|
Job Titles
The skills and abilities developed through a major in Theatre serve as the building blocks for a wide
range of occupations and career paths. It is important to realize that the activities represented by
these job titles might be found in business, government, educational institutions, non-profit agencies,
or arts-related businesses. These job titles are examples of some of the ways in which theatre
majors have applied their skills and abilities. In general, an advanced degree is required for those
occupations marked with an asterisk (*) on the list that follows:
Prod. Support Services
*Arts Administration
Education
Actor
Company Manager
Development Director
Artist-in-residence
Director
Producer
*Community arts center
director
Coordinator Hair/Makeup
Artist's Agent
Marketing Director
Outreach Coordinator
Costume Designer
Draper |
Box Office Manager
Arts fundraiser
Theatre teacher
Scenic Designer
Carpenter
Scenic Artist
Press Agent
*Arts council director
*Theatre librarian
Booking Agent
*Managing Director
*College Professor
Special Effects Technician
Publicist
Grants specialist
Acting Coach
Stage Manager |
Lighting Designer
Electrician
*Business Manager
Audience Relations
Specialist
(Job titles con’t)
*Drama therapist
Voice-over Artist
Personal Manager
*Literary Agent
Public Relations Director
Dramaturg
Property Designer
Casting Director |
Some Employers of Theatre Majors
| Community organizations
Educational/cultural institutions
Fundraising firms
Television/radio/film
Production companies
Colleges, universities, schools
Theatres
Touring companies |
Arts Councils
Libraries
Performing arts organizations
Amusement and theme parks
Cruise lines
Film companies
Entertainment law firms |
First Jobs Held by Recent UT BA Graduates
| Actor/Actress
Singer/ Dancer in Musical Theatre
Theatre Teacher
Executive Assistant
Director/Teacher
Salesperson
Production Assistant |
Web design coordinator
Marketing Segment Specialist
Non-profit/public administrator/development
Carpenter
Marketing Segment Specialist
Administrator/td>
|
A Few Words About Agents
| Most theatre professionals (especially actors,
directors) should have an agent. Agents find
jobs for performers. In return, they receive a
commission for each job they find, usually paid
out of the performer’s salary, which the agent
has negotiated on behalf of the performer. It is |
the agent’s business to seek out talented
artists and help them develop their careers.
For more information on the steps to finding
an agent, refer to the "Job Search for
Performing Artists" guide located in FACS. |
Earnings
Median annual earnings of actors were
$25,920 in 2000. The middle 50 percent
earned between $16,950 and $59,769. The
lowest 10 percent earned less than $12,700,
and the highest 10 percent earned more than
$93,620. Median annual earnings in the
industries employing the largest numbers of
actors were as follows:
Minimum salaries, hours of work, and other
conditions of employment are covered in
collective bargaining agreements between
show producers and the unions representing
workers. Actors' Equity Association (Equity)
represents stage actors; Screen Actors Guild
(SAG) covers actors in motion pictures,
including television, commercials, and films;
and the American Federation of Television
and Radio Artists (AFTRA) represents
television and radio studio performers. While
these unions generally determine minimum
salaries, any actor or director may negotiate
for a salary higher than the minimum.
On July 1, 2001, the members of SAG and
AFTRA negotiated a new joint contract
covering all unionized employment. Under the
contract, motion picture and television actors
with speaking parts earned a minimum daily
rate of $636 or $2,206 for a 5-day week.
Actors also receive contributions to their
health and pension plans and additional
compensation for reruns and foreign telecasts
of the productions in which they appear.
According to Equity, the minimum weekly
salary for actors in Broadway productions as
of June 25, 2001 was $1,252. Actors in Off-
Broadway theaters received minimums
ranging from $440 to $551 a week as of
October 30, 2000, depending on the seating
capacity of the theater. Regional theaters that
operate under an Equity agreement pay actors
$500 to $728 per week. For touring
productions, actors receive an additional $106
per day for living expenses ($112 per day in
larger, higher-cost cities). According to Equity,
fewer than 15 percent of its dues-paying
members actually worked during any given
week during 2000. Median earnings for those
able to find employment in 2000 were less
than $10,000.
Some well-known actors earn well above the
minimum; their salaries are many times the
figures cited, creating the false impression that
all actors are highly paid. For example, of the
nearly 100,000 SAG members, only about 50
might be considered stars. The average
income that SAG members earn from acting,
less than $5,000 a year, is low because
employment is erratic. Therefore, most actors
must supplement their incomes by holding
jobs in other fields.
Many actors who work more than a set
number of weeks per year are covered by a
union health, welfare, and pension fund, which
includes hospitalization insurance and to
which employers contribute. Under some
employment conditions, Equity and AFTRA
members receive paid vacations and sick
leave.
Median annual earnings of producers and
directors were $41,030 in 2000. The middle 50
percent earned between $29,000 and
$60,330. The lowest 10 percent earned less
than $21,050, and the highest 10 percent
earned more than $87,770. Median annual
earnings in the industries employing the
largest numbers of producers and directors
were as follows:
Many stage directors belong to the Society of
Stage Directors and Choreographers (SSDC),
and film and television directors belong to the
Directors Guild of America (DAG). Earnings of
stage directors vary greatly. According to the
SSDC, summer theaters offer compensation,
including "royalties" (based on the number of
performances), usually ranging from $2,500 to
$8,000 for a 3- to 4-week run. Directing a
production at a dinner theater usually will pay
less than directing one at a summer theater,
but has more potential for income from
royalties. Regional theaters may hire directors
for longer periods, increasing compensation
accordingly. The highest paid directors work
on Broadway and commonly earn $50,000 per
show. However, they also receive payment in
the form of royalties—a negotiated percentage
of gross box office receipts—that can exceed
their contract fee for long-running box office
successes.
Producers seldom get a set fee; instead, they
get a percentage of a show's earnings or ticket
sales.
|
|
|