OK, if you’re looking for a summer contract that’s legit one of the best non-union gigs out there, Thingamajig Theatre Company (Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts) is IT. I did a summer season here recently, and I’d go back in a heartbeat. First off, the people are incredible. Tim and Laura, who run the theatre, actually care about their actors. Like, genuinely. They’re super open, easy to talk to (no nonsense), and just know how to run a great theatre. The whole creative team is caring, and the vibe is just...good. You feel respected, you feel like an artist, and you’re surrounded by people who love what they do. The audiences here are next level. I’ve done shows where people clap and then just leave, but here? The community loves the theatre and actually cares about "you" as a person, not just your performance. I had people stop me in town just to say how much they loved the show. It’s wild but also kind of cool. The housing?? Unreal. They put you up in this gorgeous house. like, mountain views, cozy vibes, full kitchen, the whole deal. Yeah, you’re sharing rooms at times, but the setup is actually really nice, and it makes for friendships. We all got super close, and it felt like a little theatre family by the end of the contract. Work-wise, it’s totally manageable. The pay is solid for non-union, the performance schedule isn’t crazy, and even the extra stuff (like helping with kids’ camp or community events) is actually fun. It’s all laid out clearly in the contract, so as long as you READ what you’re signing, there are no surprises. Let’s talk about Pagosa Springs for a second. INSANE. The mountains, the hot springs, the hiking...it’s like working in a postcard. If you love the outdoors even a little bit, you’re gonna be obsessed. And on top of that, the theatre has incredible community support from sponsors who genuinely love the arts and make sure we’re taken care of. One of the best perks? Complimentary access to The Hot Springs Resort & Spa. YES. Unlimited soaks in the natural hot springs after a long day of rehearsals? Game changer. Honestly, this gig was joy. Great people, amazing location, solid pay, and an experience that actually fills your cup instead of draining it. If you get the chance to work here DO IT. You won’t regret it.

The theater experience in Pagosa Springs is marketed as a charming opportunity for actors to spend a summer in the mountains, creating art and connecting with patrons. However, the summer of 2024 was anything but ideal. While the housing was beautiful, it became clear that having 20 adults sharing a space without real privacy created significant challenges. Additionally, several individuals from the same university brought a toxic, cliquish energy, which disrupted the company dynamic. The Director from the same university was hired to direct Beauty and the Beast, despite apparent gaps in understanding professional expectations. This theme of underqualified hires permeated multiple roles. Key leadership positions were problematic. Parts of the creative team performed in the shows, prioritizing their own onstage presence over responsibilities like structured rehearsals and cast support. They rushed through teaching material, only to criticize cast members for inconsistencies. Private coaching was offered, but sessions often took place in their bedroom instead of a proper rehearsal space. Meanwhile, other member of the creative team openly called the artistic producer unprofessional during a deeply personal crisis. When the producer announced a difficult week ahead she was met with attitude and unprofessional behavior and people assumed control, disrupting operations further. The director of Beauty and the Beast focused heavily on protecting her former students , often excusing them from physically demanding tasks like set changes, while assigning more work to the Black ensemble cast members. This created frustration and inequity among the cast. Conversely, the director of Beautiful became notorious for working five-minute scenes for up to 45 minutes, which drained the cast’s energy and hindered productivity. Additionally, expectations about period-appropriate hairstyles for Beautiful led to confusion and frustration, especially since wigs were an option. On the other hand, the director of Margaritaville showed little investment in the production, offering no clear vision or creative input. This left the cast feeling unsupported and unmotivated. Two out of the three directors gave minimal effort but were praised, while the third faced excessive criticism and pressure to “work together” in an unbalanced environment. The other leaders within the company , intended to bridge communication and foster unity, instead became a hub for drama. This individual shared confidential casting information, publicly questioned the Black identity of biracial cast members, and silenced a Black woman twice in front of the full company. This person prioritized self-serving actions, including taking over tracks that didn’t align with the production’s vision, and created divisions instead of fostering camaraderie. Even those they championed were ultimately left unsupported, while others picked up the slack. The Creative team failed to provide guidance or address these issues, allowing the then to take undue control, leading to a chaotic and disheartening summer. The company as a whole lacked the communication, professionalism, and organization necessary for a successful season. Given the disastrous summer of 2024, I cannot recommend taking a contract here in 2025. Rebuilding takes time, resources, and significant inner work, which the company needs to prioritize before moving forward. I truly hope they take the steps necessary to create a healthier, more productive environment for future seasons. (edited)

