Careers in Theatre: More Than Acting and Performing

From helping students unpack novels through improvisation to using theatre techniques to explore science, social studies, and history, Dramatic Learning is the umbrella that guides the Denver Center for Performing Arts (DCPA) Education department’s partnerships with schools and teachers.

One branch of that work takes learning beyond the classroom and into the workplace, giving students a close-up look at the hundreds of professionals working behind the scenes to bring a production to life.

How Career Exploration Day Works

“Often people think theatre is acting, instead of all the different jobs that support a production,” shared Allison Watrous, Executive Director of Education and Community Engagement. Career Exploration helps students understand the many pathways that exist within the arts and how their own interests and skills connect to future opportunities.

The program began more than two decades ago in response to requests from schools looking for job-shadow opportunities. What started as visits focused primarily on actors and rehearsals evolved into a broader exploration of the many professions involved in producing live theatre.

During a Career Exploration Day, middle and high school students tour DCPA facilities, visit production shops, and observe a technical rehearsal process. Along the way, they meet professionals responsible for everything from scenery and costumes to lighting, sound, stage management, and production operations.

“We talk about how much it takes to put on a show,” David Saphier, DCPA Teaching Artist and Education Program Manager of In-School Programming, explained. “Because all they see are the front-facing actors. It takes a whole lot more.”

The Many Career Paths in Professional Theatre

Students often discover that many of the skills they’re already developing in school have direct applications in the theatre industry. A love of math can lead to a career in technical direction or automation. An interest in design can translate into scenic, costume, or graphic design. Strong communication skills can open doors in marketing, development, community engagement, or arts administration.

Saphier believes one of the most valuable aspects of the Career Exploration is watching students make those connections for themselves.

“I think they are surprised by how similar it is to what they do,” he said. Students who have experimented with lighting boards, sound systems, design projects, or stagecraft in school productions suddenly see those same skills being used at the professional level and begin to understand where those interests could lead.

Building Career Readiness through the Arts

The program also highlights the importance of transferable skills. Communication, collaboration, creativity, inquiry, and problem-solving are all on display throughout the production process. Students see how teams work together, adapt as challenges arise, and combine different perspectives to tell a story.

Perhaps more importantly, Career Exploration Day helps students connect their interests to potential futures.

Watrous recalled a student who loved creating masks and costumes as a hobby. Through a DCPA job shadow experience with a costume artisan, the student began to see her interests not just as creative outlets, but as skills that could lead to a career path.

“We can help spark that connection,” Watrous shared. “It doesn’t have to be just a hobby; it could become your trajectory.”

Connecting Classroom Skills to Creative Arts

Whether students dream of performing, building, designing, writing, leading teams, or simply want to discover opportunities within the arts, Career Exploration offers a window into the many ways creative skills can become meaningful careers.

But this program is just one part of DCPA Education’s broader Career Readiness efforts. Throughout the school year, students can connect with professionals through classroom presentations, career panels, job-shadow experiences, and mentorship opportunities.

As a new school year starts, those opportunities offer students more than a glimpse behind the curtain. They provide a chance to connect classroom learning to real-world careers, discover new possibilities, and imagine how their interests, talents, and passions might shape their future.

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) NewsCenter is the organization’s editorial platform for stories, announcements, interviews, and coverage of theatre and cultural programming in Colorado. We are committed to producing accurate, trustworthy, clearly sourced journalism that reflects our mission and serves our community.