An Example of an Actor's Resume

This Logo Made for Me by Claire Hamlin.  Note:  I'm in no way affiliated with HBO or "Game of Thrones", but I hear it is a good show.

Hi everybody, and welcome to Theater is a Sport.  Today I'm going to give you an example of an actor's resume.  I want to make it clear that there are many types of actor's resumes, and the type I'm going to show you today is geared more toward an actor with basic community theater experience who might be going to an open casting call just to see what happens, or for the senior in high school who is auditioning for acting schools and needs to bring a resume.  The more you get into the business, the more your resume will change. 

Here's an example of a resume I used recently for myself.  It is not the most glamorous resume in the world, but it will do the trick:

BOBBY KENISTON

Actor, Playwright, Theatre Educator

 

 

(207) 564----              theater.is.a.sport@gmail.com               theaterisasport.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

Height: 5' 5" Weight: 180 Hair: Brown Eyes: Hazel

SELECTED THEATRE EXPERIENCE
 THE PAJAMA GAME                                                  PREZ                                            LAKEWOOD THEATER

THE REPROGRAMMING OF JEREMY                     HANK                                      LIGHT BABY PRODUCTIONS


ONCE UPON A MATTRESS                                        DAUNTLESS                              LAKEWOOD THEATER


I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT
NOW CHANGE                                                            MAN 1                                          LAKEWOOD THEATER


ALMOST, MAINE                                                        VARIOUS                                      CENTER THEATRE

GODSPELL                                                                 JESUS CHRIST                              CENTER THEATRE

DRACULA                                                                   DR. SEWARD                                LAKEWOOD THEATER

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS                                    SEYMOUR                                     CENTER THEATRE

SCROOGE AND MARLEY                                          JACOB MARLEY                          CENTER THEATRE

CURTAINS                                                                   Lt. FRANK CIOFFI                       LAKEWOOD THEATER

THE PRODUCERS                                                      LEO BLOOM                                 LAKEWOOD THEATER

INCORRUPTIBLE                                                       JACK                                               LAKEWOOD THEATER

FAME!                                                                         SCHLOMO                                  WATERVILLE OPERA HOUSE

THE BALTIMORE WALTZ                                          THE THIRD MAN                           BENNINGTON COLLEGE
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Bobby Keniston is an actor, playwright, director, and theatre educator currently living in Dover-Foxcroft, ME. After studying at Boston University's School For the Arts, Bobby completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Bennington College, with majors in Theatre and Literature. Since then, Bobby has appeared in over 50 plays, ranging from children's theatre, musicals, dramas, comedies and even a farce or two. As a playwright, Bobby has 24 plays published with three different houses, all for the youth and community theater markets (list available upon request). He also won an award for Best Emerging Playwright at the New England Regional Festival of community theatres, sponsored by the NETC. He currently teaches drama at Foxcroft Academy. Full list of publications and acting credits available upon request.
SKILLS
Singer with a vocal range of Tenor I or 2, basic knowledge of piano, ukulele, and trumpet. Skilled with various dialects, including Standard British, Cockney, Coastal Maine, Boston, American Southern, and Irish. Responds well to choreography.


Okay, so there you have it.  As you can see, this is not like your typical headshot/resume that you may see all over the place.  For starters, instead of a headshot, I have included a small headshot picture right on the resume.  Why?  Well, I'm not pursuing a huge career as a professional , just the occasional open casting call at an Equity house.  I'm not in the union, and I do far too much community theater to give up, so I probably won't be in a union any time soon (unless something beautiful falls in my lap and I can do this full-time), so there's really no need for me to spend a ton of money on really professional headshots and resumes.  If I were trying to make a go as a professional actor right now, I surely would make the investment, and be sending my headshot and resume all over the place, but that's not the case. 

Another difference between this resume and others---  I opted to write a brief biographical sketch in the section that most people reserve for Education.  Why?  Well, it has been a long time since I was a student of acting, and, instead of pursuing professional jobs in the business right out of school, my life took me on other paths.  Hence, it might seem funny to a casting director to see I was a graduate of Bennington College in 2000 with a degree in Theater, but have no professional credits on my resume.  That is why a brief biographical sketch, I think, is better way for me to go.  It explains where my life has taken me, and somewhat shows that I am ready to finally be stepping up.  It also notates that I have still been working hard in the business in other aspects, just outside of "professional".  If you are a student applying to an acting school, use this space for Education--- I do not recommend a biographical sketch at this point for you.  And, under Education, list your high school, of course, and any kind of summer acting programs or special classes in scene study or acting technique you might have studied, as well as the teacher's name who taught you.  For example:

SUMMER SHAKESPEARE WORKSHOP,  Bobby Keniston, instructor

For someone who has done a lot of community theatre work over the years, and is trying their shot at an open casting call for an Equity House, my example is a way to have a resume that will work, and not cost you a lot of money.

