Careers Brief - Performing Arts - Music Theatre FdA
Overview
Music theatre is highly competitive and demanding, but can be very rewarding. Successful performers are those who are multi-skilled and flexible. It is not enough to have talent and training, but you also need personality, be a quick learner, be determined, enthusiastic and have a high level of fitness and stamina. You must be able to work successfully within a team and be prepared to travel, possibly overseas. Usually you work short-term contracts with long hours or have a 'portfolio' career with more than one job or freelance. Pay is high for a few but generally low for the level of skill and training required. Income can be erratic with maybe long periods of unemployment.
You can work in commercial theatre, fringe theatre, children's theatre, TV, films, cruises. It is essential for your career to belong to Equity, the actors union. Apart from the performing roles in theatre, there are also the technical roles of lighting, stagecraft and sound. You can progress onto choreography, stage management, directing, teaching, dance/drama therapy, agent/manager, theatre management and arts administration.
To consider a wider choice of careers, matched to your interests, use Prospects Planner and other tools listed in the Career Planning section of this Guide.
Further Study
Top-up degrees are designed as a progression from Foundation degrees. It is expected that you will be able to progress onto a linked one-year top-up honours degree programme.
Institutions offering related top-up honours degree courses:
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College; University of Cumbria; Doncaster College; Hereford College of Arts; University of Hertfordshire; Hull College; Leeds Metropolitan University; NESCOT; New College Nottingham; Northbrook College Sussex; Sheffield Hallam University; University of Sunderland.
To search for other suitable honours degree courses, use www.ucas.com/search (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service for the UK). Use the university/college links for course details. Entry point could depend on your grades, experience and overlap between courses.
You will need to use UCAS to apply for courses. Contact the Course Tutor of your chosen course to find out your position, before you make your formal application.
Find out how much this will cost you. Where is the funding coming from? Use the website www.aimhigher.ac.uk for information on student support.
Go to the main section on Further Study in this Guide for more information and help.
Resources
www.ukperformingarts.co.uk/musicaltheatre
The UK performance industry training and careers site - learn more about musical theatre, courses, qualifications, auditions, grants and career profiles of those working in musical theatre
www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles
Learn Direct - national learning advice
www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u
'Families & Articles' or Quick Search by typing in job title
www.prospects.ac.uk
Graduate Prospects is the careers website for higher education students in the UK:
- Drop down 'Careers advice' and click on 'Use your qualification' for 'Your Foundation degree...what next?'
- Also click on 'Options with your subject'
- Drop down 'Jobs & work' to 'Explore job sectors' - 'Creative and cultural arts'
- Drop down 'My Prospects' and click on 'What jobs would suit me?' for Prospects Planner
www.netgain.org.uk
The Arts Advice careers site from Metier (Creative Industries) and Learn Direct for working in the industry, courses, job profiles, funding, business guidance and tailored career or course information.
www.thestage.co.uk
The Stage Online (magazine for the entertainment industry) - go to 'Advice' for 'How to Guides'
www.skillset.org/careers
Skillset Careers - specialist careers information service for broadcast, film, video and interactive media
www.bbc.co.uk/blast/dance
BBC careers - site with articles, links and Ask the Dance Expert
www.badth.org.uk
The British Association of Drama Therapists
www.yourcreativefuture.org
Click on 'Performing arts'
www.intute.ac.uk/artsandhumanities
Intute is a free online service providing a database and access to web resources for education and research in the Creative Arts and Humabities. Click on 'Music and the Performing Arts'
www.artsprofessional.co.uk
Arts Professional magazine for theatre, dance and arts management jobs
www.spotlightcd.com
The Spotlight Interactive promotes actors to casting opportunities. Spotlight Graduates: a specialist directory introduces new talent to the industry. Free telephone career advice.
jobseekers.direct.gov.uk
Careers database and links to jobs nationally. Search by either clicking on 'careers' and 'choosing a category' or typing in job title.
www.equity.org.uk
Equity - UK trade union for those working in the performing arts and entertainment industry, including actors, singers, dancers and choreographers
www.bectu.org.uk
BECTU is the UK indpendent union for those working in broadcasting, film, theatre, entertainment, leisure, interactive media and allied areas. Offering information and support to employed, contract and freelance workers within these sectors.
www.britishcouncil.org/arts-drama.htm
British Council Drama Education for UK drama, dance, live art and street art companies, education, the drama scene, events in the UK and overseas
www.artsmatrix.org.uk
Arts Matrix network providing information and advice on skills development to arts practitioners across the south west of England
www.cdet.org.uk
The Council for Dance Education & Training site - comprehensive information service
www.communitydance.org.uk
Foundation for Community Dance - online directory of dance companies
www.danceuk.org
Dance UK - for the UK-based dance professional
