Listen, I’m a former and possibly current theater person who is married to a fellow theater person, so I know that the following article will be biased, but you should read it anyway because it is so true.  

In honor of Labor Day, I’d like to share with you the value of the “theater person”- those sparkling people who inhabit our world, filling it with imagination and lots of bobby pins. Theater people – who are they? Let’s define the term loosely as those people who are consistently involved in creating live theatrical performances.  We’re not talking about dabblers. We’re talking about people who happily and unabashedly define themselves as denizens of the theater. You know them. They have a bumper sticker or t-shirt that says “I can’t. I have rehearsal.” They can pull out a classical monologue at any moment. They own at least three different colored highlighters, yet they dress all in black. They LOVE gaff tape. They know who Ben Nye is. They just might be able to replace your zipper.

Theater fosters the values of gratitude, teamwork, hardiness of character and creativity.  Here are six good reasons why any employer would be lucky to hire a theater person:

1. They understand collaboration.

Actors get a bad rap for being divas, but any actor who’s been around long enough knows that theater is all about collaboration. Everyone works with the actors, designers and director to create something amazing together. Also, if your fellow actor flubs a line, you pick up the ball and keep going. The same is true for technicians. If a set piece isn’t in the right spot, it’s up to everyone to make it right. Theater people are true team players. As the saying goes: Teamwork makes the dream work.

2. They work really, really hard.

When I was studying theater in undergrad, I met a Biology major who told me about their evening plans. They were just going to go home and eat a sandwich, maybe watch a movie. My thought was, “You’re just going home? Like that? No rehearsal or running sound or memorizing something for class?” I was truly baffled. On top of my regular classwork, homework, and part-time job, I was rehearsing ALL THE TIME. Scenes for class, student projects, departmental productions and even the occasional professional gig ate up all of my free time. Let’s not even talk about the moments spent learning lines or dance steps or dialects. Until about two years ago, I celebrated every birthday either teaching theater or directing or performing in a show.  And I loved it. Theater people work hard, often for very little.

3. They have a wide range of skills and knowledge.

Need to know the best way to make fake blood? How about sewing a corset or making a giant dragon head?  Want to know how to juggle? Theater people know. We know. Because of all the different shows we’ve worked on and seen, we also know more than the average bear about many things. Creating shows requires doing research, so we can tell you a lot about history and other cultures and language and science and all sorts of things. You definitely want us on your team at Trivia Nights.

4. They understand different points of view.

Actors play a variety of people- from King Richard III to Elvis. Or Cleopatra to Saint Joan. Or Eliza Dolittle to Medea. You get it where I’m going with this.  In order to do their job, actors have to deeply understand their characters and play them without judging them. Directors have to empathize with the play’s characters as well as with the actors playing them. Costume designers get to delve into the psyche of the character too, because how we dress ourselves is a very personal thing and a huge indicator of personality, class, mental state, etc.

5. They are amazing in a crisis.

When the apocalypse comes, be it Zombie, Climate or Other, I want a stage manager on my team. These people are the glue that holds the entire production together. They have a kit with hair ties, band-aids, pens, pencils, cough drops- you name it. They are prepared for anything and handle crises in the loveliest manner possible. They’re a little like the Scouts in that way: ready for the worst. Technicians, too, can handle crises of many shapes and sizes. Mic doesn’t work? Patch it into this thing here. That thing fell of the set? Here’s a c-clamp and some gaff tape. And actors? Well, actors deal with forgotten lines, errant wigs, sudden illness, costumes with their own agendas and most importantly, a live, unpredictable audience. Anything can happen with live theater, which is why being great in a crisis is essential to the work. The show must go on!

6. They are supportive as HECK!

Theater folks look out for each other. They go see your show. They light your show. They help you prep for your auditions. They look after your cat while you take that touring job. They do your stage reading for free. They are also there for you when you’ve been rejected for the millionth time, or were called “too fat” by an agent or got a bad review. They know how it is, how this world works, and they know you’ll be there for them when that role in the salad dressing commercial goes to someone else instead of them.

So those are some of the terrific reasons to hire a theater person. If you need a supportive collaborator who works really hard, is great in a crisis and understands multiple points of view (and can win for your team at trivia night), hire a theater person without delay.