Musical theatre: a behind-the-scenes perspective
The actors' agent | The casting director | The choreographer | The musical director
Working in theatre is one of the most collaborative art forms there is. As well as the actors you see on stage, there are countless others who work behind the scenes, putting the team together and getting the show on the road. These range from producers, directors and choreographers to set, costume and lighting designers, as well as actors' agents and casting directors.
Here are profiles of four people you are sure to meet on your travels through musical theatre, all of whom you may need to work with as you look for – and find – your next job:
The actors' agent
What is an agent?
An agent looks after an actor's professional interests on their behalf, in return for a percentage (usually 10%) of their earnings. They will secure auditions for their clients, negotiate their terms and conditions when they win a job, and look for future opportunities.
How do you find an agent?
An agent usually finds you! Agents ultimately only represent people that they think they can find work for, and since the pool of actors is much bigger than the pool of available work, this means that an agent will be highly selective in their choice of whom to represent.
Profile: Barry Burnett of Burnett Granger Associates
How long have you been an agent?
'For about 30 years. I started off working with an agent who used to look after strippers and magicians, and then I sought to get accepted as an agent in my own right!'
Who do you look after?
'We've got about 100 clients, including Barbara Windsor, Anita Dobson and Amanda Barrie. There are four of us in the agency, but I mainly concentrate on the musicals side, because I know so much about them.'
What's your best advice for a musical performer?
'I do try to advise them that the sooner they can get into straight acting as well the better it is. It's always been a bit of a bugbear for me that you can get actors doing musicals, but to get musical people doing Shakespeare or straight plays is very difficult.'
How does a young actor get signed up to be represented by you?
'They have got to be seen in something really, really good, and hope that an agent is going to spot their potential. In the annual showcases that drama schools hold for their graduating students, we only get to see them doing two numbers, so it's hard. And you can't go by looks alone: although it's easy to be swayed by a good looking guy or a beautiful girl – and it would be wrong to say that it didn't help, because that's the nature of the game – if there's a quality or talent there and they're not the most beautiful thing in the world, it may be enough.'
