<p>Momcares—D is extremely selective about her students in that they have to PAY and she has no patience whatsoever with bad checks. But seriously, as a coach or teacher that’s your job to help a student with pitch. It can be done. I think in order to pursue this line of work your D needs to get over that issue. Perhaps she could take a class in vocal pedagogy.
D does not really have a voice studio or a fixed space that she rents. She has a half dozen repeat students, but she coaches new students every week.</p>
<p>MomCares - My D does some babysitting to earn extra money at college. Because she has such a full schedule she usually only takes occasional jobs in the evenings on the weekends, but in Manhattan she makes $12- $20 per hour.</p>
<p>D also got a job as a singing birthday party princess when she was 15 and worked this until she went off to college. She was paid $32 per hour for the parties (1-2 hours) plus tips.</p>
<p>alot of performing arts professionals in NYC commute out to the suburbs several days a week to teach at local studios.</p>
<p>I have heard that some of larger city church choirs pay some members, but dont know of it first hand!</p>
<p>My D (MT major) is also taking classes in arts management. This summer she is managing the front of the house/box office for a summer stock company. She is earning pretty good money plus room and board for the summer. She has also interned in theatre education, teaching at a children’s theatre. She’s hoping that these types of jobs can continue after graduation. At least that way, she will have her foot still in the theatre - even if performing doesn’t pan out (or pay the bills).</p>
<p>My D is spending this summer (after her freshman year) at a performing arts camp. She will be there for 9 weeks and she gets room and board plus salary. She will make enough to have her spending money for the next school year. D is working with 9-13 year old kids who are at the musical theatre summer camp. The camp specifically hires college students that are theatre or musical theatre majors for their camp.</p>
<p>I know a recent MT grad who does babysitting for kids with disabilities and the pay is extraordinary. She signed up with an agency. It’s not her main job but it sure sounds lucrative.</p>
<p>You all are a wealth of great ideas and inspiration… and so many of these jobs sound like they would be extremely interesting to D. I will definitely share all of this with her!!</p>
<p>My nephew, who is a MT major, has worked the past three summers at a theme park performing in their shows. I was surprised at the money he made - around $5000 a summer! It was very hard work; they only got 1 day off a week, but he loves performing. Auditions for the park he worked at were in February, so it requires some planning ahead.</p>
<p>My S (who is in HS) plays cello and was in a quartet that has been hired for weddings. He earned around $50/hour; his sister who had a summer job earning minimum wage at a department store took most of the day to earn that.</p>
<p>S also sings and I’ve been encouraging him to learn some classic songs that are frequently requested at weddings and/or funerals. H is a minister/chaplain and gets hired for weddings/funerals a lot too; for funerals you can make connections with area funeral homes to be on their list of services available.</p>
<p>Our church has paid singers in our choir; we also pay musicians to perform (flute, trumpet, etc.). We advertise at a nearby university’s music department.</p>
<p>Best wishes!</p>
<p>Okay, so this thread was really helpful! So many creative things you guys came up with to do for survival jobs. :)</p>
<p>I am a high-schooler heading into my junior year, and have been trying to think up different ‘survival’ jobs to help save up for my to help save up and to do during and for my college career. I want to do something related to Musical Theatre, or at least something with the same skills I need to use and enjoy doing… </p>
<p>I’ve been considering for a while the idea of teaching a small MT class for pre-teens- much like Soozievt’s daughter did. Anyone have suggestions on how to go about this? I think I have a place I can do it, starting this fall, if willing. </p>
<p>I’ve also have considered babysitting, but being without a car (which will more than likely stay that way for a while…) or a ride (my mother does not think it will be worth the gas money…) this tends to be out of the question. </p>
<p>Does anyone also have ideas for jobs at least remotely related to theater that pre-college kids can do? </p>
<p>Thanks a lot! :)</p>
<p>VeraKay, it is good that you are looking for ways to earn money and/or to have some additional types of experiences in theater. This isn’t quite the same as the topic of this thread about survival jobs once someone graduates college. it probably could have its own thread topic. </p>
<p>Anyway, in terms of babysitting, both of my daughters did it when they were your age. But babysitting did not require them to drive or get rides. Every babysitting job they ever had, the parents picked them up and dropped them off. I think that is rather common as when we had babysitters who did not drive yet for our little kids, we did the same.</p>
