What are some of the critical issues in the performing arts?

Answer 1

It depends on what type of issue you mean. There are working issues and content issues.

For content issues, one need only look at the newspaper. The performing arts make comments on family, government (pro and con), death, the human conflict, advertisement (either as an advertisement vehicle or a comment on the advertising industry), a comment on art itself ... if you can name it, chances are you can find a movie, TV show, or play written about it.

The performing arts is a valuable tool for historical research. It can tell you much about the period in which the movie or play was written, as well as insights into the country-of-origin's culture.

Working issues within the arts industry are varied depending on what area you want to go into. For talent, there is the big issue of finding work. What parts should I accept? Should I belong to a union? What about exclusivity contracts? Should I hire an agent? What about travel? What about moving? What about a back-up plan?

How much are you willing to compromise your values in order to get a part? A Christian may have moral objections playing a happy-go-lucky sex fiend. Some roles require nudity. Some roles call for smoking on stage or film. Sometimes you may work with a director or fellow actor you don't personally like. You may have to passionately kiss a person who is: not your preferred gender; physically repulsive to you; not your real-life significant other.

If you are fortunate enough to be faced with the dilemma of a choice between roles, do you accept the long-term contract that pays big bucks to wear a bunny costume in front of thousands of people, or do you take the part that doesn't pay much but would be more artistically satisfying? This question is a LOT harder to answer when you are faced with bills.

Unions, contracts and agents are sticky concerns. Some states have laws that prohibit requiring union membership, but others allow the requirement. On the flip side, union membership also prohibits you from being in non-union shows. Some large companies also require an exclusivity contract, barring you from participating in shows outside of that company for a certain number of years, but can also guarantee income for awhile.

Touring is a lucrative way to go, but you have to be a certain type of person to do it. Tours can go on for months or years. Hotel rooms and traveling by bus from city to city might sound glamorous and exciting, but the novelty of it wears thin for the home-body type of psyche. Relationships with significant others left in your hometown can become strained, more so than in most fields. Usually you are limited to the social circle of fellow actors and techs -- your new motto is "We work while others play, play while others sleep, and sleep when we can squeeze it in."

Moving to a large metropolitan area is almost mandatory if you want to act or tech professionally. Finding work in Chicago or Miami is hard enough, but finding it in Muskrat Grove Kentucky is near impossible.

What do you do for a back-up plan? If this is a big question in your mind, then this is the wrong profession for you. There is no shame in waiting tables to pay bills while you are between gigs, but studying for a real estate licensing exam in your spare time is the road to being a former-actor-turned-real-estate-agent. If you have spare time, spend it going to shows, reading up on stage lighting, going to auditions, hanging out with other actors or techs ... this game is all about the chase, and if you aren't slowly moving forward then you are losing ground fast.

One more thing: WHERE DO I FIND WORK? For techs and actors, there are many venues in which to practice your art. Stage, movies, television, voiceover, concerts, corporate events, sportscasting, news, radio, theme parks, political events, cruise ships, tourist hot spots, touring road shows, hotels, children's theatre, upscale summer camps, educational theatre, teaching, private coaching, community theatre, dinner theatre, commercials, trade shows ... the possibilities are endless.