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Theater Resume Template (Writing Guide, Examples, & Tips)

Broadway is within your reach. Apply for auditions with a professional theater resume that would make Stanislavski proud. Just follow our theater resume template and expert tips.

Dave Rygielski
Dave Rygielski
Career Expert
Theater Resume Template (Writing Guide, Examples, & Tips)

There is nowhere to hide in the theater. There are no favorable camera angles, no repeated takes. A theater actor needs to have something captivating, something that draws attention right away. A spectacle-lar theater resume. Something that holds attention from the first act, all the way to the closing scene.

  

This theater resume guide includes: 

  • A theater resume template that will let you step on the stage.
  • How to make a theater resume to send together with your portfolio.
  • Adjustments to make when writing a theater resume with no experience.
  • Expert hints to increase the chances of getting an audition.

  

Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder for free. Start by choosing a resume template.

 

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CREATE YOUR RESUME NOWtheater resume example

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Create your resume now

 

Need a different acting resume, or you’re considering a range of positions? See our resume guides:

 

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Resume Examples for Any Job.

 

Theater Resume Template You Can Adapt

 

Harry Campbell

Theatrical Performer

 

Personal Info

3532 Fraggle Drive

Hickory Hills, IL 60457 

702-1217-0918

harry@campbell.com

 

Passionate actor with 5+ years of experience in numerous theater productions like Sinners and Funny Money. Seeking to portray Mistoffelees in Cats. Nominated for PACE University Actor of the Year 2009. Skilled in Latin, freestyle, and urban dance and modern, classical, and musical singing.

 

Physical Attributes:

Height: 5”9

Weight: 165 lbs

Eyes: Hazel

Hair Color: Brown

Voice: Soprano F3-G6

 

Membership: SAG

 

theater:

 

“Spider's Web”, Jonathan (lead) (Burr theater, B.C., Don King) 

“D'Occasion”, Marcus (lead) (theater La Seizieme B.C, John Wayward)

“Sinners”, Francesco (lead) (Victoria Playhouse, PEI)

“As You Like It”, Sir Oliver Martext (First Impressions theater, Neil Freeman)

“Tis Pity She’s a Whore”, Hippolit (Ensemble theater Company, John Wayward)

 “Funny Money”, Jean (Burr theater, B.C., Nick Harrison)

“The Haunting of Hill House”, Theo (Burr theater, B.C., Don King)

“It Runs In The Family”, Robert (Burr theater, B.C., Don King)

 

Film and TV:

 

“Wild Dawn” Webseries, Zephira (Jane Samson)

“Ma Femme”, Michel (Grand Productions, Martin Scoot)

“Once In a Blue Moon”, Mr. Bunk (actor) (Full Moon Films, Philip Trest)

 

Education / Training

 

BFA in Acting

Pace University

Graduation: 2011

  • Acted in 3 theater school productions and 2 short films.
  • Dean’s List Student

 

Voice / Speech: Helen Boyle, Louis Samson

Movement: Heidi Klein, National Freestyle Dance Champion

Improv: Jimmy Carlin

 

Key Skills

 

  • Dance: Latin, Freestyle, Urban
  • Singing: Modern, Classical, Musical, Pop
  • Accents: British, French, German, Dutch, South African, Mexican, Spanish
  • Improv
  • Stamina

 

Here is how to make sure your theater resume parachutes you into a lead role: 

 

1. Choose the Right Theater Resume Format

 

Theater resumes are specific in that they do not have as much text or descriptions as other resumes, but more lists of credits, skills, and characteristics. Your resume format must be uniform and organized. By keeping things uniform, you make your theater resume easily searchable and digestible.

 

Here’s how to do just that:

 

Theater Resume Format

 

 

Now let’s work on the script.

Expert Hint: In many places, you will still have to staple your theater resume to the back of a 8x10” headshot. All the same, it’s not advised to go below a 10pt font size. If you have that much experience, you can afford to edit it down.

2. Write a Tempting Theater Resume Profile

 

How should you start a resume? Write a resume profile. This short paragraph at the top of your theater resume works like a film teaser. It will make the casting director want to see more.

 

Use the following for your theater resume profile:

 

  1. One adjective (passionate, talented, award-winning)
  2. Job title (actor)
  3. Years of experience (4+, 5+)
  4. Best few roles and awards

 

These theater resume examples show how:

 

Theater Resume Profile

Good Example
Passionate actor with 5+ years of experience in numerous theater productions like Sinners and Funny Money. Seeking to portray Mistoffelees in Cats. Nominated for PACE University Actor of the Year 2009. Skilled in Latin, freestyle, and urban dance and modern, classical, and musical singing.
Bad Example
Actor with over 4 years of experience in theater and film productions. Seeking to use my skills and experience to perform on Broadway.

See that?

 

The first of those theater resume samples stands out. It’s got details that show you’re the next Julie Andrews.

Expert Hint: Write the profile on your theater resume last. This way you’ll have lots of inventory to pick from.

3. List Your Physical Attributes

 

Some roles are tailor-made. Others require an actor to put in work to finally settle into character. Increase your chances of getting the right role by listing your physical info right below the profile: height, weight, eye and hair color. Include your voice type if you are writing a musical theater resume. 

 

Right below, enter the agency or union you are affiliated with.

 

Theater Resume Example—Physical Attributes

Good Example

Physical Attributes:

Height: 5”9

Weight: 165 lbs

Eyes: Hazel

Hair Color: Brown

Voice: Soprano F3-G6

 

Membership: SAG

4. Recite Your Acting Credits On Your Theater Resume

 

A theater resume contains much less elaboration and description, and far more hard details. Split your experience section into two: “Theater” and “Film / TV”, and list your acting credit by most major role first. List the title of the production, your role, the theater venue or production studio, and the director’s name.

