My Pathway

Career Opportunities

· For professional performers, there are many career opportunities in the industry. Here are a few examples of opportunities that I would be interested in and a brief overview of their role.

Westend/touring= actors that have been successful and have the chance to perform in a Westend production or a touring company
Director= they oversee a production and are in charge of the show as a whole and how it connects together.
Producer= they manage the financial side of a production
Freelance worker= a form of self-employment who may choose to run their own company or business.
Teacher= they will use their teaching skills to run classes and help actors develop their technique

Here are some pathways that I could take to become a professional performer…

1. University= This route will provide me with a degree and basic training in the field so I can become specialized at the subject and gives me more opportunities by having a degree.

2. Drama school= This competitive route will give me intense training and more of a status when searching for careers. Many of the drama schools are based in big cities like London, therefore this helps form direct links to the Westend.

3. Agencies= Agents will help me get auditions for productions and have many relationships with other people in the industry.

Employment

· In this industry, being a professional performer means that there are many opportunities to be involved with. I will connect with industry professionals and get in contact with agents, casting directors, regularly attend auditions and partake in amateur and professional productions where agents scan for clients or performers they want to represent.

. As a performer, it’s important that I look after my body in preparation for practical sessions and intense rehearsals. Keeping fit by stretching and exercising will ensure that my body is prepared for the intensity of activities. Eating a healthy and balanced diet is important to maintain energy and have a good intake of vitamins and minerals. Making good decisions before important sessions and auditions means that I'm dedicated to it and will sacrifice activities so I can perform at my best.

Industry Research

· From my research, I learnt about aspects of the industry that can facilitate me as a performer and help me be successful. For example, having connections with people in the industry will give me references, advice and perspective about the industry. Agents can give me chances to attend closed auditions as they have a large network of contacts. Training and going to extra classes to improve current skillsets will show that I'm committed to the industry and keen to develop.

· To become a professional performer, the most successful pathway includes going to one of the top drama schools as they invite casting and resident directors to their showcases. These top drama schools include: Guildford, Mountview and Arts Education. These drama schools will give me a high chance to get an agent and will be more likely to receive my first theatre credit when I graduate.

In my professional develop plan I created, I mentioned 3 pathways to go down in this industry. To take the steps to further study musical theatre, I would ensure I got at least some basic training whether it’s a practical course or a study of dance or drama. Additionally, going to a drama school or university to get a degree in the subject is helpful to put on my CV and promote myself to employers and agents in the business.

Employer Expectations

In terms of my performers’ website, employers expect to see my three self-tapes that showcase the performing arts disciplines individually, a CV to show my experience and professionalism and various videos to evident my skills and a show reel to show a complication of my strong performances and my development of my triple threat skills. As a part of my information pages, they expect to see experience that I have, where I have trained, roles that have achieved and other specific relevant information that will give me many employment opportunities. Listing the roles I have played highlights my type cast and shows my understanding of my performance type. Listing projects I have been involved with, highlights the opportunities I have had to develop my acting, dancing and singing techniques. As well as this, I have mentioned my type cast so I can be easily casted and industry professionals can see how I could be casted in a show.
I will email this website to casting directors, agents and performing professionals in order to promote myself as a performer and receive plenty of performance opportunities. In order to make connections in the industry, I will pay attention to open audition opportunities, attend workshops, and see amateur shows so I can network with other people who have been or are currently apart of the industry. Making connections with friends that are already in the industry, can provide opportunities working alongside professionals and give me information of upcoming auditions that I wouldn't otherwise be aware of.