Learn how to format your musical theater resume and how to make it stand out amongst the rest. It doesn’t have to be complicated.
While creating a musical theater resume can often seem like an extravagant gesture, it’s really no different than creating a resume for an office job. Sure, the format and styling is different, but the concept is the same: you wouldn’t go to an interview without your resume.
If you’ve never seen a musical theater resume before, it’s a two-sided, one page resume: one side being your headshot, and the other being the text portion of your resume. We’re going to walk you through each portion of the resume so when you go to your next audition, you’re able to present a polished and professional product!
Most likely, the first thing anyone is going to see on your resume is your headshot. It will be pretty hard to miss, considering your headshot will occupy an entire side of your resume! That being said, your headshot is very important, and it’s crucial that it provides an accurate representation of yourself. So, in order to get that perfect shot, here are some headshot do’s and don’ts:
DO:
DON'T:
Pro Tip: Print your headshot on matte photo paper to avoid fingerprints on the image.
The written portion of your resume will be attached to the back of your headshot and will contain your:
Because everyone has a different background of experience, there isn’t one specific way to format your resume. This might seem like added pressure, but we promise that your resume will look fantastic as long as you follow these resume do’s and don’ts:
DO:
DON'T:
Pro Tip: When possible, it’s a good idea to cater your resume to the role or role type you are auditioning for.
To help you out even further, here are a few example resumes. The format of your resume will reflect your experience. However, you should make it your goal to fill up one page completely, so:
The following examples represent a two-sided resume: the headshot (left) being one side, and the written portion (right) being the other.
Pro Tip: You can create a resume easily with Google Slides, PowerPoint, or reuse one of the creative resume templates available online.
If you’re new to auditioning, you may have several questions about whether you should include certain aspects of your career or leave them out. You may wonder what to put on your resume if you’ve already listed your few credits and there’s a big white space underneath them. You can certainly talk about your training and education, but what if you don’t have much of that to speak of, either? Consider the following FAQs for help.
Include your education in the theater (if you have any) including any workshops and acting classes you’ve taken over the years. You can include your college degree regardless of whether it’s in theater or not. Backgrounds in literature, creative writing, or film production can often lend themselves to a basic understanding of theater and can be looked upon favorably by directors.
If you’re struggling to format your resume, don’t be afraid to reach out to anyone you know in the theater world to ask for advice. Though acting has a reputation for being cutthroat and competitive, all actors have been where you are, and most will be more than happy to help you develop your resume or give you tips for your headshot.
It’s fine to have natural talent, and you may be a very good actor, but you may not get called in for an audition with a blank resume. Until you can put professional credits on your resume, you can always list high school productions, short films, and anything else you’ve starred in that may highlight your skills.
If you have absolutely no experience in the theater world, the first step would obviously be to seek out some kind of training — even if it’s just a workshop or two — and work on adding these certifications to your musical theater resume over time.
Your resume should be one page long. Don’t make it longer than one page, or a casting director may not take a look at it. It’s ok if it’s a little shorter, especially if you have impressive roles and credits to boast of, or if you have extensive training in a certain area. If you’ve acted in front of the camera, go ahead and include these roles.
Don’t be tempted to forego the headshot and make a two-page written theater resume instead. Your headshot should be on one side, because — like it or not — your appearance is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle for a casting director who is sifting through piles of resumes to find the perfect actor for a role.
You can, but it’s probably not a good idea. Try to find a professional photographer who has worked with actors before, and pay him or her to take high-quality photos that will last for the next two or three years of your career. Prepare to pay professional rates for these headshots, and think of this as an investment in yourself and your future in musical theater.
Now that you’ve read all of the do’s and don’ts and seen a few examples, it’s time to get started on your own resume! We hope that these tips and tricks will help prepare you for some pretty awesome auditions. We know you’re going to crush it!
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