often been worn by others many times, and there are some occasions when you have buy costume pieces because nothing fits and there's not enough money to get it tailored to your size. Many organizations and companies don't have a big budget for elaborate sets or big casts, and they often have to be careful for what songs they play for the music due to the costly copyright from many artists. (That's why you only hear up to or a little less than a minute of some well-known songs, and you often have to download sound clips for free to use for their shows.) Some people feel that there's not much opportunity for growth or advancement in their career in community theatre. It's often viewed as a hobby in their eyes, which may not be best for anyone trying to move forward in their careers or only see community theatre as a stepping stone to the next thing. And then, there's some things that get blurred in both professional and community theatre. Like favoritism, or using the same actors over and over again due to notoriety or being the only person available for the role the play or musical calls for, even if they're not necessarily right for the role. Or behind the scenes abuse and mistreatment by those with clout, and threatening actors to keep quiet should they want their careers or even their lives to be in a good place without dire consequences. Or even resistance to change due to the members of the board not being with the times, and even reluctant to update facilities or their organization because the money is used for things that shouldn't have that big of a budget, like building the set as grandiose as possible to really draw the audiences in. Or - and this is obvious - the lack of money to pay for things that you may not realize may be helpful, such as traveling to and from rehearsals, the rehearsals and performances themselves, costumes, even healthcare needs like if you should get injured on set and you have to go to the doctor. Whether the positives outweigh the negatives, or vice versa, doing community theatre for your career can be a valuable asset to your career. It's just deciding whether or not to do it for the rest of your lives is a big question to ask yourself. Here are some scenarios as to why people do community theatre so frequently: Maybe there are people who have done community theatre for a while, and then left it for professional theatre, and then decided that the environment or the career wasn't as fulfilling as they would be, and decided to rejoin doing community theatre because of the joy of being in a non-cutthroat environment with like-minded individuals. Or maybe there are people who were looking for something that may help them combat shyness or the ever-enduring fear of public speaking, and found it in theatre classes, which may have lead them to do more theatre without having to sacrifice their full-time job. Or maybe there are people who met their spouse or found their friends in community theatre, and have developed lifelong friendships and camaraderie with these individuals and have been doing it for years. Decades, even. The truth is, there is a variety of reasons for wanting to do community theatre. And the bottom line is that you get to put on a show that is an enjoyable (or stress-inducing) experience for everyone involved, without so much pressure as the professional theatre companies may have. Though, I've often seen in both professional theatre and community theatre projects where the experience can be stressful depending on the actors, director, stage manager, costume designer, production team, or all of the above. And while it's unpaid, it can be very fulfilling for everyone involved because community theatre can still give them the opportunity to be artistic when they can't do that in their regular 9-5 jobs. Sometimes it's those experiences and lessons that you take with you into your next adventure, whether that's more community theatre or moving onto more professional theatre projects. And more often than not, it often gets repeated or seen over and over again by everyone involved in the theatre community. Need I remind you that as numerous as the theatre companies are, the community itself is small and you will see someone you've worked with previously or auditioned for. And if they find something about you that's fantastic or not so fantastic... Well, let's just say the word gets around pretty fast and your reputation precedes you. So if you're a difficult performer or director in the community theatre world or if you've been doing things that haven't been all that great... you figure it out. Sometimes being kind or collaborative with others gets lost on some people, and they may never let that sink into their psyche. And that can go for actors, directors, stage managers, and even some board members. Perhaps that's something you can take with you every time you do a community theatre show - BE KIND. People will hear about you being overbearing and even abusive to others, and if it keeps on going on in every single