Theatre Department Resources

Production photo from Love Sick 2022

The inclusion of a resource on this page does not imply an endorsement of all the content contained within. Visitors are encouraged to supplement these resources with their own research. For further help, or to report a broken link, please contact the department.

About Theatre
For Parents
For Students

About Theatre

There are many great reasons to become involved in theatre, as well as to study theatre in preparation for work in a variety of fields. These resources will shed light on the value of theatre as a means of personal growth, an academic pursuit, and a much-needed form of expression and entertainment.

The Opera Machine
From the Royal Opera House in London, The Opera Machine presents an extraordinary multi-angled view of the intricate theatrical process behind the scenes during a performance. Choose from 17 different camera angles and three different sound mixes or follow the prompt book. This interactive website inspires an immense appreciation for all the work that goes into making a show happen.

American Theatre Wing YouTube Channel
The American Theatre Wing video series “Working in the Theatre” provides an excellent look at what it’s like to work in theatre and just how varied the jobs available are.

For Parents

While parents will find many of the resources on this page useful, these articles speak directly to concerns many parents have regarding the value of theatrical and liberal arts as academic pursuits.

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For Students

These resources are provided to help students have a positive and successful college experience.

SUNY Oneonta Resources for New Students
Maximize your potential for success at SUNY Oneonta.

CollegeInfoGeek.com Be awesome at college.
College becomes what you make of it, this site will help you get the most out of it!

SUNY Oneonta Career Development Center
Planning for your future after college should start early in your college career; the Career Development Center provides resources and services to help with career planning, resume writing, job applications, and interviews. See below for more resources specific to theatre.

The inclusion of a resource on this page does not imply an endorsement of all the content contained within. Visitors are encouraged to supplement these resources with their own research. For further help, or to report a broken link, please contact the department.

Resumes

A resume is critical to obtaining work and should be continually updated and tailored as needed to every position applied for. Resume formats for technicians and actors are very different; resources for both are provided.

Get help with your resume with the SUNY Oneonta Career Development Center

Cover Letters

Cover letters are often an essential part of an employment application and should be custom tailored to every position applied for. These resources provide general writing and industry-specific tips.

Get help with writing a cover letter with the SUNY Oneonta Career Development Center

Recommendation Letters

Letters of recommendation are often requested in support of employment or graduate school applications. These resources provide suggestions from professors and professionals about how best to request letters of recommendation.

SUNY Oneonta Career Development Credential Folder Service
Use this service to collect materials that support your application for jobs and admission to graduate school, and to forward those materials on to potential employers and schools.

Portfolios & Interviews

Obtaining professional design work or admission to graduate school both require an interview and the presentation of a design portfolio. These resources provide tips and expectations regarding portfolios, portfolio presentations, and interviews.

SUNY Oneonta Career Development Center
Find many useful resources regarding interviews, including Interview Stream, a mock interview service that will help you practice for interviews.

For Actors

Obtaining acting work of course revolves around the auditioning process. These resources present discussion and provide suggestions regarding how to approach this process. Be sure to also check out the job sites further down the page; many job sites include helpful career advice and tips regarding auditions.

Ace-Your-Audition.com
Articles and advice for actors.

For Technicians

Getting started as a director poses its own unique challenges. These resources include discussions and suggestions on how to be effective and successful as a director.

For Technicians

Useful resources for technicians that don’t fall into other categories. These resources include sources of information, additional training and certifications, and personal tools.

Bandit Dimmer Beach
Though not a necessarily a networking resource, this blog provides extremely useful information on the world of production touring; what it’s like, how to get started, the different departments, bus etiquette, etc.

ControlBooth.com
Extensive forum for discussion, information exchange, and technical advice related to technical theatre.

Entertainment Technician Certification Program (etcp)
Industry-wide program that focuses on disciplines that directly affect the health and safety of crews, performers, and audiences. Certifications for arena rigging, theatrical rigging, and entertainment electricians are available.

USITT eSET (Essential Skills for the Entertainment Technician)
A certificate program designed to help students and young professionals prove their skills in different aspects of the entertainment industry. Certificates earned help bolster resumes and help employers confirm certain basic skills in their applicants and employees.

Job Sites: On-Stage (Acting, dance, voice)

These resources are provided to help performers find jobs in the industry.

ActingBiz.com
Created by actors for actors, browse “Casting Calls & Auditions” for postings and “Acting Tips & Advice” for tons of useful resources, especially pertaining to resumes, cover letters, interviews, and auditions.

ActorsEquity.org
Equity is a self-supporting labor association for actors and stage managers funded by members’ dues and initiation fees. Go to “Casting Call” and look for OPEN or “non-required” auditions that non-AEA members may participate in.

AuditionsFree.com
Audition listings updated daily, info about who is casting what, where and how to submit for auditions.

Backstage.com
The largest online casting platform in the US; for actors and performers to find jobs and career advice.

BroadwayWorld.com
Free job listings for full time, part time, and temporary jobs both on and off stage. Search for Equity and non-Equity auditions.

NYCastings.com
Set up a multi-media resume for free, subscribe to submit to casting notices or find an agent.

Playbill Job Board
Excellent professional resource with many job postings for auditions, design, tech, stage management, etc.

Southeastern Theatre Conference
Professional auditions are held at the SETC annual convention.

