Top 5 Theatre Resume Mistakes
Actors can’t help but feel a little powerless during the process of auditioning. When it comes to casting, an actors input and personal preferences are really quite insignificant in the process. So while you’re on your way to that dream role, it’s smart to leverage the opportunities at hand by presenting yourself in the best light. The first area you have control of as an actor is the manner in which you’re represented to casting directors. This starts with a quality, relevant acting resume.
Here are a few common acting resume mistakes that could be costing you work:
1. Stick to Basic Information
Give the director just the basics about your physical appearance. Some acting resumes go a bit overboard with inseams, collar, chest sizes, and so on. Eye and hair colour doesn't need to be stated as it should be pretty obvious from your headshot. The director only needs to know your height and weight.
2. Unrealistic Age Range
Be careful about being unrealistic about your age range. In the hopes of getting more work, many actors list a large age range. This doesn’t help the person reviewing your resume at all. It’s actually better to leave out your age range altogether and let them decide if you’re suitable for the part or not.
3. Suspicious or Irrelevant Stage Experience
This section will naturally make up the brunt of your resume, so here are a few mistakes to avoid when outlining your experience:
- Don’t just list the name of the character you’ve played before. Instead, list the character’s name, the show it's from, the company you performed it with and the director.
- Don't include excerpt performance roles. Ie. you performed Velma's part in a Chicago excerpt for your dance competition.
- Don’t include work as an “extra” on your acting resume. Extra work does not really mean much to directors or agents in terms of your acting ability.
4. Truth
Don't try to bend the truth. The theatre world is small and your resume is easily verifiable. Integrity will ensure longevity in the industry!
5. Misleading Headshots
A good-quality headshot should accompany your acting resume. And remember that your headshot needs to look like you now and not two years prior to the audition. What they see on your headshot and who they meet in person for an audition should be exactly the same.
Want more tips?
Come out to our musical theatre audition workshop on December 6th where we will give you many more insights on how to edit your resume, present yourself for the role you really want, and perform your strongest audition. Give your audition an extra nudge in the right direction!