AMERICAN THEATRE: In 2020, it’s not easy to get a new job or a promotion. This lamentation isn’t just an impression; it’s a reality affecting multiple industries in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. But even before COVID-19, many fields had already redefined the parameters of the entry-level job, which once promised a foot in the door but now may ask for years of relevant experience for little more than minimum wage.
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I am so happy to see this push against unpaid or underpaid apprenticeships. It seems like there are very few if any other industries where it is considered acceptable to offer people with a college degree in that industry a stipend apprenticeship where the math works out to getting less than $3 an hour. What is really upsetting about these apprenticeships to me is that you often need to have graduated college to get them, but they are really not adequate pay for a job out of college with a degree. I am so glad that people are pushing against these so much, but I really don’t know what it will take for companies to realize that this is full exploitation and not acceptable. I think people will still be accepting these low-paying jobs because people need to work, and I do think as long as there are people to accept these jobs these jobs will still exist. And like the article mentions these jobs are inherently inequitable.
I think that at one-point apprenticeships were beneficial. However, like the article noted, they have shifted from becoming something enjoyable and enlightening to a major impediment in the professional paths of those new to the field. My biggest issue with this that was also brought up is that it only furthers the already prevalent divisions of classicism within the industry. Only those who are privileged enough to have enough financial resources to participate in unpaid labor are able to do these things. Sure there is something to be learned and valuable experienced that is not gained otherwise is acquired, but the same can be said about any other job. Ironically this leaves behind the same demographic theaters are pushing to gain in order to keep interest alive. More so, I have heard of countless instances in which the work done in the apprenticeship is not even related to the original purpose. Again providing evidence as to why the system has to be re-worked.
This is a conversation that has been occurring before the covid-19 pandemic and is one that is even more relevant during and after. The education loophole is one that allows so many theatres to function and produce work at “high quality levels” but at the cost of burn out, stress, and mistreatment of interns and apprentices. The theatre industry that we are in, and that we are beginning to stray from, did value too highly the idea of paying your dues, buy being grunt labor to prove your dedication to the theatre, the work, the craft, before you can actually secure a paying position. And in some aspects, I will say I understand this mindset. I get theatres wanting to make sure they are getting people who are motivated and driven, and give them a space to learn and grow, but we are all learning and growing through every process. Internships and apprenticeships that are unpaid (or essentially unpaid) are outdated in our industry, and I am hopeful that as we turn back to theatre we can begin to see some shifts for the better.
I think the theatre world is a great example of an industry that fully exploits this education loop hole in its creation process. I think to much so in theatre and summer stock in particular companies plan and have their production work revolve around fresh crop of young makers in our industry. They prey on the fact that people work in the theatre industry because it is their passion and their job and they look at the younger members promising educational opportunities in order to create the kind of work they want. It’s outdated and it’s created a world in which the pool of people who can actually do these internships isn’t just dependent on who is motivate or skilled but who can afford to. Having all of these un-paid or cost negative internship programs only allows certain individuals of a certain economic standing to have opportunities and that plays into the lack of diversity in our production teams.
This is kind of what scares me about graduating. The apprenticeship/entry level job looming over my head. It’s like, how long am I going to have to live with my parents, you know?? With the debt from school, I cannot afford to live on my own (aka with roommates) if the job that I get does not pay me enough working an entry level position. The initiative that Jay Ducksworth helped start regarding ending unpaid arts internships gave me some hope for this to improve. The Lark apprenticeship program is another thing that gives me hope. I have not heard of this before, but I think it is a big step towards equity for them to offer at least minimum wage and actually focus on building their apprentices. Being transparent about their goals and initiatives is very comforting, because it lessens the room for them to hide an abuse of labor under the guise of education.
This was definitely an article that clearly laid out the countless issues that riddle the apprenticeship and intern section of the theater industry. One thing that needs to be acknowledged and addressed throughout the theater industry is that education is not compensation. While there are obviously immeasurable benefits that come from any type of real world education, these benefits are not paying bills and supporting someone. The limited or no pay situation for the majority of apprenticeships makes them inaccessible to someone who can not afford to not be paid, vastly limiting the number of candidates that are willing to take these positions. As we address how to handle systemic and systematic racism within the theater industry, we can not overlook how unpaid apprentice and intern positions significantly benefit non BIPOC individuals. An overhaul and reworking of the apprenticeship and internship sector of the theater industry is imperative to creating greater equality within the industry.
Internships in the theatrical industry have been problematic and exploitative for a long time, but the non-profit model and tax regulations make it all too easy for theatres to get away with it. This article discusses how some summer stock and internship programs get away with paying as little as $2.50 an hour, using stipend loopholes, and many of us have been there in attempts to get experience on our resumes. The truth of the matter is, those who are independent financially from their parents or partners are unable to take these theatre jobs and still pay for their car, insurance, rent bac home (for summer work), food, phone bill, etc. No one can survive on such small salaries, so when a theatre doesn’t offer fair pay, but instead housing and a stipend, only those who can afford to take the job are the ones who are working and getting the hands-on experience. I feel this is the same for the GA system in CMU, because we are not getting paid for our labor as grad students, only people who are able to afford working “full time” without payment are able to be students at CMU. Obviously, we have student loans, but that just delays the suffering eventually felt by us students. If you are unable to feed yourself in your internship, or making tough financial decisions during your grad school years, that is because the system is designed against us.
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