<p>Showmom and soozie, your posts touch on how with a little ingenuity, students, both h.s. and college, can come up with employment opportunities that are a bit out of the box and blend well with the talents, skills and time commitments that MT oriented students have to offer. My daughter works for a DJ/entertainment company as a dancer, vocalist and co-MC. She works a variety of parties including Bar and Bar Mitzvahs, Sweet 16's, record hops and corporate events. The events are usually on weekends and in the middle of each month she tells her employer what her availability is for the following month. She started working for this employer at the age of 15 (having told us at the age of 8 that she intended to get a job as a party dancer when she experienced the entertainment at a Bar Mitzvah for the son of our friends) and continues to work the job as a college student. It was and is the perfect h.s. and college year job for her. She controls her schedule, is doing something that draws on her talents and skills and makes the equivalent of $30 - 40/hour. Plus she has a blast doing it. She started out as a junior dancer and today is a lead dancer on the jobs plus serves as a co-MC and is also the dance manager/captain for the company. Plus as she is working the microphone, leading dances and engaging with the guests, you never know who might be in the audience :) .</p>
<p>Yeah, Michael, I didn't really chime in on this very interesting thread because my child is not about to enter college. But lots of things have come up and so I'll comment on some and share experiences that relate. </p>
<p>One issue has to do with working while in school. I agree with many others that it is very difficult to fit in a regular job while attending a BFA program (as it was during the the school year in HS if heavily involved in Extracurriculars). But two things on that.....one is that you can use your summers to earn the spending money for college and not work during the school year. The other is that you can find flexible well paying work during the school year that you can do when you have time. If you have skills, you can also create jobs for yourself. </p>
<p>I'll share a bit around these ideas from personal experience. First, both my kids earned four years' worth of spending money for college BEFORE they got to college, though I will add that we also give them a monthly allowance for spending money and so with the two combined, they have what they need (we also give them a food allowance as they are not on a meal plan, as well as pay for books and school supplies, travel home or to visit one another, and a yearly clothing allowance). But the money they have earned themselves supplements the allowance so that they can do things in college (and one is in NYC which is an expensive place to be). Then, in the summers, we do not pay for any summer programs and such now that they are in college since we pay all during the school year. My kids have worked every summer and usually in their field and have either earned enough to pay their living expenses for the summer (as they are away from home in summers during college) and in some summers, including this coming one, they are earning a lot and can sock away significant money as well as pay for their summer living. </p>
<p>During the school year, we do not expect them to work and we turned down the work study portion of their financial aid packages. However, each has chosen to earn money from time to time during the school year as extras when they can. My older one was a TA both semesters this year but frankly would have done it for no pay as she wanted to but she was paid. During the school year, my MT kid sometimes earns money but she doesn't have a regular job as her life is chockful and so she works when she feels she can fit it in and in a very flexible way and turns down a LOT of work that she can't fit in as she main job is to be a student. But the flexible things she has done DURING the school year in college include.....giving piano lessons privately to teen agers (is doing one tomorrow and has been paid up to $75//hour) but can't usually fit this in every week as she is in shows and everything. She did turn down teaching a MT class for elem kids for pay. But when she can do it, she does work Broadway themed scripted birthday parties where the "cast" are all people with degrees in the field (she is one of the only without a degree) and she gets paid quite well for those and also tips. This past semester she couldn't fit it in but she did a party last week as she was out of school. She decides which jobs to accept and not and could take on more after graduation as a flexible side job. She has been asked to accompany auditions and shows for pay but turns a lot down but if she had time, she also can earn good money for that and does it once in a while. If you have a skill like accompaniment, you can earn a very good rate and can be in demand actually in the city. In the fall, she was paid as a professional musical director and that job she would have done for free given the level of the opportunity but she made enough to finance a trip to Europe and also save a bunch. So, the point is, you do not have to wait tables and can earn at least $25/hour (usually more) to do work in the field that is flexible where you decide how much or how little you want to do. Then, in the summers, one can earn a good sum to sock away for spending money as well. Again, this is work in MT. This summer, my D's main job (musical director and performer) will earn enough to practically pay a year's rent in NYC for after her graduation. </p>
<p>I agree with someone who said that it also is good if you can hold some jobs before college to have some sort of experience on the resume. I know my older D had taught in children's summer programs and had also been a wait person in a restaurant, all prior to her college years. So, when she wanted to spend the summer in France two years ago, she looked for a job as a wait staff at a country inn (which is exactly what she did in HS) or as a counselor/teacher in a program for kids and she was offered two jobs in France, one in each area of her work experience at that point (she was 19 at the time) and took the one with kids. Without some experience, she never would have been hired. It was a way to spend the summer in France and not have it cost money to go. </p>
