What to Do During College to Succeed Financially as a Stage Manager

Let’s back up a little and assume that you’re just starting college. You’re trying to balance all your theater classes, along with those pointless other classes to make you well rounded, mandatory hours in the scene shop, and rehearsals. College is tough. Here’s a hint, the real world is worse. Here are a few things you can do to make the transition to the real world a little less painful: If at all possible, get a job and sock away every penny you can. When you look at that cute new shirt in the mall think, “do I want this shirt or do I want to be able to move to a city like New York?” Look for jobs that can help you build your resume. For the techs, are there student worker positions in your scene shop? If not, is the local hardware store hiring? Is there a local theater looking for overhires? For the performers, is there a company where you can work as a costumed character for birthday parties? Any jobs that emphasize public speaking? Can you be a tour guide? If you have student loans, start using that money to pay down your student loans. People in the arts need to prioritize being debt free in ways that others don’t, because it is very rare to find a high paying job in the arts right out of school. My first stage managing gig was $500 a month. That means that when you have a $300 monthly student loan payment and you’re making next to nothing, you won’t be able to get by. I’m all for people in the arts sucking it up and doing a few years on tour or on a cruise ship to get rid of their student loans. Not only do you build up resume credits, but you’re able to pay off student loans fast and build up an emergency savings account. Which you will need if you’re planning on moving to a big city. Realistically think about your future hustle. There are so many people I’ve met who say they don’t have a Plan B because they’re all about Plan A. I think these people are idiots. And almost every one of them has had a Plan B forced on them – like waitressing or babysitting. Why not actually make your backup plan instead of having it foisted on you by necessity? For instance, my Plan B for a long time was substitute teaching. In most of the states I’ve lived, I met the requirements to be a substitute teacher (double check, it varies widely by state) and it gave me the flexibility to still stage manage. If you start in college, you can build your Plan B into a really strong foundation that will allow you to prioritize working as a stage manager, while still knowing that you can eat and pay rent. I have 114 other ideas that you can develop on this list, but another great skill to start building up in college is freelance writing. You don’t necessarily have to be a blogger, there are plenty of opportunities for freelance writing without understanding anything technical, although blogging is another great side hustle for stage managers. Take your time thinking about what you like to do or are knowledgeable about, how you can make money off of it and how you can do it while remaining location independent and on your own schedule. You’ll still need to meet deadlines, but jobs that let you decide the time of day you’ll get the work done are the best kind for stage managers.

What steps did you take (or wish you did) in college to get a leg up on your finances?