Note:  be honest in your special skills, and mention things that might come in handy on stage, or just really interesting skills that you have that might get attention.  Also, make sure your resume is not longer than one page.  Seriously. 

Hope you all have found this helpful!

Happy auditioning, and remember--- theater is a sport! 

SERVING THE HUMAN RACE or WHY COMMUNITY THEATER?

(Yes, you too can graduate from Community Theatre U!)

(Brief Digression--- whether you spell the word "theater" or "theatre", grammatically speaking, is fine.  Some people make distinctions between the spelling of the words, such as "theater" is a venue and "theatre" is an artform, or sport, but, while it is fine to feel like a smartypants with these distinctions, they don't really come from general vocabulary usage.  I'll write more on this some other time).

Today at Theater is a Sport, I had planned to write some audition tips for people wanting to get involved with community theater. 

I changed my mind. 

I thought to myself, before helping people land parts in their local community theater, perhaps I should write a bit about WHY community theater even exists, and its role in our culture, and, even, the vital role it plays in the very notion of what it means to be a human.  (Don't worry--- lowering the pretentious meter soon... please keep reading).

Community Theater, as a term, literally derived from the concept of theater being designed specifically for a certain community of people.  That makes sense, right?  According to my research, Community Theater in America was a branch of the Little Theater Movement circa 1912 (which merits a blog post of its own).  Nowadays, I think most people identify the term "Community Theater" as being "non-professional" theater, or theater in the "amateur" market.  Please don't be offended by the terms "amateur" or non-professional"--- I have spent a good part of my life being an "amateur" actor, and all I mean by this is that I provide acting services without being given money for my services.  That's all it means.  If you're an amateur actor, it just means you love acting enough to do it for free.

I'd like to spend another second on the initial concept, however:  theater designed specifically for a certain community of people.  What a lovely notion that is!  How it makes my heart glow and lips stretch into a smile!  A community of people putting on a show for a community of people!  What better show of a community's strength is there than gathering together to share a "communal" experience as audience and storytellers, sharing the same energy of the room, giving and taking from one another, and, most of all, simultaneously being part of a moment in time with one another, a special, rare moment in time that can never be repeated?  What better definition of community is there than this group of storytellers and audience becoming a single unit, where every single person's connection to the story enriches and completes the outcome?

Why does community theater exist?  The human race needs stories!

Why does community theater exist when there are so many other ways to find stories (movies, tv, the internet, etc.)?  I'll tell you why--- because not only does the human race need stories, it needs that connection you can only attain when you are part of sharing that distinct moment, live and in person, with no real barrier between you and the storyteller.  We are a world that is becoming obsessed with screens (says the fellow whose words you are reading from a screen), but these screens, while often valuable, create a layer of protection from what can truly be an amazing, cathartic experience (whether through laughter or tears).  Let that layer drop, and trust me, you share a mutual vulnerability with the performers that will touch you in a way that the screens cannot.  And this connection through the removal of layers is a profound and noble experience.  I truly believe this. 

Why should anyone care about "amateur" or Community Theater?  Shouldn't we just save our money for  a Broadway show (or at least an Equity Regional Theater)?
I will always encourage people to attend a Broadway show if they have the means.  I will always recommend people to attend their nearby Regional Theater, or professional summer stock, or touring shows, all of it.  It is a great way to spend your time, broaden your horizons, and be moved by gifted performers, directors, writers, and technicians.

Having said this, I must STRONGLY tell you my firm belief is that without thriving community theaters across the country, and, indeed, the world, professional theater would, and will, starve and ultimately die.

You might think I'm crazy for believing this, which is okay.  I am a little crazy, and am still determining whether it is a character fault or one of my finest graces (feel free to comment below with your opinion).

The reason I strongly believe this, however, is because COMMUNITIES ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF CIVILIZATION.  Before we fix the State, we fix the Town.  Amateur theaters, like school and community theaters, is where a love for the craft (and sport) begins.  It is where a child (like I was once was) watches their parents (like mine) transform into other people.  It is where you see your best friend shine like a star playing Felix in "The Odd Couple".  It is where you see the shy local teenager who works at her father's hardware store become "Thoroughly Modern Millie".  And this is a kind of magic.  To see people you know, people you've grown up with, people who check out your groceries or give you your annual physical cast off their every day lives to tell you a story.  