This is one of the best nonunion gigs you will get! Pay is great for non union! Performance schedule is easy. They have their quirks but honestly their quirks are all fun things so it doesn’t matter! Working and running their kids camp is part of your contract and a few of my cast mates didn’t love that this summer saying if I had known, I would have negotiated differently. But they spell that out clearly in your contract before you sign so if you don’t read your contract that’s on you. And they later said they didn’t read their entire contract. Which my first contract, I didn’t read it clearly either I was just excited to get a gig so I totally understand. As well as doing a few community activities being in your contract but those activities are a lot of fun and when you see the amount of gratitude and joy they bring to the community, you’ll be so glad you did it. When you go in most contracts people will love your performance but when you go to Pagosa the people love YOU as well as your performance. Even if they just met you. Which at first felt really odd cause I’m like who is this stranger but grew to really love and appreciate it because that is really rare to find. You feel super cared about and loved there. The producer is very easy to talk to and super open to hearing your concerns. If you ever feel something isn’t right go to him and he wants to fix it for you. I saw below that there was no stage manager in the winter but that’s not the case in the summer. And my cast mates who have worked in the winter before said that wasn’t the case then so I think that was a one off problem. I would definitely go back.

As a disclaimer, I was in their holiday show and I got the impression things are different for the summer season. The couple who run the theater are very nice. Well at least he is. However they are not very communicative. Nor are they technologically very savvy. When we started rehearsing, their main form of communication was a Facebook group, until our director made a discord. They also have very little social media presence/marketing. They didn’t bother to hire a stage manager or a music director, instead having the director run rehearsals and one of the cast be music director as well as act. This meant we rarely had updated schedules, calls, really any information. We were made to “help” with their kids camp, which actually meant teaching the entire thing and basically directing their show, with no pay bump, no background checks, and no advanced notice or materials. All while the lady who’s supposed to be teaching (the AD’s wife and general manager) just sat there and occasionally yelled at the kids (and at us). We also had to go caroling at patrons’ houses one night, with less than 24 hours notice, and using our own vehicles, because 2/3 of the company cars were inoperable. They didn’t notify these people either so some people weren’t home and some were shocked to find 10 grown men on their porch at 8:30pm. Because there was no SM, there was no technical help. At one point a crate in the show broke during rehearsals and sat unfixed for two days until a cast member took it upon himself to fix it. There was also no one to give notes after the director left, which just kind of fell to the cast as well. Pros: the cast house is huge, with a ton of beds. It was a great size for 9-10 of us, although I can’t imagine it for 20 during the summer, as the kitchen is a bit small and it can get loud, with all hardwood floors and doors. Also half the kitchen appliances didn’t really work when I was there. Pagosa Springs is lovely, nestled in the mountains, some nice restaurants, a Walmart, and as a cast member you’re given a membership to the hot springs spa. The friends of the theatre are a group of older patrons who do everything for the theatre and more importantly for the cast members. We were given dinners, parties, Christmas presents, a skiing trip, countless drinks, etc. Endlessly kind, fun (and rich) old folks, I would go back just for them. The resident costumer is the most involved costumer I’ve ever had. She did everything in her power to make sure we were all welcomed and comfortable, including phone calls before we got there, being at every rehearsal, and local suggestions. We had good audiences pretty much every night, and pay is pretty good for non-eq. If the actual work part was better, this would be a fantastic gig for anybody

Worked here like 5 years ago, but I remember it as one of the best contracts of my life. Definitely an early to mid-20s kinda gig, considering pay and amount of work, but just... joyyy. The people there are incredible. Tim and Laura, who run it, know how to run a damn theatre. Housing is in a million-dollar house. Very very nice. The entire cast is living there, essentially. 2 to a room, mostly. It was like $400/week on a 1099 back then but who knows now. Doing shows in rep was hard but kept things interesting. I just remember everyone being just happy af all the time. Location is also insaaaaane. The mountains, omg.