Ever wondered what being a Theatre Swing entails and how it can help you pave your way into the industry? Then keep reading! This blog explores what it means to be a Theatre Swing, the difference between a Cast Swing and a Technical Swing, as well as how it can help widen your skill set.
Theatre Swings are an important part of the theatre world and how it operates.
The role of a Cast Swing is to act as an understudy for numerous parts - both ensemble and principle. They will learn various roles and step in if a member of the cast is absent.
A Technical Theatre Swing or ‘Tech Swing’ is someone who is a technical and production all-rounder. They will learn all aspects of the show within the lighting, sound, automation and stage management departments, rotating around each department to step in when a member of the crew is absent.
Large casts and crews on long show runs will be given days off, so the Swing will be on hand to fill those gaps on rotation.
Whilst being a Swing allows you to gain industry knowledge first-hand, it can be beneficial to have certain skills:
Being a Swing can open many doors within the industry and can allow you to:
A common misconception is that Swings are just those acting within a show, when in reality, there are many roles within the industry that you can be a swing for, such as being a Technical Swing. Other departments also include:
If you want to get into the industry by being a Theatre Swing or you want to take a look at the career options that being a Swing can lead to, check out our opportunities on Get Into Theatre.
One key thing to know about the theatre industry is that you don’t need a degree or professional qualification to pursue a performing arts career!
If college and university isn’t an option you’d like to take, there are various ways for you to learn new skills and find the creative career path right for you; from backstage to costume, admin to acting!
In this blog, we’re going to highlight a handful of performing arts careers as well as a brief overview of what each role is.
The wardrobe and costume departments are key parts of any production. Below are just two of the performing arts careers within this department that don’t require degrees
A costume designer will be responsible for designing all the costumes for a production, ensuring they are from the correct time period and more. They will work closely with the director to ensure the director's vision is shown through the costumes. This role requires a lot of research and a creative mind, as well as knowledge of period fashion and what outfits work well on stage.
Useful skills for a costume designer:
A dresser will assist with the maintenance of costumes and ensure quick changes happen with ease. Dresser responsibilities may also include storing costumes and returning hired items, ensuring items fit performers and ensuring costumes are where they need to be at the correct times. Shows across the country rely on Dressers to ensure things go smoothly and without them, shows with multiple costume changes or large ensembles, wouldn’t go ahead.
This role does not require a degree, however, having experience in the following will help:
To find costume and wardrobe opportunities, click here.
These two performing arts careers are crucial to the smooth running of any theatre production. A stage manager will:
A deputy stage manager (also known as a DSM) will often be required to assist the stage manager. They will ensure technical cues are correct, that props and set are where they need to be and they will also make note of any changes made to the script during rehearsals.
Neither of these roles requires a degree but it is useful to have these skills:
This role is particularly important on tech-heavy shows like Wicked where not only is sound and lighting involved but there are multiple special effects cues.
If you would like to discover stage management and deputy stage management opportunities, click here!
A performing arts career many may not consider is a graphic designer. From branding, logos, poster design and print ads, graphic designers play a vital part in ensuring a show's marketing looks good and attracts audience members.
To follow a theatre graphic design career path, you don’t need to have a degree, however, having these skills will help you:
If you are looking to be involved within the theatre industry but don’t want to pursue such a creative path, then this career could be for you! Arts admin is a very varied role and includes responsibilities such as:
For this performing arts career, you don’t need a degree but it is helpful to have good communication and teamwork skills, as well as knowledge, interest, passion and experience in the performing arts industry.
Click here to read our blog with more information on art admin careers.
Many theatre companies and theatres offer internship schemes. The Young Vic Theatre runs a work experience and internship programme every August, allowing young people interested in wardrobe, stage management, sound and lighting to gain high-quality placement experience.
Check out some opportunities on our website here and if you don’t see anything listed from your local theatre, get in contact with them via their contact page on their website!
Another great way to gain experience is by participating in workshops. The Get Into Theatre website has a range of free and paid workshop opportunities from all over the country for many roles within the industry, including writing workshops in Cardiff, make-up workshops in Leeds and dance workshops in London.
