A performer's résumé details your experience in a performing arts discipline, your abilities as a performer and your physical characteristics. In a professional résumé, it is considered inappropriate to include personal information, but in your performer's résumé, you should include personal information such as your height, weight, hair and eye color, and sometimes even measurements.

Format

Unlike professional résumés, performers' résumés are often broken into columns and kept to a page in length. Professional résumés tend to have short paragraph-like sections. Performer's résumés are usually divided into concise list form. For example, in a professional résumé, your acting experience might be presented like this:

EXPERIENCE

Downstage Productions, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville NY 1999-2000
Lead Actor in three fall season plays. Helped develop script, blocking, set.
Learned script; researched time period of setting; developed character study.
Performed each play three times.

In your performer's résumé, that same experience should be listed like this:

STAGE EXPERIENCE

Ain't No Coyotes in Poughkeepsie Lead/Mom Downstage Prod., SLC
Butterfaces Lead/Laundra Downstage Prod., SLC
Big Bill Lead/Mrs. Jensen Downstage Prod., SLC

Performers' résumés can include sections on education/training, union membership, performing experience, related work experience, awards/distinctions and special skills. Although the format is different, it's a good idea to explore the Résumé Guide for tips on how to write and organize an effective résumé.