production you're a part of... Well... You figure it out. All that's to say that's just one reason many people decide to leave community theatre - There are certain people who they've worked with who aren't exactly the nicest people in the world, and they don't want to work with them again. Or maybe you're discovering that you don't fit in with community theatre productions anymore. You've been exposed to more professional projects over the years and when you show up to do a community theatre audition, you find yourself way ahead of the game to the point where you wonder why you've returned to community theatre to begin with. And here's the big one: Maybe you just don't want to do acting, directing, stage managing, or production work for free anymore. All of the rehearsing, traveling to and from rehearsals without any travel stipends, the long and sometimes unstructured rehearsals, the risk of getting injured without any protections, or even just not working with those in the same league as you just doesn't sound appealing anymore. Here's my two cents on this: I believe that there should be some form of compensation for your talents because you're devoting your time and energy to put a show together, and sometimes it can be a nuisance when you're using your own money to make sure it all comes together. And the extras of traveling, lodging, healthcare, and more can come in handy when you're not working a full-time job or not getting regular paychecks. It's those things that show consideration and support for the actors in whatever way possible. I honestly don't know enough of that debate to put in my observations, but I do know that at this stage of my life, I'm starting to see that my worth is more than just working for free. And it could be the same for a lot of others who are in my shoes. Here's something I'd like you to consider as you mull over whether or not to continue doing community theatre: Much of these reasons and observations are NOT my own. They have come from other people who shared their stories and experiences with me, and I have had time to reflect and ponder on this. I personally had some wonderful memories of doing community theatre, and met some of the most wonderful people in this area of theatre. And the opportunities to tell some wonderful stories with some talented artists is an honor I do not take lightly. Unfortunately, there are people out there who do think that community theatre is beneath them and that the people who are in the cast & crew aren't what they consider professional enough for their tastes when they do a community theatre show. Amateur, even. And that's likely because they have set their standards so high that they easily get disappointed when something, even the tiniest thing doesn't go their way. They don't find true joy in what they do because they have such high standards, which may also explain how they treat others in general. They want to have the experience of working in professional theatre, and ONLY in professional theatre, so they're disappointed when they get cast in a community theatre show and don't get what they want out of their careers. They only see community theatre as a stepping stone to where they're going next, and not enjoying being in the moment and letting the opportunity inspire their creativity or give them a chance to look at their craft in a new way. They only see as doing unpaid, volunteer work as a waste of their time and find no joy in not getting paid for rehearsals and performances, and get quite upset when they have to use previous costumes worn from previous shows or have to use their own money to buy gas or buy costume pieces and accessories. If I was ever like that in any point of my life, I would always be proven wrong when doing a community theatre production because of how amazing people are in rehearsals, the sound booth, costume designs, choreography, and building the sets. And how it always comes together to become something even more amazing than I've ever dreamed of. And that would humble me quite a bit because of how narrow-minded I can be from time to time, so it's good to be proven wrong at only seeing community theatre as a stepping stone or only as a hobby when you want to make it into a career. Besides, some of the best people can be found outside of professional theatre circles. Community theatre circles have incredible people who may help you or even change your life for the better. And may even support you when you do decide to leave community theatre to move onto the next level of your career. Which brings me to this next point: At what point do actors decide they don't want to do community theatre anymore and start focusing on more professional projects? Well, I found some interesting answers that may help. (NOTE: These answers came from actual actors and artists, and I'm protecting their identities by keeping them anonymous and edited the responses for clarity.) "I reached a point where I felt like I wasn't going to grow if I didn't get into a bigger pond.