It is at this level that you become hungry for more stories, it is at this level where you might think, "Huh--- maybe I should save up to take the family to see a Broadway show".  Or, even if you never can afford to do so, you have still enriched your life by experiencing theater at the community level.

That's my answer to "Why community theater?"

And I cannot state strongly enough that whether your community theater performs in a church basement with minimal lights and settings, or is a 300-seat auditorium with nice lights and sound equipment (like my hometown community theater, The Center Theatre, which you will see a picture of below), it is VITAL you remember that your purpose is TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY.  I will spend time on this blog about developing a community theater, attaining non-profit status, building an audience, yada, yada, yada, but I will continue to return to this soapbox:  your first, and most important goal, is TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY, and by proxy, SERVE HUMANITY.  The reason I harp on this is because this intention is what elevates all theater, including Community Theater, to an art.  Because all art serves humanity.  It is what makes it vital and noble.

Later this week, I will write a post about why people should get involved with community theater, and some tips for auditioning.  Tune in tomorrow to read a post about my HERO WORSHIP of a playwright that I believe truly proves that theater is a sport, and, don't miss Tuesday's post where I will begin my online playwriting tutorial.

Until then, please feel free to leave comments or questions in the box below, or e-mail me at theater.is.a.sport@gmail.com. 

If you would like to see my playwright page on facebook and become a fan, follow, this link: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bobby-Keniston-Playwright-Page/148232788536601

If you would like to learn more about Community Theater across the country, I recommend visiting the American Association of Community Theatre's website, which is here:  http://www.aact.org/

Okay, so until next time, please remember:  Theater is a Sport. 


Picture of The Center Theatre, in Dover-Foxcroft, ME, courtesy of their website: 

FROM THE MOUTH OF A WOLF... BOBBY INTERVIEWS HIMSELF ABOUT HIS NEW BLOG

I have had the pleasure of knowing Bobby Keniston, noted playwright, actor, director, and drama teacher for my entire life.  I have seen firsthand the passion he brings to every project he is involved with.  When I heard he was creating a new blog, I must admit I was a little surprised.  Why would someone like Mr. Keniston suddenly jump on the bandwagon?  Don't get me wrong--- he has plenty to say (aside from being blessed with a certain boyish charm, he happens to be incredibly intelligent), and what he has to say is certainly worth listening to.  I was merely surprised that he waited so long.  Why now?  Shouldn't he have dived into the whole blog phenomonon at least five years ago?

I sat down with Bobby at his home in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, to talk with him about his plans for this new blog, with the intriguing title, "Theater is a Sport".  Always the gracious host (he's so sweet!), Bobby offered me an iced tea and a comfortable chair, and a good half-hour to answer all of my questions.  You will find the transcript from this lively interview below.

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:   I want to thank you, noted playwright, actor, director and drama teacher Bobby Keniston, for taking the time to talk to me today about your new endeavor, namely, your new blog called Theater is a Sport.

BOBBY:  No problem, Bobby.  You know I always enjoy talking to you.  When I haven't had my medication, that is.  (Laughs--- he's so funny!)

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:  I guess the first question I have is quite simple:  why a blog?  Why now?

BOBBY:  Well, I was recently interviewed for a blog that my neighbor runs, and I got to thinking how nice it must be to have a little space of your own on the internet where you can just write down your thoughts to share with the world.  But it's more than that, really....

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:  More how?

BOBBY:  I won't lie--- I feel compelled to have this blog at this time in my life.  I just turned thirty-two after all...

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:  No!  You can't possibly be thirty-two!

BOBBY:  That's kind of you to say, but I speak the truth.  By the way, Bobby, you look pretty young for your age as well.  (What a nice guy!--- Bobby Interviewer)
 I have been a theater-lover, a drama geek, a stage junkie, call it what you will, for twenty-five years now.  I think if you add up the number of hours I have spent on stage in my life, it would equal more than the combined hours I have spent kissing a girl.  I have dedicated my life so far to my passion for theater and theatrical writing, and I feel I have a great deal to share on the subject. 

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:  Who are your target readers?

BOBBY:  Anyone and everyone who loves the world of theater.   Drama geeks, theater patrons, high school drama clubs, community theater participants, drama coaches and teachers, amateur directors, playwrights, story-spinners, anyone with a tale to tell.  People who have uttered the expressions "What's the house like?" or "how'd the audition go?"   People who know the joys and pains of being in a play, who understand the nobility of being a part of what is, in my mind, one of the greatest communal activities this planet has to offer.
Also, anyone who wants to learn more about plays... how to purchase them, produce them, etc.  A guy has gotta eat, after all.

