--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never had a paying job that was not in…" description: "\"I never had a paying job that was not in theatre.\" — Peter Brook" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/peter-brook-12618_had_i-never-had-a-paying-job-that-was-not-in_1283053.png" --- # I never had a paying job that was not in theatre. ![“I never had a paying job that was not in theatre.” quote by Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/peter-brook-12618_had_i-never-had-a-paying-job-that-was-not-in_1283053.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/peter-brook-12618_had_i-never-had-a-paying-job-that-was-not-in_1283053.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/peter-brook-12618_had_i-never-had-a-paying-job-that-was-not-in_1283053.png) > “I never had a paying job that was not in theatre.” [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A career in theatre is inherently tied to paid work; there is no separation. **In simple terms:** All theatre jobs are paid. Key Takeaway Accept the financial reality of theatre. Themes art career economics Mood pragmatic reflective Type advice realistic When to use this quote - acting - directing - stage management - production budgeting Key Concepts theatre labor market Questions to Reflect On - Can passion outweigh monetary concerns? - What are alternatives to paid theatre work? A Different Perspective Financial instability can limit artistic freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Job Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-theatre-904198/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Paying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paying/) [Paying Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paying-job-776762/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [My first paying job might have been doing a play, actually. My mom paid me to dress up as a flounder at my sister's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/my-first-paying-job-might-have-been-doing-a-play-actually-my-mom-paid/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [I'm far too middle-class to morally object to a paying job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-m-far-too-middle-class-to-morally-object-to-a-paying-job/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [My first paying job was guest starring in 'Touched By An Angel' when I was 12. It was very exciting. I couldn't believe you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-winstead/my-first-paying-job-was-guest-starring-in-touched-by-an-angel-when-i/) [Mary Elizabeth Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-winstead/) > [My day job has always been in the theatre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/my-day-job-has-always-been-in-the-theatre/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [I have done every job in the Theatre apart from wardrobe. I was out of work more times than I was in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-brien/i-have-done-every-job-in-the-theatre-apart-from-wardrobe-i-was-out-of/) [Richard O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-brien/) > [I don't think it's the job of theatre at the moment to provide political propaganda; that would be simplistic. We have to explore our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bond/i-don-t-think-it-s-the-job-of-theatre-at-the-moment-to-provide/) [Edward Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bond/) > [My very first professional job was with a theatre company in 1965 and the first job they gave me was literally shovelling sh\*t. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-shaw/my-very-first-professional-job-was-with-a-theatre-company-in-1965-and/) [Martin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-shaw/) > [“We’re taught to think of the minimum wage as a mechanism for helping people earn more. What it actually does is prevent people from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-watkins/we-re-taught-to-think-of-the-minimum-wage-as-a-mechanism-for-helping/) [Don Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-watkins/) > [To me, I'm still a 24-year-old kid who just happens to have a better paying job than other kids my age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-harrington/to-me-i-m-still-a-24-year-old-kid-who-just-happens-to-have-a-better/) [Joey Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-harrington/) > [More effective than giving away half my fortune before I die is finding a way to help people have a good-paying job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-conway-jr/more-effective-than-giving-away-half-my-fortune-before-i-die-is/) [William E. Conway, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-conway-jr/) > [Every day, President Obama and Senator McCaskill are making it harder for working mothers and women of all ages to find a good-paying job.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-steelman/every-day-president-obama-and-senator-mccaskill-are-making-it-harder/) [Sarah Steelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-steelman/) > [My first paying job in Los Angeles was taking tickets at the Bing under Ron Haver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/my-first-paying-job-in-los-angeles-was-taking-tickets-at-the-bing/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [“My salary was ten dollars a week, to which I added the extra two dollars Harry used to give me and about three dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/my-salary-was-ten-dollars-a-week-to-which-i-added-the-extra-two/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“Do I get paid, too?' 'Yes,' he said without hesitation. This scared me, because Crawley gave money like bulls gave milk: not at all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/do-i-get-paid-too-yes-he-said-without-hesitation-this-scared-me/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [My first paying job, when I was 15, I was a day camp counselor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/my-first-paying-job-when-i-was-15-i-was-a-day-camp-counselor/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) ## More by Peter Brook > [The life of a play begins and ends in the moment of performance. This is where author, actors, and directors express all they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/the-life-of-a-play-begins-and-ends-in-the-moment-of-performance-this/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [Shakespeare doesn't belong to the past. If his material is valid, it is valid now. It's like coal. The only meaningfulness of a piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/shakespeare-doesn-t-belong-to-the-past-if-his-material-is-valid-it-is/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [Never ask yourself what you have learned... only ask yourself what are the circumstances which are different from last year. In that way, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/never-ask-yourself-what-you-have-learned-only-ask-yourself-what-are/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [I've always worked a bit like a cook in a big restaurant, where you've got lots and lots of things laid out and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/i-ve-always-worked-a-bit-like-a-cook-in-a-big-restaurant-where-you-ve/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [Drama is exposure; it is confrontation; it is contradiction and it leads to analysis, construction, recognition and eventually to an awakening of understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/drama-is-exposure-it-is-confrontation-it-is-contradiction-and-it/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [No act of government can save the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/no-act-of-government-can-save-the-world/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [The work of a director can be summed up in two very simple words. Why and How.