Working in the Theatre: Odd Jobs

Welcome to the world of Odd Jobs, where any career is possible. Working in the Theatre sometimes means choosing a discipline that you never expected to choose. For Bessie Nelson (Beader), Tom Andrews (Flame Proofer), and Jon Coles (Feathers), this is the path they took. Hear their stories as they create beautiful costumes and props and help to make the theatre a safe place for all to work.

“The theatre, they love to see sparkle, you know, with the lighting and everything the sparkle comes out, they’re beautiful. But that’s part of creating theatre, I’m one little phase of it. I do the beading, but then there’s the lighting directors, there’s the scenery people. I mean there’s much, and when you go to see a Broadway show you sit there and enjoy all of our work, hard work.” – Bessie Nelson

American Theatre Wing’s Working in the Theatre documentary series features the most fascinating people on the stage, behind the scenes, and in the audience. From Tony Awards® and Obie Awards® winning artists to the next generation of theatre makers, we capture theatre’s inner-workings, industry luminaries, and unique stories that surround important work.

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