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:  Tell me a bit about the title... how did you choose "Theater is a Sport"?

BOBBY:  Once, on a break from college I think it was, I went to see some plays my father had directed at my hometown middle school.  In one of the plays, a fifth or sixth grade boy was playing the wolf.  He didn't look like your standard
wolf--- he had  a long black wig and a bright red hat.  I don't recall him having any lines, but he would hold his hand out to the audience, as though he were about to scratch us all, and say, "Rrrrrrrrrrrr."   He stole the show.  Seriously.  He was terrific.  After the show, I went to talk to him.  If I remember correctly, the little boy's name was Anthony.  I asked him if he enjoyed being in the play, and he said, "Yes.  I play baseball, but I think theater is my favorite sport." 

This was more than just a cute thing for a kid to say.  In fact, it had a bit of a profound effect on me.  I can't even tell you the number of times I have told this to a cast I was directing since then.  "Energy, people," I'll say.  "Theater is a sport!" 

Because it is.  Theater is a sport.  It involves physical and mental discipline.  Now, many people say that theater is a craft, and I believe that to be the truth.  Some call it an artform, and I definitely agree with this as well.  But, beyond all this, theater is a sport.  It's about the body and mind, it's about pushing yourself, training yourself, competing with yourself, going the distance for yourself.  It's about coming off the stage sweaty and spent.  It's about leaving it all out there, night after night after night.  And it's about teamwork, learning when to pass the ball, learning when to back a play.  It's about connection with your team, known in our circle as your cast, and connection with the audience. 

Little Anthony couldn't have been more correct.

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:  Wow.  Wow.

BOBBY:  I know, right?

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:  So what types of subjects do you plan to tackle through this blog?

BOBBY:  All sorts of things.  I plan to speak out particularly about what's called the "amateur market", i.e., community theaters and school theater.  I believe amateur theater is TREMENDOUSLY important, perhaps of PARAMOUNT importance to keeping theater alive in our country.  All the big theater magazines of course will deal with professional thater, Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional Theaters, and this is all awesome and interesting, and I love it, but there are directors, actors and playwrights who work very hard to keep "amateur" theater alive and thriving, and I think this benefits professional theater perhaps more than it is given credit for.
I also have this following plan:
1.  Fridays, I will interview people who have worked in theater (playwrights, actors, designers, editors), as much as I can.
2.  Saturdays, I will plug my own plays. What I mean is, well, yes, I will plug my own published plays, but I will also write teh background of my plays, why I wrote them, what I was trying to get across.  I love reading how playwrights came up with their work, and while I'm not saying too many people will be interested, maybe I'll have a few who want to know about how and why I write the plays I do.
3.  Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays, I will write about topics important to me when it comes to creating a strong community theater or high school theater program (or anything else that I might feel like writing about).
4.  Tuesdays I will be giving an on-line playwriting course, free of charge, for anyone who might be interested in learning to write a play!
5.  Thursdays will be 'THEATER STORIES" day, where I will tell stories from my experiences acting, directing and so forth in the theater, and, by my mistakes and funny tales, hopefully help others.

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:  Sounds pretty exciting.

BOBBY:  I think so.  I mean, I do hope people will find it interesting.

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:  And if they don't?

BOBBY:  Well, I'm no stranger to crying.   (He's so sensitive and in touch with his emotions!)

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:  Well, I know I'm excited to read and subscribe and all of that stuff.  And I know I will encourage everyone to do the same!

BOBBY:  Thanks so much!  I truly appreciate it!

BOBBY INTERVIEWER:  Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today.

BOBBY:  My pleasure.  Thanks for helping me out.

Bobby wished me well in his usual manner, and we shook hands and parted ways.  I, for one, know I am looking forward to see what Bobby has to say with his "little part of the internet". 

If you would like to know more about Bobby Keniston, check out his playwright's page on facebook that you can find here:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bobby-Keniston-Playwright-Page/148232788536601

Also, make sure you keep coming back to his blog.  Subscribe, even!  Why not?  Tomorrow, Bobby's going to give you the full story about the first play he ever published, called "Rumplestilskin the R-Dawg, Hip-Hop Minstrel".  You won't want to miss it.

Oh, and remember--- like Bobby says, theater is a sport.

See you next time.