Being Your Own Advocate as a Performer

By Kelsey Jordan Ward

As a non-union actor who is currently based in NYC but has spent the last 5 years post-grad in regional markets (DFW and Orlando), I know the struggle to get seen is real. While I recently signed with my agent in July of this year, I spent the first 10 years of my career learning how to be my own agent and manager rolled up into one. I drafted countless emails to casting and creative teams alike for years, advocated for myself and others, and honed in my craft to make myself the most castable version of me. I don’t have all the answers, but I believe that implementing these things every single day has made me a stronger artist and businesswoman. Because at the end of the day, theater is a business and you are your own personal CEO. 

Get over your own ego

This is going to sound harsh, so let me explain. We tend to worry as performers how we are going to be perceived by other people. By casting directors, by creative teams, by other performers, etc. that we will often talk ourselves out of reaching out to anyone before we even do it. The first step is asking yourself if you would be offended to receive the email you are going to send. Would you get offended? Upset? Probably not, so it is safe to say that the person on the receiving end of that email will likely feel the same way. The worst they can say is no.

Put your best foot forward

Getting a quality reel together that showcases YOU to your best ability. Not who you think they want you to be. Not every track calls for a double pirouette but most want to make sure you can move. Find some clips of you where you are moving well and put those together as a dance reel. For a vocal reel, you don’t need to be able to sing everything, but you need to showcase yourself in the best light, so give some contrasting clips of what you do best and get ready to send it. 

Tell casting why they should hire you

Some of the best advice I was ever given was to go into every audition with the mindset of “how can I help you”. Casting is a puzzle and casting directors are always looking for people to fit into those slots. It also never hurts you in casting for someone to know you are interested in doing a specific project or want to work with a specific director/company. Convey your interest in the specific show and let them know why you would be a good fit for the show. You don’t need to go into detail about every role you’ve played or all of your skills (that’s where you let your resume and reels speak for themselves) but give them the overview of what makes you a great performer and what makes you, YOU! 

Build professional relationships

I have been cast in shows at least 4 or 5 times because I had a pre-existing working relationship with directors who knew my work ethic, and when auditions for that show came around, I made it explicitly clear that I wanted to be in that show. “They’ll know I’m interested because I showed up to auditions” no they won’t. We are constantly auditioning for the next thing and it would be insane to say that we view each audition the same way. Directors know that too, and they want to cast people who they know are committed to this specific project. Two separate instances in the past 2 years, I reached out to the director of a show within hours of the season being posted to let them know that I was interested, available, and wanted to be at auditions whenever they happened. Both of those shows I booked and that is not a coincidence. 

Be someone people want to work with

I feel like this should be a given, but it costs you nothing to be nice to other people. To everyone behind the table at auditions, to the audition monitor, anyone in the audition room with you. Those people are your peers and you never know who you will be working with in the future. People generally want to help other people succeed (and if you don’t you suck) so having as many people in your corner (and being in their corner in return) is always beneficial. Also showing up prepared and ready to work. Having your lines memorized, working on your music outside of rehearsal, going over the choreography. Being a reliable person will beat being a talented person anyday. 

Do your research

Know who you are auditioning for and ask who is in the room before you go in (audition monitors are your best friend). If you are going in for a specific show, know the background of the show and the characters you are interested in. In theater, there is no such thing as being over prepared. Don’t drive yourself crazy with a whole deep dive into every single biography you can find, but have a background to work with. This also extends into once you have booked the job. Part of being your own advocate is staying consistent throughout the entire process. 

Never stop showing up and never stop learning 

It’s so easy to get discouraged in this industry. You are going to hear hundreds of “no’s” for every yes. Someone once told me “it’s the people who keep showing up that make it in this industry” and that really stuck with me because it is so true. I auditioned for the theater I am currently working for 5 or 6 times before getting my first contract with them. Every “overnight success” has likely been putting in the work for years beforehand. So keep showing up. Keep talking those voice lessons, dance classes, workshops, etc. to keep working on your craft every day. Keep taking care of yourself physically and mentally so you are performance ready whenever that time comes (and trust me it will). 

Know your worth and know when to walk away 

This is a hard one to talk about because more often than not we as actors are told that we need to grin and bear it in order to not be seen as “rude” or “hard to work with”. I want to make sure that my earlier point of being nice and kind does not mean you will become a door mat. Knowing what your contract says and not allowing theaters to take advantage of you within that contract. Setting a minimum amount you are willing to be paid per week with yourself and holding strong to that. Speaking up when there is blatant abuse towards you or another person involved in the show. I have had to be the “whistleblower” in some instances like this, and it is not fun, but it is worth making the theater a safer environment for other performers. 

Disconnect yourself from your career

This seems counterintuitive, but I believe that we need separation from ourselves as actors and ourselves as people. Finding things outside of our career that bring us happiness and joy. I really love baking and cooking. I think there is nothing that a good Disney movie can’t fix. I am obsessed with my Nespresso but there’s something about when you find a cute coffee shop in Williamsburg that makes your lavender vanilla latte just right. Point is, you need to know yourself if you weren’t doing theater. How much of your identity is tied to what show you are cast in or what role you are playing next? Who are you outside of that and how can that inform how you behave as an actor?

Knowing that what is meant for you will not pass you by 

I think I have been saying this to myself since I was 18 during college auditions. I believed it then and I still believe it now. I think that every no gave way to some other opportunity or something I needed to do to be where I am today. Everytime I felt like I misstepped, I was given some reason why I should have been there in the first place. My career has not looked the way I thought it would when I was 18, but I wouldn’t change my experiences for the world. The best way I know to advocate for myself is to believe that I am exactly where I am meant to be.