Musical theatre majors at Texas Tech not only dream of performing on Broadway, but spend countless hours training their voices, bodies, and minds so they will be ready should the opportunity present itself. While securing a Broadway contract is an ambitious goal and would be a tremendous achievement, sustaining a career on the Great White Way is another undertaking all together.

Fortunately, Texas Tech has an inspiring trailblazer in Jennifer Smith (BA 1978), one of the School of Theatre & Dance's most accomplished alumna in the New York City musical theatre circuit. Over the course of her career, she has originated or understudied more than 40 roles in fifteen Broadway musicals and is now a regular recipient of the Legacy Robe – an honor bestowed upon the ensemble member with the most Broadway chorus credits.

Along the journey from “fresh-off-the-bus” girl from Lubbock with a dance degree to seasoned Broadway professional, Smith has developed a sophisticated perspective that allows for astute observations about how to navigate a career as a performer. During a recent interview, Smith shared her thoughts on several topics of interest for the next generation of performers.

Jennifer Smith on what it takes.

It takes passion, patience, and perseverance – all those things that that serve you well in life. I've been extremely fortunate to have made some sort of living doing something that I love. And that's not to say it hasn't been heartbreaking and disappointing at times. It often takes sacrifice. You know, we are theatre folk. We work when other people don't so that we're available to entertain when other people are not working. That means missing out on weekends, holidays. That means missing out on family events – weddings, graduations, things like that. But to me, that's part of the gig. And that's what you have to be ready to do.

… on auditions.

When you walk in that door, you want to project health – vocal health, physical health, emotional health, mental health. Even if you aren't feeling great that day, you should just pretend to be healthy. They want people who are talented and can handle the demands of singing, dancing, and acting, and they want people who are easy to work with and can say yes to things. And, you know, there are times you go to an audition and the accompanist is not very good. They might play the wrong tempo or whatever, and you don't feel quite comfortable. But the people in the room already know that. They've seen many people come in before you, so they know if the accompanist is problematic. You don't need to project that to them. They don't need to see you getting frustrated with any situation. You just have to take every situation and make it positive. And you have to walk in there as a healthy, joyful person who wants to share your talents.

… on backstage etiquette.

It's important to acknowledge and recognize everybody that's a part of the backstage situation: the crew, the sound, guys, everybody. Be grateful to those people. You want to maintain a healthy relationship with everybody backstage. And it also just feels better. It's more fun to go into work if you enjoy the people you're working with.

… on relationships.

I remember Sutton Foster when we did Drowsy Chaperone, her mantra was “Be kind.” And I think that's fantastic. Because you don't want to burn any bridges. That production assistant (PA) who runs to get coffee and is making copies of the script, one day, they just might be a producer. I've had that situation. A PA who was working on Secret Garden is now a major Broadway producer. I know some directors who make a few calls before they hire people. If they see that you've worked with someone they know, they will call them up and say, “I'm thinking about hiring so and so. What was your experience with them?” You want them to be able to give a good recommendation if it's you. Bottom-line, when it comes to casting there are so many talented people and if they've got two or three people who could fit the bill, they're going to hire the person that that has a good work record, shows up on time, gives 100%, and is pleasant to work with. You want to have that advantage always.

… on long runs.

Luckily, the audience is different every performance. They have a different personality every night. And it's that adage – it's cliche, but it's so true – it may be your 700th time to perform it, but it's their first time to see it, and you want to give them a performance that's worth the large amount of money that they probably spent to be there. Also, I think it's important to have things outside of the theater that keep you grounded, joyful, and excited about life – whether it's needlepoint, or writing, or teaching, or a family, whatever it might be.

… on understudying.

It's not an easy job. Ever. At all. And it's not for everybody. It takes a particular kind of mind. You have to be able to let go of your ego a lot because it's not really about you. Your job is to be ready to go on. It's not that you're entitled to go on. You may go on. You may not. Being a swing is the most difficult job in the company. It's very nerve-wracking. It tests your mettle. But at the end of the day, if you've done a decent job, you kind of feel like a hero, like you saved the show. That part of it is very satisfying. And It's a very marketable skill to have. If you can be a good swing or understudy, that really enhances your castability many, many times over. It teaches you to look at the show in a different way and it's a great skill to have. It's not always the most fulfilling or rewarding immediately. But in the long run, it's worth it.

… on agents. 

I've been very lucky. I've had the same agent for over 30 years. I found someone who was a right fit for me, someone who really understands my strengths and weaknesses. And I feel like I can tell them, you know, “I don't want to go in for this audition.” Or “I heard they're doing a revival of Funny Girl. Can you investigate that for me?” But that takes a bit of searching to find the right fit. Finding a good agent is important, but it should not be a point of anxiety for someone who just got off the bus. Make sure your craft is where you want it to be. And let it be a two-way street. Search out an agent but let them come to you also.

… on improvisation classes.

One of the greatest things that helped me in my career was I took a series of improv classes. Of course, voice lessons, dance lessons, acting classes, and improv classes are invaluable. They have helped me at auditions: just being able to respond if one of the auditioners gives you a direction or asks you to do something a different way. With improv you have those skills and you're able to do that – and it helps!

… on instincts.

Trust your instincts. Trust yourself. And trust what's right for you. That means not compromising your talents or your integrity when you're performing. There might be people who try to lead you astray and say, “Oh, that's not right for you. You need to do this. You're too young for that.” Sometimes it's just staying true to yourself and staying the course. Do what is important and real to your heart.