A lot of pros with the TYA tours, but some cons that have made me decide to not return. Like most van tours, this position is actor/crew, so you load in your set, sound equipment, etc. and set it all up in addition to performing in the show. It's a good early-career gig. Pay is okay, only $480/week with $30/overnight when you travel. It's fine if you're not paying rent anywhere, but $12/hour is not a livable wage. They offer housing which is a perk. Traveling and seeing the country is a plus. There are hidden gems and experiences I never would have had if I didn't do this job. Also, even though it's TYA and you will be performing at schools, you do get to experience some great national venues. Performing for kids can be tough at times, especially since a lot of show times are in the morning (I've seen as early as 8 AM), but mostly it's very rewarding. It's definitely a good way to season yourself as an actor since they give you an honest response and their energy is unfiltered. Make sure to keep an eye on your vocal health. Most of the tour shows I've seen produced are musicals or plays with music, and even though the music isn't difficult or vocally challenging, the shows are early in the morning and afternoon, and you can perform them up to three times a day (those three-show-days are RARE), and even though the shows are usually around 45 minutes in length, 10-show weeks are common and can be taxing if you don't properly warm up, cool down, nor get enough vocal rest. Especially with certain characters I've played, I've found myself getting vocally fatigued with the busy schedule. With the busy schedule, be prepared for long days. You will usually have to get up early, arrive two hours or an hour and a half early to load in, do two shows, and then have to drive somewhere far. Company manager is AMAZING and will do anything and everything she can to support and advocate for the actors. She is truly great to work with, sends out timely daily calls and itineraries, is organized, and is quick with communication. Can't say the same about the rest of management... Most of the people I've worked with are great. Lot of fun moments on the road together and rehearsal rooms were enjoyable. That being said, a lot of enjoyment this job depends on who you're with. It's tough to live and work with the same people if you all don't get along. I know that you don't have to like everyone you work with, but it's hard to do so when you're constantly in the same bubble. That's probably the biggest con- being in situations that took a toll on my mental health and made the work difficult. It's just important to know going in to set your own boundaries and not let the negative things affect you (which can be tough when you're with the same people for 4-5 months). Most of the directors are wonderful as well and foster a good rehearsal room environment. They respect actors' time as well. However- some can't rehearse on the 9-5 Mon-Fri schedule so you may have to rehearse on the evenings or weekends depending on who you get. Costumes team is fantastic. They make us look good, fix things quickly, and provide us anything that we need. A lot of the sets are old and need to be rebuilt, but the company doesn't have the people power nor time to make that a priority, especially when certain things have been a safety issue. It also took awhile for any notes made in rehearsal to get completed because it's one small team of people doing all of the sets and props for not only the tours, but also all three of VA Rep's venues, so a lot of things wouldn't be done until the day of the invited dress rehearsal, which is basically opening since you'll be on the road that evening or the next day. A lot of the shows need to be re-written or they just need to commission new ones. The theatre has been run by old white men for a long time, so the Black history ones are inaccurate and problematic. Also, a lot of them were written in the 80s and 90s so they need to be updated for modern audiences. Not to mention, some of them are so educational that it can be like reciting an article, making the text more difficult to memorize, and you have to do more work as an actor to imbue it with something. Usually though, the directors are pretty good about finding creative ways to stage it and present the material so that it makes it easier and more enjoyable. They also need to do a better job of training people for their crew assignments, especially with road manager so that they are more prepared. The sound training needs to be better as well. Most of the time advanced troubleshooting isn't needed, but it can be stressful and frustrating when you're not prepared for it and then it eats up a lot of your pre-show time. Vans are old, falling apart, and NEED to be replaced yesterday. One I was in broke down in the middle of nowhere and it was not fun to deal with. Our company manager handled it very well, but it was still a lot. Not to mention that it was a huge safety concern to be on a highway when it happened. Hotels are okay. Not glamorous but most are clean and functional. I have been in a couple of situations where we had to switch hotels because of black mold or safety concerns. Most of them have been fine though. Overall, I have enjoyed my time and have had a lot of great experiences, but it's not for me anymore. Again, it's a good early-career gig and you will learn a lot, but the pay is too low for how much work it is and the negative moments I've had aren't worth it. (edited)

I worked as an actor on their TYA tours and I have a lot of mixed feelings. You'll meet the other actors you're touring with and they'll seem great at first, but at the end of it you either can't stand them or you knew that from the get go and you just have to unfortunately put up with them for about 3-4 months. You might feel really isolated by everyone or by certain people and it makes it difficult to work with them when they are all getting along except you or one of them just complains about not wanting to be there and makes everyone suffer from it. Most of the shows REALLY need to be updated. Some of the shows are horribly written to the point that kids don't understand it because it's wordy or makes you feel like a terrible actor because it was written so awkwardly. The hotel choices are hit or miss. You'll either get a pretty decent one or a horrible one. Sometimes, the hotels are super far from the venue and you'll be stuck in traffic getting to the venue even though they could've chosen hotels near the venue. Most of the time, it doesn't seem like there's much common sense when choosing what hotels to put actors in. They don't give you enough training for any of the roles, particularly for the road manager. They NEED to have a day where road managers are taught what to do and go through situations that can arise and give them pointers. They also blame you for doing something wrong when they're the ones that don't properly teach you how to do things. Sets and props are in horrible condition when you get them. They just put them in storage and it seems like they don't do any sort of maintenance before bringing them on the road. There's water damage, mold, dust, the wood is warped and old. I've been lucky with the directors I've had, although one of them said I looked hot during the costume fittings. Company manager is great and deserves a raise. The artistic director doesn't care about the quality of the shows and it shows. It was a fine experience overall as someone who is starting their career and I'm grateful of what I've learned , but I'm definitely not coming back.

