You might know her from Tiktok, her work in theatre marketing, or even just have seen her running around the theatre district. Jenna Rich was most recently a marketing associate at RPM, and values helping people find their path in the theatre industry. With transparency, genuinely good advice, and sharing her experiences, Jenna Rich wants to help in any way she can. During times of COVID-19, a lot of people are out of work, but especially theatre professionals. Jenna Rich is a Co-Chief of staff of Be An #ArtsHero, a grassroots campaign pushing for relief within the Arts & Culture area of the American economy. Please check out Be An #ArtsHero on Instagram @BeAnArtsHero and their website beanartshero.com to learn more!
Where did you go to school and what did you study? What were the most valuable classes for your current career?
I went to New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study where I was able to create my own major. But before that, I dropped out of acting school! I did one semester at NYU Tisch in the Drama program and quickly realized it wasn't for me. I knew I was interested in studying so much more than just acting, and the program I switched into at Gallatin afforded me the opportunity to build my schedule so I could intern/work during the day and still be able to go to the theatre/classes at night.
Because I was able to create my own program (I called my degree Theatre Management & Entertainment Business), I took everything from Playwriting, Movie Marketing, and Theatre Management to Latin American Politics and the History of London Architecture. I took a class called Theatre in New York which provided an opportunity for me to familiarize myself with the New York theatre scene both on Broadway and off with weekly theatre trips and further distinguish my taste in shows. I also loved Reporting the Arts, a class I took during my study abroad in London, where I got to write reviews of operas, art galleries, and performances I attended with class. Really any opportunity I could take in school to immerse myself in theatre, I LOVED. Overall, my degree definitely provided an opportunity to explore a bunch of interests that I had and combine them into a program of study that worked for me.
Did you always know you wanted to work in the theatre marketing field? What was the progress like getting to your current position? Any advice for those who feel a little lost?
Going into college, I didn't exactly know what I wanted to do but I knew I loved theatre. My background was primarily as an actor which I did from elementary school all the way through high school and for one semester at NYU before I realized it wasn't for me. I'd always been interested in the behind-the-scenes component, so when I got to college and dropped out of acting to pursue creating an individualized major, I had a TON of free time during the day because my classes were at night so I started applying to internships. When I was in my second to last semester of school, I realized that all of my varied experiences combined equated to what Broadway marketing was. I hadn't quite considered it as a career because I didn't know it existed. I applied to a job at the Broadway ad agency RPM on a whim and got it even with what I thought was minimal marketing experience. My role became something rooted in partnerships/social media/event planning and I loved it because those were all things I liked to do but never considered marketing!
As for advice, right now, it's really hard because obviously theatres and arts organizations have done rounds of layoffs and furloughs, so no one is really hiring right now. It's scary to think that Broadway will be shut down through at least the end of May 2021, but don't lose faith because there are so many things you can do right now to prepare for when theatre/the world reopens. I think it's a great time right now to start scoping out offices you might want to work/intern for or look into job titles that might be of interest to you. Playbill Jobs is the BEST place to look for any and all employment in theatre so always keep an eye out there. It's tough to think about now, but hang in there and we'll get through this.
Do you have any tips for getting internships in the theatre industry?
I applied to probably over 80 internships I didn't get from 2015-2019. Remember that it's often 100 or more people applying for one spot. Never take that rejection personally and just keep moving and trying. So much of getting an internship/working in the industry is about who you can make connections with and the work that you're creating yourself. Because everything is on pause now, it's a great time to network and reach out to people to learn more about their career paths! Most everyone in theatre is on LinkedIn and I'm sure if you pinpointed some specific offices/jobs you're interested in and reached out, they'd be more than willing to tell you a bit about their work. Those connections you make will be great resources down the line when it comes time to apply for jobs.
What is (pre-COVID) an average day in your life? What are some of your favorite things you’ve gotten to do because of your job?
An average day for me really didn't exist but that's what made it so fun. Whether it was cold outreach to makeup brands we wanted to sponsor the cosmetics for Sing Street or wheeling a cart of 1,000 roses to give away to fans at Moulin Rouge! The Musical, I like to think I had the most fun in my job. For a while, I was also the Social Media Manager for Chicago the Musical so a lot of my job included brainstorming content to post or running to the theatre to film special events or curtain calls. I think my favorite things I got to do were try on a Bob Mackie dress from The Cher Show in my office bathroom (shhhh don't tell him) and I also got to be on Moulin Rouge! The Musical's parade float during World Pride last June. We all got to be on our show-branded double-decker bus and toss tattoos into the crowds (remember crowds?). It was a magical day especially when we started blasting Lady Marmalade while driving through the West Village – everyone went crazy.
What are the most important skills to have for a job in theatre marketing?
I think the most important skill/quality for someone looking to pursue a career in the industry whether in marketing/producing/PR/management is a willingness to learn. So much of the experience you can get is through doing it. I didn't have any fundamental training/coursework in marketing (but sort of wish I had) but all of the experiences you have in theatre whether it's on the acting side or through your minors in PR/Media will be beneficial moving forward. The most important piece of advice I've ever received is to learn a little bit about everything involved in making theater happen. It'll only make you a better marketer/producer/actor/director/theatermaker if you have an understanding of the other roles that factor into putting on a show. All of your different experiences within theatre and a willingness to learn will be of great value in whatever you decide to pursue.
Thank you so much Jenna Rich for taking the time to answer these questions! Make sure to check out @BeAnArtsHero on Instagram, and her personal Instagram @Rich_Jenna and @JennaOnStage on TikTok!