Honestly, I think that only you can know what you need. If the theaters where you work meet your needs, great! If you feel that you want something different or feel unsatisfied, then it's time to consider options about what would provide what you want." "Immediately after my first time doing it. I realized I was losing money with the transit and the time not taking other gigs, and decided that I have to see myself as a professional to warrant professional gigs." "I pretty much graduated knowing I wouldn't do community theatre, tbh. I have gone back a few times for dream roles that I thought I wouldn't otherwise likely get to play, but ultimately I knew it never was for me.

I'm a union member (SAG) now, but even before that it got to a point where I'd get to an audition at a community theatre and it just felt....off. Not so much like a downgrade, because its not - community theatre can be wonderful - but just this latent sense that I don't belong in those spaces anymore." "At the first chance I got? I was always auditioning and thought it was in the dance world only at first, I took the unpaid gigs until I got the full time paid gig." "As soon as possible, I’ve had this same thought process and eventually got to a point where community theatre wasn’t serving me or my career anymore. if you’re serious about acting, then make that leap, you’ll fly farther than you thought possible." "I learned from a friend who went to Felicia Curry's seminar a couple years ago that in DC to build her career she did the shows she felt she needed to do whether they were community or pro. As a person who has done both, I can say that all the things I thought were rustic about community theater are just as difficult if not worse when you do the pros. I've done both kinds of theater in different places and I know some people get a lot out of becoming equity players but I haven't found a reason yet.

The best piece of advice that I received from one of my theater teachers was that I don't need permission to audition for anything. If you have experience auditioning, you have as much of a chance to get cast as anyone else. I have learned that theater is about forging alliances and connections with other people, and less about whether you got a degree or you've been doing community. It's a tough room out there, but you belong in those rooms. Give them what you've got." Are you starting to see a theme here? Many of the answers had the same common responses: Growth. Not belonging in the space anymore, or even in the very beginning. Starting to see oneself as a professional actor. It was simply that time for these actors and artists to move on to something else, something bigger than what they were getting in community theatre. Or even in the very beginning when not getting paid for performances or even not receiving a travel stipend wasn't worth it for their careers. Somehow, seeing yourself beyond community theatre is great for your overall growth and experience as an actor to get you to the next level of where you want to be as an actor. It means that you're brave enough to go to new places and try new things and work with like-minded individuals who share your views of becoming a professional actor. And there's no shame in that! I don't understand why there is in the first place. Remember my previous blog from several weeks ago? About how you can't be expected to grow into the person you're meant to become without change? And how that change can come with growing pains... And even some eye-opening realizations that it's time to move on? Keep that in mind as you mull over this. (Once again, the comments are not MY words or observations, but came from real actors and artists in the community who wanted to share their experiences and thoughts. I'm in no way implying that these things are true or 100% right. They're called opinions for a reason.) And also keep this in mind should you decide to do more professional theatre opportunities, as some of the responses spoke about: (NOTE: These answers came from actual actors and artists, and I'm protecting their identities by keeping them anonymous and edited the responses for clarity.) "I will share some insights that I think will be helpful.

For me the first step was actually just learning the practical distinctions between how Community Theatre tends to operate and how Professional Theatre tends to operate and coming to the realization that I preferred one way more than the other and then changing my lifestyle to allow me to meet the expectations of the one I preferred.

The biggest distinction is this:

In community theatre the rehearsals are spent practicing and rehearsing and coming up with ideas.

In professional theatre the rehearsals are spent developing and integrating what you already worked on, researched, trained for At Home before coming into rehearsal with what your fellow Actors who are also bringing in what they already worked on, researched, trained for At Home. Everyone brings in more evolved work and the Director edits & synchronizes those various ideas into things that reinforce the specific themes that they want to highlight in this particular production. So that means that even if you spent a lot of time and feel passionately about what you developed on your own time and were excited to bring into the rehearsal the Director may feel it not align with thematic or stylistic elements of the production they want to focus on and ask you to chuck your work right out the window and come up with something else. When you find that such a process is not frustrating but actually a process that you have the bandwidth for and the fortitude & creativity to flourish in then you are probably just about ready to switch into professional theatre.

Also, Stillness. That's another thing that is part of the Pros' toolbox that is not always asked for in community theatre environments. Learning to employ Stillness well is vital to the professional.

Lastly, in the professional arena Actors usually learn lines at home, not in rehearsal so the Actor's life has to accommodate and meet that expectation, as well.

