I say to be careful what you wish for. In more grammatically correct terms, be careful for what you wish.
If you wish and work hard enough, you will get it. {Warning: loosey goosey feng shui buddhist terminology follows} If you are clear enough when you speak to the universe, you will get what you want.
Months ago I realized that my “Placeholder Job” of Recruiting wasn’t the right place for me to work. I took a long hard look at what I want to do with my life and narrowed it down to 3 points of focus: Directing, Writing & Educational Theatre (which combines the first 2).
I set off! (Darnit, another dangling preposition)
Realizations which I made:
Researching Writing jobs, I realized the obvious: no one pays you to write without a portfolio. Would you hire an actor without a resume? Folks in TV can afford to leave that question rhetorical.
Researching Directing jobs, I re-realized that I’m still on a path. It’s a good path, and I enjoy the path. The path is still long and arduous and requires introducing a few more theaters to the concept of spike tape, but it’s an upward path nonetheless. I made some adjustments to my attitude towards that path and the different roads I could take and what supplies were needed and as soon as I exhausted that metaphor, moved on to my next point of focus.
Educational Theatre is something I always loved. I ran a couple of Drama Camps in Boston and Santa Clarita, and worked harder than I ever have to make them the best experience possible for those kids.
Then I realized that the job I loved the most was working as a Mentor for the Speak To Me program through CTG. This was when I was an AEA Stage Manager, and two years in a row I mentored an SM-to-be while continuing to coordinate everything regarding the production. It kept me up nights. I had all of the regular show duties and paperwork and had to find time to fill out the Program paperwork/evaluations and also train an assistant. I bought Frapuccinos (sp?) for all of my crew and was never happier to be at Starbucks at 5am on a Tuesday morning. Did you know they take orders in advance?.
So I gave my notice and began the pursuit of working in Educational Theatre. Thinking I would be working after-school and need to supplement my income, I also pursued tutoring and teaching outside of LAUSD, or “The District” as we like to call it here in the not-for-profit educational world.
Roughly a month after I started actively seeking a new job, I was offered the position of Theater Coordinator for Safe Moves, (www.safemoves.org) and will soon begin coordinating, running and directing plays with middle school students.
I was a little unsure at first, and then I realized my quandry: I was contemplating the reality of combining what I love with how I make money.
It wouldn’t just be a Placeholder Job.
It wouldn’t even be a Day Job.
It wouldn’t even be just a job to pay the bills.
I would enjoy it.
It’s what I’m good at. (It’s at what I am….oh, screw grammar)
I strongly believe in the power of theatre to educate. There are so many facets to this position that are fantastic, and I actually believe I’ll be working there for a long time, happily. I will continue to Write & Direct outside of my *J*O*B*, but I will pursue my job with as much vigor as I pursue performances. Because my job will be a series of performances.
Genius.
Why didn’t I think of it sooner?
Work at what you love.
