The Top 5 Things I'd Tell You About the Musical Theater Industry (If I Didn't Want to Hurt Your Feelings)

The Top 5 Things I'd Tell You About the Musical Theater Industry

(If I Didn't Want to Hurt Your Feelings)

By Victor Lopez

As the founder and director of Lopez Studios Inc. Performing Arts School in Northern Virginia, I've spent thirty years watching talented performers like you chase their dreams. I've been there for the callbacks, the rejections, the big breaks, and the hard decisions. And here's what I know for sure: you deserve the truth, even when it's tough to hear.

The Conversations Nobody Wants to Have

I've had versions of this conversation dozens of times, sometimes with students, sometimes with their parents sitting across from me in my studio. I can see it in their body language when the information isn't landing well. The crossed arms. The defensive posture. The looks exchanged between parent and child that say "he doesn't understand" or "he doesn't believe in me." Trust me, I get it. Nobody wants to hear that their dream is going to be harder than they thought.

But here's why I keep having these conversations anyway: because my job as a vocal coach isn't just to make you sound better. It's to prepare you for the real world of this industry. And honestly? I'm standing here having this conversation with you because I failed to give up and move on. This career didn't look the way I thought it would when I started, but I'm still here, still doing what I love, still making a living with my voice and my passion for teaching.

My Own Journey: From Doubt to Direction

Let me tell you something about my own journey because I think you need to hear it.

I'll be honest, I hesitated being this vulnerable. Sharing these parts of my story isn't easy. But I've understood over my 30 years in this industry that vulnerability speaks truth to power. And my job as a vocal coach, as a mentor, is to empower my students to understand their worth and to build them up. I can't ask you to be brave if I'm not willing to be brave first.

I grew up training in piano and voice as a young teen. My parents had no experience in this industry, they were just supporting a kid who loved music. I had perfect pitch, which people told me was a gift. I could play a piece on the piano by ear after hearing it just once. I was energetic, upbeat, the kind of kid who couldn't contain his excitement about music. I had tons of friends, or at least people I thought were my friends, because of my outgoing personality.

But you know what happened? People criticized that personality. There was jealousy. There were comments that made me shrink instead of shine. And slowly, I stopped thinking positively about myself. I went through high school absolutely crushing it on paper; top scores in voice and piano competitions at the countywide, district, and state levels, plus honors choirs. I was literally the best in the county. But inside? I still didn't believe I had what it took to be successful. My surroundings had convinced me that something was wrong with me, that my gifts weren't enough, that I wasn't enough.

Then someone came into my life who saw something different. They saw that I had a gift that needed to be shared—not just in my musical skills, but in my ability to connect with people. They helped me realize that my energetic, upbeat personality wasn't something to hide or tone down. It was part of what made me special.

The Philosophy That Changed Everything

That's when everything changed. I connected to the philosophy we now teach at Lopez Studios Inc., that real strength comes from the inside, that your worth isn't determined by other people's opinions or jealousy, and that when you truly believe in yourself, the sky is the limit. I used that same resilience when I decided to build this performing arts school. People told me it wouldn't work. They said I'd never make it. But I refused to give up. And now, thirty years later, here we are, still standing, still growing, still changing lives. That's the whole point, learning how to build a life in this industry that actually works. Think of this as the conversation we'd have over coffee if you really wanted to know what you're getting into. Because the biggest gift I can give you isn't false hope—it's real information that helps you build a career you actually love.

1. The Numbers Are Tough—But They're Not There to Scare You

Let's get the hard part out of the way first. According to Actors' Equity Association (the union for stage actors), about 85-90% of professional actors are looking for work at any given time. The average union actor makes around $7,500 per year from acting jobs alone. Broadway ensemble members might make great money when they're in a show, but most performers spend way more time auditioning than performing.

Here's why I'm telling you this: not to make you give up, but to help you make smart choices. Every successful performer I know has a backup plan that isn't really a backup, it's part of their career.

They teach voice lessons (like I do). They choreograph local shows. They perform at weddings and corporate events. They do voiceover work. They have side jobs they actually enjoy. Some of my most successful former students are the ones who built diverse income streams early, so they could say "yes" to the right artistic opportunities without panicking about rent.

The encouraging truth: When you plan for the reality of this industry, you actually have more freedom to pursue your art. You're not desperate. You're strategic.

2. Talent Gets You in the Room—Other Things Get You the Job

You might be the best singer in your school, your city, maybe even your whole state. That's amazing! Seriously, celebrate that. And then understand this: when you go to New York or LA, you'll be auditioning alongside hundreds of people who were also the best in their school.

I've coached students with absolutely stunning voices who moved to pursue Broadway and realized they were now "just" one of many incredible singers. It's not that they weren't good enough, it's that the talent bar is so high that something else becomes the tiebreaker. What actually books jobs? A mix of being right for the role, knowing people in the industry, auditioning on the day they're looking for your exact energy, persistence (showing up to audition after audition), being easy to work with, and yeah, sometimes just luck and timing.

The encouraging truth: Once you accept that talent is your foundation (not your whole house), you can start building the other skills that create lasting careers. Things like how to network without being fake, how to nail an audition even when you're nervous, how to run your career like a small business, and how to bounce back from rejection without losing yourself. These skills can be learned. And they matter just as much as your high note.

3. The Industry Will Typecast You—Here's How to Make It Work For You

Real talk: casting directors will put you in a category based on how you look, how tall you are, your age, your ethnicity, and your vibe. If you're 5'1", they're probably not considering you for roles that require you to be physically imposing. If you've got a quirky, character-actor energy, you won't book the traditional romantic leads.

