5 Theatre Resume Examples That Worked in 2021

Why this resume works

• To be an actor doesn't always require a degree.  However, if you do have some formal theatre education or certifications that help you stand out from the rest, be sure to list your accomplishments.  You'll see that we've added a degree to this resume, but if you don't have one, that's OK.  If you have time spent as an intern, certifications from a program, or time spent in summer stock, include those in your work experience or skills as appropriate.
• Clearly state your scope of responsibilities in your past roles on your theatre resume.  There are so many opportunities in the theatre to learn, work, and contribute to a production. All  responsibilities will make a difference to a hiring manager. 
  • If you've performed, written, taught, sewed, or organized anything, show it on your theatre resume.  Your understanding of different aspects of the theatre can show ambition, talent, and progress.
• When you've had a few years of experience, you should structure your resume in reverse chronological format.  In other words, your most recent experience should go at the top of your theatre resume, and your oldest experience should go at the bottom.  We've structured our theatre resumes this way for you to see and use when writing your own resume.

Why this resume works

• When writing a resume objective for your technical theatre resume, be sure to write one to two sentences, as we've done in our sample, to show both your innate qualities and skills as well as the goal you're looking to attain for the job you're applying to.
  • Write your objective, so it matches the job description.  Use any keywords that match what the hiring manager is looking for in technical theatre.  Use our technical resume guide to give you the ideas that will enable you to express your goals with a sense of confidence and achievement. 
• Notice that this technical theatre resume includes quantifiable metrics - number of performances, reduction in expenses, audience number, etc.  There aren't always a lot of quantifiable metrics in the theatre but think of some.  Numbers always speak louder than words, and the hiring manager reading your resume will notice the quantifiable changes you affected while in your different roles.
• Use action verbs when writing your technical theatre resume.  Action verbs are specific; they clarify your contributions and bring a confident tone to your resume.  
  • Notice our sample technical theatre resume.  We used words such as managed, lead, directed, and developed.  They all show leadership and confidence.

Why this resume works

• With a few years or more of experience in professional theatre, you may have many skills to select from.  A hiring manager only spends an average of six seconds looking at your professional theatre resume.  Depending what they're looking for, your skill set can stand out.  
  • Look over our sample professional theatre resume, and see what skills were mentioned.  Set design is a specific skill, but there are also soft skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, and being diligent.  The skills you put on your resume, like our sample, tell the hiring manager about you, what you can bring to their productions as a skilled artist and a thoughtful human being.
• Working in professional theatre means that you may have worked a wide scope of responsibilities.  In our sample professional theatre resume, we've shown supervising of schedules for cast and crew, leading meetings, to digitizing film.  What are the scope of responsibilities in your past roles?  Make sure you give the hiring manager a clear overview of what you did in your past roles.  
  • For example, did you work on the artistic side of a production?  Did you work in marketing to promote productions?  Did you supervise the costume department under direction form the Costume Director?
• Use action words when describing your work experience on your professional theatre resume.  Show your strength and be more detailed so your work contribution is clear and impactful.

Why this resume works

• Writing a musical theatre resume requires you stand out.  Did you know that the average time spent reviewing a resume by a hiring manager is only six seconds?  To stand out in six seconds you must make sure that your work objective shows up clearly. 
  • You do this by making sure that your work objective uses matching keywords from the job description.  If you do this, your musical theatre resume sort to the top of the pile, using an automated system called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which will decide whether or not your resume gets sent to a human for review.
• When writing your musical theatre resume, be sure to list the skills that are most relevant to the job description.  Do this by matching as many description keywords as possible.
• Don't be afraid to inject your personality when writing your musical theatre resume. Hiring managers are going to be reviewing tens to hundreds of resumes for their open role so you don't just want to be just another resume in the pile.  Stand out.  Show them who you are.

Why this resume works

• Don't list too many skills in your skills section! It's a big red flag to the hiring manager if they see a resume where an applicant lists 15+ skills. First, it might mean the applicant is exaggerating their skillset (a big no-no). Second, a hiring manager would rather hire someone who is a master of a few skills than a beginner in many skills.
• Resumes are used to make the most favorable impression on a prospective employer.  Your community theatre resume is often the first impression a potential employer has of you.  Your resume is considered one of the most crucial steps taken during a job search.
  • Use our sample musical theatre resume to get inspired and to learn best practices for putting together the resume for the job of your dreams.