Despite the performing arts careers mentioned in this blog not requiring a degree, there is always an option to get a qualification in your chosen area to boost your skills and knowledge. On our website, we have a wide range of courses from performing arts schools and universities across the country. Whether you’re looking for a foundation degree, BTEC, Ba or MA, you can see all of the courses listed here. Want to find out more about the training routes you can follow, check out our blog for more information!
Theatre training for all areas of the industry is more available than you may think. It can, however, be hard to know where to look, so if you’re having trouble finding opportunities, we’re here to help!
We've put together a list of ways you can find theatre training across the UK and ways you can discover the amazing opportunities available on our Get Into Theatre website.
Before you can start searching, it is important that you know which type of course, institution and training you’re looking for. Knowing the difference between a short course, conservatoire or university course will allow you to narrow down your choices. If you need more information on the types of courses and their accreditations, click here!
One of the best ways to stay up to date with the latest training programmes, courses and free opportunities offered by organisations is to sign up to receive newsletters. These can be weekly, fortnightly or sometimes monthly and usually contain a round-up of workshops and more.
Our Get Into Theatre newsletter is sent to our users who have opted to receive information from us and arrived in your inbox on a Friday. Plus they contain further information on ticket offers and other opportunities available.
Do you use social media? If so, following arts organisations and theatres is a great way to be kept in the loop about news and opportunities. Turning notifications on can be extremely helpful and will allow you to get updates on training as soon as they are shared.
Here at Get Into Theatre, we regularly post opportunities on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, along with other theatre and arts careers advice.
If you can’t find the courses or training you’re looking for then don’t panic! Many organisations have a ‘Contact Us’ page on their website providing contact details or a contact form. Reaching out to a training provider directly allows you to ask any questions you may have. They can point you in the right direction and let you know about workshops or training that they may be able to offer.
This Get Into Theatre website brings together a wide range of theatre training opportunities available for young people across the UK. Our handy search bar and categories can help you determine exactly what you’re looking for.
Click the links below to be directed to the type of training you’re most interested in.
Be sure to check out our website for the full selection of courses and training available to you. Also, follow us on our social media platforms and sign up to our newsletter for all the latest updates on the best theatre training opportunities available for young people.
Do you manage or work for an institution, organisation or theatre? Perhaps you operate a theatre company creating opportunities for young people? We would love to hear from you, so please get in touch with Get Into Theatre today to list your training on our website for thousands of young people across the nation to discover.
There are many different types of jobs in theatre and knowing where to start in your theatre career search can be difficult. Whether you want to be a performer, work within backstage & technical theatre or in a venue, our list is a great starting point to learn what role in theatre would best suit you.
This complete list of careers in theatre is based on large-scale theatres in the UK. For smaller theatres or productions some roles in this list will not be applicable or the roles may be merged together. The theatre industry evolves everyday and we strive to keep this list as up to date as possible. However, if you notice a role that you are interested in isn't listed below, get in touch!
Updated: 4th June 2024
Training for a career in theatre is often a really exciting experience - but it can also be daunting, particularly when figuring out how you’re going to pay for it all. Taking into consideration accommodation, materials, travel, and other living expenses, a three-year drama school course can be expensive. So where do you start looking for funding to help train towards a career in theatre and what types of funding are available?
A good place to start looking would be to check out Get Into Theatre’s Funding Opportunities. On this page, you can find a wide range of bursaries, awards, and scholarships for training across on and offstage roles - you can even filter them for targeted opportunities if you’re from a Black, Asian or ethnically diverse background, from a low-income household or identify as D/deaf and/or disabled.
One of the things to consider is what type of training is best for you. This might be a three-year bachelor’s degree, or a shorter diploma or master’s programme at either a university or a specialist drama school. Other approaches include (but are definitely not limited to) apprenticeships and short-term or part-time programmes, courses, or qualifications. The type of training available might depend on what role you see yourself in - for example, there are technical theatre and stage management apprenticeships, but these are less common for Performers. You can find some of these training opportunities on Get Into Theatre here.
Unsure what area of theatre you’d enjoy? Check out this ‘complete list of jobs in the theatre industry’ for some ideas.
If you’re looking to train here in the UK, the government offers several loan schemes and awards to support training for a career in theatre. For most of these schemes, you must be a UK national (but eligibility may differ if you’re a student from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man).
