1. Get into rooms in Hawaiʻi
Follow local theatre audition pages, classes and volunteer calls. Community theatre can provide credits, relationships and stage time; professional organizations offer another level of experience.
The business behind the magic
Find your place in Hawaiʻi theatre, film and live entertainment
Acting is only one doorway. A production also needs designers, builders, technicians, managers, musicians, craftspeople, producers, marketers and people who can keep hundreds of moving pieces working together.
Stageacting · directing · movement · voice
Designscenic · costumes · lighting · sound
Techcrew · rigging · projection · wardrobe
Screenfilm crew · casting · production office
For performers
Build locally. Connect outward when the work takes you there.
2. Build a professional toolkit
Keep a clean résumé, current headshots, self-tape setup, reel clips and an online casting profile. Learn the difference between theatre auditions, commercial casting and film/TV submissions.
3. Use the West Coast bridge strategically
Los Angeles remains an important market for screen work and training, but you do not need to abandon Hawaiʻi to learn from it. Build a network you can activate for trips, callbacks, training and representation.
Backstage & technical
If you like making things work, theatre needs you.
Stage Management
The organizational nerve center: schedules, rehearsals, cues, communication, safety and keeping the production moving.
- Assistant stage manager
- Production stage manager
- Company management
Scenic & Props
Carpentry, painting, fabrication, drafting, rigging, set dressing and the thousands of physical details that create a world.
- Scenic design
- Technical direction
- Props artisan
Lighting & Projection
Programming, electrics, followspots, media servers and visual storytelling through light and image.
- Lighting design
- Electrician
- Projection/video
Sound & Music
Reinforcement, effects, microphones, playback, mixing and musical collaboration.
- Sound design
- A1/A2 audio
- Composer/musical director
Costumes, Hair & Makeup
Design, stitching, alterations, wardrobe tracks, wigs and character transformation.
- Costume design
- Wardrobe crew
- Hair/makeup
Producing & Administration
Fundraising, budgeting, marketing, ticketing, audience services, education and operations keep the art sustainable.
- Producer
- Marketing / box office
- Arts administration
Stage ↔ screen
Hawaiʻi’s film industry adds another career lane.
The same skills often travel between theatre, concerts, conventions and film/television: construction, electric, grip, costumes, makeup, props, sound, production coordination and more. Learn the local film-office and union ecosystem before a production arrives.
Training pathways
Learn where you are—then widen the circle.
UH Mānoa Theatre & Dance
Degree programs, acting for stage/screen/new media, design, directing, dance and production experience.
Explore UH Mānoa ↗Windward CC / Palikū
Hands-on theatre education and performance through the Windward campus and Palikū Theatre ecosystem.
Explore Windward ↗UH Hilo Performing Arts
Drama and performing-arts study with production opportunities on Hawaiʻi Island.
Explore UH Hilo ↗Start with one real credit.
You do not need to choose your entire career today. Find a theatre on your island, look for auditions, volunteer calls, classes, internships and production needs, and get one experience that teaches you what you enjoy.