{"id":4776,"date":"2024-04-01T10:02:44","date_gmt":"2024-04-01T10:02:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/?p=4776"},"modified":"2026-03-30T09:02:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T09:02:31","slug":"finding-a-side-job-as-an-actor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-essentials\/finding-a-side-job-as-an-actor\/","title":{"rendered":"\u200b\u200bAn Actors\u2019 Survival Guide to Side Jobs"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Potential side jobs for actors that can help you make a living while acting.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200bWhen you \u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bchoose\u200b\u200b\u200b to pursue acting as a career\u200b, there are many uncertainties in your path ahead. Financial instability is perhaps the biggest concern for many aspiring actors\u200b\u200b and it&#8217;s common for creatives to have a hand in many different fields\u200b before \u200bthey can \u200b\u200bafford to transition into a full-time career as an actor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bThe unfortunate reality \u200bis \u200bthat your passion for acting may not always afford you financial stability. The ultimate goal may be to generate a source of income from acting alone, but there are many steps and strategies that you\u200b have to navigate before you\u200b\u2019\u200b\u200b\u200bre fortunate enough to be in this position.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bAt the end of the day, acting is a job and if you aren\u2019t making enough \u200bdoing it \u200bto support yourself, \u200bthen \u200bit may be time to look into other sources of income. Acting is not an easy career to navigate,\u200b \u200bbut\u200b\u200b by giving yourself the \u200bchance to rid yourself of financial stress or struggles\u200b,\u200b you\u200b\u2019\u200b\u200b\u200bre investing in your career and giving yourself every chance \u200bfor\u200b\u200b success.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key Things to Consider When Looking for a Side Job<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most viable side jobs are the ones that \u200ballow you to increase or decrease your hours as and when you need \u2013 while enabling you to meet your financial obligations month in and month out. \u200b\u200b For an actor, an ideal side job would be related to acting in some way like<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/lifestyle-wellbeing\/should-you-work-in-a-theatre-tom-baker\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">working in a theatre<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b, but most of the time<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, side jobs are from entirely different industries.\u200b\u200b\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bWhen looking for work\u200b,\u200b you have to be upfront about what it is you want your work<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">life balance to look like. A number of obvious components are money, time, skills and flexibility\u200b, but here are some other things to consider:\u200b\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bDoes this side job offer you enough money to\u200b live comfortably\u200b\u200b?\u200b\u200b\u200b\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200bDo you have the necessary skills to do the job \u200b\u200bsuccessfully?\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does the role offer any work-from-home hours?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bWill you be able to \u200b\u200bdedicate enough time to auditions\u200b and self-tapes?\u200b\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bCan you \u200badequately \u200b\u200bfulfil your responsibilities?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200bCan you expand your side job into a more lucrative opportunity\u200b?\u200b\u200b\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are there opportunities for promotion or to resign if you need to?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bMany actors have \u200bnon-acting interests\u200b or have gotten degrees in other fields. This \u200ballows them to\u200b\u200b\u200b have a whole separate career\u200b outside of acting to fall back on if they choose to. Acting is only as important as you want it to be\u200b and you can choose to pursue it or put it down at any time. Having other\u200b\u200b\u200b interests or a side job that\u200b\u2019\u200b\u200b\u200bs equally fulfilling will benefit you in the long run\u200b.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Different Types of Side Jobs<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the best jobs I\u200b\u2019\u200b\u200b\u200bve worked while\u200b\u200b pursuing acting\u200b\u200b have been related to the theatre. When I worked at a theatre, I was able to pick and choose shifts and organise my time around the schedule. My colleagues were also a mix of actors, musicians and freelance creatives who had other jobs and obligations. The structure of this type of job was the perfect side job for me\u200b and showed me that my ambitions and financial security could co\u200b-\u200b\u200bexist\u200b \u200b\u2013 so\u200b\u200b\u200b long as I looked in the right places.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bSet yourself a goal and look into \u200bwhat \u200btypes of industries \u200bwill allow you to fulfil your goals\u200b.\u200b\u200b T\u200bhere will need to be room for compromise\u200b,\u200b sure, but you have to allow yourself \u200b\u200bto set boundaries on what works for you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On some occasions when I needed more money\u200b,\u200b I was able to pick up more shifts, and I was even offered a full-time position. Even though this role would give me a higher salary, it meant giving up more of my time that I had set aside for auditioning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some other examples of industries and types of side jobs \u200byou could\u200b\u200b\u200b look into pursuing:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Front of house, theatre\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assistants, runners, film production\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Administrative assistant\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data entry clerk\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hospitality, bar staff\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bReceptionist\u200b\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Librarian\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Events, promotional staff\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Children\u2019s entertainer, clowning\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Babysitting, dog walking\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teaching, online tutoring\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some \u200buseful \u200bresources and \u200bwebsites \u200bthat I found helpful when I was searching for a side job\u200b:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LinkedIn<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pertemps.