P:

For folks who study acting/performance in college but pivot to arts admin for their full-time career, what advice do you have in terms of trying to reconnect to that original passion? It can be so daunting to think about auditioning again. I've found it intimidating to consider the time management of it all. And overall I just feel "out of shape" with that foundational part of myself. What is your advice for those of us who want to reconnect with that passion for performance in tandem with our arts office jobs?

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Dear P,

I’d say start with a low stakes environment that builds your confidence, like an audition prep class or auditioning for non union readings or projects. This will help you get in the habit of performing again, and with experience and repetition you’ll build that confidence naturally, as well as momentum towards more work. Feeling out of shape, then you just go to the gym. Ask friends for recommendations on teachers and try out different studios and see what gets you inspired. Reconnect with this and then if you want to move to a full time career, start to build towards more projects and auditions that will get you there. Just don’t run in a marathon without some proper training, you want to set yourself up for success. Some of the best actors I know are constantly going back to training and taking class, remember you are an instrument it’s just about tuning yourself back into the work.

Learning and reconnecting together, 

Fefu

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