There’s No Business Like Show Business (except maybe corporations)

**As (you) stumble along through life’s crazy journey** if you find yourself thinking **it’s the hard knock life** and instead you are being **pulled in a new direction**, **follow your heart** and try to start working for **money money money**

I have been fortunate enough to spend the past two weekends on mini vacation, and yet because I am an actor, I found plenty of time to be thinking about theatre, auditioning, and acting. I went back to college (**life was so simple back then**) and hung out largely with the theatre crowd. I had the chance to see a show, visit a class, improv with friends, and work on one of my audition monologues. Of course, many of my conversations were about the shows I’d seen, the last play I auditioned for, and yes, occasionally busting out into some musical theatre song. We are theatre majors, and as much as we hate the stereotype, it’s true.  A large majority of my conversations went something like this:

Vaguely interested person: So, have you got in anything yet?

Me: I’ve understudied, but no part yet.

Less interested person: Oh, okay. Well, do you have a job?

Me: I babysit!

Now non-interested person: Cool. Well, good luck with that.

Then, this past weekend, I went to Punkin Chunkin in Delaware with a group of mostly graduated engineering majors. Their conversations were about how happy they were with their new full time **working 9 to 5** jobs that make money and allow them to have stock, savings accounts, and money for food. I listened, and nodded, like “yeah, I totally understand that!” when really all I was thinking is “Damn it!! Why couldn’t I be happy doing some job that actually makes money!!!” So here is where I give you advice you’ve heard over and over again: Find something you love that isn’t in the arts. I plan on letting my future kids pursue whatever they want, but dear god I pray that it is something like business or engineering. (Mom and Dad, god bless you for letting me be a crazy theatre actor)

Now, don’t get me wrong. I couldn’t be happier with my low-income life style. I love waking up to audition at 6am, and babysitting kids I feel like are my own, and eating Ramen noodles often. It’s completely worth it for me. I mean, geez, at least there is money in film, but NO, I have to love the “live” stuff!  So, why do I love theatre? How come I can’t be happy doing something else (at least just yet)? Because performing is the greatest feeling in the world. Because of the insane thrill of heated lights on my face, a crowd on the edge of their seats, and a chance to be anything I create. **I believe that God has a plan for all of us** And so I wrote this to myself after graduation, and I will share it with the other actors who perhaps feel the same way.

You are an actor: Because your whole body yearns to perform. To speak someone else’s words, to create an entirely new character that can live through only you, and to touch the lives of the audience. You love theatre because it is a service job and because it fulfills every ounce of your being and brings you a rush of feeling and ecstasy that cannot be found in any other aspect of your life.

Ultimately, I can report that I didn’t say much in the conversations involving finance, upscale apartments, and retirement plans. But I did love knowing that these people were completely happy with what they were doing, just as I am completely happy with what I am pursuing!

So in the words of an obnoxious theatre major, I will quote another musical “**If you want to be a dancer, dance. If you want to be a miner, mine**” but I sincerely hope that you don’t want to go into the arts so that you are not poor the rest of your life.

**Living up to my stereotype: Musical Theatre References

***For the record, most theatre people hate this stereotype because we don’t actually all start busting out into song***