Besides government programmes, there are also a number of organisations and charities around the UK offering financial support for theatre training. Here are some examples:
There are regularly new schemes and funding opportunities being created, and you might come across other organisations offering financial support - keep an eye out at your local arts venues and on social media, as organisations will often announce new programmes through these platforms.
Besides applying for funding from established organisations, you could also consider personal fundraising. This might include working part-time to save some money up or organising crowdfunding on a platform like GoFundMe. In the same vein, you could consider reaching out to friends and family to ask if they would consider pitching in to support your training endeavour.
The best thing you can do is to start thinking about funding as early as possible, once you decide where and how you want to train. Although securing funding for theatre training might be a daunting process, it’ll take one thing off your shoulders once you begin training and allow you to focus on getting the most out of your programme.
Written by Misha Mah
Misha Mah is an early-career Production Manager and Producer, with an interest in immersive work and live events. She is a graduate of the University of Birmingham’s BA Drama and Theatre Arts course, and will be commencing on the MA Stage & Production Management programme at the Guildford School of Acting this fall. She is currently the Social Media Manager for The SM NEST, the network for early-career stage managers.
Blog image: Shutterstock
Published: 1 December 2021
When most people think of the professions they can pursue in theatre, jobs such as acting, directing and playwriting come to mind. Advice you can share with your child is that there are many careers in the theatre industry. They themselves don’t need to be a Performer or Creative. Just like in any other sector, there are individuals who work in operational roles like Administrators and Accountants. If your child wants a career that’s closer to the stage, there are many options in theatre production.
Additionally, if your child wants to have a career as a Creative within theatre, you may want to consider encouraging them to have a second, non-creative job. Don’t think of it as a backup plan for failure, but a way of financing a main goal. For instance, I work as a Freelance Administrator in order to pay for my first love, which is playwriting.
See our complete list of jobs in the theatre industry
Read more about second jobs in the theatre industry
Arts careers are sometimes viewed as less “respectable”. Therefore, the knowledge that your child wants to work in theatre may generate negativity. It’s important to remember that arts jobs require skills, just like corporate jobs do. Speaking as someone whose mother tried to steer her away from a career in the arts, I felt a lot more happy, free and confident once I started exploring playwriting opportunities.
When putting themselves forward for career opportunities in theatre, your child may face rejection. The presence of a person who supports them can make selection processes less stressful. What better cheerleader could a child have than their parent or guardian?
Read the best 10 tips on how to start a career in the theatre industry
Theatre careers may require spending money, especially when it comes to drama school. Fortunately, some institutions offer scholarships and bursaries. Moreover, public bodies like Arts Council England give out funding to Theatremakers who want to develop their skills. Even better, some training opportunities are completely free.
When it comes to careers like playwriting, qualifications aren’t essential. I was lucky enough to be selected for VAULT Festival’s New Writers Programme (VAULT Festival is now closed but you can search for similar opportunities here). I attended sessions geared toward writing a full-length play draft, watched plays and gained excellent experiences for a tiny amount of money.
For technical areas of theatre, your child can gain a qualification through an apprenticeship. Experiences can be collected through paid placements too. Thanks to Get Into Theatre, loads of opportunities are just a click away!
Written by Faye Acheampong
Faye Acheampong (she/her) is a playwright from London, who took part in VAULT Festival’s New Writers Programme 2021. Her writing explores Black British womanhood in a fantasy-like manner.
Published: 21 September 2021
Blog photo: Shutterstock
With many drama schools now into their second year of holding auditions online due to the pandemic, we check in with students from Trinity Laban’s Foundation Course, to talk about top tips for online drama school auditions, self-tapes and online interviews.
Neve Clarke, Amy Mash and Sarah Dickson tell us about what happens during the online audition process, the best techniques for online auditions and what they wish they had done differently to prepare.
“I felt self-tapes were helpful in being able to see exactly what the panel would see… This helped my confidence in what I was producing.”
“I liked how I could watch my tapes back to analyse how I was acting in my songs, monologues and dance pieces. I found this helpful as I could correct myself.”
Read our tips on how to tackle nerves and anxiety before an audition here
“Something that I think would be very beneficial is to do a mock online Zoom audition.”
