Moving to Australia from the USA?

I tried to post this before to no avail...so let's see how this works. I'm a young student who will receive a Master's Degree in Educational Theatre from New York University in the fall of 2008. I have spent time living abroad in France and will spend a bit of time in Ireland studying theatre this summer. I have worked for some of the biggest theatres in the country (The Roundabout) in their education departments and am looking to move to Australia to work in the education department of a company and/or some aspect of Educational Theatre. Is it difficult to find work there? I know the head of our Department started a program at Griffith University....I'm just wondering if it would be near impossible to find something....I'd love to go there for a while and just experience something different. Any help is appreciated! I'm not sure where I would like to be in Australia....anywhere at the moment seems fine. Also, perhaps this is a cultural question, would I experience prejudice, etc. for being American and/or speaking with an American accent? I also am an actress and would like to continue with that a little, but not as a main profession. Are there often shows done where an actor is required to have an American accent in Australia?

This has been answered and answered and answered before. Do a search for 'coming to Australia' on this site. See these threads: http://www.theatre.asn.au/green_room_gossip/english_actress_coming_to_australia http://www.theatre.asn.au/tech_talk/coming_to_oz_are_we_completely_insane There was another one recently, but I couldn't find it. Yes, it's difficult to find work here - when isn't it difficult to find work in the arts. We can offer more specific advice if you let us know where you're planning on being in Australia, since the industries differ from state to state. You would more likely to be hired for having an American accent - most actors here learn a US accent just so they can get more work. It's more for film/TV roles than in theatre, but there is also a prevalence of American roles in theatre too, since most companies perform non-Australian plays. (Sorry if I sound rude. I'm just getting tired of writing the same d*n replies all the time. Is the search function so hard to find on this site?) Sticky Apple Legs www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs Puppets in Melbourne www.thepromptcopy.com/pip My puppets www.collectzing.com/collection/137/

Wow. Okay. I'd actually seen those replies but since I'm not planning on moving to Australia to become an actor or a techie, I figured someone might have more specific advice. Obviously it's difficult to find work in the arts anywhere, but in the USA, it is definitely not as difficult to find work in the educational theatre sector of the arts. That's why I was posting...perhaps someone knew something about that. I have used the search function, clearly, but none of them were inquiring about work in educational theatre. The acting question was merely a side question since I stated it is not my intent to move there to BECOME an actor.

You won't run into very much prejudice having an american accent, we are a nation where foreign accents are becoming the norm. This is a good thing. Educational theatre is a very broad area. Are you seeking work as a drama teacher in a school environment, as a lecturer in tertiary, as a tutor or animatuer in youth theatre or maybe as an education officer. There are not many big companies that have education officers but there are some. There is a possibility that you might get an admin job with one of the Arts Departments. The point is that we are a nation of 21 million people in a huge geographic area. Arts are underfunded even by most international standards and funding is getting smaller rather than larger. There is work but it's hard to find. If you are coming I reccomend the eastern states particularly NSW or Victoria. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

Thanks Logos. I have tried posting this like 800 times until realizing that it doesn't work on Safari, so I keep forgetting what I've posted and what I've left out. I'd like to work in a company setting, perhaps being in an education board for a theatre company. I see a few companies have them....but I'm not sure how common it is. In the USA most professional companies/children's companies will have them, but not all. I'm not sure where to be in Australia if I ended up moving there, but I think Sydney seems the most appealing, although I'd go to any big city where they are doing work that I'm interested in. Is Australia underfunded compared to the States in regards to the arts? I'm just trying to get a feel for it. :)

Australia is desperately under-funded when it comes to the arts. However, we have a dire shortage of teachers, so any educational theatre jobs that may be possible for you would most likely be found in schools.

Asking whether or not we are underfunded in comparison to the US is trying to compare Apples and Cheese because we use such entirely different systems for funding. Funding in the Arts in Aus is nearly all state government and is based on different criteria then in the US. On another thread I hang around on Control Booth in the US I've been trying to get a handle on US funding. I agree with the post above. Teaching either full or part time may be your best alternative but you would need to get accreditation. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

Thanks guys. Sorry, I'm being the typical American and assuming you guys know what I'm talking about with America. As far as the teaching deal...how long does it take to get accreditation? Also, do teachers in private schools need accreditation (this may sound like a dumb question, but they don't in the USA)? I think the director of the program here at NYU might also be a helpful resource in this area since its sort of a really specialized area of study, if this makes sense?

Apologies - I jumped the gun slightly. Nevertheless, the advice is pretty much the same. Jobs are very difficult to find in the arts, no matter what role you hope to take on. Most actors and others supplement their work by doing arts admin or teaching jobs. The fact of the matter is that it's just as difficult to get educational work. Sticky Apple Legs www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs Puppets in Melbourne www.thepromptcopy.com/pip My puppets www.collectzing.com/collection/137/

are arts admin jobs difficult to come by?

They are easier to find than acting or tech jobs, but are also high in demand. It depends on your skill levels as well, since most jobs aren't entry level. Check out the Arts Hub jobs feed (in the news section on this site); they have the best range of arts jobs online, and if there's something available it will be listed there. It really is different here compared to the US or the UK, where arts admin jobs are a hell of a lot easier to find. Example: while working for Arts Hub (yep, I'm biased) I added jobs to both their UK and their Australian sites. I also got a peek at the US jobs. Australian on average has 140 new jobs per week; UK has 280 new jobs per week (including all types of roles, admin and non-admin). The US I couldn't say an average, but I'd guess that it was roughly twice or even three times as many new admin jobs per week. It's not because they just aren't advertised. It's because no one here can afford to pay anyone a salary. The admin jobs that are in existence are the only roles that do pay regularly here (in the arts), and aren't easily given up. A small circle of people just take turns in doing them. A generalisation of course, but for the most part, true. Which is why I said that it depends on your skill level. Not to sound discouraging - I do wish you luck, and honestly, there are jobs available. Just not as many overseas. I'd suggest starting off in Sydney. Then if you can't find work there, Melbourne. Those are the two major cities with the most work available in admin. Sticky Apple Legs www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs Puppets in Melbourne www.thepromptcopy.com/pip My puppets www.collectzing.com/collection/137/

The private schools in this country do require accreditation if you are going to teach to a curriculum. I actually have no idea how someone with American qualifications would get accreditation but I am sure it's possible. Sorry Maybe start that project at your end. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

I'm looking for a replacement to teach a Musical Theatre course at a theatre company on the gold coast. Great kids, all high school, casual, two afternoons a week. Would suit full time school teacher or part time.

Hey Helen - how is anyone going to be able to contact you about the role? You've left no contact details. Furthermore, you've hijacked someone else's thread. Better to have created a new one in the 'Theatre Classifieds' forum. Sticky Apple Legs www.thepromptcopy.com/sal Puppets in Melbourne www.puppetsinmelbourne.com.au My puppets www.collectzing.com/collection/137/

Come over. We love Americans... Don't listen to these fools..... We love teachers.. We need teachers... They are twisted,, not teachers, but these nutters who don't even work... The Man