Actor Mentorships
Each production with more than 10 roles will leave one role open for an actor/actress with little or no experience who shows promise during their audition. The selected candidate for an actor mentorship will be a full member of the cast. In order to develop the actor’s talent, they will have weekly one-on-one sessions with a more experienced member of the cast and crew. Most sessions will involve the director working with the actor on character, line delivery, basic concepts of acting, etc. The director may also choose to have the candidate work with an experienced fellow cast member, voice coach, dramaturg, playwright, stage manager or other qualified theatre artist for a number of the sessions. Guidelines for eligibility, rules and restrictions are listed below:
- Ideal candidate should have no more than three acting credits to their name (educational experience DOES count in this case. Film credits do not count).
- Acceptance into an actor mentorship does not guarantee a leading or supporting role in the production. Most actors in a mentorship will be assigned smaller roles in order to properly ease them into the mechanics of theatre acting. However, candidates who exhibit exceptional promise may be cast in larger roles.
- Actors in a mentorship may be removed from their role if they are disruptive or frequently behave in a non-professional manner.
- Actors who withdraw from a mentorship or are removed due to non-professionalism will be ineligible for a future mentorship (exceptions are at the discretion of the Artistic Directors).
Technical Artist Mentorships
Mentoring is available to members of the Austin community who wish to learn a new skill in theatre production. Each production (with the exception of the NA/NW production) will leave one or more major crew positions open to aspiring technical theatre artists from the community. The chosen individual will be taught the basics of their position and mentored by someone with experience in that field. Positions that may be available: Assistant Director, Assistant Stage Manager, Properties Master, Costume Coordinator, House Manager, Running Crew, etc. Interested parties may express their desire via the UTW website. Guidelines for eligibility are listed below:
- Candidates must have little or no experience in the position they are interested in. For example, a person applying for an Assistant Stage Manager position should have little or no prior experience in stage management.
- Candidates must be available to make evening rehearsals and each performance of the production.
- Candidates that withdraw from a position before the production opens will no longer be eligible for participation in the Mentoring training program. Some exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the Artistic Directors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below we will try to answer a few of the most common questions about mentorships. If your question is not answered below, feel free to email me us at [email protected].
- Will I get paid for my role or crew position? At this time all positions with UTW are unpaid, volunteer opportunities. We like to think you get compensated with invaluable experience and instruction.
- What constitutes "Behaving in a non-professional manner?" We want to provide a safe, fun, supportive and productive environment and experience for all involved. Anything that hurts the overall production or the others around you can be considered "non-professional." The list includes, but is not limited to, the following: repeated tardiness, missing scheduled rehearsals/work days, offensive language, threats or acts of violence, consuming drugs or alcohol while at rehearsals, bullying, not taking direction, damage to property, hate speech, etc.
- I haven't been involved in theatre for many years but would like to participate in a mentorship program to brush up on my skills. Will I still qualify? Unfortunately, no. However, we invite you to come to auditions or send us a resume and jump right back in! We would be glad to help you brush up on those skills!
- I am a child actor. Will I qualify? Yes! We welcome actors of all ages to audition for us! However, we do require parental permission for actors under the age of 15. Also, official rehearsals are closed so parents are not allowed in rehearsals with you. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Artistic Directors. If chosen for the actor mentorship, a parent may accompany you to the one on one sessions with the director.
- When will the one on one sessions take place? These sessions typically take place immediately before a full rehearsal. The director will work with you to pick a time and day that is best for you!