Career Center

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Theatre Majors

What are you going to do with your major?

Remember, a liberal arts degree opens a vast array of career choicesand opportunities. Your degree has prepared you to approach problemsanalytically, think critically about ideas, research, organize yourthoughts, and write about your findings. Your only limitation isthinking that you are only qualified for the traditional jobs in aselected major.

“Although the theater is not life, itis composed of fragments or imitations of life, and people on bothsides of the footlight have to unite to make the fragments whole andthe imitations genuine.”      - Brooks Atkinson
 
 
The following books are available in the Career Center ResourceLibrary (Seegers Union, lower level). The locations of these booksare next to the title with the section number:
  • 100 Best Careers in Entertainment- Shelly Field  ARTS
  • Careers for the Stage Struck & Other Dramatic Types – Lucia Mauro  ARTS
  • The Actor’s Picture/Resume Book- Jill Charles  ARTS
  • The National Resource Guide for the Placement of the Artist  ARTS
  • Careers for Film Buffs and Other Hollywood Types- Jaq Greenspon  ARTS
  • Creating a Life Worth Living- Carol Lloyd  ARTS
  • Self-Promotion for the Creative Person- Lee Silber  ARTS
  • ArtSearch, National Employment Bulletin for the Arts- Monthly periodical  Current Periodicals
  • Current Jobs in Performing Arts- Monthly Periodical  Current Periodicals
  • Entertainment Employment Journal- Monthly Periodical  Current Periodicals
  • Careers for Extroverts and Other Gregarious Types- Jan Goldberg  EXPLORE
  • New Jersey Theatre Group Internship Book  INTERN
  • The Music and Entertainment Industry Internship Guide- Entertainment Media Consultants  INTERN
  • National Directory of Arts Internships Millennium and 2001/2002 editions- National Network For Artist Placement  INTERN
  • Creative Careers: How to put together a winning resume- Deluca & Deluca  RES
  • Resume for Performing Arts Careers, 2nd edition- VGM Career Books  RES
 
 
Other Career Center resources:
  • This Handout available on theCareer Center website or in the Career Center Resource Library.
  • What Can I Do With a Theatre Major? Additional Information and Links are available at: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/careercenter/majors/default.html.
  • Muhlenberg Career Network, a databaseaccessible from the career library computer that provides contactinformation for Muhlenberg alumni who have volunteered to helpstudents with their career goals.
Examples of types of jobs held by Theatre majors:
  • Graduate/ Professional School Student (New York Law School)
  • Asst. Lighting Coordinator (Zoellner Arts Center)
  • Executive Policy Specialist (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)
  • Theater Acting Instructor (Columbia College)
  • English Teacher (Colonial School District)
  • Program Assistant, Family Services (DOROT)


Theatre Department Library:
  • Regional Theatre Directory 2000-2001 Employment Guide
  • Directory of Theatre Training Programs-7th Edition
  • Additional internship, study abroad, and summer stock listings can be found in the drawers of the Theatre Department Conference Room
 
 
Graduate Programs:
  • Career Center: Peterson’s Graduate Programs in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
  • Theatre Department: In the conference room adjacent to the office, there is a drawer full of graduate school Program literature
 
 

Faculty Resources
  The MuhlenbergTheatre/Dance and Music faculty members are excellent resources tofind out more about a specific segment of the theatre and also toexplore graduate school opportunities.  Charles Richter, DepartmentHead, is a wonderful person to speak with about future plans in thetheatre arts.  Along with one-on-one appointments, Charles Richterand Theatre Department faculty hold sessions during the fall forseniors on pursuing careers in the Performing Arts.  Other facultycan help as well, just ask your professor what his/herspecialization is and from there network to find the faculty memberwho has done/ is doing what you would like to pursue or havequestions about.
 
 
National Associations:
 
 
Theatre-Related Websites:
  Backstage Jobs
    Has a listing of jobs in the following specialties: Design/Technical, Management/Administration, Acting, Internships, and Educational Opportunities.
 
  Playbill Online
    By clicking on the “Casting and Jobs” link, you can browse all job listings or search by category. You must register to use this site, but at no cost
 
  TheatreAlliance.org
    Site with job listings, internship opportunities, and volunteering opportunities in the Philadelphia area as well as general tips about auditioning.
 
  Backstage.com
    Site offers a broad range of casting opportunities, including some independent film. Breaks down casting calls by geographic location. Includes acting, dance, film, and technical support staff positions. Also has articles and segments on funding, current issues in theater, etc
 
  SummerTheater.com
    Lists summer theater opportunities both alphabetically and by geographic region.
 
  Theater Communications Group
    This is ARTSEARCH online. This site is organized into five categories: Administration, Artistic, Production, Career Development, and Education. You can search by category, title, or location. Use the following information to log in:
E-mail: careers@muhlenberg.edu, Password: ocdphelps.
 
  EntertainmentJobs.com
    Provides listings of openings in television and film. Several full listings are provided for each category. To see all listings, you must subscribe or visit the Career Center, which maintains a print subscription in the Current Periodicals section.
 
  Artslynx International Arts Resources
    Site is a “door” to many other web-sites.  The site gives links to theatre employment web-sites and also serves as a resource for caree4r exploration and investigation.
 
  Art Job Online
    Career Center has a subscription to this site.  In order to access it, use the following information: First name: Kellie, Last name Provost, Password: college. The site provides listings of professional opportunities, as well as information on many areas of the arts including Performing Arts.  Also has information on internships, fellowships, and conferences.

 

The Career Center, Muhlenberg College
2400 W. Chew Street, Allentown, PA 18104-5586
Ph: (484) 664-3170    Fax: (484) 664-3533

Return to the Career Center homepage.

Last Revised March 25, 2008
Questions and comments? Send e-mail to careers@muhlenberg.edu