I knew nothing and no one going in. One of my favorite experiences! I was excited to go to work every day. I felt proud of the show I was doing. I was constantly impressed by my peers and superiors, and it motivated me to do better work. Also the theater and productions are beautiful and Richmond is fun, liberal, and diverse. Hope to return in the future!

I worked as a performer on their educational tours! It was okay! I’ll go over some pros and cons below. The pay was pretty good, honestly. We were some of the highest paid actors at Virginia Rep, besides their AEA actors for MainStage shows. We got paid $480 a week with a $25 a day per diem for overnights. They also pay $18 an hour overtime for any time over 40 hours in a week. Honestly? Pay-wise, I’d definitely work for them again. It’s other stuff that makes it difficult for me. The housing was great! Both in Richmond and on tour. I was in a nice house in Richmond, I loved my house mates, and it was cozy and clean. The hotels we stayed in on tour were solid. They weren’t super fancy, but they did the trick and I didn’t have any issues with them. Here were the big issues: the management isn’t always great, since a lot of the company is run by old, straight, white men. This especially became a problem with some of the Black history scripts that were performed and inaccuracies and problems that were found in the scripts. Another huge problem is the vans. They are all OLD. And they are FALLING APART. The vans have constant issues. Some were so bad that people quit the contract because they were concerned about their safety, which is more than valid. Others left because they just didn’t feel listened to at all by the bosses. There were people leaving tours left and right while I was there. I got to the end, thankfully, but it was really tough. The actual job is hard because you load in and load out of all the theatres and schools, while also doing all the driving. Very typical of educational tours. It’s a tough job. But even considering that, I probably would’ve marked this a 4 star job if not for the van problems. Altogether, I do recommend this job, especially for early career actors. This job looks outstanding on your resume and it’ll let you bank a little bit of money. I’m most thankful for the people I met during that tour, who will stick with me for a lifetime. Definitely worth an audition!

I worked as a touring actor at this theatre and, overall, it was a positive experience. My supervisor, Donna, is probably the best boss I’ve ever had. Receptive to concerns, great at communication, and extremely professional. If you love performing for kids, it’s a great gig. Some tours go as far away as Alaska and some stay around Richmond. Some of the shows are plays and some are musicals. Make sure to ask for specifics as they won’t give you this info in your offer. The children’s shows are not very well written, and some of the black history shows have debatable historical accuracy. Most of the shows are extremely dated, but the directors they bring in are top-notch and will work with you to update the material to something you are comfortable with. Also, most of them are EDUCATIONAL theatre shows not children’s theatre shows. This means that they are meant to inform rather than entertain. Think lots of exposition rather than storyline, character work, or dramatic arc. Although these shows are only 45 min., they are brutal to memorize because the lines are so dry, expository, and technical. The material is not artistically fulfilling, but the kids do make it fun! The people they hire are talent-wise and experience-wise all over the map. They also don’t interview the actors before hiring them for tour, so oftentimes, casts don’t get along. Tour is hard and I was lucky to have kind cast mates but most were that lucky. If you want to earn some extra money and take on more responsibility, you can apply to be the road manager for your cast. This is basically like a combination of a stage manager and company manager position. It pays a little more and is worth it if you want that type of experience on your resume. There is a very strong “show must go on” mentality here that can be draining as there are no understudies or swings for the tours. They will cancel for COVID or injury! The theatre is very well funded and has multiple buildings across the city of Richmond where you will rehearse and get all your tech stuff from. They do not skimp on quality when it comes to sets, props, and costumes and if you ever have a problem, they will fix it right up! The pay for the tour is good, but surprisingly the pay for non-equity actors for their children’s theatre and MainStage shows is ATROCIOUS. This is very frustrating as the theatre is not lacking in funds and is simply choosing not to pay their actors well. They also do not typically house non-equity actors for these productions, even though they have the space for it. They also keep tour vans WAY past their prime. In fact, several people quit the tours while I was there because vans kept breaking down and the theatre refused to replace them. While they really work on presenting a diverse array of work that presents a variety of perspectives at the theatre and have very inclusive hiring practices, the entire organization is run by predominantly straight, white, old males. This can be off-putting, but lots of theatres today are. The housing for tour actors and equity is nice! Everyone gets their own room and shares a bathroom with only one other person. Some actors stay in cast houses while others in apartments. The space is well maintained and clean. Having a car is a must here as the company housing is a 15 min drive from the theatre. Overall, if you go in with the right expectations, it will be a fine contract! (edited)