What Does It Mean To Be a "Professional"?

What does it mean to be a professional theatre artist in a moment when professional theatre is not operational?

This is an identity crisis. 

One that runs deep. 

For so many of us, our identity is built on the notion that we have sacrificed, trained, and poured every ounce of our energy into becoming the best possible artists we can be. 

Now here we are with our stages dark, with our ghost lights on, and with the everpresent overwhelming questions: What does this mean for us? Who are we without our stages? What does this mean for our identities as professional theatre artists?

Back in April, I asked this question in the very first homeroom class at JWS online. “What does it mean to be a professional?” And today, as we began month number five (!) of online classes. I asked the question again.

“What does it mean to be a professional?” 

Overwhelmingly the group defined a professional as someone who strives for excellence, is disciplined and specific about their approach to their work, has a finely honed skill set, is respected by their peers and colleagues, and shows up fully. 

The group also overwhelmingly determined that we can apply this idea of being a professional to so many of the other elements in our lives. The discipline, the strategy, the passion, the care that we have committed to is not reserved solely for the theater. 

Of course, we all look forward to the moment when we can turn the ghost lights off, turn the spotlights on, and welcome our audiences back into our theatres. 

Until then, let’s be clear. You are still a professional. You are no less a professional today than you were on March 12.

You, professional, are someone who assumes a posture of excellence, commitment, and discipline. You, professional, show up fully and do the work. You, professional, take stock of your circumstances and adapt. 

You, professional theatre artist, are still very much a professional. 

We are all struggling with identity right now. We are asking who we can be in this moment, how we can show up, how we can serve, how we can survive. These are important questions. As we seek answers, let us not for an instant forget that each of us is a professional. We have worked our entire lives to be able to confidently step into that identity.

With everything you do right now, whether it is pursuing a new job opportunity, pivoting your existing skill set, joining a different industry, moving across the country, or whatever it might be, do it with the integrity of the professional that you are.

You got this.