Are They Professional Performers? Questions I Get

By Marion Abbott
After Friday nightâs performance of Broadway Divas: A History In Revue, a patron approached me and told me how much he enjoyed the show. He then went on to compliment the cast and asked:
Are they professional performers?
I didnât know what to say.
I remember when I first started out as an accompanist â I learned the ropes while playing at my churchâ congregational hymns, the choir, soloists. I played for everyone and anyone and learned more and more each time.
It was a sweet day when I was able to charge $20/hr to accompany someone outside the church sphere.
Professional at last!
So by that definition, I wasnât professional until I was paid for my services.
But thatâs a tricky thing to define in the musical theatre industry.
There simply isnât enough work for each artist to insist upon payment for every performance.
(Ugh. So depressing seeing those words typed out in black on white.)
Even the most successful musical theatre artists usually donât work 12 months out of the year solely in musical theatre.
So then what constitutes a âprofessional performerâ in this context?
For me, as a producer, itâs about everything other than the talent.
Itâs about passion.
You can teach a dance step, you can coach a voice, but you canât teach an artist how to be passionate about their craft.
Itâs about joy.
The artist who embraces joy is the artist you donât mind being stuck in a windowless room with during a choreography rehearsal when the air conditioning decides to break down.
Itâs about communication.
Every email is dealt with efficiently, every question asked is answered promptly and when the TTC is being the TTC *insert eye roll here* they send a message to the Stage Manager.
Itâs about willingness to learn.
A creative process with an artist whoâs open to learning is heaven. The opposite is a nightmare.
Itâs about generosity.
An artist who can wholeheartedly support the success of their fellow artists is golden.
Talent is talent is talent. But generosity, willingness to learn, communication, joy and passion can make or break a creative process, every single time.
As my community grows and I become connected to more and more artists, Iâm happy to tell you that there are many in Toronto who embody all of those traits. And then have remarkable skill sets and talent to boot.
Were the artists who performed in Broadway Divas professional?
Absofrigginlutely.
And I love and admire them all for it.
Also by Marion Abbott:
Equip Your Artists, Don’t Badger Them