Training for jobs in theater and jobs in the movie industry is vital since these careers are quite competitive. While talent and training are important aspects of preparing for theater careers, you also need to find training centers that teach you how to build important contacts and learn the ability to accumulate experience that can be seen by employers.

Theater employment on the stage usually follows an auditioning process, which your training should cover. Most schools for actors also require auditions because the field is too full of aspiring actors. Get a bachelor's degree in acting, followed by professional training on stage and possibly a Master in Fine Arts (MFA), particularly if you hope to teach. Continue to add training to broaden your skills and increase your potential job opportunities with training for theater jobs from a variety of places.

1. Watch for theater employment training to get hands-on experience.

2. Continue with ongoing training to sustain and enhance your theatrical employment.

3. Participate in trade groups that offer members professional development for their theater careers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for auditions to train for a career in theater

Watch for training centers that will introduce you to the instructors that will get you on stage and in front of a camera. Techniques in acting are best learned by practice. Attend a school devoted to the arts or find a university with a strong theater program.

I recommend: At the Academy of Art University, you can study online or at the California campus where you'll make contacts with experts willing to share advice on how to break into the theater. The school provides training in a number of disciplines. Check out the training options at the New York Film Academy that can help you move quickly into the movies.

Find additional training from associations that serve members and their employment in theater

Acting is a career that requires continual improvement if you are to remain viable and growing in your career in theater or the movies. Look for professional development courses that will help you get the kinds of personal training you need while giving you instruction in other methods and ways to improve your skills.

I recommend: You’ll find plenty of seminars, workshops and classes as well as chances to meet other industry pros at the Educational Theatre Association. Americans for the Arts offers professional development and training that could look good on your resume.

Join theatrical employment associations that offer members professional development

Most trade associations offer continuing education and professional development courses for their members. Use the groups to guide you to the events and meetings that will help you find additional training for your acting career with seminars, audition listings and advanced education.

I recommend: Check out all the educational opportunities available through the Actors Equity Association. The Actors Studio is a non-profit organization that supports actors and the industry as well as bringing educational opportunities to its members, including a partnership with Pace University to provide a Master of Fine Arts degree.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be prepared to move around as your pursue theatrical employment training, because many of the better schools and theaters are in New York and California.

Theater jobs are a great way to work outside of an office situation. In most cases, you never know what's going to happen next and many people like this type of work environment. It's more exciting.

There are both movie theater jobs and live action theater jobs. Both are desirable and fairly competitive. However, live theater employment usually provides for more hands-on types of positions, such as set building and costume design.

If you want to get started in a theater career:

1. Network to make connections. Many people who have theater positions start to have a certain group of people that they like working with. These same groups move from play to plan, all working together. It is a sure way to get more steady employment.

2. Production jobs in theater, such as set building, are not as steady as jobs relating to the business end of production, such as marketing.

3. Start with small jobs in the theater. You may want to volunteer your time at a local theater in order to gain the experience necessary to get better positions. Experience is always a positive when people make hiring decisions.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find jobs in the movie theaters near you

If you live near a movie theater, you may be able to use your skills to get a great job there. While entry level positions may just be ticket or concession sales, there are higher level positions available as well, such as managerial and marketing positions.

I recommend: EmploymentGuide.com allows you upload your resume and contact information to easily apply for movie theater attendant jobs. You may have better luck with higher-level positions by viewing the available jobs listed at Simply Hired.

Start your career in theater with production jobs at your local theater

Production jobs are a great way to work for live theater companies without the publicity and competition that comes with being an actor or actress. Any theater production needs many people working behind the scenes in order to produce a great play.

I recommend: BackstageJobs.com lists many design and technical positions in the theater. Artslynx International Art Resource also shows jobs throughout the country.

Keep the books balanced with business employment in theater

There is more to productions than glitz and glamour. Theaters need to have people with business minds to make sure that there is a positive cash flow and everyone is paid.

I recommend: Juju lists several business-related positions available in theaters around the country. Playbill is perhaps one of the most respected magazines in theater. They also list jobs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're looking for theater careers in design, make sure that you have a portfolio that showcases your work, including pictures when possible This will help hiring managers to decide if you are the right person for the job.

Whether you're pursuing jobs in the movie industry or hoping to land on Broadway, theater jobs require education as if you were training for any other business field. The theater business is also one that's extremely difficult to get into, meaning proper training is even more vital.

People can pursue a theater career on the artistic or technical side, and they must seek the best education they can find to prepare for what they choose. Several types of theater jobs education and training include:

1. Acting, music and dance education for theater and film performance.

2. Training in theater design for technical jobs in theater.

3. Learning to educate others in the theater arts.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Study at the best performance schools to prepare for jobs in the theater or movies

Aspiring artists in the theater must want to get a jump on their performance education as early as possible. Those who study as many areas as possible -- like acting, song and dance -- have the potential to go the furthest.

I recommend: The UCLA School of Film, Theater and Television includes an undergraduate theater program and master in fine arts programs for acting and directing. The Susan Chambers School of Theatre Dance offers classes for people of all ages and boasts of students appearing in many Broadway shows. UnivSource lists all the colleges in the country with theater programs.

Train on stage production and design for technical theater employment

Theatrical employment extends beyond those who perform. There's always a need for people to construct sets, operate lighting, word sound and handle other technical jobs. This involves another brand of training.

I recommend: Technical Design and Production department at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts has a four-year program that includes stagecraft, scenic and lighting skills and theater management. The Juilliard School offers a professional intern program that trains people in technical theater and arts administration, giving hands-on experience with technicians and administrators. Utilize U.S College Search's database for many more colleges with technical theater and theater design programs.

Teach other prospective actors to gain employment in theater schools

There are also theater job openings in the field of teaching the theater arts to others. If this is your career path, then once you study theater yourself, you must learn how to pass that knowledge to others.

I recommend: The Ashland Center for Theatre Studies at Southern Oregon University has a theater teacher training program to aid high school and college theater teachers. The Michael Chekhov Connection (MCC) offers extensive training through their teacher certificate program. Review the Educational Theatre Association's resources on multiple arts education organizations.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Look for theater schools with small class sizes to get the best hands-on training. Often small community theater schools can provide one on one hands-on training.