Welcome to the 10 Talent Blog/Vlog! A bit about 10 Talent, I am Sarah Matton, Founder and Director. For over a decade I have worked professionally in the field of musical theatre. In the fall of 2021, I expanded and brought on another Agent who has first-hand knowledge and experience in the Industry, Jessica Cvitkovic. We have worked together on stage, and now as a team at 10 Talent. We hope to provide some tips to all Artists in the Industry.
We are loving the opening nights, social media posts and seeing LIVE theatre with so many talented Artists. We are feeling cautiously optimistic about the future as we are all navigating the new normal. If you are still here, bravo. It has been a long hard journey and we are not there yet. We wanted to share a few things we have been noticing. We hope this will remind all the Artists out there that you are in the same boat and feeling the same feelings.
Artists are out of practice, and not with their craft, but with auditions. Everyone is overthinking! There are more worries about getting into the room, selecting material, and even choosing an outfit. The stakes seem so high because there are less auditions and less work. “God, I hope I get it” has reached a new level. We believe Artists are out of practice in hearing the word “No” 10xs for every one “Yes.” Because of this, things sting a little more. Please remember your value is not measured by your craft. It will take time to build up a thick skin again.
Theatre Truths (from our perspective):
1| Shows that are happening in 2022 have smaller casts. There are literally less jobs out there. Theatres are still being conservative and trying to be profitable. For many theatres, seats are not selling out yet.
2| Not every show happening is right for you. Shout out to the ensemble dancers. Right now, theatres are casting smaller shows, and everyone needs to be able to cover. If you are a killer dancer, but the singing and acting chops are not equally strong, there are less opportunities right now.
3| For 2023, It looks like some theatres are going to bring back shows that were previously cancelled in 2020. There will be first right of refusal in some cases so there may not even be auditions for a show that is happening.
4| There are more requests for self submissions. All Actors should be subscribed to E-Drive with Equity and checking the submission requests of each theatre. Make sure you are in contact with your agent when you are self submitting. Agents don’t love the self submission requests, but respect what the Artistic Directors want to see.
5| It looks like the vaccination requirements are here to stay for the next little while (2023/2024???). For any Artist who is not vaccinated, unfortunately you are not able to be engaged in an Equity agreement.
This is not meant to crush hope but to help manage expectations. These truths are completely out of one’s control. But what can you be doing while you wait? Practice. Practice. Practice! Wouldn’t it be great if Artists organized an audition night and started putting themselves out there in front of their peers? Auditioning used to feel like second nature but now it is a foreign concept – especially in person. We see auditioning as an opportunity to bring your ideas to a character for a day. Make a strong choice. If it’s wrong, great. Be ready for the redirect.