What to include on acting resume
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Acting
Forum Discription: Q&A about auditions, character development and other aspects of the craft
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5448
Printed Date: 11/21/24 at 4:23pm
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Topic: What to include on acting resume
Posted By: MusicManD
Subject: What to include on acting resume
Date Posted: 2/07/13 at 1:49pm
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Alright, so I'm getting ready to audition for a professional summer stock program next month and am trying to decide what/how much to include on my resume.
I started acting when I was 9, and by the time I graduated high school, I had 19 shows under my belt. Then I left for college and decided to focus on music rather than theatre. There was a ten year (!) lapse after high school where I played a lot of pro theatre gigs, but all in the orchestra pit- 10 orchestra credits in total. Recently, I've started doing community theatre when my teaching schedule would allow it (plus I got my Masters Degree in the summer during this time which cut down on CT time), and stacked up another 4 shows onstage. I also started doing directing, and have picked up 5 directing credits. My question is this: Right now on my acting resume, I have my 4 most current shows followed by the 19 high school and community theatre shows dating back to 1991. I've left off all the directing and orchestra credits, but that does leave a rather suspicious looking gap in the middle. So how would you handle that so it doesn't look like I wasn't doing anything during those ten years? I already have the instruments I play in the "special skills" section, and my two music degrees are in the training section, along with the stage combat training I picked up last year when directing a pirate show. As a side note: I auditioned for this summer stock program a few years ago when I was a senior in college, and left all my orchestra credits on my resume... They commented about how I should think about playing for their orchestra...  I'd like to avoid that this time around.
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Replies:
Posted By: edh915
Date Posted: 2/08/13 at 3:40pm
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For what it's worth:
All I can tell you is what I personally look for on someone's resume. First, I want to know what you've done most recently. Then I want an overall feel for your experience. Long story short: What would impress me most is a listing of your 4 most current shows. Then I would want to see a general explanation of your directing and orchestra work - not item for item, but an overview with three or four of your favorites specifically mentioned. (Here's where you can downplay the orchestra work without actually minimizing it - just by not mentioning specifics.) Then, for your youthful activities, just say "19 plays - favorites of which include:" and then list four or five. I want to have a feel for "all" you've done, but you're too heavy on the childhood end of things. I'm most interested in your recent activities. It gives me the best indication of what you're capable of at this point in time, and the direction you seem to be heading. |