<p>As far as starting a MT class…and you did mention my D’s experience…hers was a little different in that it was the summer after HS graduation and two weeks full time and not during the schoo year. It wasn’t merely a class. The program she started involved teaching classes in voice, dance, and acting, as well as putting on an original MT revue (the first year, my D wrote the show and the second year, she helped the students write their own show). It would be a bit different just teaching a single class. In any case, she did it with a friend (who was also heading to a BFA in MT program) and it helped to have two of them organizing and running all this. They rented space at our local small theater that is used by the community theater and owned by the community theater. That theater knew the girls and agreed on this. The girls put flyers up at all the local schools in our community and were listed in the school newsletters about local summer programs, as well as an article in our local newspaper. As it is a small community, many of the kids and families knew who my D and her friend were as they were prominent in school and community productions and so these kids looked up to them, so to speak. They had a great response. You could do this on a smaller scale and come up with a class per week that is focused on something very specific within MT. How you write up the class description would be important. Also, are there already any after school programs at the local elementary or middle school? Any after school clubs? If so, tap into that organizational structure and find out if you can offer a club or class. I remember some local girls who dance at our dance studio (our dance studio was far away and many local kids never got such opportunities due to cost or distance) offered a dance class as an afterschool club at the local elementary school.</p>
<p>Another type of job that my older D did in senior year (she did not go into MT but she has extensive experience in performing arts)…she was asked to take over for a semester to teach a tap dance class at our dance studio for middle school age/level. The regular tap dance teacher had a family emergency and had to take a semester’s leave. My D had been tap dancing her whole life and was very responsible and was hired to teach the class for pay. Do you dance at a studio? Is it possible to do something like this?</p>
<p>My MT kid had too full of a schedule to hold any kind of regular job in high school but she occasionally was paid as a vocal/audition coach for younger MT kids whose parents paid her and came to our house. My D has a knack for that (she coaches adults now), plays piano, and had a vast knowledge of the MT repertoire. This was good enough at the time (age 15/16, her last year of HS) to coach someone younger, or at least these parents were willing to pay her $25/hour! Could you give individual lessons or coach kids privately? It’s not the same as vocal technique but more coaching on audition prep and performance.</p>
<p>SOOZIEVT, out of curiosity, how did your MT D finish High School at age 15/16?</p>
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</p>
<p>Two things…</p>
<p>First, she was granted an early entrance into Kindergarten through evaluation. She had missed the K entrance cut off, which is Sept. 1 where we live. So, she wasn’t five yet when she entered and so was one year ahead that way. </p>
<p>Second, she graduated (with diploma) after junior year of high school. That was not the intention originally but she had the credits to do so as she had accelerated a lot in MS and HS (but not with the intent to graduate early but simply to meet her learning needs at the time).</p>
<p>Thus she went to college at age 16 1/2, and it was two years ahead of where she normally would be chronologically. She graduated college in 2009, but based on her birthdate and if she hadn’t entered K a year early and graduated high school another year early, her age would have her in the college class of 2011. </p>
<p>She has been out of college now for two years but is still 22. </p>
<p>Hope that clarifies it for you.</p>
<p>I honestly cannot remember if it’s already been discussed, but I think that a job in a theatre box office, ticket service, and/or ushering is a great survival job for theatre kids.</p>
<p>I currently work at the large auditorium on my campus. It’s an on campus job so although it pays minimum wage (we do get raises, though!) they are very supportive. They understand that academics and the requirements of my major come first and were extremely supportive when I had to take time off last semester to do 2 shows.</p>
<p>In the real world, I feel like it would be a great job if you could get it in a major theatre city. I know that ushers are often volunteers, but employment is available in this field. What made me think about posting was not only that the thread was bumped, but I met a guy last night who works for TDF and sees any shows he wants in NYC (pretty much) for free. He also loves what he does. He also told me he’s a choreographer and it’s allowed him to meet people when promoting shows.</p>
<p>So even if a job in one of these places doesn’t quite “advance” your career- it sure can’t hurt! You’re still working in your desired field, making money, and possibly staying on top of current theatre trends by seeing shows! I hope that my work at school can help me get “real world” jobs in the future to support myself whilst auditioning, even if it’s working tickets for sports events or concerts! A good job option I feel like a lot of students may be able to take on campus at their university.</p>
<p>I just read about a young man who got a degree in biology, all the while singing and dancing. So now his survival job is substitute teacher, so he can work as much as he wants to and can take off when he is busy with shows and/or auditions. To be a substitute, one needs a degree but in our state anyway, one doesn’t need a teaching credential. I did some subbing 100 years ago and I remember the pay was pretty good. Maybe MT kids would do very well at keeping a class entertained and out of trouble! If this sounds interesting, check with your state on the requirements for subs and see what the demand is. Back when I subbed, my degree and the class subject sometimes but not always lined up- but I’m guessing that science degree this fellow has is a big help.</p>
<p>Hi - reprinted from another thread…
Seriously, when thinking about “survival jobs”, I have often suggested to students that they get involved with box office, front of house, props, costumes, and particularly, stage management when not performing. How much better is it to ASM a show - getting to know and be known by directors, producers, and such - than waiting tables for non-show-business folks? Much better to be in the biz than delivering pizzas. As Momcares pointed out good keyboard skills are great - another way to stay close to the Business when not singing, dancing, or acting for a living.