“I felt I could have looked for more Shakespeare monologues so I could have a choice for each school instead of only using the same material for every school.”
“I wish I had done more on live interviews over Zoom. Being in a room I can give off my personality, however it was a lot harder through a computer.”
Find out how to prepare for a drama school audition here
“Some schools took an extremely long time to get back to me. I waited 10 weeks from one school.”
“I could have connected the computer to a speaker so I could hear the music more clearly in dance auditions.”
“I feel like some schools might have first-round auditions online because it means people do not have to spend money travelling to the schools for auditions. I do however feel it would be better for schools to at least have their second rounds in person.”
What is the best advice for getting into drama school as an Actor? Find out more here
“I would definitely make sure you set up your camera correctly. I would make sure that you use natural lighting when filming. But mostly I would say if you have an interview, you have to show so much more personality and enthusiasm because it is harder to convey through a camera.”
“Do not try and get the perfect take on your self-tape - you will drive yourself insane. Just keep trying your best. Watch your tapes back and decide what parts you need to focus on.”
Read our top 10 tips on how to self-tape and audition online here
Photo: Shutterstock
Published: 06 May 2021
Self-tape and virtual video auditions are often used in the casting process for Performers and Actors. With online communication more important than ever due to COVID-19, it is also now essential that if you want to audition or interview for drama school, college or university, you know how to succeed with an online interview or a remote self-tape audition.
Before we get into our guide to a perfect self-tape, you might be wondering what a self-tape audition is. If you are asked to audition from home or submit an online interview, you will need to film yourself performing or answering set questions, either via a live video call or by sending a video file electronically.
You will also need to consider what to wear to self-tape. You should treat your virtual audition in the same way that you would an in-person audition. If you know you’re going to have to dance during the self-tape, make sure you are wearing appropriate dancewear. Likewise, if your remote application is in an interview format, ensure you’re dressed for an interview. Bear in mind that busy patterns and stripes don’t come across well on camera, so stick to plain clothing if you can.
If you’re looking for further advice on self-taping, check out Fourth Monkey's guidance on their virtual auditions here.
For general tips on auditions and getting into drama school, see the below posts on the Get Into Theatre blog:
Published: 17 April 2020
Photo: Shutterstock
According to the Federation of Drama Schools, drama schools operate as non-profit organisations, which is why audition fees exist despite students paying to attend drama school each year, as this money goes towards the running of the school i.e. keeping the building safe and equipped with all the necessities, and paying teachers etc.
But we’re not here to talk about audition costs, we’re here to tell you about which drama schools offer free auditions.
As a way of making drama school more accessible for everyone, a large number of drama schools across the country have put a stop to audition fees and now offer auditions at no cost.
The following colleges are included in the Conservatoires for Dance and Drama (colleges for the study of classical music or other arts) and their key aim is “to increase and secure access to training for the most talented students regardless of their background.” They provide an audition and interview waiver scheme that was designed to ensure that financial barriers do not limit the ability of talented students applying to their schools.
Other drama schools who have abolished or reduced audition fees include…
Fourth Monkey made the decision to abolish audition fees in September 2019. This applies to all audition dates for 2020 intake across both courses offered by the school, consisting of their BA (Hons) Acting Two Year Accelerated Degree and the Year of the Monkey one year intensive training programme.
See all Fourth Monkey courses here.
Sarah Frankcom recently became the new Director of London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and her first act as Director was to create a new audition process and audition fee structure, which saw the cost of first round auditions slashed for all applicants by 75%.
RCSSD offers free auditions for a large number of applicants. Applicants must meet the criteria to be eligible for a free audition. See if you meet the criteria here.
See all Central School courses here.
Rose Bruford doesn’t charge audition fees if your household income is under £25,000 per year, you are a recipient of benefits including disability benefits, you have care responsibilities or you can offer evidence of financial hardship. There are a number of other requirements that would make you eligible for a free audition which you can find here.
See all courses at Rose Bruford here.
RWCMD offers audition fee waivers for applicants from low-income backgrounds. However, they are not able to refund accommodation or travel costs. Applicants for an audition fee waiver must be a current UK resident and meet one or more of the criteria which you can find here.