<p>And then there is the issue that you bring up of creating your own jobs. My younger D did precisely that and it has been a big money maker that she actually enjoyed a great deal but she was only able to fit it in two summers and not the others due to other job commitments but could have done it every summer due to its success (and it is running without her this summer). The summer after she graduated HS, we did let her go back to theater camp for 3 weeks since she was still only 16 but she had to work the rest of the summer since she was heading to college and to save up more spending money to have for the four years on top of money she had earned for many years in theater that was saved for spending money. So, first she did a professional show locally though that did not pay a lot as she was not Equity. But then, with a local friend who was heading to Emerson's BFA, the two girls created a two-week summer MT program for girls ages 9-14 where they taught classes in voice, dance, and acting and then put on an original musical revue that the two girls wrote for the "campers." It was a big hit and they earned a lot in the two weeks. The following summer, my D was in another state doing summer stock and so the camp was run without her. But last summer, while my D worked in MT and was in a show in NYC most of the summer, she came back home for two weeks to run the program again. The kids here eat it up because the two girls that run it are not THAT much older than them and they look up to them. This past summer, they let the girls write their own musical and even helped them write some songs, in addition to showcasing each girl with regular MT material. They choreographed dances and put on a musical that was on local TV again. It was worth coming home for two weeks to do as my D really loved teaching and directing it actually and this is an example of creating their own jobs (they rented the local theater to do it). It took a lot of planning and organization, but my D had created musicals in HS too and so this was simply making it more educational and for youth. This summer, she is working all summer in MT in NYC so can't run it but her friend is still running it here. I share this as an example of what some of you MT kids could do in your local communities....create your own programs/jobs. It can be a real money maker and a great experience itself.</p>
<p>Michael, I forgot to comment on what your D does which is so wonderful and it also worked well for your D that she started in that flexible job in her high school years and happens to go to college in the same area and can continue with it. There isn't much work doing that where we live here. There truly are no Bar/Bat Mitzvahs or Sweet 16s (there were plenty where I grew up which is near you though!). But you also mentioned corporate parties and also how you never know who is in the audience. That reminded me of how my D's a cappella group (in college) was singing in the park and someone saw them and approached them and hired them for some corporate party for pay last winter. And I am not sure how they got the party this week for GQ for pay. That money earned is for her group and not her individually but it is sorta the same idea. When you are in NYC, one thing often leads to another too. Like recently my D said someone saw her in an open mic talent night at school and offered her a gig (singer/songwriter) at a club the other night. Then, recently she was paid to accompany for a gig that RENT cast members put on at a club and that led to being asked to accompany for auditions but she could not fit it in because her school activities are her first priority. But since she plans to stay in the city after graduation, she knows she has ways to earn money while hitting the audition circuit and has networked enough over the four years that she is not starting out new to find ways to earn money there. Others do waitress and bartend but I don't think she is going to ever be doing that. Like you say, there is paying work to be had in the field that pays quite decently and often is quite flexible that is good if you have the skills and can then earn money when you get out of school while trying to be available to go to auditions for performance jobs. This is something for all you younger ones to keep in mind.....develop related skills in the arts.....be it teaching kids, choreographing, arranging, accompanying, directing, tech, etc.</p>
<p>My D has been lucky enough to get jobs that have allowed her to use her musical theater skills and have also allowed her to continue to pursue classes and performing opportunities. For the past few summers, she has worked as a musical theater counselor at a local studio. The job was flexible enough to allow her to perform in a show at night. This year during her senior year, she replaced a dance teacher at her studio who went out on tour and made a great salary. She worked only 3 hours a week but was paid as a professional The job required her to not only teach but to choreograph a recital piece (for 6 and 7 year olds!!!!) so it was a great experience for her. She also used to give private audition prep sessions for kids who were trying out for some of our local middle school shows. She helped them pick a song, work on a dance routine, go over lines (if they had them in advance) and work on stage presence and what to expect in an audition. This came about by accident -- she was approached by an unknown mom after starring in her High School play. Her name was passed around and these private audition prep sessions turned out to be quite profitable. It was nice for her (and us ) to realize that she could be putting her skills to good use to make some extra spending money in the future.</p>
<p>Alliesmom, I am glad you shared that. Things your D did are precisely what I mean too about creating your own jobs and using your skills in the field to garner work. Funny but both things you mentioned, both of my kids also did in HS. My older one was asked to take over for a semester (her final semester of HS) as the tap dance teacher at our studio for a class for middle school aged girls.