 

This is about showing experience, adaptability and variety, not a place to talk about how getting into one particular character changed your whole life. Use one bullet point per credit, and list any awards or professional achievements for it in an appropriate, separate section.

 

This excerpt from a theater resume example nails it:

 

Acting Credits on a Theater Resume

Good Example

Theater:

 

  • “Spider's Web”, Jonathan (lead) (Burr theater, B.C., Don King) 
  • “D'Occasion”, Marcus (lead) (theater La Seizieme B.C, John Wayward)
  • “Sinners”, Francesco (lead) (Victoria Playhouse, PEI)
  • “As You Like It”, Sir Oliver Martext (First Impressions theater, Neil Freeman)
  • “Tis Pity She’s a Whore”, Hippolit (Ensemble theater Company, John Wayward)
  •  “Funny Money”, Jean (Burr theater, B.C., Nick Harrison)
  • “The Haunting of Hill House”, Theo (Burr theater, B.C., Don King)
  • “It Runs In The Family”, Robert (Burr theater, B.C., Don King)

 

Film and TV:

 

  • “Wild Dawn” Webseries, Zephira (Jane Samson)
  • “Ma Femme”, Michel (Grand Productions, Martin Scoot)
  • “Once In a Blue Moon”, Mr. Bunk (actor) (Full Moon Films, Philip Trest)
Bad Example
  • Lead role in Spider’s Web at Burr theater 
  • Lead role in D’Occasion and Sinners
  • 3 Film and TV appearances

Follow this format of listing credits and you will make it easy for the reader to scan through and digest the information. Show your versatility and adaptability.

 

What if you are writing a resume with no experience?

 

List credits from productions and scene work in acting school.

Expert Hint: It can pay off to prepare a targeted resume. Consider the profile of the theater you are applying to and the roles you may be cast in, and use this as criteria to decide which credits to list. You should also have different headshots for this purpose: theatrical (serious), commercial (more goofy), or character (for specialties).

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.

 

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

 

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOWcreate your resume now

Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.

 

5. Make Your Education a Reason to Cast You

 

Your credits are important, but your theater resume is going to be very one-dimensional if you do not record your education and training properly. This is not just your formal college education, but also any additional training: acting, dancing, singing, performance art, improv. Anything that shows how much care you take to develop yourself fully and comprehensively.

 

If you have been on the stage longer than Hugh Jackman, just briefly mention your degree, school name, and graduation year. If you’re struggling for credits, you can elaborate a little on your education and training and extend your resume education section further! List your GPA, any school productions you have taken part in, achievements and awards.

 

Below, make a separate list of the coaching you have taken in different disciplines, and who was your teacher.

 

This theater resume example shows how:

 

Theater Resume Template—Education

Good Example

BFA in Acting

Pace University

Graduation: 2011

  • Acted in 3 theater school productions and 2 short films.
  • Dean’s List Student

 

Voice / Speech: Helen Boyle, Louis Samson

Movement: Heidi Klein, National Freestyle Dance Champion

Improv: Jimmy Carlin

Bad Example

BFA in Acting

Pace University

  • Additional voice, movement and improv coaching taken.

If you have studied under a famous name, make sure to mention this and bring it to the forefront. Just don’t be surprised when that person is asked about you. They better remember.

 

6. Star-Stud Your Theater Resume With Added Sections

 

Though you might be as multi-talented as Tom Cruise, in the context of a theatrical resume only two types of bonus resume sections make sense: professional certification, personal interests, and a section with skills for a resume. List both in two separate bullet point lists.

 

When putting down your skills, exercise caution: Don’t just copy and paste anything. First of all, make sure it’s relevant, second of all, make sure you really got it if you’re gonna be forced to perform it on stage.

 

Sample Theater Resume Skill Section

 

  • Dance: (list types)
  • Singing: (list types)
  • Accents: (list types)
  • Languages: (list types)
  • Sports: (list types)
  • Voice: (list types)
  • Stamina
  • Improv
  • Hosting
  • Mime
  • Modeling
  • Diction 
  • Reciting
  • Monologues

 

These two theatrical resume examples show you clearly the difference it can make:

 

Theater Resume—Extra Sections

Good Example

Awards

 

  • PACE University Actor of the Year 2009

 

Key Skills

 

  • Dance: Latin, Freestyle, Urban
  • Singing: Modern, Classical, Musical, Pop
  • Accents: British, French, German, Dutch, South African, Mexican, Spanish
  • Improv
  • Stamina
Bad Example

Other 

  • Cycling and swimming 2x week to keep fit
  • Enjoy long walks with dogs
  • Singing is my passion

Once again, use it to display versatility that isn’t shown through your credits.Add dimensions to your character and display the tools you have at your disposal.

 

One final step—

 

Write a theater cover letter. There’s no better way to show your passion.

 

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

 

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

 

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOWcreate your cover letter now

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

 

Key Points

 

To make sure your theater resume gets you an audition:

  • Exercise the resume format guidelines—margins, fonts, 1 page. Check if they want you to submit the classic way: on the back of an 8x10’ headshot.
  • Use our theatrical resume template as a prototype for your own. It’s organized and will display your credits and education in a prominent manner. 
  • Reel off your acting creditstheater first, then Film & TV. Most major roles first in each section. 
  • Add more dimensions and display your toolkit with the right theater skills and a strong education section. Make sure they know you are ready for whatever is in the script.

 

Got questions on how to write a great theatrical resume? Did we help you get your musical theater resume right? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply.

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Dave Rygielski
Dave Rygielski
Dave is a career expert delivering a wide range of well-researched advice regarding the job hunting and application process. At ResumeLab, his data-driven resume and cover letter guides help readers capitalize on their potential.

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