But honestly other than that: Acting is acting." "A lot depends on your life style and how you can adapt to a professional theatre's schedule. Professional theatres, well most, don't really allow for a full time job as most rehearsals are during the day. It really is a life/survival balance, both economically and emotionally." When you decide to go professional and go to the bigger houses, especially those that are Equity, you will more than likely be rehearsing during the day. And you will have to do a lot of the hard work on your own because there's not enough time to play or create in the rehearsal room. Sure, you get to play with creating your character from the ground up. But you also have to collaborate and even align with the director's overall vision for the show, which means that sometimes what you've come up with in your rehearsals and line memorization might not work, and you have to start all over again. It's frustrating, but in the end, it can be fulfilling. Looking past the need to get paid for all of your essentials and needs, there's a lot more work that needs to be done on your own time in order to make the show a success. And sometimes that means not having a full-time job or a different career to make it happen for the length of time in rehearsals and performances. Or if you do have this and your job is willing to let you rehearse during the day, you will more than likely have to focus more on your acting career and much of the homework, and less on your job. Is that something you're willing to do if you're ready to go professionally? If you're unsure about that, or any of the things we've talked about, I suggest really taking some time to be still and just reflect. Really take the time to figure out what your needs are as an actor, or a director, or a stage manager, or any of the things you love to do in the theatre. And examine what is it you need in order to thrive and excel in this world, beyond the need to get paid and have all of your essentials taken care of. You can even do this at your job when there's downtime. But really take that time to carve out and examine what is it you want and need as you continue to grow in your respective path in the world of the arts. (This week's post is coming from a place of both experiences and observations from my career, and although I've had nine years of being a professional actor, these are still MY observations and experiences. Yours may be entirely different from what I've experienced, and that's okay! And while some of these thoughts and observations in this week's post are not my own, I am in no way implying that my observations are absolutely right or the law of the land. You are welcome to disagree with anything I've said in this post or any of my previous posts. But what I won't tolerate is offensive language, hate speech, or divisiveness. We have to learn to respect one another, no matter where we come from or what we do. And that means agreeing to disagree. If you can't do a simple thing like that, I will block you.)