She taught the class and choreographed their annual dance for the performance and also was paid. She loved it. Then, my younger one did what your D did insofar as parents paying her $25/hr for her to do vocal coaching to prepare their child for auditions. The child would come over the house. I was pretty amazed a parent would pay my then 16 year old that much but they did. This is something I think some of you HS seniors could do if you establish a reputation in your area and the families of younger children look up to you. If any of you play an instrument well, that also can be a source of income that is flexible. I know a young teen in NYC (who is in MT) has asked my D to teach him rock/pop piano and another friend of his also worked with my D. These families are willing to have my D come to them only when she can fit it in. It does shock me sometimes what they will pay someone so young who has no degree but there are families who can afford to do so. That's what my D is experiencing. If you have some skills, I think you can get paid work that is flexible and that pays a very decent hourly wage....way way more than minimum wage.</p>
<p>I know the topic is summer before college but wanted to add this for those reading and entering their Senior year with auditiions. My daughter did work during high school which I thought along with other ECs added to her college applications. However when Senior year and auditions came something had to go. She wasn't real happy with me at the time for making her quit her job but I am certain now she would agree I was right. With travelling around and doing auditions and campus visits it was difficult enough to keep up with school.</p>
<p>My son is taking a couple of weeks to relax, kick back with his friends and take a short break from theatre. He has worked on and off at an ice cream parlor for the past couple years but found that his after school and weekend hours were limited to schoolwork and productions. He plans to sell Design Services for his friend's studio and last summer it provided him enough money to hold him through the summer. </p>
<p>He receives small monthly royalties for a recording and that should help with his ongoing monthly expenses at school. The school also has a bank card affiliate program where we can transfer money into his account and provides discounts at local restaurants and merchants near the school.</p>
<p>"The Schedule" arrived this week and we figured that he will not have very much time to spend money. We know one thing for sure, there's a Starbuck's on campus and he has a Starbuck's card that we can reload online. We are one of those families that monitors the price of gas and the price of Starbuck's. Given today's technology it should be fairly easy to monitor spending and replenish his account as needed.</p>
<p>He's very excited to attend orientation in July. There are three sessions and apparently the 16 theatre kids are split up between the three sessions. He may spend a week in NYC with a friend doing a workshop at the Upright Citizens Brigade. </p>
<p>It seems like yesterday when a bunch of theatre kids from Florida were throwing snowballs in Chicago outside the unifieds. "And summer's lease hath all too short a date"....It all goes by so quickly.</p>
I’ll be focusing on getting ready for college, and auditioning for community productions. Also, I have a part time job.
@broadwaybabyyy - reading old threads can be great for research (I do it all the time) but you might want to check dates before commenting- the people here were talking in 2008 ( and have therefore graduated college and moved into real life!) In general - CC doesn’t like people to resurrect old threads- if you think the topic is worth talking about again- start a new one!