East or west? How to avoid “coastal anxiety” in the pursuit of a career

Many young, newly graduated American actors eventually are faced with a significant geographical decision to make as they consider how and where to pursue their careers. I also want to include the many new-to-the-business actors of any age who also face a choice.

Although most of these people will, from conditioning or desire, think there is only one choice, there are actually four options. The answer to the question of where to go is rooted in the answer to another question: What kind of actor are you now and what kind of actor do you want to be?

Do you seek a full-time career that will take you wherever opportunity leads? Do you want the opportunity to perform in local theatre, but keep a job or develop a career in another field ? Would you like to be a career extra? Is it theatre that is your passion or do you seek experience and opportunity in every area possible?

How you answer these questions will help determine in which direction you should head, geographically-speaking.

To help you answer these questions, ask yourself:

1. What kind of work do I most want to do?

2. Where do I need to be (geographically) for the best chances at securing this work?

3. What do I need to do to best prepare myself for this next move?

4. Am I financially able to do this now?

Then, read (or reread) chapter 3 in The Business of Acting, “One Step At a Time,” which discusses the necessity to and benefits from creating a personal business plan to follow through this process. You will learn step-by-step how to do this in the book. If you don’t have a copy of the book, you can read an excerpt from this important chapter from an article I wrote for Back Stage West, call “The Product is You,” which appears in the Press Room section at TheBusinessOfActing.com.

Having done this assignment, let’s get back to the “Where do I go” question.

Here are the four possible answers:

1. Go to New York.

2. Go to Los Angeles.

3. Go to city-of-your-choice.

4. Stay right where you are.

The “What kind of actor am I now” and “What kind of actor do I want to be” questions inform these answers.

If you want to pursue a professional, full time career in (primarily) theatre, go to New York, but be prepared for the challenges of both greater competition for every role and opportunity and for dealing with the challenges of financial survival in a big city where the cost of living is exorbitant.

If you want to pursue a professional, full time career in (primarily) film and/or television, go to Los Angeles, but, there, too, but be prepared for the challenges of both greater competition for every role and opportunity. Dealing with the challenges of financial survival in Los Angeles is similar to those your fellow actors who go to New York will face, with one major exception: transportation. If Los Angeles is your destination of choice, make sure to budget for a car and the costs associated with driving (insurance, gas, repairs, maintenance). This may all sound ridiculously simple, but you would be surprised how often I hear how bad-planning stories stopped a career pursuit in its path.

There are other cities in America with thriving arts communities and great opportunities to work as an actor (predominantly in theatre), including Boston, Chicago, Seattle.

For the person who wants to pursue acting as a passionate hobby and not as a full time career, fulfillment can be had by staying right where you are and getting active with local theatre productions in your community where great opportunities with minimal competition exists.


In short, there are opportunities to act everywhere. The journey to relocate to either coast to seek a career as a working actor is not a choice or a move to make too lightly or too soon. Many young actors set their sights on relocation right after graduation, but many are not prepared for what else comes with this decision: the ability to survive financially in the process of pursing their careers.

We each have our own journeys to make. Ask yourself -- and honestly answer -- the key questions to help you determine the when, where and why of your next step. Also remember, that any move isn’t forever, and it’s not the first or last time geographic options will present themselves during the span of your career. Do what makes sense for you to do at the time – and always be open to new possibilities along the journey of your career.


Thanks to Ken for e-mailing me about his current career “dilemma.” I told him that he’s not alone in his fear and frustration about where to go next, now that college is done. I hope this helps.

BL