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What advice would you give a theater major who isn't quite sure where they want to put most of their focus, i.e. acting, costume design, stage design, etc...?

I'm very passionate about theater and love ever aspect of it from cutting scripts to lighting to being the star of the show. I just don't know what I want to be my primary focus in order for me to start focusing my education and training on what I want to do for the rest of my life in the world of theater. #theatre #theater #set-design #costume-design

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Thank you comment icon I have the same issue! I love it all. Many colleges that offer a technical theatre design and production program start off by teaching a decent amount of everything and then after two years in the program you can then decide what you want to do. Because learning more can really open ones eyes to find their true passion. Amelia
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Gwynneth’s Answer

I think this is a great question with no clear answer. Depending on what you want to do after graduation you may not even need to pick a focus. I focused strongly on lighting and stage management but I wanted to make sure that I was marketable after college so I intentionally got a taste of everything. I wanted to work in small theatres and not need to pick a strong specialty.

If you think that when you start working professionally you really don't want to do something, like costuming, then I would push your focus to other areas but if you truly like all the various areas of theatre I don't think that's an issue.

When you start preparing your resume I would make sure to emphasize that you have a lot of experience in all these fields. I did very well after college by being able to take on any issue whether it was a broken wig or a light that needed repositioning.

If you HAVE to pick a specialty because your school requires it you may want to think about stage management. In my experience being a stage manager is essentially like having a small part in every task since you need to keep track of everything from lights, to sound, to costumes, to script updates. This way even though you aren't focusing on those areas you will still have exposure.
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Caitlin’s Answer

I went to a small liberal arts college where to be part of the theatre program, students needed to do it all: act, direct, design, stage manage, etc. This was a great way to figure out what I liked best, and what I thought might offer sustained employment in the future. I noticed that acting work was very fickle—they either liked you or they didn’t. But backstage work was more consistent (and can pay a ‘living wage’), so I emphasized being a maker of “behind the scenes” magic. After finishing an undergraduate degree in Technical Theatre, I went on to get an MFA in Lighting Design. The question back then was asked, “but aren’t there enough lighting designers out there?” And the answer came back, “There are never enough good ones.” So where ever you land, be a positive contribution to the room, make others glad you’re there, know that being nice matters, and feel free to adopt the motto I did years ago: “Happy to be here, easy to work with.”

Caitlin recommends the following next steps:

Find volunteer opportunities
Live somewhere that has a good art scene
Understand the hours are wacky—find family and friends who are supportive
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