So when the opportunity arises in college - takes advantage and learn some “related” fall-back skills while honing your performance skills. By the way, nothing bad about waiting or delivering - just that show-related jobs might do you better. I do know of several folks that got breaks later on after these sort or "show biz’ part time engagements earlier on in their career. Also, know some folks who, when they could no longer kick their face, took longer term jobs in management, costumes/wardrobe, dressing, and so on.</p>
<p>soozievt- thanks for the quick reply, and apologies for my (very much) belated one. ^^; </p>
<p>Should I make this into a new thread, or not worry about it? 
</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all the ideas! Unfortunately, baby-sitting at my home isn’t a option for us, my father runs a business out of our house and we have very limited living area… I hinted to my parents that maybe I could ‘babysit’ my younger siblings, but that’s out of the question 
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<p>Your D’s class sounds like it was a good experience, not just for her students (God, it sounds good) but also for her in working on her skills. What better way to continue practicing what you know then to teach it? 
But as you mentioned, I can’t really do something like that yet… Lack of time and professional experience Plus, I have a lack of buddies trying to head for MT career ;)</p>
<p>The smaller class like you suggested was actually what I was ultimately thinking of doing- probably something focusing more on the acting part of MT, (like script and character interpretation), since that’s what I consider my strongest area in MT at this point. </p>
<p>No, I don’t dance at a studio… I’m taking a MT class at a dance studio, which helps me some with dance (not near as much help as I need, though) and a lot with my vocals. I’m hoping to pick up a dance class when more money/time opens </p>
<p>The vocal audition prep sounds like a good fit for me, if I can figure something out for a location. :B I really do like to teach and sing </p>
<p>Thanks so much for your well-thought out response. </p>
<p>^ And speaking of the “fallback” or survival jobs… in my state as well, when you get a degree in something you can teach without credentials, so I’m hoping that if all else fails, I can teach Theatre or MT in a school setting. </p>
<p>AlexaMT- Sounds like a good way to go for me. Definitely something to keep in mind once I’m actually out and about ;P</p>
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<p>Hi VeraKay,
I think you misunderstood me on the babysitting. My kids did NOT babysit children at OUR house. I was trying to express that the parents of the kiddies would come here and pick up my teenager and bring her back to their home where she would babysit the kiddies and when the evening was over, they would drop my teen back here at home. Once my kids could drive, they often drove to the children’s homes. I think you thought I was saying that the parents of the kiddies dropped their kiddies off at our house for my girls to babysit them but that is not what I meant. I don’t think it is unique at all for parents who hire sitters to pick the teenage sitter up and bring her back home again to do the job. I know when my kids were little, we did pick up a teenager at her own home and bring her back to her home at the end of the evening.</p>
<p>^^My experience was the same…when I babysat, parents came and got me. When I needed babysitters, I went and got them and brought them to MY home. When my KIDS babysat, the parents picked THEM up and brought them to their homes. When sitters were drivers in ALL the above scenarios, the sitters drove to the kids home. Lots of generations of sitters!</p>
<p>It was great to re-read this thread now that the summer is mostly over. D ended up working at one of the two large MT theatres in town two days a week helping with administrative stuff for their HUGE program of kids’ MT classes, plus doing some babysitting between rehearsing and performing. </p>
<p>This summer has really highlighted the difficulty and importance of juggling survival jobs while pursuing an MT career, though. D has been performing and rehearsing 3 different shows simultaneously, with 3 different theatre companies. Between coordinating rehearsals and getting to/from them, it’s not so easy to fit in any sort of normal job. It’s been good for her to see how the adult equity actors she’s working with handle that, and also to see to what extent directors work around actor schedules. She’s worked with directors and actors who were simultaneously performing in and rehearsing for other shows, and with actors, writers and directors who were flying between coasts during rehearsals.</p>
<p>It hasn’t been a summer of financial gain (really not for many of D’s high school friends) but she has certainly been learning a lot.</p>