1The daily life of a professional stage actor rarely looks anything like an ordinary office job.
2Mornings often begin with gentle voice exercises and stretching to prepare the body for rehearsal.
3During rehearsals, the director may ask the cast to repeat one scene dozens of times.
4Actors must learn not only their own lines but also the cues that come before them.
5In the afternoon there might be a costume fitting or a meeting with the lighting designer.
6Before the evening performance, many actors walk quietly around the empty stage to calm their nerves.
7Once the curtain rises, there is no chance to stop and correct a single mistake.
8If something goes wrong, experienced performers simply improvise until the scene finds its way back.
9The warm applause at the end of the night makes the long hours of preparation feel worthwhile.
10Most actors also teach or take other jobs between shows, because theatre work is rarely steady.
11Despite the uncertainty, many actors say they simply cannot imagine doing anything else with their lives.