Student Blog: Stage Direction... But for Your Brain

Life is hectic. Balancing work, jobs, education, and free time can be exhausting, and sometimes it feels like you don’t even know where to start organizing things! The best advice I can give you is to tackle things one at a time. Multitasking can be efficient, but only to a certain extent. For instance, waiting for the water to boil while working on an essay is a great way for college students to get things done simultaneously—cook your ramen and work on your homework at the same time! However, research shows that multitasking often reduces efficiency and increases stress. Juggling multiple tasks can make you less effective and more anxious.

So, how can you maximize your efficiency, especially in fields like theater? Networking, for example, can seem overwhelming. Trying to fit years of experience onto a single-page resume is a common struggle (and trust me, don’t try to do that). But recently, I've discovered a simple and effective way to network yourself: a website!

Many actors rely on social media for networking, but that approach depends on casting directors, writers, and employers having social media profiles too. A personal website makes it easy for anyone to find you. It also keeps your resume concise—just include a link on your resume to your site!

There are plenty of free, user-friendly website builders available, especially useful for those just starting their theater careers. In my next blog post, I’ll rank some of these builders and detail their features, but first, let’s talk about what to include on your website!

1. Resume: Keep it straightforward. Include your name, age, height, hair color, and a list of shows you’ve performed in. You don’t need to list every role; instead, highlight a range of performances to showcase your versatility. For example:

Steel Magnolias, Annelle, DIR. Joplin Sell, Morrison Musical Theatre Association

After listing your shows, add any special classes or training you’ve completed, including the class title, instructor, and location. In addition, include a headshot to give directors a visual of your beautiful self.

2. Bio: This should be on your homepage, summarizing your experience, training, and notable performances. Mention any other talents like dance, improv, or dialect work. Your bio should be unique and reflect your personality, but always maintain a professional tone.

3. Reels: Include videos of your performances, edited professionally. This could include footage from shows (with permission from the videographer), monologues, and other relevant talents like singing or dancing. Just do your best to keep reels under 2 minutes and choose clips that best showcase your skills, similar to your resume.

In addition to these essentials, you might want to add extra pages for photos, testimonials from professors or coaches, and details about any representation or agents you have.

With these basics in place, you’ll be well on your way to creating a standout website. Stay tuned for my next blog post, where I’ll dive into which website builders will best suit your needs!

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