A short Musical Theater Rant from a Stage Manager
Dear young theater people, especially those who want to do this as a career:
Stop getting roped into doing shows in your old youth theater your first summer out of college. I can tell you first hand, that "I did this show in high school" or "I played the lead in my youth theater company" will NOT get you a part in a real show let alone a place in the ensemble. This is insider info, people. If doing theater for a living is something you plan on persuing as a career, STAY AWAY from your old youth theater company. They are not going to give you the experience you need. No matter how much they beg you to come back because "they miss you" or "they need you" or no matter what they promise you, don't do it. Even if it's the best place and you have wonderful memories there. Likely you're going to have to either pay to play, give them some sort of scholarship blood, sell tickets, etc.... There is nothing in it for you. Future directors will not see your role in youth theater as 'experience.'
That being said, those of you who think that you'll be getting paid straight out of college your first show, guess again. There are only a precious few companies that actually pay. There are a lot of really good community theaters out there. There are some great directors getting paid (albeit not much) to direct your show... Directors who are going to actually give you the experience you need in that ensemble (or maybe lead) to put on your resume to catapult you to possibly your paid role 1-2 years from now. If you want experience, stop thinking that you deserve pay for it to be worth your time.
Otherwise you may be waiting a long time to ever even be in a show and by that time you might have knocked up your girlfriend and will have to get a job driving the UPS truck and the next show you do will be unpaid... when you're 40.... in your local community theater... that used to be your youth theater.
