Fillable Printable Performing Arts Resume
Fillable Printable Performing Arts Resume
Performing Arts Resume
PERFORMING ARTS RESUME
Content
A performer’s resume details your experience in a performing arts discipline, your abilities
as a performer, and your physical characteristics. In a professional resum e, it is considered
inappropriate to include personal information, but in your performer’s resume, you will
have to include personal information. Often, employers will want t know your height,
weight, hair color and build. Sometimes, they’ll even want your measurements, for costume
purposes.
Format
Unlike professional resumes, performer’s resumes are often broken into columns and kept
to a page a length. Traditionally, performers’ resumes can include sections on
education/training, union membership, performing experience, related work experience,
awards/distinctions, and special skills. Professional resumes tend to have short paragraph
sections. Performer’s resumes are usually divided into concise list form.
Resume Guidelines for Multitalen t ed People
If you have focused on more than one discipline, get specific! Don’t try to cram all of your
theater, dance, and singing experience into the same document. You will not be able to do
justice to your experience or your resume. If you have enough experience in more than one
discipline to warrant more than one resume, then write more than one resume, and only
submit the resume pertinent to the job title.
If you are an actor and a singer, a choreographer and a dancer, a composer and a director,
have a separate resume for each title. Keep each one very focused. If you decide to include
a section like Other or Special Skills, you can mention your other talent in a single phrase;
for example, Extensive theater background or Proficient in Alexander Technique. It may
feel as though you are minim izing your other areas of expertise, but what you’re really
doing is focusing. Do not underestimate your special skills when submitting a resume. A
director or organization may be looking for something rare and atypical during an audition
scenario, and those special skills may give you an edge.
Your resume is suppose to convince an employer that they want to hire you, and that you
are perfect for the job they’re offering. That means you have to keep everything in the
document relevant. If you’re auditioning for a musical, you’ll need to highlight a variety of
abilities; if you’re auditioning for a Hollywood comedy, it might be unwise to highlight
your career in modern dance.
If you have developed a unique performers art genre that incorporates aspects of more than
one discipline, and the job you are seeking requires this ability, then you should develop
your resume accordingly. You should still keep it to one page. Remember, choose
representative highlights of your training and experience. You don’t need to include
everything. Be discerning. Choose your most impressive accomplishments, and in this case,
choose a sample representative of your range.
Performer’s Resume Options
Effective and Appropriate Photo Options From Headshots to Galleries
In addition to providing your stats and measurements within your resume, you’ll probably
want to include a photograph. Accompanying your resume, a good photograph can help
convey the intangible qualities about you that make you a good performer. During a large
audition, putting a name to a face is important, and not including a photograph could lessen
the chances of getting the part. Performers of all disciplines can use a single headshot, but
sometimes more is appropriate. For instance, a dancer may want to include a full body
action shot to highlight a particular strength (for instance, jumps or turns). An actor may
include a photo featuring him/herself in costume in a particular role. This approach can
highlight a physical and technical versatility. Whatever you choose, be sure your face is
clearly defined, and easy to recognize. Be careful your visuals to not detract from your
resume, including a single headshot on the same page as your text is appropriate. Anything
else should be kept separate. These separate documents are your gallery. You may not want
to include your gallery with every copy of your resume that you send out. It is more
appropriate to offer a gallery to an employer who has expressed interest in you, or who has
specifically requested it.
You may be thinking, “That’s all very well and good, but how am I going to afford this
gallery when I can’t even afford head shots?” One option is to work with a photography
student. This arrangement can be a good, even trade. The photographer gains experience
and additions to her portfolio; you gain a valuable service for a nominal fee instead of
astronomical professional costs.
Scannable Resumes
Your chances of being discovered improve greatly when your resume is available online.
Once your resume is scanned, you can upload it into searchable databases. In this situation,
employers may call you if they are interested, which tips the interviewing/auditioning
power-balance in your favor.
SAMPLE PERFORMING ARTS RESUME
TRISH MILLER
123 James Drive
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Cell: 917- 123-5678
tmiller@slc.edu
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 130 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
PERFORMING EXPERIENCE
Show Role Theatre
Dancing at Lughnasa Rose Sarah Lawrence College
As You Like It Rosalind The British American Dram a Academy
Our Town Stage Manger The Lovett School
My Fair Lady Chorus The Lovett School
DIRECTING EXPERIENCE
Insert title Director Sarah Lawrence College
TRAINING/EDUCATION
Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY, Bachelor of Arts, anticipated May 2006;
Theatre concentration
The British American Drama Academy, London, England, Study Abroad Program,
Spring 2005. Norman Ayrton, Mick Barnfather, Christopher Cook, Daniel Evans, Lynn
Farleigh, Nick Hutchinson, Mike Loades, Jackie Matthews, Fiona Shaw, Michael Thomas,
Ian Wooldridge.
AWARDS
Insert name of award, date received
SPECIAL SKILLS
Proficient in Alexander Technique, Stage Fighting, Theatre History, Dramaturgy, Dramatic
Criticism, Improvisation, Guitar, Voice, British (London) Dialect
