Theater Work Abroad

A Chance to See Many Countries and Get to Know the Locals

By Kristin Carter

A performance at the Globe Theatre in London.

For actors or theater technicians an interesting way to travel is with a touring theater production. The many options range from small-scale tours with only a few cast and crew members to ones with casts and crews in the hundreds.

Depending on the tour, you may stay in a city for one day or for months at a time. Either way, the best part of touring is the chance to work with and get to know the local people.

When touring you may stay in a city for weeks, other times you might breeze through a town. Most tours have a 1- to 3-month paid vacation break in the summer, which is a good time to travel and return to the places you enjoyed most.

To get a touring gig you don't need to be a theater master but you do need some theater experience. Most touring productions pay well and cover all travel expenses and hotels.

KRISTIN CARTER lives in Taiwan, where she teaches English. She spent time touring with Disney on Ice as a theater technician during which time she toured the U.S. and Central America. She is originally from Philadelphia, PA.