Jackie Gubow

What do you do as a Junior Agent?
My office represents actors in theatre, television, and film. I help to scout talent, submit clients for projects, schedule audition appointments, negotiate with casting directors, artistic teams, and producers, and ultimately proudly view the final products (Broadway shows, TV shows, etc.).

Why did you choose to major in Psychology and how has that affected your career thus far?
I majored in Psychology because I found the classes to be interesting and relatable. At the time of my undergraduate pursuits, I was interested in a Cantorial School graduate program, where my major didn't matter as long as I took the relevant prerequisite classes. Ultimately, my career path changed, but I found that my Psychology degree gave me a better understanding of the way human beings behave and interact. Classes like Psychopathology (aka Abnormal Psychology--I see we've become more pc!), Social Psychology, and Developmental Psychology remind me to consider the big picture and possible underlying causes for a person's behavior rather than jumping to conclusions based on scattered details. I believe that my psychological insights allow me to see people more wholly, which benefits me in a career where I'm constantly meeting new people and having to make snap judgments on their performing abilities and personalities based on brief meetings and auditions.

What was your career path like?
My career path has not been a straight line by any means, but I always knew I wanted to do something with music and/or theatre, ideally without the unpredictable lifestyle of a performer.  After I decided I did not want to be anyone's religious leader, I pursued a double major in Music Education and Musical Theatre as a postbaccalaureate student at Oakland University, where I was privileged enough to write and deliver the 2014 commencement address. I survived student teaching and performed musical theatre in three different states before deciding to move to New York in October, 2015.  

After attending one audition in the city, I was reminded that the actor lifestyle wasn't for me, but I was awakened to a whole industry that exists few other places. I began interning, first at an educational organization that put on classes and showcases for actors, then at two different casting offices, and finally at Professional Artists Talent Agency, where I ultimately joined the team!

What advice do you have both professionally and personally for students and recent alumni who are interested in pursuing a career similar to yours?
The advice I have for students and alumni interested in a career such as mine is advice I hate to hear, but still find to be true: it's all about networking. I was always a person who worked hard, got good grades, tried to be productive (yet balanced) with my time, and thought that that would be enough. Unfortunately (though those things don't hurt), it's all about who you know, especially in smaller, more specialized industries, such as mine. One of my theatre professors once told my class that many of us would be hired by our friends. Though I definitely did not understand the weight of his statement at the time, the moment I saw a former classmate's headshot and resume cross my desk, I understood what he meant, and have since found his statement to be incredibly true.

My advice would be to stay in touch with classmates and teachers, to put yourselves in situations where you meet people organically or where they can see your work in a natural way, such as an extracurricular class or a small seminar. Also, just be a nice person and treat other people like human beings.  In the theatre world, we like to say, "You're always auditioning," so don't be a jerk to the receptionist, for example, or the people in the hallway--your words and actions leave an impression all the time. At the same time, being nice is different from being effortfully nice--it's much more refreshing to meet someone who feels real versus someone who feels like they are trying to be likeable or impressive. Be the best version of you. You are enough.

What is the best career advice that you have received?
Besides networking, the best career advice that I've received was a nugget of wisdom I heard while watching a YouTube video of Amy Poehler's "Smart Girls" featuring Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson (of Broad City fame). When Poehler asked the two for advice for younger girls, Glazer's answer was about having a goal, but with the reminder that even though we don't always achieve what we initially set out to do, we can still end up achieving something great, just by using that initial goal to motivate us to get started. Feeling like we are moving toward something gives us purpose, and hopefully we begin to value the process itself, and appreciate the new goals we achieve along the way.

This idea of having a goal but acknowledging that it can and will change as you pursue it has been inspirational for me and I hope that by sharing it, it can be for others as well! I had no idea how I was going to fit into the theatre industry, but I just kept making goals and moving forward until things started to stick. Now, I might never see my own name in lights, but I am so happy helping to fulfill those dreams for my clients.

Why do you love Michigan?
It's great to be a Michigan wolverine! As third generation UofM-er, I'm pretty sure I bleed maize and blue, and Ann Arbor will always hold a special place in my heart. My dad and I were both in the Residential College, so it was fun having him come back for the 40th anniversary while I was a student, and marching in the parade across campus together. I also feel nostalgic for lots of places around East Quad (where the RC was housed), such as Amer's Delicatessen, Back Room Pizza, and Bubble Island. But my favorite place on campus has to be Michigan Stadium, where my family has had 50 yard-line season tickets since, according to my grandma, "they were begging people to buy them." I believe I started attending games in utero and my dad actually wanted me to wait until the 2015 football season ended before moving to New York. I didn't, but the fact that he asked shows how die-hard we are about Michigan football!

But more than special moments and places around campus, Michigan is special because it allows students to truly be interdisciplinary in their educational and extracurricular pursuits. For me, that meant performing in operettas (as a Psychology major) with Voice majors and community members alike. For others, it might mean supplementing their studies with unique sports or languages, or even developing an individualized course of study--I recently met someone who was a Playwriting major! At Michigan, the world is your oyster--you just have to decide to make the opportunities happen.