This feels limiting at first. It feels unfair. And sometimes it is. But here's what the working performers figured out: instead of fighting their "type," they became so ridiculously good at roles within their type that they're the first person casting directors think of. They stopped auditioning for everything and started auditioning smart, for roles they could actually get.

The encouraging truth: When you figure out your type and own it, you stop wasting energy on auditions you were never going to book anyway. You start building a reputation as the person who's perfect for certain roles. And that's how you actually build a career. Plus, as you get older and gain experience, your type can expand. But you've got to start somewhere real.

4. Success Doesn't Have to Mean Broadway (And That's Actually Great News)

Broadway is incredible. It's the dream for so many people. But here's something that might surprise you: there are thousands of performers making a living in theater and entertainment who never set foot on a Broadway stage.

Regional theaters all over the country hire performers year-round. National tours mean you get to travel and perform in different cities every week. Theme parks like Disney employ hundreds of singers and actors with steady paychecks and benefits. Cruise ships offer six-month contracts where you perform and see the world. There are performing arts schools (like mine!) that need talented teachers who are still active performers.

I've had students who spent years struggling in New York, barely scraping by, constantly stressed. Some of them came back to the DC/Virginia area and now they're directing shows, teaching students they adore, performing with local theater companies, and actually paying their bills while doing work they love. They thought they were "giving up" at first. Now they realize they just redefined what success looks like.

The encouraging truth: A creative career doesn't have to look like everyone else's dream. You get to design a life where you're actually using your gifts, making money, and enjoying yourself. That's not settling—that's winning.

5. Protect Your Mental Health Like Your Voice—It's That Important

This is the one I wish someone had emphasized to me when I was starting out.

This industry involves constant rejection. You'll hear "no" way more than "yes." You'll watch people who aren't as talented book jobs you wanted. You'll compare yourself to everyone. You'll feel pressure about your appearance, your age, your relevance. The financial stress of not knowing when your next paycheck is coming can be overwhelming. I've watched incredibly gifted students develop eating disorders, anxiety, and depression while chasing this dream. Some of the most talented people I've taught eventually left the industry, not because they weren't good enough, but because it was destroying their happiness and sense of self.

So here's my rule: your mental health is more important than any role, any audition, any dream. Full stop. This is why at Lopez Studios Inc., we teach from the inside out. Yes, we work on technique, breath support, vocal placement, all of it. But we start by building who you are as a person first. We focus on your confidence, your self-worth, your ability to walk into any room knowing you have value regardless of whether you book the job.

Too many programs focus exclusively on making you a better singer or dancer without asking whether you believe in yourself. They polish the exterior without strengthening what's underneath. And then students get into the real world, face their first wave of rejections, and crumble because nobody taught them that their worth isn't tied to a yes or no from a casting director. At our school, we don't do quick transactions where you show up, get your lesson, and leave. We build relationships. We care about how your day went. We celebrate who you are becoming, not just what you can perform.

Because here's what thirty years has taught me: students who know they're valued unconditionally, who understand their worth comes from within, are the ones who survive this industry with their joy intact. When you're grounded in that kind of self-knowledge, rejection doesn't destroy you. It disappoints you, sure. But it doesn't make you question your entire existence.

If pursuing this career means you're constantly miserable, something needs to change. See a therapist who understands performers. Build friendships outside the theater world. Develop hobbies that have nothing to do with performing. Create an identity that isn't only about whether you're currently cast in something. The encouraging truth: The performers who last for decades in this business are the ones who figured out how to protect their peace while chasing their passion. They have boundaries. They have balance. They know their worth isn't determined by a casting director's decision. That's not weakness—that's wisdom. And it's what allows them to still love this work twenty years in.

Here's What I Really Want You to Know

If you've made it this far and you're thinking "Maybe this isn't for me," that's okay. This industry isn't for everyone, and knowing that now saves you years of struggle. But if you're thinking "This sounds hard, but I still want to try", then I'm excited for you. Because you're going into this with your eyes open, which already puts you ahead of most people.

The entertainment industry can give you moments of pure magic. Standing ovations that make you cry. The feeling of nailing a song that gives the audience chills. Friendships with cast members that last a lifetime. The satisfaction of teaching a student who just got their first professional role. But it gives those gifts most consistently to people who are smart, prepared, flexible, and honest with themselves about what they're willing to sacrifice and what they're not.

After thirty years of doing this, here's what I believe: the students who "make it", whatever that means for them, aren't always the most naturally talented. They're the ones who are strategic, resilient, adaptable, and kind to themselves. They train like athletes. They plan like entrepreneurs. They dream big but make practical choices. And they remember that being a performer is something they do, not who they are.

I'm living proof that you can have a career in this field even when it doesn't look like the original dream. I'm here because I refused to give up on music and performing, I just got creative about what that looked like. Now I run a successful performing arts school, I teach singers every day, I'm still connected to this world I love, and I have stability and fulfillment. That's not failure, that's adaptation. That's sustainability. That's actually succeeding on my own terms.

So yes, dream big. Train hard. Go for it. But also make a plan, take care of yourself, and know that your value as a human being has absolutely nothing to do with whether you ever perform on Broadway.

You're worthy of love and respect whether you're playing Elphaba or serving coffee at Starbucks while you audition. Don't ever forget that. That's what I'd tell you if I didn't want to hurt your feelings. And because I care about you too much to lie, it's what I'm telling you anyway. GO BLUE!

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