Do you need a degree to get the best theatre jobs?

[Mummy Lucy]

I'm 20 and currently on a BTEC National Diploma Technical theatre course which ends this June.

My tutors have persuaded me to apply for degree courses in Stage Management and I've applied to Bristol Old Vic, Northbrook College in Sussex, Trinity College and Royal Welsh college (both in Wales).

Can anybody recommend any of these courses?

Also is it possible to get jobs without a degree these days? I'll be 24 before I leave uni, not sure I want to spend another 3 years of my life in education. I'd much prefer making tea and working my way up, than sitting in a classroom.

 

Any thoughts, comments, ideas will be greatly appreciated.

 

Luce

XxX

[Ben P]

Probably will get shot to pieces here but do it the tea making way if you can. I've done it that way and worked my way up and now in a good job because of it. It's hard work at times and you do have to take work that you do think you being mad for taking but it is all part of the learning curve.

 

The best way is to learn on the job - in that way you will see how lots of different people carry out there jobs and you will be able to learn what you think is the best (and worst!) way to do it.

 

Try contacting your local theatre. Even If you want to go in to Stage Management working as a casual at your local theatre will get you meeting visiting companies and might just start you on the first foot step.

 

Good Luck!

 

Ben

[Suzette]

What do you want to do in theatre? Do you want to be a good all rounder, maybe working as technician in a venue in several departments or do you want to specialise and only work in, say, lighting and eventually earn your living as a lighting designer?

Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years time - that may help you make the decision about what route you take now...

[Rob]

Moderation - Moved to training forum

[Jivemaster]

If you aspire to higher management a degree will help. Study under named people and aim HIGH, If you aspire to be a good senior tech then a degree course is three years with no salary. Look also at part time courses its very hard putting in 12 hours a week of own study time but you are only investing in your own future. Look into OU see if your existing certs and quals will get you any exemptions.

[Stu]

Hi Luce

 

I personally agree with Ben P here - go for the tea making option. You obviously have something to start on, so you might be able to skip the team making level and move to stage sweeper... Just kidding. My views on this subject are very well documented, so I won't go into too much detail, but think of it like this - in the last year (since working casual 'full time') I've earnt about £10k, so in 3 years I will have earnt (at a rough guess) £30k, and a hell of alot of experience and a phat CV. While at Uni I could have lost £15k or so. So the advantages of working are huge.

 

You also gain some good contacts from tours that role in, and over the three years, you might see the same people more than once and give yourself a chance of piggy backing onto a tour.

 

See if your tutors have any contacts. You could also try mail shotting (so to speak) your CV to the local theatres. I do 95% of my work at one of your locals so PM me if you want some advice / who to send your CV off to. There isn't alot of work there at the moment, and probably a touch over subscribed, but it's worth a try, and I can also offer advice on other venues in the area.

 

HTH

Stu

[paulears]

the trouble is some (not all) employers have got very used to prospective employees having a degree. Then, if you haven't you might get put on the 'no'pile without getting any further - a sort of filter process. That said, and judging from many of my ex-students (and their ex-employer) some of the degrees are worthless. The good thing about them is they get you into some venues you wouldn't otherwise see inside the door. You still end up doing the tea - but you're good at writing evaluations about the length of time it took for the teabag to infuse and the effect of brownian motion on the brew. Personally, if you want more education, I'd look for a HND course - an old mate of mine did one of those and found it genuinly useful. Watch out for many uni's who simply run lx and sm so that they can crew their acting degree, which is the ONLY thing they're interested in!

 

I'm doing a uni tour this year of suitable places, so by next year, I'll really know.

[Rachel]

Thought I'd add my 2p's worth. I'm possibly not in the best position to judge as I'm still at Uni so can't tell you about my employment record! However, I think the most important thing is experience. Since I started at Drama School (and before), I have tried to gain as much professional experience as possible alongside my degree. For me, this has meant followspotting casually at a local theatre, stage managing a Fringe show in London, and working in various capacities for a number of theatres and companies in London. For me, Drama School is the safe place where I can learn through emulating the real world, and I can make mistakes without wrecking havoc on my career. My course is vocational, which means it's pretty hands-on, with a few essays thrown in (which make it a degree). By working outside of college as well, I am building up contacts and learning how the industry works.

 

Drama school doesn't suit everyone, but I really believe it was the right choice for me. At my college certainly it is all about working to industry standards and creating quality theatre, and the tutors are industry professionals.

