From Shana Laski:

One of the biggest barriers I’ve encountered in my career has been breaking past the role of “assistant.” What is the best way to demonstrate and experience to qualify for more substantial roles when there are so few opportunities for those of us coming up in directing and dramaturgy?

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Dear Shana,

I found that being an assistant taught me how to be a good assistant. As hard as it is, because it’s hard to say no to work/income/, I’d recommend that you turn down the assistant work for a little while and start doing your own thing. Use your creative energy and brain space on making something for you, not helping another person achieve their goals. Unless you’ve found that being an Associate on Broadway is your lifelong career! I know many people who’ve found that to be their calling!

The assistant to director job track just feels more and more narrow. Ideally, you assist someone for a while, and then they start putting your name forward when they get an offer they can’t do. But all jobs are drying up right now, and from my “research,” everyone has a lot more availability, is super broke, and is saying yes to anything that comes their way. It’s time to start exploring another way of getting seen and being trusted as an artist, because the traditional route is offering fewer and fewer possibilities.

Yours in what’s next,

Fefu