I’m a little late this year with my annual Holiday Gift Guide (check out my 2013 and 2014 editions) so I’ve decided to simplify this year and go with the easiest gifts you can give your theatre people, divided into 5 simple sections. You might have to do a little research to find your local sources for these items/services, but really, you can’t go wrong here!
1) Classes, Lessons, Workshops & Memberships – Help your theatre person with their professional development.
- Vocal lesssons
- Dance lessons
- Stage combat classes/intensives
- Acting masterclasses
- Audition workshops
- Improv classes
- If your theatre person is part of a union or membership guild, offer to pay their membership dues for the year!
2) Clothes, Shoes & Beauty Items – Keep your theatre person looking good.
- Dance shoes (every single actor I know needs little black jazz shoes)
- For girls
- Specialty costume pieces (for example, I have been wishing for a long cape and breeches for when I go to Renaissance Festivals)
- Theatre-themed jewelry
- New rehearsal blacks to replace their old, faded blacks
- Hair maintenance items
- Goodies for their makeup kit (foundation, concealer, mascara and eyeliner are must-haves for every actor)
3) Tickets or Subscriptions – Feed your theatre person’s need to consume even more art.
- Get a subscription to your local theatre
- Tickets for theatre (plays or musicals), concerts, gatherings, etc… (Just make sure they don’t have rehearsal that night!)
- Get YOURSELF tickets to the show that your theatre person has been working on — show your support!
- For really special occasions, take them on a trip to a theatre mecca (like Broadway or the West End) or a mini-mecca (Toronto, Chicago, Boston, Seattle…) for a full theatre getaway adventure!
4) Music & DVDs – Keep your theatre person entertained when they’re not at rehearsal.
- Cast albums/show recordings
- Sheet music
- DVDs of shows
- Musical movies
- iTunes gift cards are always a good thing!
5) Care Packages & Your Time – Theatre people are busy. Help keep them alive.
- Help them with their mountains of laundry that have piled up while they’re at rehearsal
- Give them gift cards for massages or facials for tired muscles and stressed-out skin
- Make them frozen dinners (soups, casseroles) that they can thaw and eat while they’re on the run
- Or pre-packed meals are an amazing choice too – grab and go!
- Give them a giant case of water (or a reusable water bottle with their name on it) to keep hydrated
Bonus: Etsy Stores You Should Check Out
- ICantIHaveRehearsal has gorgeous theatre necklaces including Drama Mama, Theatre Mom, and of course the titular saying, “I can’t, I have rehearsal.”
- More amazing silver jewelry from LucinaK, including pendants inspired by Once Upon a Mattress, Phantom of the Opera, and Little Shop of Horrors.
- Pawsintime makes bracelets out of Scrabble tiles and has lots of musical theatre ones including The Sound of Music, Hairspray, and Fiddler on the Roof.
- Riskybeads sells aluminum key chains with lots of theatrical flair, including “all the world’s a stage.”
- GreenRoomPrints has beautiful, inspirational musical theatre-inspired prints, perfect for everything from bedroom walls to dressing room doors.
- You could grab a bag made from a musical theatre book from BagsyMeFirst!
- Beanforest has cute buttons, including this one.
- How about a set of crocheted Elphaba and Glinda dolls from CandyCloudStudio?
Got any great theatre-themed gift ideas for your loved ones?
Share them on Facebook, Twitter, or in the comments below!
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I just think these would all make great gifts!
Photo Credit: Krista Nikolakakos
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Kerry Hishon 