See all courses at RWCMD here.
If you apply via the UCAS Conservatoires application there is a fee of £25, whereas the usual audition administration fee is £55 per course. Audition fee waivers are also available and offered to applicants who may face financial hardship. See if you meet the criteria here.
See all courses at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland here.
RADA has an application process for those from low-income households to apply for a free audition. Applicants must complete an application form specifying they are applying for a free audition.
Audition fees stand at £45, however Mountview offers a number of free auditions for students unable to afford the cost. Also, if you live in Southwark you are eligible to apply for one free audition for one of the Foundation, BA or MA Performance courses. See all information here.
See all Mountview courses here.
The audition fee for ArtsEd is £45, however there is an Audition Fee Waiver Scheme in place as a means of encouraging applications from talented applicants who face financial barriers. Find out more about this here.
Guildhall is the latest performing arts school to slash their audition fees. They have reduced the audition fees for their acting courses by almost 50% in a move aimed at levelling the playing field for aspiring Performers and boosting diversity. They also offers fee waivers through a Supported Application Scheme.
See all courses at Guildhall here.
Not only do The MTA offer free auditions but they only audition 15 people each day providing every individual with written feedback and a same day decision which will save them on the costs to return for a recall.
https://www.federationofdramaschools.co.uk/articles/why-do-we-charge-audition-fees
http://www.cdd.ac.uk/students/how-to-apply/audition-and-interview-fee-waiver-scheme/
https://www.oxforddrama.ac.uk/funding-and-fees
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/apply/how-to-apply/dramaanddance/
http://resources.rwcmd.ac.uk/pdf/RWCMD-Audition-Fee-Waivers.pdf
https://ww2.lamda.ac.uk/all-courses/fund-your-training/fee-waivers-and-travel-bursaries
https://www.cssd.ac.uk/freeauditions
https://www.bruford.ac.uk/study/starting-here/interview-auditions/
https://www.mountview.org.uk/courses/auditions-and-interviews/
https://artsed.co.uk/courses/auditions/
Published: 17 February 2020
Photo: Shutterstock
Do you love being creative? Love designing or building sets? Love making things happen?
Fancy training for a job in film, TV or theatre? Then Open Door is here to help you get there.
Open Door is an 8-month part time and flexible intensive course designed to help young people take the next step in their career. Open Door works with people between the ages of 18-26 (Actors) and aged 17-26 (Behind the Scenes) who wish to pursue a career in theatre.
Open Door is a registered charity which has received multiple awards including being named as one of the top 100 change makers by The Big Issue (newspaper) and as ‘School of the Year’ by The Stage Awards.
Open Door know how difficult and expensive the process of applying for drama school can be. Open Door help young people by giving them the support they need to go to auditions feeling prepared, confident and without any worry of financial strain. And it’s all free!
Successful acting applicants will receive:
- RADA
- LAMDA
- Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
- Royal Central School of Speech & Drama
- The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Successful behind the scenes applicants will receive:
- RADA
- Guildhall
- Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
- LAMDA
- Royal Central School of Speech & Drama
- The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Including interview fee exemption whenever required
During their 2018/19 cycle, Open Door worked with 40 new participants and 11 returning participants from the previous year. The group of 51 achieved:
If you’re serious about a career in acting, behind the scenes or in production and you’d like to apply for Open Door, you must meet the following criteria.
Applicant criteria
If this seems like something you’d like to participate in and you meet the criteria, apply below.
Acting: Apply here
Behind the scenes: Apply here
“I honestly felt like a career in acting is hopeless where I live, but then I came to Open Door and I feel so motivated”-
Open Door participant 2018/19
“If not for Open Door I would not have been able to apply for any. It is so expensive I just wouldn’t be able to do it” -
Open Door participant 2018/19
“It made us feel like we belong in what we are going to do. We can go to these amazing places and see shows we like and we don’t like, it is inspiring and makes me think yeah I can do that”-
Open Door participant 2018/19
“Getting the free theatre tickets was amazing because it was for things I couldn’t normally afford to go to, with good seats. The quality of the work, seeing stuff you do and don’t like, it is so inspiring to be there”-
Open Door applicant 2018/19
Good Luck.
