TM
magazine
Don't Wait
Create Your Own Opportunities
by Michael John Foster
The best opportunities are often the ones you create for yourself. In a world
and more. It was a huge amount of work, but the sacrifices I made in labor
of casting directors, producers and other performers, it's easy to drown in the
returned to me exponentially. The success of the show came back to me in
distractions of what you "should be." You may think to yourself: I should be
greater directing and performing opportunities. I also had one of the most
thinner. I should be blonder. I should taller, prettier, more talented and so on,
fulfilling artistic experiences I've ever had through seeing my vision realized,
when all you really want is a chance. Don't we all just want a chance to show that
rather than waiting to hope someone else would see my potential.
we've got what it takes? Don't we all want an opportunity to express whatever
it is that's buried in our hearts? The easiest way to claim that opportunity is not
Tomorrow morning, I will do what actors do. I will go to another audition, but
to wait for it, but to create it.
I go as someone who has made an impact. I'm not just an actor hoping to be
picked like a kid in PE class. I go as one with a measure of success and confidence
In my area, hundreds of actors show up for every casting call. Few are chosen
because of the results of my efforts. I'll also leave that audition to go perform
and often the work is of such little impact that it leaves performers desiring
another show that I recently wrote, which will open to a sold out audience.
for more fulfillment. Many are no longer waiting for the perfect role to come
along but rather, they are producing it themselves. Changes in our culture have
I'm not penning this article to exalt my own abilities, but rather to excite you
made self-producing easier than ever. The Internet, with formats like YouTube,
about the possibilities. You don't have to wait to be the performer you want to
Vine, ConnectPal and others, mean that not only can you create video content,
be. You can create your own big breaks.
you can create a whole network with subscribers, where you are paid for your
work. Technology allows you to be seen by infinitely more viewers online than
Perhaps you're not sure how to develop your own project, how to grow an
you would be in a conventional theatre. Additionally, simple-to-use apps like
audience or how to market it online. There are lots of great resources. My
GarageBand, Werdsmith, and Drawing Desk can supplement your efforts as tools
friends and I would like to be one of those resources. We specialize in helping
to create a professional brand.
artists reach their goals. Our team has consultants in every major market in every
genre of performance. Check out our website and let us know how we can help
My first experience as a self-producing artist came three years ago. I was
you. Eagroupsuccess.com .
dissatisfied with how few shows were being produced while also wanting to
bring positive attention to my little hometown. I decided that my area, with
its beautiful wildlife preserve, was the perfect place to produce an outdoor
Photos courtesy of Michael John Foster
production of Sondheim's INTO THE WOODS. My biggest challenge was the
lack of funding, but I had heard of a new idea called crowd-funding. I educated
myself on this process and then created my pitch to get people to donate to the
production. In a month, I had all the financial backing I needed to produce the
show and generated enough interest to sell out every performance. I learned a
lot in the process including how to design programs, websites, ticketing systems,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael John Foster is an accomplished performer,
director and teacher who works in Europe and U.S. He
is the founder of the Program for Lyric Theatre in Italy
and specializes in helping performers develop their
marketable qualities. For more information, check out
drmichaeljohnfoster.com and lyricitaly.com
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