Professional Theatre

There seems to be a lot of amateur theatre about but not a lot of genuine professional theatre for actors who have trainined and would like to make a living out of the profession. Is there any publication that you can subscribe to which publishes only professional theatre and film auditions. Or do you have to go through an agent to get paid work.

Please let me know as I am moving to Melbourne in a month.

Thanks

Hi Philipa

Philippa Bain wrote:
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> There seems to be a lot of amateur theatre about but not a lot
> of genuine professional theatre for actors who have trainined
> and would like to make a living out of the profession.

At least as far as Perth is concerned it's sometimes difficult to tell the professional from the fringe from the amateur - particularly when you see some of the same names and faces cropping up in all areas - many of them with at least three years' full time training and a string of professional credits behind them.

> Is there any publication that you can subscribe to which
> publishes only professional theatre and film auditions. Or do
> you have to go through an agent to get paid work.

I'm not aware of any such publication.

Although dramatic.com.au does offer a list of jobs in the entertainment industry, my impression is that would not include a large proportion of the auditions on offer. Unfortunately there's no ready way to find out if the information they offer is what you want without paying a A$50 subscription fee upfront. In fact, if you're not prepared to become a member, the site has practically nothing to offer.

Your agent might be your best asset or a necessary evil. Don't rush. Network and choose carefully.

Cheers
Grant

OK.

Now, I'm sure Phillippa was not making any comments about amateur theatre per se, and my gripes are in /no/ /way/ directed at her. My main issue was with the comment 'genuine professional theatre'. This implies to me that amateur theatre is not 'genuine'. Phillippa, my most sincere apologies if it was just a turn of phrase and 'genuine' meant 'paid'. I grovel humbly before you now. This is mainly a trigger for me to vent the sometimes veiled, often overt, contempt of community theatre productions.

While completing my certificate of musical theatre last year at WAAPA, if we performed poorly, we were told our performance looked, 'amateur'. When given criticism in acting class we were reminded of the 'ridiculous performances' seen in 'amateur' productions. When filling out the application for the course, I was pointedly asked only for my *professional* credits and training. If we wanted to perform in a community show we were asked, 'So you only want a career in amateur theatre, then?' Repeatedly, I recalled the endless extraordinary performances I have seen around Perth theatres: Martin Forsey as Banquo, Peter Fry as Willy Loman, David Meadows as Salieri, Helen McFarlane as Sally Bowles, Tracy Woolrych as Olive, the entire cast of Playlovers in Into the Woods. Not one of them paid for any of those roles.

There was a very, very B-grade movie once called 'A Christmas Without Snow' about an amateur group of performers performing the Messiah. The most memorable thing about the movie was a comment made when a soprano not given a solo gave the ultimate insult to the group by calling them 'amateurs'. In response, the conductor said something along the lines of, 'performing purely and simply for the love of performing is not something to be ashamed of, and arguably, requires more dedication than those who are paid for it.

I have a pile of training of my own, and am proud to perform in amateur theatre. Yes, I would love to make a living out of it, and so would most actors. But that is why they generally spend more time waiting tables. Performing is performing whether you are paid for it or not, and personally I would rather perform for nothing than not perform at all.

Unless that David Meadows is directing it. I'd never audition for anything that creep did. :-)

Amanda Chesterton

> Unless that David Meadows is directing it.
> I'd never audition for anything that creep did. :-)

You assume, Amanda, that I'd even _want_ you in one of my productions.

As you well know, I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole, you little... erm... what was that word again?


David "What, little ol' me?" Meadows.

hehehe

> As you well know, I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole,
> you little... erm...

and if you would like to hear David complete this classic line - to Amanda's face - cross your fingers and wait another couple of weeks for Mamet's Oleanna, appearing at Kalamunda, Playlovers and Kwinana in early May 2001.

Cheers
Grant

How sad for you.
I *do* hope you find what you are looking for.

If you are moving to Melbourne, check out www.workingparts.educations.net. It would be a great place for you to begin networking in a new state. The object is for us to start making our own work, and i would love to hear from you about it.