Whether you’re on the stage or behind the scenes, working in children’s theater isn’t just for kids. The audience may consist of young people, but the creative teams that put the shows together are made up of hard-working, talented adults.
While there are a number of theater organizations throughout Manhattan that specialize in theater for young audiences, Show Business spoke with five that are always looking for experienced adults for both full-time and per-project work. The organizations include: TheatreworksUSA, TADA!, Amas Musical Theater, the Abrons Arts Center, and Manhattan Children’s Theater.
Touring with Youth Theater
TheatreworksUSA, located at 151 West 26th Street, presents over 4,800 youth theater performances nationwide for a total annual audience of 2.4 million children and adults. The productions are geared towards pre-kindergarten children to 12th-grade students. Like many theater groups, TheatreworksUSA is a nonprofit organization. “Everybody makes a living, not a killing,” says Ken Arthur, managing director of TheatreworksUSA. All workers receive union wages, except for costumers, who are paid according to their level of expertise.
While TheatreworksUSA is a union company, there are plenty of opportunities for non-union talent. Writers are commissioned to create pieces every year. “We accept unsolicited scripts and resumes to give new talent a chance,” Arthur says.
TheatreworksUSA is a self-sustaining organization and employs not only stage talent and backstage crew, but administrative help such as a marketing department, payroll managers and sales staff. While the creative side is hired on a seasonal or a project-by-project basis, administrative staff is utilized year round.
It takes a lot more than talented faces to make a successful show. “We want people with the ability to perform under pressure,” says Arthur. “A show takes two years to develop. Once developed and on the road, it goes out and plays 200 to 300 performances a year, so that’s a heavy burden on any member of the team. Actors must understand vocal and acting techniques and be able to maintain self-discipline during a tour. We are looking to develop young people and work with established playwrights and others in the field.”
According to Arthur, working in youth theater is a rewarding experience, especially for actors. “One of the rewards is that children are absolutely honest, and you learn as an actor what works. If they don’t like you, they let you know,” he says. Arthur adds that children’s theater encourages social change, and it’s fun at the same time.
Showcase Your Skill
TADA!, located at 15 W. 28th Street, is a nonprofit youth theater where children perform for other children. Experience counts when considering a job with TADA! “All of our staff are professionals who have all had careers within their fields. Our company manager has stage managed for Broadway shows,” says Bonnie Butkas, director of development and communications. “Youth theater provides a great opportunity for playwrights, lyricists and composers to hone their skills, to create work, see it on stage, and hear what it sounds like.”
Butkas asserts that TADA! maintains a high standard of production. According to Butkas, the pride derived from producing a show with professional lighting, sets and costumes is extraordinary. “It’s exciting to see your work up there in a high quality set,” she adds.
Working in youth theater has an upside that is connected with young actors. “It’s rewarding working with the kids and seeing them grow on stage and grow as performers. The other thing that’s great is seeing the diversity of our performers, who are from different economic and ethnic backgrounds,” says Butkas.
And for the “Older” Crowd
Amas Musical Theater works with talented youth, ages 14 and up, first training and then casting them in Amas productions. The theater season is split into four parts: training runs October-December; production preparation occurs between January-March; rehearsals from April to early May; and shows start in May.
The academy offers a number of employment opportunities. It hires adult performers as mentors and teachers and prefers those who have at least four years of experience teaching students in middle school to high school. Two program assistants handle specific duties and are required to have experience working with youth ages 14-18. One assistant does the physical, hands-on work with the students; helping them with blocking, plotting, giving them their lines and assisting with the continuity of the show. The other program assistant does administrative work—both in group sales and backstage. Acting, vocal and dance instructors are also required.
Amas looks for performers who have professional experience and a set career path—to give students a sense of stability. “The person should be settled and sure this is what he/she wants to do,” says program director, Monica Johnson. “We don’t want someone who will be jumping off, going to auditions.”
During the second part of its season, the Academy hires the musical director, choreographer, director, musicians, set designers, technical directors, costume designer and wardrobe assistant on a per production basis. Rates for some of these positions are based on daily or hourly amounts. For example: program assistants can earn between $10-$25 an hour. Other positions can pay from $50-$150 an hour depending on experience and seniority. But not everyone does it for money. “We do have a lot of volunteers. People volunteer time and intern, and that’s a great way to learn the business,” says Johnson.
To Johnson, one of the best aspects of working at the Academy is seeing the youth progress from the audition to the play. “The young people are free in a safe environment and you’re part of their development,” says Johnson.
Pass On What You Know
Another organization that emphasizes training children for theater is the Abrons Art Center, located at 466 Grand St. The center has three theater programs for youth: a pre-professional training program for children ages 5-7, the Abrons Art Center Children’s Theater for ages 8-13, and Urban Youth Theater for ages 13-19. All three programs hire teaching artists whose salaries can vary.
The center aims to introduce acting to kids. For the very young, a technique called creative dramatics is emphasized, where the focus isn’t on how children perform for other people as much as it is on learning how to play imaginatively. Creative dramatics involves games and songs, shows kids how to move, and has them read and act out stories. Teaching artists work with kids so they can play imaginatively with music, visual elements and words.
Though not required, previous teaching experience, or work with children, is preferred. Abrons believes it’s ideal if teaching artists have some educational experience, and know about early childhood development and what’s needed. Most people who teach at the center have been through an educational theater program at schools like NYU.
Abrons Art Center Children’s Theater offers acting and musical theater classes for children, which are focused more on performance. According to the center, the classes are about discovering what actors do, what a script is, and how to develop voice and physical abilities.
Urban Youth Theater is the training program for teens and requires that teaching assistants have formal professional training in music, dance or acting. Some participants are young people with no experience, who come in wanting to act because they’ve seen TV, movies or live theater. Teaching artists must realize they are working with beginning students, who don’t necessarily know the social aspects of putting a show together. There’s group building involved, and teaching artists have to have an awareness of young people’s situations, economically and socially. They have to know those issues and have the idealism to work with the kids.
In addition to the teaching artists, the theater programs offer other positions. The children’s theater productions are performed for general and school audiences, and hire directors, designers, actors, stage managers and a technical crew. These positions are on a per project basis and salaries can vary.
Back to the Stage
If performing, and not teaching, is what you prefer, there’s always the Manhattan Children’s Theater (MCT), at 52 White St., which performs 5-8 week runs of shows during its season. The theater, now in its sixth year, produces shows nine months of the year. It’s opening the show
Contract positions and salaries with MCT vary, and only non-Equity adult actors are hired on a per production basis. Pay ranges from $300-$500, depending on the length of the run. Though it is a non-union company, it’s not for beginners. The theater seeks performers with experience in acting and musical theater. “We look at the credibility of the acting programs they were in,” says executive director, Laura Stevens. “To work here, the person has to believe in our mission: to provide affordable, high quality entertainment.”
Playwrights are commissioned to write plays and are paid $500. For up-and-coming writers, it’s a great opportunity to get exposure. “Our budget only allows us to do one piece that involves royalties,” says Stevens. “So we usually do pieces that are not published.”
For backstage help, positions include designers, lighting techs, costumes, and set and music directors. Designers’ pay ranges from $100 to $500, while composers are commissioned to write original music for productions and are paid $400-$500. Directors receive $400-$500. Stage managers earn $300-$600 depending on length of run and experience. Both experienced stage managers and those fresh out of college, looking for their first job, are welcome.
