There may be times when you are asked to provide a bio or a biography of your accomplishments. It might be for a Playbill for a show you are in or it could be for your website. Now, I've seen a lot of bad BIOS. So let's take a look at how you can promote yourself the right way. On this episode of Casting Actors Cast.

First think of why a bio is needed. In a playbill, it is usually so that an audience member can simply find out more about you. Show you’ve been in, Places you’ve worked at, or information about your education. Keep the audience in mind when writing this thumbnail of your professional like. For your website, the audience might be slightly different. Directors and producers want to know who you’ve worked with, theatres or productions you’ve been in and film and tv credits. That helps them on several levels, 1) where are you in your career? 2) Do you fit into the project that is being worked on or cast. Is there information that can help them consider you for the part (location, similar roles, contact information). Finally, there may be interest in some personal information like hobbies, interests or other connection that can trigger a connection with you for the role.

There are some issues with biographies when you are not aware of who the audience is. Too much personal information can be a turnoff. Your cat’s name, political views, social awareness issues or causes, while being important to you, may not have the same impact as others. You might feel issues with a lack of credits. If you are relatively new to acting and you do not have tons of credits, do not use the space for superfluous trivia about you. Remember this is for letting others see more of you on print on a professional level. Past training, thanking those professionals who have helped you, is this a debut for being at this theater? These are all good additions to a thin biography. Thanking a spouse or family member is a nice touch if it is brief. Remember is more impressive to share a little about you and your acting rather than fill it with information that serves no one. Simple writing styles are really useful as well. Make sure it is an easy read that is conversational rather than a list. Help your reader get a sense of your personality through your writing style. Humor, is subjective so be careful. Too cute is too bad.

Your biography might need some rewrites for each of the places it is used. A theatre program may have specific requirements (length, format, personal statements) while your website has its own branding attached (brief, professional, impactful). Other times you bio might be needed or asked for include, press releases, newspaper articles, social media inquires, and other media outlets.

If you’ve never written a biography, now is the time. It is a great way to see how your own sense of self can appear in your writing. Making it sound professional, as if was written by someone else. (3^rd person). Ask yourself, “What would I want to know about my experience as an actor?”