Defining Your Worth
As theatre and our industry reopens, this is giving all of us time and permission to NOT resume what “normal” may have seemed to be, but rather, how we will define ourselves, and re-enter our industry on our terms.
It isn’t “business as usual” if you make a decision to re-define your worth.
I saw and shared a call this week for a SPT 1 Equity contract for $261/week.
How can a union call itself professional, and protect its members with less than a living wage?
If a theatre cannot pay its professionals a living wage, then it’s community theatre. And guess what? There is NOTHING wrong with community theatre. Community theatre can put on some great theatre, but if it’s not able/willing to pay a living wage, it should not be called a professional theatre.
So…how are YOU defining your worth as you re-enter the industry?
We all have the permission to re-group, re-calibrate, and re-enter as we CHOOSE to be seen. Defining, and re-defining and re-inventing ourselves as artists and performers is a crucial part of our craft.
If you have spent time, energy of all kinds, sacrifice, focus, on building your craft in order to WORK in an industry that charges for tickets to see and experience that work, you need to truly define your worth.
As a performer, and as an artist and creative energy, your CRAFT will be part of what defines you; your humanity will define you; your boundaries will define you; your passion and your compassion will define you.
The worth of this definition does not need to lower the bar to fit into someone else’s definition of you, or definition of what you do.
You define that. You stand firm in that truth. That worth is non-negotiable.
When we work and strive toward a level of craft; when we focus in on creating a level of acumen and bring our talent to a place beyond potential; when we have developed at a level of achievement within that craft - we need to recognize, and to honor the worth of that work, and the worth of our person.
Do not fall for the “starving artist” syndrome, or the “keep your mouth shut, you should be happy for any opportunity” syndrome.
Defining your worth will reveal to you what projects are worth your time and energy and craft.
Defining your level of professionalism will reveal to you how you handle it.
Defining your level of craft will reveal where you need to be to utilize it.
Defining your mindset will reveal how you want to be seen.
Dare to truly come to terms with each of these for yourself. Make the changes in yourself first. Know yourself. Stand in that truth. Lean into that and dance with the possibilities claiming that will lead you to.
If you do not define yourself, and define your worth, someone or something else will be delighted to not just low-ball your worth, but often, demean it.
As a people-pleaser by nature, I get it. We want to be easy to work with. We want to give more. We want to do the work for the sake of the work. We can. We can still work with, work for, but define our worth thoroughly and stand in the truth of that.
Take a moment to define those for yourself. What are nonnegotiables? What are you willing to negotiate? Why? Is it compromise or is it something else?
Do not settle.
Define your worth.
Thrive.
Artists define. Do that.
with fondness & fierceness,
