Don't cry for me ... I'm in 'Evita': summer stock jobs build discipline, stamina, and your resume--but not all are created equal.

For a musical theater dancer, the New York spring is crammed with auditions for regional theaters' summer seasons. But from May to August, the city turns into an artistic desert. So as I took off my character shoes, I thought hard about the audition I'd just completed. For the moment, training to become a ballroom teacher was my only real summer option.

Out of the weeks of casting calls I'd attended, this audition, my best so far, was for a summer stock production of Evita at the Fireside Theatre in Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin. I was up for an ensemble slot, which would entail performing in three-inch heels as an aristocrat, protester, and Buenos Aires party girl in turn. While a few lucky dancers get their first job on Broadway, for most of us summer stock is an essential rite of passage.

At the Evita open call, I knew I had nailed both the dancing and the singing, so I let myself consider the opportunity, knowing not all summer stock gigs are created equal. With Fireside, the pay ($500 minimum per week), the theater's strong reputation, contract length (three months of work), and respected artistic team made the job appealing. As fellow dancer and tour veteran Ellie Harrison said, "The Fireside team is known to be organized, respectful of cast members' time, and to treat them with professional courtesy." If I got the call, I knew I would take the job.

Even so, I was already half-resigned to a summer of foxtrot when I picked up my voicemail. It took three playbacks to understand I'd gotten my first big break--a job as an ensemble dancer for a nine-shows-per-week run of Evita. A month later, I was thrilled, gut-wrenchingly nervous, and on a plane to Wisconsin.

Surviving the Cast House

As I discovered within a day, one of summer stock's essential lessons doesn't involve the production itself. Players typically live in large houses (nicknamed "cast houses") that fit 10 to 20 people at a time, not unlike a co-ed fraternity. Life in the cast house can have some of the same feel--and tensions--as a college dorm, with cliques, personalities, problems, and shifting allegiances. At some theaters you have your own room; at others you must double up.

These close quarters create a flipping-coin effect. When it's heads, the cast becomes a tight unit, intuiting needs and problems without a single word. Onstage, a camaraderie emerges, like when one dancer swooped down to pick up a dropped hat that could have tripped another actor. But when it's tails, the constant contact is a breeding ground for misunderstandings, tempers, and sheer cabin fever. Dirty dishes left in the sink or snarky comments on the break couch become common knowledge. And, for those who don't have a relationship at home, the love (or just plain sex) interests can add up to some sticky triangles. The veterans know that the best bet is to keep it professional and friendly.

Quick Step(s)

After a night of settling in, we went straight into rehearsals. We only had two weeks to prepare the entire production. Mastering the pace in this condensed schedule adds to a dancer's versatility. The faster you can learn the basics of the movement, music, and staging, the more time you have to hone your performance. Many young dancers question the need to continue taking class and voice lessons between shows. But those who maintain their skills have a clear advantage in soaking up the fast-flowing information.

After a couple of days on the score, we moved onto the ensemble numbers. Fireside's creative team was capable and kind, creating a calm rehearsal environment. When our choreographer Kate Swan came into the studio for our first dance rehearsal, I knew I was in for a rare treat. Her blithe attitude and sharp eye made work on her detailed choreography go quickly (see sidebar below).

Nine Times A Week

A second, less pleasant experience also came right away. I had heard of the Fireside's theater-in-the-round, but never imagined its challenges. Theater-in-the-round asks more of its performers: There is no back wall to face when taking a breath, no wings to break your smile, nor wings to run from. I spent nine shows a week running down four raked aisles in character heels to bound up four steps onto the stage. I had to ensure that, from every angle, the audience enjoyed the experience. A round platform in the center of the stage dropped a terrifying 12 feet at some points to change sets and had to be in constant view. Although by the end of the run my legs were in agony, I was thankful to have learned that every performer truly carries the weight of the show equally.