Can I let you in on a little secret? No one is really meant to stay in one spot all their lives, even if they stay in the same state or community they grew up in. We're all meant to change, transform, and evolve into the people we're meant to become. And the world of theatre is no exception. Although there's still some hemming and hawing about really changing with the times and turning the industry on its head with things like making tickets more affordable, using more local actors and fewer big names, having understudies go on for principals more frequently than just in the case of an emergency (like, maybe, when the principal actor isn't mentally in it to perform that day. Just a thought!), or even higher pay for everyone who works in the theatre, and that means those higher up taking a pay cut, change can be a good thing. It's especially true with community theatre. Sure, there are some positives - you get to perform with members of the community in your local neighborhood or region. You get to build the set, plan costumes, learn the choreography, and experience hell week, er, tech week. And you get to have fun! But as much as there are positives of doing community theatre, there are some downsides, the biggest one being not getting paid. The choice with whether you or not you decide to move on from community theatre is up to YOU, and only YOU. I'm still doing community theatre, even in my ninth year of my professional acting career. Though not as much as I used to do. And after this current show I'm, it will be my very last time with community theatre. I've been doing a lot of thinking and reflecting on this, and I realized among many things that taking unpaid opportunities, especially for the shows that require me to travel great distances, especially on the metro or relying on others for help getting me to and from rehearsals, is simply no longer an option. I used to be at a place where I can say "only if it's for a friend," but I honestly can't even do that anymore when I've personally need the money to help cover the rising costs of food, transportation, and paying the bills. It's just that now I'm at a point where it's time to fully accept that taking unpaid work is no longer economically feasible for this stage of my career. Even if it is "only for a friend". I'm even starting to determine a minimum base for how much I want to get paid for my opportunities. Here's a hint - it is way more than $50. Even more than $150! I've had experiences doing rehearsals during the daytime with professional theatre companies and as long as they can be, they're actually really fun because I get to do what I love and be a part of the process. And I'm lucky enough to have two part-time jobs that would allow me to do this, even if my paychecks do take a hit. And maybe I've always held myself up as a professional actor when I do community theatre or low-paying jobs: I arrive on rehearsals as close to on time as possible (or even earlier) and I let people know if I'm running late due to the metro or traffic. I ask questions for clarification and details on my character, blocking, the script, and more . I hold myself accountable for not doing the work correctly or not communicating with everyone in a way that everyone understands, even apologizing when I put my foot in my mouth or not doing what's required of me, started memorizing lines right away and rehearsing at home so I can get the lines and my character in my body to the point that I'm confident enough to do the role. And I always show up, even if it's not always 100%. I had to learn that from all of these shows and projects I've been a part of over the course of nine years, many times the hard way. But I want to stress something very important: it is MY decision to move on for my career to get to the next level, and I want the chance to grow and thrive in my career in the spaces that may provide me those opportunities. And let's get something straight about moving onto bigger opportunities for my own needs. I'm in no way diminishing or implying that any of the actors and people I've worked with in community theatre over the years are amateurs or beneath me. Some of them are now lifelong friends and acquaintances who I root for and support in their artistic endeavors, and all of them are very talented artists in their own right who deserve all of the praise and commendations they get when they do a show or get nominated, even win, an award. That's also to say that I'm in no way saying that community theatre as a whole is beneath me or that it's less than. It will always hold a special place in my heart as a part of my life that allowed me to flourish and thrive as I work my way into doing more opportunities in the bigger houses. A part of is scared to reject community theatre roles, to be honest. Simply because there are so many in my region! But I look at it this way: How can I expect to grow and be the actor I want to be if I don't go out for the parts in the spaces that would help get me there? Showing up, as it were? Even having the chance to try to do what's best for my career? I've done a lot of thinking about this, and it's time to leave the community theatre world behind for good. It's simply time to move on to the next level of my career. And I will also accept that I won't be working as much since I will be more selective in what I want to go out for, especially the high paying opportunities. As scary as that sounds, I find it exciting to be going out for more gigs and opportunities that can help me grow and thrive as an actor, and help me reach the next level of my career. That just leaves more time for acting lessons, voice lessons, and self-improvement in between the auditions and the callbacks and the downtime. (Plus, having a strong support system when you have a lengthy downtime also helps!) But don't think that I won't continue to support community theatre. It is still, and always will be, theatre, even if it is volunteer and unpaid. And the people who do this for a living are far from amateurs or neophytes. Actually, they're not amateurs or neophytes at all! They are quite extraordinary in what they do, whether that's acting, directing, playwriting, costume designing, and more. They are my peers and even in some cases my friends and support system. I will always be happy in whatever you do when you get to perform in community theatre shows. And as you continue to work your regular 9-5 jobs, I'm thrilled you've found a community that supports and encourages your artistic endeavors, and even helps you discover who you're meant to become when you're onstage or behind the curtain As I've experienced these past nine years, there are plenty of community theatre companies and organizations who can match, or even be better than, the levels of some of the biggest regional theatre companies in the country. Even Broadway! Just know that this is MY choice, and I'm the only one who can decide what's best for me. And it's now time for me to go to the next level of my career. Perhaps that's the greatest thing about community theatre - It can be the foundation of how you treat everyone you meet in the theatre world, and how you can discover your creative side that you thought you never had. Or in many cases, it is what you want to do with your life because that's where you see yourself blossom and thrive the most outside of your 9-5 job. Think of all the ways community theatre has helped with your public speaking or even just your confidence in how you hold yourself up every single day. It may even inspire you to do more community theatre for the rest of your life! On the other hand... If you're really serious about pursuing a professional career in the arts, then it's time to move on to the next level of your career, and sometimes that means moving on from unpaid opportunities to more paid opportunities. But also keeping in mind that the people who helped you along the way in community theatre are never beneath you or think of yourself as better than them because you are pursuing more professional opportunities. (Remember: BE KIND!) But if you'd rather pursue community theatre as a way to help you in your current career field outside of the arts, especially in the case of self-esteem and confidence, community theatre will always be there for you. Or even if you want to to do community theatre without the added pressure of being a professional actor or director, community theatre will always be there for you. As always... The choice is up to YOU. Only you can decide what your needs are for your artistic fulfillment. All you have to do is listen for the guidance, and take a chance. You'll never know until you try. So... What are you waiting for?