| For those of us who have a day job we like and | | | | can easily be cut and pasted. |
| don't want to make a living acting, but enjoy | | | | Now, as to the arrangement of the information, I |
| being on the stage, here is an easy way to | | | | do the following in column format: Show/Role |
| organize your resume so that the director and/or | | | | Theater. If you wish, you can add a column for |
| casting committee can see what roles you have | | | | the director. That is up to you. I majored in vocal |
| played quickly and easily. | | | | music in college, so was in a number of shows |
| First, you must have your personal information at | | | | way back when. I include an Education Theatre |
| the top. That seems simple, but you must make | | | | section and just touch on the highlights. If you |
| it easy to read and, perhaps most important, | | | | have some other, out of the ordinary |
| make it abundantly clear how to reach you. If you | | | | performance experience, then you can include |
| have a lot of numbers and email addresses, you | | | | that also under Other. In my Other section, I |
| are not doing yourself any favors. My advice, | | | | have a couple of USO Tours and entertainment |
| choose the telephone number at which you are | | | | for several years at a state level beauty pageant. |
| most easily reached and stop there. It is also a | | | | You get the idea. |
| good idea to include your email address. The | | | | Training can be important, particularly if you have |
| telephone number is important so that the | | | | some. Any acting classes you have taken, or |
| director can reach you to offer you a role. And | | | | more importantly who taught them, and perhaps |
| the email address is essential because some | | | | a voice or dance teacher can be listed here. |
| directors will just email a list to everyone who | | | | Finally, Special Skills can let the director know of |
| was cast, particularly if it is a large cast. Next you | | | | any particular abilities you possess. You can put |
| must organize your experience. Here is where it | | | | musical instruments you play, any dialects you are |
| can get tricky. My suggestion is to place the | | | | good at, if you are a sword swallower, and so on. |
| shows you have been in in reverse order. The | | | | Of course these are just guidelines. But one more |
| reason for this is pretty obvious - if you have | | | | thing: If you don't have much experience, don't |
| been at it for any length of time, your later roles | | | | put a lot of fluff on your acting resume. It will just |
| are more likely to be bigger, meatier roles than | | | | annoy the director or casting committee. If you |
| your first attempts. One of the things I do is | | | | have a good audition, that will speak for itself. Just |
| divide up my experience by whether it is a | | | | remember that, even in community theatre, dues |
| straight play or a musical. For example: | | | | have to be paid. Volunteer for the chorus if you |
| Community Theatre (Musicals)/Community | | | | don't get a role, or agree to help with costuming |
| Theatre (Plays). If I am auditioning for a straight | | | | to get your foot in the door. |
| play, I place the plays first on my resume. If I am | | | | Well, that's about it. Now get out there and |
| auditioning for a musical, I place the musical | | | | audition, knowing you have a dynamite resume! |
| experience on top. Each section is in a block and | | | | |