In fact, it was my gratitude that surprised me most. Although there were moments of drudgery (technical rehearsal), pain (a hellish stomach flu during dress rehearsal), and confusion (those Lloyd Webber harmonies), every time I stepped onstage for the initial coffin scene, I realized I had made it. And I was getting paid.

This is not to say that I didn't feel tested daily. Broadway performers have eight shows a week; the Fireside has a matinee on Wednesday and then two shows per day until Sunday. Besides stamina, this schedule also taxed my own ability to refresh my role. There were days that the second show was laborious, but clarifying details, like my snobby aristocratic glare in one scene or keeping my wrists reminiscent of traditional flamenco dancers in another, helped me stay focused.

Most performances, the adrenaline and love of theater kicked in the moment I stepped onstage. But, when we are honest with ourselves, all dancers know there are some days when you must simply push through; the show is your job. Plus, when I thought back to my audition, I was certain that 20 other girls would give their rent-stabilized New York apartments to do nine shows a week. Even more important, the golden-ticket job--a long running Broadway show--requires even more persistence and passion. Learning this early in my summer stock experience was a bonus. After nine shows a week in the round, eight on a proscenium stage would be a simple glissade.

Throughout the production, the laughter from mishaps onstage (like when a dancer literally danced off the round into an audience member's lap) sprinkled the run. However, understanding how to navigate the east house, appreciating a packed rehearsal period, and surviving the strenuous schedule are the real gifts that will bolster my career. Returning to New York, I learned that while my resume was looked at with more respect, the grind remains. The next job is many tough auditions away. But, if your goal is to be dancing onstage with a live audience, then despite the hardships, actually doing it is even better than you could ever dream.

RELATED ARTICLE: Making musicals waaaay off Broadway.

Working up to a shot at choreographing a Broadway show can take decades. Many choreographers find the regional circuit a valuable stage where opportunities come easier and yield a wealth of experience, Evita choreographer Kate Swan has a successful career choreographing summer stock and regional theater productions. She finds that, while she's intrigued by the challenges of different spaces and shows, working with the dancers means the most. "I admire these professionals who are doing it because they love it," she says. "Maybe they haven't made it to Broadway yet, but it's a Broadway level of talent. Their hunger is so exciting."

A Dallas native, Swan had 15 years of ballet before she spent a summer at the American Dance Machine in New York. She then landed a dance job on a European tour of West Side Story, which gave her the confidence to think of Broadway as the next step. She moved to New York, auditioned, and quickly earned a spot in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast. "I was in the right place at the right time," she says, "but more importantly, I was prepared when I went in." That same degree of preparation later convinced Fireside artistic director Ed Flesch to let her run the audition for a production of State Fair. It soon led to her creating the choreography far shows like Once Upon a Mattress and other musicals for Fireside and venues around the country. It may not be Broadway, but Swan says that she enjoys "the part of the process when I can demonstrate and then watch it transfer onto the bodies of the dancers. It gets so much better than I imagined!"--L.K.

RELATED ARTICLE: Summer stock sanity savers.

* Attack each summer stock audition with preparation and confidence. If you feel you've done your best, the audition is worthwhile regardless of the outcome.

* As a newbie, it's tempting to take any gig. But consider the pay, role, location, theater reputation, benefits, and opportunities you will miss while you're away. Some summer stock jobs add luster to your resume and bank account, but others can be a recipe for misery.

* Sometimes the cast house social scene can be confusing and seductive. Don't give in to the drama, instead, focus on your job and behave professionally with calm and focus. While worthy friendships do develop, it is your part in the production you should focus on.

* Maintain your nutritional, stretch, and exercise standards. Just because others might slack off doesn't mean you should. If you are in a smaller town with few dance studios or gyms, this might be difficult. Use walking, biking, and mat Pilates as alternatives.

* If possible, practice on your own in a rehearsal hall or theater. Extra work is appreciated, and will only improve your experience.

* Enjoy it! You're living your dream.

--L.K.

Lauren Kay is a dancer, dramaturge, and writer in New York City.