The Business of Broadway: I Just Graduated College… Now What?
New York City - “Center of the Universe”. The beating heart of the musical theatre industry beckons aspiring performers from far and wide, offering a tapestry of opportunities and a whirlwind of possibilities. You just graduated college and are ready to take the industry by storm. As you step onto the bustling streets, surrounded by towering skyscrapers and the pulsating energy of Broadway, you realize that you’ve arrived at the epicenter of a business like no other. But where do you begin? Many college programs in musical theatre are successful in developing the skills necessary as a singer, dancer, and actor to jumpstart a career. The teachings of your professors will prove invaluable long after you graduate. However, many programs offer only one semester on learning the business skills required as a performer to excel and, as a result, leave you unprepared on how to navigate it as a self-employed artist. Whether this information is new, or it is a review, here are some of my thoughts on what every aspiring performer new to NYC should consider when thinking about their newly-founded small business that is you!
“N.Y.C, just got here this morning. Three bucks, two bags, one me”
- “Star to Be”, ANNIE
Your job is auditioning… Your reward is performing
In one way or another, we have all experienced an indescribable moment on the stage that has inspired our interest in the performing arts as a profession. You can emotionally recall feeling the lights shine directly center as you share a story in front of an audience that is focused on you alone. There’s nothing quite like it. However, as you begin your pursuit of a career in performance, it is important to understand that performing in a staged production is a result of the fruits of your labor. Your true job is auditioning.
In essence, you are a musical theatre entrepreneur that is pitching the business you own and operate that is you. You walk into the audition room (or stand in front of the camera) and have approximately 3-5 minutes to convince investors why your business, as a performer, is worth investing in. During your pitch, there is time for an interaction with the accompanist, greeting the panel of investors, and 8/16/32 bars of a song to showcase the brand that is “you”. Their goal as a panel is to screen as many small businesses as possible so that they can make the best decision on who they would like to invest in for their production. They may likely only say “thank you” and if they are interested in learning more about your service, they will call you back. Otherwise, you may not hear from them.
Perceiving your career as a musical theatre entrepreneur allows you to understand the industry from a business perspective and prepare for job interviews, or auditions, a bit more strategically. You come to view yourself as the face of a service, or product, that is representing a brand that you want the world to see! It all begins with understanding the landscape of the auditions themselves - what to do before the audition, where to find auditions to submit yourself to, and where the auditions physically are in NYC.
"If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere. It’s up to you. New York, New York"
- Frank Sinatra
What you need to do BEFORE the job interview, or audition
Before you can pitch your brand to a group of investors, there must be a brand to represent. In other words, you must have a clear understanding of who you are, what you represent, and how that image is conveyed in the virtual world. You must have a resume that clearly highlights your work experience - that is a given. It is also industry practice to have a website to refer casting directors towards. Most importantly, you must have a social media presence that features your brand as an artist. One’s ability to avoid the integration of social media into their performance career is no longer negotiable - your social media engagement is a factor in decision making when casting productions..
Here is another way to think about these job interview requirements: Your resume is equivalent to your business card. It provides investors with all the information necessary on how to contact you and it provides them with information on where to learn more about you. Your website is your brand’s digital storefront. It is a place for investors to visit to quickly learn more about who you are and what you are currently up to in the industry that may not be reflected on your resume. Here, they will be interested in seeing more performance footage of you. It is a great opportunity to showcase more of your skills that you may not have had time for in the audition room. Finally, your social media presence is your marketing platform. Because of it’s convenience, your social media handles will likely be the first place casting visits if they are interested in learning more about you. They want to see how you engage in the world - both as a performing artist and as a person. And they are looking at your social media engagement as a marketing tool. If they see a performer is actively engaged by posting regular content, and has an extensive following, they may look at it as a marketing opportunity to promote the production they are considering you for. They want to see you have consistent content that has a reach to drive ticket sales to their show. Be conscious of what you are posting! Whether you intend for it to be, or not, your social media is automatically tied to your brand image as a performing artist.
"Musical theatre is not just about the art; it's about understanding the industry and being a businessperson."
