Is it time for broadway actors to find a new skill/career path? — Page 2

bwaylvsong said: "Most actors already DO have other skills and survival jobs and/or “parallel careers”. It’s only a very tiny minority that make their income solely from performing."

I think an issue is that a lot of those survival jobs aren't available either. There was no restaurant, bartender, catering, etc. work. There were no child care jobs (or there shouldn't have been with the quarantine) and no office temp work. No gyms were open for people work in fitness. Some actors have side businesses cooking or crafting but aside from fans who want to support them by buying merch, I don't think people are looking to make more frivolous/unnecessary purchases right now.

Someone who has always been an actor likely has not had time to train in the skills for a completely different discipline and/or maintain the kind of long-term job that would be employing them right now.

SweetLips22 said: "I remember the good old days on frequent visits to NYC visiting a certain entertainment venue where out of work dancers had the opportunity to keep paying the rent.

Sadly that avenue is also now closed."

There are still a few strip clubs left in the city.

VintageSnarker said: "bwaylvsong said: "Most actors already DO have other skills and survival jobs and/or “parallel careers”. It’s only a very tiny minority that make their income solely from performing."

I think an issue is that a lot of those survival jobs aren't available either. There was no restaurant, bartender, catering, etc. work. There were no child care jobs (or there shouldn't have been with the quarantine) and no office temp work. No gyms were open for people work in fitness. Some actors have side businesses cooking or crafting but aside from fans who want to support them by buying merch, I don't think people are looking to make more frivolous/unnecessary purchases right now.

Someone who has always been an actor likely has not had time to train in the skills for a completely different discipline and/or maintain the kind of long-term job that would be employing them right now.



I totally get that- my point was that actors have always had to have other jobs, so “doing something else” is not a new concept. Not to mention that those other industries will almost definitely be back in some way before theatre is.