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pertemps<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/jobs.thestage.co.uk\/candidate\/job_search\/quick\/results\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Stage<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/uk.indeed.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indeed<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/browse\/working\/finding-job\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gov.uk<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200bTemping\u200b\u200b\u200b and Promotional Work<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Temping is also a brilliant option to consider if you\u200b\u2019\u200b\u200b\u200bre looking for work to match your flexibility. When you sign up with a temp agency\u200b,\u200b you can be very specific with what hours you\u200b\u2019\u200b\u200b\u200bd like to work and what type of work you want to do. A recruiter will try and find a suitable role to fit around you, so there\u200b\u2019\u200b\u200b\u200bs enough incentive to be as honest as possible about what you would like to do.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Temp roles can be permanent and part-time or contractual and full-time \u2013 whatever you want to commit to can be found through an agency.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another great option that offers flexibility is promotional work. The process involves signing up to agencies, creating a profile\u200b, and taking on jobs on an ad-hoc basis. Agencies regularly list marketing brand promotion and sampling jobs that are known to pay well due to their last-minute nature. These jobs are often for brands or corporate events\u200b and they add an element of spontaneity and excitement to working as and when needed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bTake a look at some examples of\u200b promotional agencies below:\u200b\u200b\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tro.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TRO<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200b\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/eventeem.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eventeem<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b \u200b<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/pushpromotions.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Push Promotions<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breezepeople.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Breeze People<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Balancing Acting with your Side Job\u200b\u200b\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you start working, one of the main things you need to look at is how tolerable your new side job is \u200band its effect on your mental state. A side job can be difficult to uphold if your mental state becomes disinterested or unmotivated. How you show up at work can say a lot about your work ethic in any career, so it\u2019s important to create a balance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">K\u200beep your mindset focused\u200b by looking\u200b at the time you\u200b\u2019\u200b\u200bre dividing between your creative passion and your financial responsibilities. If your schedule can be adjusted, take a look at reducing your hours in a way that allows you to still earn enough money. Hav\u200bing a few extra hours \u200bfor\u200b yourself\u200bto rest between juggling two careers\u200b \u200bwill help replenish you.\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be honest with your employer, write down the questions you have or the requirements you need\u200b and ask them to consider what they can do. Enquiring about hours or asking for flexibility is perfectly reasonable \u200bemployees can have lots of personal reasons for wanting to reduce hours. It&#8217;s always be\u200bs\u200bt\u200b to be upfront and let your employer know ahead of time, \u200band also show them your\u200b initiative and work ethic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I left the theatre job to move to New York, the senior\u200b \u200bmanagement team couldn&#8217;t have been more supportive. They valued me as a member of staff\u200b and even offered me seasonal work when I returned to the UK during holidays. Balance is so important while maintaining a side job\u200b\u200b and you have to be able to shift between mindsets and offer the best of yourself to both roles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to Move on<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u200b\u200b\u200bFrom <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a Side Job<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the fears that \u200bmight \u200bcome\u200b\u200b with \u200bhaving \u200ba side job is \u200bthat acting will be put on the back burner. It\u2019s easy to get distracted when you&#8217;re earning a decent wage\u200b,\u200b\u200b\u200b and it\u200b\u2019s \u200b\u200bperfectly reasonable to consider giving acting a break\u200b\u200b \u2013 e\u200bspecially when many acting jobs won\u2019t pay as much or as consistently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bIf you feel you\u2019re not getting enough back from what you\u2019re putting into your acting career,\u200b \u200btake the time to reassess\u200b your situation\u200b. Look at how much time you&#8217;re spending at your side job and revisit how you\u2019re feeling when you go to work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are \u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bs\u200bome things to ask yourself when \u200byou\u2019re \u200bconsidering \u200bleaving a side job:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bDo I feel exhausted mentally at my side job\u200b?\u200b\u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bA\u200bm I happy and do I look forward to work?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Am I being fulfilled at my side job?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bAm I earning enough money?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Am I taking on responsibilities I don\u2019t have to?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have I let my side job become my main focus?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Am I able to switch off when I come home?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Am I still excited to look at auditions or do I think my side job will interfere?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Am I financially able to leave my side job permanently?