Krishna Amin (BA, 2025)
Krishna Amin is a 2025 graduate with a duel-Bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts and Mathematics, with additional Minors in Chemistry and Electrical Engineering.
What made you decide to pursue studying Theatre Arts at the University of Pittsburgh?
When I came to Pitt I actually had no intention of doing theatre nor did I even conceive of theatre as a potential career path for me. During that time, I was thinking I would pursue a career in chemistry or something in the pre-med realm. Then, during my first semester, I wanted to get involved in a Pitt Stages production as an extracurricular activity because I enjoy doing theatre tech, and I've actually done sound and theatre tech since middle school. I ended up emailing Annmarie [Duggan] and setting up a meeting, and luckily they were looking for an A1 for The Drag Seed that semester (it was a straight play, but everyone was miced due to masking). Even though the play wasn't my favorite, I really enjoyed mixing the show and working with everyone on it. After that, I decided to get more involved with other Pitt Stages productions, and I started taking theatre courses and getting course credits for working on productions. Sometime around late freshman year/early sophomore year, I began to seriously consider pivoting to doing theatre as a career, and by spring sophomore year, I was fully committed to pursuing theatre.
How did the Theatre Arts program help prepare you for life after graduation?
I really appreciated how the Pitt theatre department allowed and encouraged students to have major roles in productions. I was lucky enough to be able to sound design two plays as early as my sophomore year, and I even got to design a musical my junior year. I've met many people from BFA institutions who only get to design a single small play their senior year, or possibly not even have a single major role their entire time during undergrad. I think theatre is such a hands-on and experience-based profession, so I think having real world experience on productions is invaluable entering the professional theatre world, and I'm so glad I got a whole bunch of that at Pitt.
What are you currently doing in the theatre industry? How did you find your way there?
I'm current working as a Sound Engineer for the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and I'm the A1 for Something Rotten!. After graduating, I actually worked as an A1 on a cruise ship (Princess Cruise Line) for a couple of months, where I travelled around the Mediterranean and Caribbean. I got my job on the cruise ship after interviewing with them at USITT in Columbus. I ultimately decided the cruise ship life wasn't for me, so I started looking for jobs at regional theatres and touring companies. I had actually applied to Utah Shakespeare Festival in the past and had declined an offer that time, but I applied again after my cruise ship journey. They remembered me from before and were really eager to jump on me this time, and that's how I got here.
Do you have any thoughts or advice for current students interested in pursuing theatre in college or beyond?
For anyone interested in pursuing theatre as a career, I would highly recommend getting involved in as many Pitt Stages productions as possible to get as much hands-on experience that you can. I also highly recommend trying to do summerstocks over the summer to diversify your resume and get new skills and experiences. It's really important to start applying early in the year (before February) and to apply to as many as you can. Great places to find summerstocks online are OffstageJobs and Playbill. Also, I would highly recommend joining USITT and attending the USITT conferences as it can be a great place to find jobs. Additionally, I would highly recommend making as many connections as possible with anyone you meet in school or professionally because theatre is a small world, and a good reference can land you a really great job.
What types of connections/resources in the Department of Theatre Arts helped you to find your footing in the theatre industry/get your foot in the door?
I want to shoutout Annmarie, Howard, and Christina for being great mentors. I've learned so much from them, and they have helped me with my career and myself as a person in so many ways.
What were your Department of Theatre Arts involvements in college?
I was heavily involved with Pitt Stages productions, and I worked on at least one production per semester. During freshman year, I worked on The Drag Seed (A1) and A New Brain (Asst. Sound Designer). During sophomore year, I got really into designing, and I sound designed Dance Nation and Seven Guitars (which I was really proud of), and I worked on Abduction (Assoc. Sound Supervisor). Next year, I worked on John Proctor is the Villain (Head Electrician) and sound designed Spring Awakening (also super proud of). My final year, I worked on Trifles (Lighting Designer) and As You Like It (Sound Supervisor). I've also worked as an electrician for a lot of Pitt Stages productions, and I also worked in the E-Shop beginning spring sophomore year. Outside of the department, I was active in the Redeye Theatre Project, USITT, and I also occasionally helped out Musical Theatre Club (MTC) with sound. In Pittsburgh, I also did overhire electrician work at City Theatre and the New Hazlett Theatre.