- Sheri Sanders
Where do I find projects to submit myself for?
You cannot audition for any work if you don’t know where to look for the breakdowns of projects being produced. Here are the 4 major websites to find auditions to submit yourself to:
Remember, your primary job as a musical theatre entrepreneur is pitch yourself as much as you can. Submit yourself to as many breakdowns that you fit the description of and see who projects excite you. Check these websites daily for projects that your talents can enhance.
Where do I physically audition for projects?
Due to COVID, it is likely that your first audition for a project will take place in your apartment in the form of a self-tape. There are many pros and cons to the self-tape! Regardless, they are fully integrated in the industry and are not going anywhere. You want to make sure that you have self-tape equipment that doesn't take up much storage space and that is quick and easy to set up. You can find the self-tape equipment I recommend here.
If you’re going to an open call (Equity Chorus Call or Equity Principal Audition) or the initial audition is live, it is likely to be in Ripley Grier Studios (520 8th Ave) or Pearl Studios (500 8th Ave). There are other studio spaces in the city that hold industry auditions, but these are the two primary spaces that you will become well acquainted with as a musical theatre entrepreneur. *NOTE: There are multiple Ripley Grier Studios! Read your breakdown carefully.
How do I continue to develop my resume, and brand, without a staged production?
When you first move to NYC, you may immediately book work. However, that is not necessarily the norm. Most musical theater performers find themselves having to hit the pavement pretty hard before getting cast in a production. You may experience an extended period of time when you are not performing on a stage. Regardless, the small business that is you continues to operate and grow - you must nurture it. This is the time when your entrepreneurial mind is essential.
Casting wants to see that you have the skills necessary to make their production a success. Therefore, we need to find filming opportunities in NYC that showcase our abilities as a performer. A great place to start is continuing education. You can get footage from your participation in a dance class at Steps on Broadway or Broadway Dance Center, from a recording of you in a voice lesson or song coaching (ask permission from your coach before posting. Propose it as a way to promote their business as well if you are nervous about asking), or from an acting class. And your posts do not always have to be of your performing; it can be as simple as you showcasing that you are continuing your education.
Another great opportunity to generate more performance content is to participate in workshops/readings. You will find these opportunities on the same platforms that provide you with breakdowns. However, a good program to know about is BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. This a program designed for rising musical theater composers and they are CONSTANTLY in need of singers to perform the work they’re developing.
If you want to develop your business skills as a musical theatre entrepreneur even more, you can produce your own concert! There are a number of reputable musical theatre cabaret venues that Broadway performers frequently perform in. You can book these spaces to self-produce your own concerts. Check out cabaret venues such as 54 Below, The Green Room 42, and The Duplex for inspiration. There are many more quality venues to explore but these are some of the best known musical theatre cabaret venues in NYC. Visit them to get a feel for what NYC musical theater cabarets are like and then research some smaller or lesser known venues that are more affordable. If you are hesitant about producing a whole concert yourself, try singing a song or two at an open mic night at piano bar, Don’t Tell Mama. And if you’re even nervous about getting up at an open mic night, use your self tape set up! Casting just wants to see your skills in action!
"New York is a place where you can be anything you want to be, as long as you're willing to work hard enough."
- Mariah Carey
Pursuing a career as a musical theatre performer in New York City is not for the faint of heart. It demands the self-discipline of owning and operating a small business where success is measured based on the amount of work you’re willing to put into it. The better you are able to approach the business of broadway as a musical theatre entrepreneur, the more likely you are to book work and continue to build your business. Your day to day operations will include consistently searching for projects to submit yourself for, attending callbacks and open calls at Ripley or Pearl, continuing your education as a singer, dancer, and actor, and producing content for your marketing campaign across your social media platforms.
This is the first of many articles having to do with The Business of Broadway. More articles will be coming soon that will touch upon building a parallel career as a musical theatre entrepreneur, the pros and cons of doing Equity, and the importance of networking in this wonderful industry. If you have any questions pertaining to this article, or would like to discuss it’s content further please contact me here.
-Mackenzie Bykowski
M.M, Adv. Cert.