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As much as we can prepare for a side job and set boundaries with our schedule, things can change. As you move through your role\u200b,\u200b you may get asked to pick up hours or apply for promotions\u200b and you may find yourself dedicating more time to a side job than you originally anticipated\u200b. \u200b\u200bHowever\u200b,\u200b it&#8217;s not too late to reassess.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bWhen reassessing, look at the environment and see whether making changes to the job you\u200b\u2019\u200b\u200b\u200bre doing would change your perspective. When I worked in retail\u200b,\u200b my manager didn\u2019t take my ambitions to become an actor seriously, so I was always asked to pick up more hours and dismissed if I said no. I was even asked to do certain front-facing tasks during a shift because\u200b \u201cI did \u200b\u200b\u200bdrama\u200b.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I left retail to work in the theatre as front of house, I was never questioned about time off, I was open about my auditions\u200b,\u200b and I was surrounded by support and understanding. This was the key to thriving in a side job\u200b:\u200b\u200b knowing that you can leave and there may be a more supportive and flexible role out there that offers what you need. It can be scary to leave stability\u200b,\u200b but by letting go of a side job where you aren\u2019t thriving\u200b,\u200b you could open up many more possibilities that will allow you to follow your passion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember: \u200b\u200bHaving a Side Job is Normal\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There shouldn\u2019t be any feelings of shame surrounding pursuing a \u200bsecond job\u200b\u200b\u200b. Every actor\u200b, even the most successful ones, will have been in the same position at some point\u200b\u200b. It&#8217;s more common today than ever for actors to wear many different hats and have outside interests.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even the most famous actors have had odd jobs throughout their lifetime before making it in Hollywood. Margot Robbie used to work at Subway, Hugh Jackman was a children&#8217;s entertainer<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and Melissa McCarthy used to work at Starbucks. The pursuit of acting as a passion is not one size fits all, but you have to make the decision for yourself as to whether the financial instability is something you can cope with.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200bOf course there are factors to consider for every individual, but the possibility is there. Knowing that there are so many actors out there who are trying to pursue their passion while battling through hardship and financial struggles can make you feel less alone. Everyone is trying their best\u200b,\u200b and that&#8217;s all you have to do\u200b. The tools and tips are out there\u200b\u200b and there are so many success stories to use as inspiration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you keep at it and build a strong work ethic, you can find yourself one audition away from everything you have been working towards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><i>Take a look at our website for more<\/i> <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/?tag=wellbeing\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tips and advice for wellbeing<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><i>, including<\/i> <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/how-to-stand-up-for-yourself-on-set\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">advocating for yourself in the workplace<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><i> and<\/i> <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-industry\/the-business-and-art-of-acting\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how to juggle the business and art of acting<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em><span class=\"imgLeft imgLeftSmall\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image-replace hoverZoomLink\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/KJ-smaller.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/KJ-smaller.jpg\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Karen Johal<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is most notably known for playing Nicole Shelley in the award-winning Apple TV+ <\/span><\/em><em>series Ted Lasso, starring opposite Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein and Nick Mohammed. She <\/em><em>currently stars in the BBC television series Phoenix Rise as Noreen Khan, starring opposite Paul <\/em><em>Nicholls, Zita Sattar and Tyler Fayose. Karen\u2019s film credits include: The Waves for MTV <\/em><em>Entertainment directed by BAFTA award winner Sindha Agha; Frank\u2019s Plan for Amazon Prime; <\/em><em>and The High Performer for the award-winning digital creative We Are Tilt. She also starred in a <\/em><em>global campaign for instant messaging platform WhatsApp with Broadcaster Alex Scott MBE <\/em><em>and in a national Christmas commercial for retailer TK Maxx.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>In Theatre, Karen recently played the lead role in Ayad Akhtar&#8217;s The Who and the What at The <\/em><em>English Theatre of Hamburg in Germany and has starred opposite Scottish actor Alan Cumming <\/em><em>in the original musical Me and the Girls. She played the lead role in the regional premieres of <\/em><em>David Harrower\u2019s Blackbird and Duncan Macmillan&#8217;s People, Places and Things. Karen was <\/em><em>also directed by Iqbal Khan in Mismatch, performing as part of the Sky Comedy Rep Festival at <\/em><em>The Birmingham Rep Theatre in 2022.<br \/>\n<\/em><em>Karen is a graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan, New York where <\/em><em>she performed on stage for The Public Theater at Shakespeare in the Park and at the world <\/em><em>famous Carnegie Hall.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Headshot credit: Andy Brown<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Potential side jobs for actors that can help you make a living while acting. \u200b\u200b\u200bWhen you \u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bchoose\u200b\u200b\u200b to pursue acting as a career\u200b, there are many uncertainties in your path ahead. Financial instability is perhaps the biggest concern for many aspiring actors\u200b\u200b and it&#8217;s common for creatives to have a hand in many different fields\u200b [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":4850,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[109,44,81,47],"class_list":["post-4776","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-essentials","tag-soft-skills","tag-starting-out","tag-theatre","tag-wellbeing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>\u200b\u200bAn Actors\u2019 Survival Guide to Side Jobs | Spotlight<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Everything you need to know about having a side job as an actor, when to leave 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