Dear Class of 2013, we did it! We’ve dedicated a good portion of our lives to education and further pursuing our interests to better us for a career in whatever field we chose. Now that we are finally out of school, what comes next? The possibilities are endless.
Departing Hofstra University myself, I am surrounded by a fantastic group of peers who are going out and doing different and exciting things in the performing arts. Here’s just a sample of the opportunities:
Graduate School Abroad – One of the great things offered at universities is the chance to study abroad. Hofstra offered a three-week session during the winter break (January) in London with a focus on drama classes. Through this exposure, it encouraged graduates with various BFA degrees to continue their education in a different setting. With the West End at your fingertips, this is a great opportunity. There are many fantastic graduate programs in the United States as well.
Disney College Program – Did you know you can get college credit and a stipend for working at a Disney Park? I didn’t, which is why I was unable to take advantage of this opportunity. In the theatre world, we are familiar with Disney musical hits such as The Lion King and Newsies. Working in a Disney Park not only allows you a behind the scenes look at the magic, but it puts your communication skills to the test as you are faced with millions of tourists from around the world. Peers of mine are prepping to head to Walt Disney World where they will be a greeter, a character, a technician, and a Fairy Godmother In-Training (helping little girls become princesses). One of the best parts about this opportunity is that you can partake in it the semester after graduation so you don’t have to worry about missing campus events.
Making the Big Move – Once graduated, many who would like to pursue the performing arts make the big move to either New York City or Los Angeles/Hollywood. Some students in our program learned that they loved film work over stage work and are moving west with fellow alumni. Others are keeping the New York home-base and are finding apartments in the five boroughs, beginning to hit the open calls and take the theatre scene by storm. They say part of being successful is showing up and being closer to your dream work city definitely allows for more opportunities.
Make Your Own Work – University gives students opportunities to create and showcase their own work. By working with classmates, some students are pursuing these works in several festivals around the world. Motel Rasdell: The Musical was written by Hofstra students during their time at school. It is a part of this summer’s Midtown International Theatre Festival and giving a couple of alumni their first New York City performance gig. Romeo/Juliet, a new adaptation of the Shakespearean tale, is a part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland this summer after its premiere at a school event in the spring of 2012. Creating and pursuing your own work is a great way to showcase your talents and build upon yourself as an artist.
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These are just a small handful of the many opportunities students have upon graduating. As for myself, I keep an eye out on BroadwayWorld and Playbill for positions I would be interested in. It also helps to use the contacts that I’ve made during my time at school to try to get some leads for a job opening. With the job market in the theatre world (and in any world) being competitive, it always helps to keep an open mind and open eye for the many opportunities out there.