 

Feel free to disagree - like I said, I can only tell you about what I know!

[la grande homme]

a degree is well worth the time, effort and lack of earnings... choose a good college and it isn't like another three years in education, its like three years apprenticeship to becoming a professional.

 

I graduated just before my 23rd birthday, older than some of my peers but younger or the same age as many of them... 24 isn't a particularly old age to be leaving university. You do get some 18 year olds who are straight from school but in my experience they don't get as much out of the course and have less to offer than those who have lived a little.

 

as others have said you have to put your time in and work hard, but you are also doing it in a safe environment where you will have facilities that you might not get to play with until you have been a professional for several years and have moved up from the fringe or wherever you start. knowledge of these will get you a better job in a higher echelon of theatre quicker.

 

any degree shows that you have the application and commitment to study something in depth for three years (in spain some degrees take up to 8 years!). A specialist degree in, for example, stage management, will guarantee several things; that you have a vacabulary consistent with that of the industry (you won't be buying cigarettes when someone asks you to bring the tabs in...) that you will have been trained by industry professionals. that you will have done shows on as close to professional basis as possible without actually being a pro. Some colleges will also support you in the gaining of practical qualifications (cherry picker licence, working at height courses, C+G electrics etc.)

 

Like you I did BTECs, a first diploma and a national diploma, for 3 years and then a further year at another FE college specialising in Theatre followed by my degree at Dartington in Devon for 3 years... and I always swore I'd leave education at 15 and go and work for a living... :)

[techwsussex]

As long as u have enough knowledge to be useful, then tea making is a good way in. I personally did a sort of combination in that I have an HND, and stuff like that but no degree. I also spent a few years working before that and altogether have a decent grounding.

 

In terms of 'best jobs' I've worked for some nice people and places all over. For what I aim for my education is nowhere near as important as my experience. For the more artistic side it can be nice to have a degree.

 

Owen

[ljstevens]

Luce Bristol old Vic is ment to be a very good course I had quite a few friends who went to Northbrook as well and they said that was very impressive! But remember its who you know more than what you know in this business! hope it all goes well for you! :D

[Mummy Lucy]

Thanks guys, u've all been really helpful. I think I'm going to (if they accept me) go to Northbrook College in Sussex. Their course is a 2 year Foundation Degree in Stage Management, which means I can go back any time I like and do a final year year to convert it into a full degree.

I would also like to go to Bristol Old Vic, as I've heard the course is excellent and also covers aspects of radio and television.

Thanks Stu, I will definitely get in contact with you if the whole uni things falls through, and also possibly about some Summer work before I go off to wherever.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, its really good to listen to other people's experience and advice, I really appreciate it.

Ideally in 10 years time I see myself as a Stage Manager for repertory theatre somewhere down South.

 

Thanks again everyone, I'll keep you updated if you're really that interested in lil old me, oh and sorry I put my msg in the wrong forum, slap on the wrists for me.

 

Luce

XxX

[Chris_H]

Cheers Lucy for putting this post up, I'm going through exactly the same thing at the moment, I'll be 24 when I eventually finish a uni course and I've just done a weeks work experience at my local theatre which I may be getting some P/T casual work at and jsut wondering what to do. But like I said, thanks for putting this up cause it's helped alot.

 

Chris :huh:

[Ellis]

Look into OU see if your existing certs and quals will get you any exemptions.

IN GENERAL The OU will give you 120 points for every COMPLETE year of study at higher education level.

 

A few words of wisdom from a current OU student:

 

You need 360 points for an honours degree - 120 of which must be at level 3. There are further restrictions for named degrees esp. involving credit transfer.

 

Many level 3 courses have level 2 pre-requisites, some level 2 courses have level 1 pre-requisites.

 

No matter how well you plan your studies at the start, the OU will throw a spanner in the works (discontinue 1 course & start new courses)

 

They have few courses with any relevance to technical theatre.

 

It is not cheap - My 60 point course this year is £750

 

If you are doing anything else do not even consider doing more than 60 points - fitting in that much work around shows is bad enough (~8 assignments with fixed deadlines).

 

HTH

 

Ellis

[jagardner1984]

Sorry to but in, but really really don't go to any of those places. Come away with me. I am a first year student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and I went round all of those places and this is the best, BY FAR.

 

I am having an absolutely amazing time, if you wanna know anything about the course or the place, please reply

 

Come to Glasgow

 

James