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

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 5/30/20 at 8:11pm

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]

Posted: 5/31/20 at 3:42am

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.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/31/20 at 4:35am

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. 

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 5/31/20 at 10:33am

I think it's a very legitimate question for these days. Secondary and/or survival jobs (and gig employment) weren't a problem six months ago, when unemployment was at 3.6%. Now we're at about 14.7% with depression-level jobless rates and little signs of short-term improvement. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/31/20 at 10:37am

I know one agent alerted clients of what seemed like a mass exodus of actors who left the city and told the company they’re not returning.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/31/20 at 10:42am

Not an actor, but I know someone who was supposed to be working on a show that closed. They left their home state and have holed up in Rhode Island, I guess until further notice since their show is closed. 

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 5/31/20 at 11:26am

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.  

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/31/20 at 1:16pm

Although not about actors per se, I think this beautifully written piece speaks to some of this.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/sorry-haters-new-york-wont-die/611851/