Sing for your Supper.

Without getting too far into the history of entertainers, indulge me for just a moment as I take us back to the days of the minstrel.  During the medieval era, minstrels were entertainers who wandered the countryside from town to town to perform for the locals on the streets.  I’ve always imagined they had to be very talented musicians and actors to gain the attention of locals in the hopes that they might get a token dropped in the bucket or be given a loaf of bread or even a place to stay for the night.  Gypsies may be the closest modern day equivalent of the minstrel, but than again, are gypsies still a thing? 
 
Musicians, actors, and  magicians were not highly revered during these medieval days, not famous and in fact often the opposite, infamous.  They made their livelihood by performing.  Yes, they literally had to sing to earn enough coins to get supper or a place to sleep for the night.   It was a difficult life, and many did not see the value they brought to the community.  They undoubtedly were looked down upon and encouraged to “find a real job.”  Does this sound familiar?  Has anyone ever told you to give up your dreams and find a real job?  Or have you ever been encouraged to have a backup job in case this one doesn’t work out? 
 
One of my most valuable mentors used to use this term “sing for your supper” a lot.  In other words, take your talent, your skill, expertise, and yes, your network, and use them to make a living.  This proposition is in the United States economic and social environment in 2021.  The argument can be made that with the invention of the internet and social media that being an entertainer is perhaps easier now than it was way back when.
Here are some thoughts to reflect upon:

• Survival.  Though we have many modern conveniences, the need for survival is still a thing.  My suggestion to artists of all types has always been to find a survival job.  This is not the same as a “back up plan.”  Actually, this is part of “the” plan to sustain a life as an artist.  So, we find jobs that allow us to make enough survival money to live and operate in the city we have chosen to live.  The key is to find a job that is flexible in that allows you time and space to audition frequently and to take time off for acting gigs you land.  Actors, for example, who think that they will earn enough money from acting to pay all their bills usually end up dropping out of the industry out of frustration.  You likely won’t earn enough as an actor to survive (at least initially).  The same is true of directors, writers, and even producers!  I know some very high-level people in the entertainment industry who still work survival jobs here and there.  This is normal.  This is the way the industry works.  And it’s okay to admit that. 
• Define your worth.  Just because you are working survival jobs along the way does not mean you are a not a professional actor.  Your survival job is not your career, acting is your career.  When you begin to view your acting career as a business venture then you realize that the survival job is a way to initially fund your business.
  

 
In conclusion, we must accept that artists working to fund their business has been around for centuries.  We must be okay with the concept of survival jobs as a means to progress in our craft.  Some days we will be paid well to act, and other days we will not.  For more tips on survival jobs and strategies for establishing a sustainable acting “business,” check out our upcoming class “Auditions and Business.”