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Professional Development News

It can be hard to break into a new industry or area as a theatre artist so check out these tips and tricks to get the job! From choosing the right monologue to formatting your portfolio, these professional resources have advice, insight, and recommendations for any Bay Area theatremaker.

Nataki Garrett, a Black woman in a blue dress, gestures at a podium, with the TBAConnect graphic projected in the background.

Transcript: The Threat of An Inclusive American Theatre

August 7, 2024

If you were at our October 2023 conference, you almost certainly remember Nataki Garrett’s outstanding keynote address. In anticipation of the Annual Conference 2024: Roots Intertwined, we are pleased to share the transcript below. The Threat of An Inclusive American Theatre  By Nataki Garrett Thank you so much, Meredith, and good afternoon, everyone! It feels…

American Conservatory Theater and Theatre Bay Area Partnership Opens New Doors for Melissa Yandell Smith Library

March 4, 2024

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and Theatre Bay Area have forged a new partnership for artists all around the Bay Area to access A.C.T.’s Melissa Yandell Smith Library collection. The Melissa Yandell Smith Library contains nearly 15,000 titles including play scripts, books, videos, language and music recordings, music scores, and theater periodicals. The collection has been…

ENVISION: TBA Conference 2023 on a rainbow holographic background

It’s Time for Theatre Artists to Talk about VR and Immersive Tech

March 31, 2023

Theatre Bay Area presents its 2023 Annual Conference: ENVISION, featuring leaders in the local and global theatre community. TBA’s first ever hybrid conference takes place on April 10 across four performing arts venues in downtown Berkeley (Freight & Salvage, Aurora Theatre, Berkeley Repertory School of Theatre, and Bay Area Children’s Theatre), with a robust virtual…

Theatre Bay Area Logo. Pink circle with a gradient of pink triangles inside pointing from the upper left corner to the lower right. Meant to simulate a stage light. On the right is the word Theatre in big rounded text with Bay Area written in a smaller blocky text below it.

Headshots 101: Part Two

December 4, 2019

by Rotimi AgbabiakaLast Insider we received some tips from local headshot photographers about taking a winning headshot. This time around we chatted with Bay Area casting directors about what they are looking for in an actor’s headshot. LeeAnn Dowd Casting Manager, California Shakespeare Theatre What makes a good headshot? The best headshot is one that makes you feel…

Headshot of Velina Brown. She is a black woman with short cropped hair. She is wearing a light blue shirt and standing in front of green foliage. She is smiling with her teeth showing.

The Business of Show Biz – Getting Notes From A Fellow Actor

January 3, 2018

by Velina Brown Q: A while ago I was cast in an AEA show with an actor who took it on themselves to give notes to their fellow actors after opening. This would happen during the fight call, in front of stage management, and when we had no choice but to be there. Once the actor…

Headshot of Velina Brown. She is a black woman with short cropped hair. She is smiling with her teeth showing. She is wearing a black shirt and leaning against a wood paneled background.

The Business of Show Biz: Burning A Bridge

November 15, 2017

by Velina Brown Q: I saw the letter you posted on Facebook regarding the show about Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. After reading the letter I could see what you and the group of women who wrote the letter were upset about. But honestly, when I first heard about the show I didn’t see a problem…

Headshot of Velina Brown. She is a black woman with short cropped hair. She is wearing a light blue shirt and standing in front of green foliage. She is smiling with her teeth showing.

The Business of Show Biz: Mind Your Own Beeswax

June 3, 2016

By Velina Brown Q: I was recently in a play with someone who just didn’t have the proper process before shows. She would eat dinner an hour before curtain, whereas my favorite acting teacher in school always said not to eat before a show because it will make you gassy and bloated and weigh you down.…

Headshot of Velina Brown. She is a black woman with short cropped hair. She is smiling with her teeth showing. She is wearing a black shirt and leaning against a wood paneled background.

The Business of Show Biz: Wanting to Quit the Show

December 18, 2014

By Velina Brown Q: Okay, weird question. I just started rehearsals for a show. I am cast to play opposite someone that I just don’t like at all. I mean I really don’t like him. He is replacing an actor I was excited to work with but who suddenly had to leave due to a…

Headshot of Melissa Hillman. A light skinned woman with blue eyes, black oval glasses and wearing red lipstick with a nose ring. She has red hair with bangs. She is smiling with her teeth showing.

10 Tips for Choosing Your Audition Monologue

August 7, 2014

By Melissa Hillman Finding the right piece can be one of the most stressful parts of a big audition. Often what works very well within the context of a full production won’t serve you well as an audition monologue. Stress no more! Bay Area casting directors Amy Potozkin, Meryl Shaw, Josh Costello and yours truly…