u/Crazy-Branch-1513

I’m a professional actor getting regular work in Atlanta theatre. I visited NYC a few months ago and fell in love with the idea of living there.

I would say I’m good at what I do, I’m a triple threat with acting first and I can sing and dance pretty well. I’m also a guy which I’ve found works in my favor in theatre.

While I get consistent work, I’ve only been in Atlanta for a year and a half (and thus acting professionally for that long) and I haven’t quite made it to the two major theaters in the area (one is the Alliance, for example, which has put several shows on Broadway like Tuck Everlasting). I’m also not equity yet, but I believe I do qualify I just don’t think I would land as much equity work as I am non-union.

But I really want to make the move and start making connections in New York while I’m still young (26). Would it be wise to do so? Or, if not, when would be a better time?

I’m pretty new to directing, but I’ve been an actor for years, enough to be working professionally pretty consistently. I’ve taken a class in college for directing (we didn’t have an extensive directing program so it’s all I had) and I directed an elaborate drunk staged reading of a musical in January that went very well and was one of the more successful for that company. I implemented a lot of creative moments that got laughs at the performance and my choreography got tons of cheers.

Directing is something I want to delve further into, so when I got offered to assistant direct at a professional theatre for pretty decent pay, I was ecstatic. However, I found out pretty quickly that I’m only really here to sub in for the director if he’s in a meeting, and that’s only happened once and we were reviewing choreography so the dance captain lead that rehearsal.

Every idea I’ve offered has been immediately tossed to the side and not considered. Not one has even been tried. I’ve honestly given up suggesting anything because I’m tired of being shot down. The director said I could take notes to give to the cast, so I did and I have a ton, but he wants to look over them before I give them and he hasn’t done so yet, so I just have a notes app full of notes that are just…there.

This is mostly a rant, I’m just frustrated. I guess is this pretty typical for assistant directors? I’m getting paid about $1,000 to sit in rehearsals and watch.