Acting: Old credits on resume

Old credits on resume

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Acting
Forum Discription: Q&A about auditions, character development and other aspects of the craft
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5261
Printed Date: 4/16/24 at 7:51pm
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Topic: Old credits on resume

Posted By: DeeCeeActs
Subject: Old credits on resume
Date Posted: 2/07/12 at 12:28am

Just wanted to get an idea of opinions on listing roles I did 15 years ago on my resume. I have a few on there, like Suzy in Wait Until Dark, because it was a lead and because I played someone who is blind. I want to show I can handle a lead and my flexibility in roles. But do directors think I'm still living in the past if I list those credits? My playable age is 35-45 these days. Only my hairdresser knows how old I really am. : )

Thanks!

Replies:

Posted By: edh915
Date Posted: 2/07/12 at 1:09am

Keep them (IMHO). I don't think anyone would believe you're living in the past. You're simply demonstrating to them that you have at least fifteen years of experience behind you. (Unless that's the only only lead role you've ever played; then I as a director would be a little suspicious of it.)

At least, that's what I do. I played the lead in "Butterflies Are Free" back in the early 1970's. Last year I played the lead in "A Walk In The Woods", and in between I played King Lear, Roy Hubble in "Plaza Suite", and Grandpa in "You Can't take It With You" - not to mention a whole lot more.

As a director, one of the things I look for, in addition to the roles an actor has played, is how many different theater groups have they acted with. Since groups by their nature tend to be a little cliquish, the more groups you've acted with, the better the chances are that you're probably a decent actor.

Posted By: DeeCeeActs
Date Posted: 2/07/12 at 7:35pm

Butterflies are Free was my first scene study in my college acting class!

Thank you! It is very helpful to get a director's perspective.

I try to list all my lead roles, smaller roles that show versatility, a mix of comedy and drama, and different theatres. But I didn't want it seem that my best days were behind me or that I thought I could still be cast as an ingenue.

I also try to list credits where I've worked with the same director multiple times in an attempt to show that people actually like working with me and would do it again. Sometimes it is at the same theatre, sometimes at different theatres. Do you think this seems cliquey?

Thanks again.

Posted By: MusicManD
Date Posted: 2/08/12 at 7:53am

I certainly hope it's okay, especially in the CT world. I did twelve shows with the local CT between the ages of 9 and 15, then my family moved to a town with no CT. I continued with high school shows, but then after graduation there were no shows for me.

Through college I didn't do any shows (I was an education major), and the only way I could stay involved was by playing in the pit orchestra for musicals. Even after I started teaching, there wasn't a lot opportunity for me to get back up on stage.

It was ten years between my last high school show and the next CT show I was able to find. Ten years where my only credits were as a pit musician. Heck, a lot of those were even professional gigs. .. but I still list my acting credits first, despite being a little old.

I dunno.

Posted By: falstaff29
Date Posted: 2/08/12 at 6:25pm

I personally would not, unless you've been on hiatus for 15 years; then, older experience becomes more relevant. But that's just me.

Posted By: POB14
Date Posted: 6/04/12 at 1:47pm

None of the theatres that I've been with have ever asked for a "resume" as such, just a list of some roles you've played. I tend to list the most recent two or three (which perhaps the director has seen) and two or three older ones that might be impressive (Sir Toby gets listed a lot, even though it was . . . oh, no, I don't want to think about how long ago that was!).

-------------
POB
Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard

Posted By: Rorgg
Date Posted: 8/09/12 at 11:53am

I don't list the couple of shows I did in HS and college on my resume, but I've been so busy the last couple years, I've had to start shaving off minor or odd productions to keep everything on one sheet. I'd say as long as you have 3 or more recentish credits, keep it to those (unless it's directly relevant -- you're looking to replay something you did in the deep past).