Three Things You Need Before a Career Breakthrough

Written By: Chelsea & Cynthia

Pursuing a musical theater career can sometimes feel like running on a hamster wheel.

It can be incredibly frustrating to give your all for audition after audition and be met with the silent treatment. Or maybe you're getting callbacks, but booking the job feels elusive.

However, we've boiled down the three things you need before you make a career breakthrough!

1. Confidence

A definition that we love for confidence: "A feeling of self assurance arising from appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities"

There's a music director who began by playing a lot of audition piano and he used to witness, what he coined, 'the principle of the least interested'. Those in this category were the people who come in, and looked like they didn't have a care whether they got the job or not. And yet - they were the ones who booked every time. 

They were obviously not uninterested or they wouldn't have auditioned. But rather, it was likely an internal confidence of their own skills, and they genuinely believed that if the role wasn't theirs, the next one would be. It was a feeling of self assurance that they'd be okay either way.

Directors will be drawn to the natural confidence you exude when you genuinely believe you have what it takes, and that you have something to special to contribute. An internal trust in your own value is what will attract any director into trusting their million dollar show in your hands. 

2. A Team of Support

A team of support is ultimately will help you build your internal confidence. All of us as human beings need someone we trust to provide helpful feedback to tell us if our performance is giving what it's intended to. Is the style we're attempting to achieve obvious? Are our gestures reading in a way that makes sense? It can be difficult to be honest with ourselves, so having that trusted guide can make the difference in your growth with new skills. 

Sometimes it's challenging to have genuine friends who are in the industry, as it can feel competitive or like an easy place of comparison. So hold onto the people in your life who are in your corner and support you in the ways that you need. With so much potential for high high's and low low's in the world of auditioning, it can be impactful to have a team who is willing to listen to a vent session, or know when to not ask questions, or how to celebrate you best. Find yourself that cheerleading squad that will be there opening night and initiate the standing ovation. 

3. Persistence

As Cynthia's mom always said, "You've got to have Sticktoitiveness!" You just have to stick to it and commit to playing the long game. Oftentimes, we look at an actor who booked three Broadway shows and we're awestruck at their success. But what you didn't see was that there were two and a half years between each Broadway show, with endless failed auditions.

We love the Elizabeth Gilbert quote that says, "Find something that you love doing so much that the words failure and success become irrelevant". You have to decide for yourself that you're committing to playing the long game because you love this business so much that it is worth it to stay in it. Even when from the outside it looks like things are not going great, you're still happy because you're still in the pursuit of it. 

And as you're on that pursuit, find something to do that equally fills your cup in the meantime to make it possible to sustain a career in this business. Let your dream be your dream, but still live your life in a way that supports your own well being so that you can tackle the long game with confidence rather than drained energy. So find that "survival job" that actually brings you joy, or take on a hobby that satisfies your creativity. Take care of YOU so that there is a YOU left to show up for auditions . 

With confidence, a supportive team and perseverance, you'll be on your way to that career breakthrough you've been in search of.

Looking to build your support team? Come and join us in the BVC Membership! Receive expert mentorship and ongoing training in this first of its kind coaching program! Click here to book a free consult with us. We can't wait to hear your story and help you take the next step in your career!

You can listen to us dive deeper into all three aspects for a career breakthrough on our new Broadway Vocal Coach podcast! Use this link or search for us on your favorite listening platform!