StageDoorConnections.com
Subscription-required career development service for professional performers, directors, choreographers, producers, talent agencies, and casting directors. See the calendar of acting, dance, and voice auditions.

StrawHat-Auditions.com
For non-Equity performers and technical artists. Upload a searchable profile. Holds auditions that are attended by summer stock theatres, live entertainment production companies, and independent casting directors.

United Professional Theatre Auditions
United Professional Theatre Auditions.

Job Sites: Off-Stage (Admin, management, design, tech, teaching)

These resources are provided to help non-performers find jobs in the industry.

ArtJobs.ArtSearch.us
New jobs in arts, culture, education, theatre, museum, library, gallery categories. Free resume posting.

ARTSEARCH by TCG
A job posting board for administration, production, and education jobs in the arts. Must pay to access.

BroadwayWorld.com
Free job listings for full time, part time, and temporary jobs both on and off stage. Search for Equity and non-Equity auditions.

ControlBooth.com
Extensive forum for discussion, information exchange, and technical advice related to technical theatre. Though not specifically a job site, job opportunities can crop up, and there is a lot of discussion pertaining to job finding resources and advice.

UK National Skills Academy Job Board
UK-based site with most jobs listed in the UK but many useful resources regarding careers in the arts.

HigherEdJobs.com
For jobs in higher education, search for Theatre.

Mandy.com
Huge worldwide directory of TV and film resources. Search jobs and post a profile.

MediaBistro.com
Premier media job listings site.

New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Job Listings
Focused more on arts administration jobs.

ProductionHub.com
Similar to Mandy.com, search for jobs and find anything you’d need to make a movie or shoot for TV.

PLASA/ESTA Job Board
PLASA is the lead international membership body for those who supply technologies and services to the event, entertainment and installation industries. Jobs are more focused on sales, service, and installation.

Playbill Job Board
Excellent professional resource with many job postings for auditions, design, tech, stage management, etc.

SETC Job Board
The Southeastern Theatre Conference provides extensive resources for its network of theatre practitioners. Find off-stage, backstage, FOH, box office, technical, creative, and administrative job openings and audition notices. Must become a member to apply to jobs through the site.

Stage Managers’ Association
Membership required to receive job posting notices ($20/year for students, $30/year early career).

SchoolTheatre.org
For jobs in education. Find the link or search for “Job Listings.”

USITT Job Board
The United States Institute for Theatre Technology promotes dialogue, research, and learning among practitioners of theatre design and technology. Jobs posted in all divisions of theatre technology and design.

Variety.com Job Postings
The premier source of entertainment news. See “Jobs” and search the “Arts / Entertainment / Media” category.

Other Job Sites

These less industry-specific sites may also be useful for finding work.

Craigslist.org
Check the art/media/design and tv/film/video categories. Often temporary low pay jobs but might be worthwhile for the experience.

Idealist.org
Connecting people who want to do good.

LiveCareer.com
Job postings and career advice. Resume, cover letter, and interview resources.

Monster.com
Job postings and career advice. Resume, cover letter, and interview resources.

RileyGuide.com
The web’s premier gateway to job, career, and education information sources available online. This site will help connect you with other useful sites.

Networking

Connecting with others is important for a successful career in the entertainment industry. These resources provide suggestions of different organizations and communities where networking may or commonly does take place. These resources are also great for further information on particular fields within the industry.

Actors Equity Association (AEA)

American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE)

American Association of Community Theatre (aact)

American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR)

American Theatre Wing Theatre Intern Network (TIN)

ControlBooth.com
Extensive forum for discussion, information exchange, and technical advice related to technical theatre. Though not a job posting site, job opportunities can crop up, and there is a lot of discussion pertaining to job finding resources and advice.

Costume Designers Guild
IATSE Local 892: Studio City, California

Director’s Guild of America (DGA)

Educational Theatre Association

Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA)
Responsible for creating some of the most important programs in the industry including the Technical Standards Program (TSP) and the Entertainment Technician Certification Program (etcp).

IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees)

International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD)

Live Design International (LDI)
The leading tradeshow and conference for live design professionals from all around the glove.

Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild
IATSE Local 706: Burbank, California

Mid-America Theatre Conference (MATC)

National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT)

National Costumers Association (NCA)

New England Theatre Conference (NETC)

New York State Theatre Education Association (NYSTEA)

NYC Media & Entertainment

Producer’s Guild of America (PGA)

Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA)

Screen Actors Guild (SAG)

Set Decorators Society of America (SDSA)

SMNetwork.org
Online forum for stage managers. There are sub-forums for employment advice and job postings.

Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC)

Stage Managers’ Association

Theatre Association of New York State (TANYS)

Theatre Communications Group (TCG)

Theatrefolk
The place to be for drama teachers, drama students, and theatre educators everywhere. Play script service for middle and high school. Blog and podcast with lots of useful resources.

The Hair & Makeup Artist Network

The Kenney Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF)
Holds state, regional, and national festivals where theater departments and student artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment. Composed of a network of 600 academic institutions.

The Society of British Theatre Designers

United Scenic Artists (USA)

United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT)
USITT connects performing arts design and technology communities to ensure a vibrant dialog among practitioners, educators, and students. Holds many events including a national conference. Publishes the quarterly journal TD&T (theatre design & technology).

USITT Upstate NY
The regional chapter of USITT. Holds meetings throughout the year including training workshops and a job fair.

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