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/the-work-of-a-director-can-be-summed-up-in-two-very-simple-words-why/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [I have great respect for Brecht, but his path is not mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/i-have-great-respect-for-brecht-but-his-path-is-not-mine/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [We are aware that the conductor is not really making the music, it is making him -- if he is relaxed, open and attuned,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/we-are-aware-that-the-conductor-is-not-really-making-the-music-it-is/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [An icon painter starts not with Jesus Christ but by finding earth and rubbing. Now what is earth, what are you rubbing in directing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/an-icon-painter-starts-not-with-jesus-christ-but-by-finding-earth-and/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [The work of rehearsal is looking for meaning and then making it meaningful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/the-work-of-rehearsal-is-looking-for-meaning-and-then-making-it/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [Every choice I've ever made has been dictated by a formless hunch rather than by strict logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/every-choice-i-ve-ever-made-has-been-dictated-by-a-formless-hunch/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [In the theatre, every form once born is mortal; every form must be reconceived, and its new conception will bear the marks of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/in-the-theatre-every-form-once-born-is-mortal-every-form-must-be/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [One view of photography is that it is a zen-like act which captures reality with its pants down - so that the vital click…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/one-view-of-photography-is-that-it-is-a-zen-like-act-which-captures/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [Nothing in theatre has any meaning before or after. Meaning is now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/nothing-in-theatre-has-any-meaning-before-or-after-meaning-is-now/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) [Explore all 52 Peter Brook quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) ## More Had quotes > [Hats off to starting a franchise younger than we all did in 'Twilight' and keeping your cool. The 'Harry Potter' men and women had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/hats-off-to-starting-a-franchise-younger-than-we-all-did-in-twilight/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I had an idea for a technologically advanced luxury watch. I got involved in digital art and neon painting and put on shows of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-moroder/i-had-an-idea-for-a-technologically-advanced-luxury-watch-i-got/) [Giorgio Moroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-moroder/) > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [Though my grandmother had picked up modern ideas in America, she still had some conflicting 19th-century Irish notions. She believed that daughters, educated though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-mahoney/though-my-grandmother-had-picked-up-modern-ideas-in-america-she-still/) [Rosemary Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-mahoney/) > [My mom and dad had the relationship that I want, and they were teammates. They were always equal 50/50.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-kufrin/my-mom-and-dad-had-the-relationship-that-i-want-and-they-were/) [Becca Kufrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-kufrin/) > [Professionally speaking, the proudest moment was when I booked the 'Human Stain.' I knew it had Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Gary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/professionally-speaking-the-proudest-moment-was-when-i-booked-the/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [We got orders to strike the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. We had a task force with the Enterprise. We had two or three cruisers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-ross/we-got-orders-to-strike-the-marshall-and-gilbert-islands-we-had-a/) [Barney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-ross/) > [I wish that I had known back then that a mastery of process would lead to a product. Then I probably wouldn't have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/i-wish-that-i-had-known-back-then-that-a-mastery-of-process-would/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) [Browse all 11,989 Had quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never had a paying job that was not in theatre.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Brook" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/i-never-had-a-paying-job-that-was-not-in-theatre/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Had" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/i-never-had-a-paying-job-that-was-not-in-theatre/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/peter-brook-12618_had_i-never-had-a-paying-job-that-was-not-in_1283053.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/peter-brook-12618_had_i-never-had-a-paying-job-that-was-not-in_1283053.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/peter-brook-12618_had_i-never-had-a-paying-job-that-was-not-in_1283053.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never had a paying job that was not in theatre.” — Peter Brook", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Peter Brook", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never had a paying job...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/i-never-had-a-paying-job-that-was-not-in-theatre/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/i-never-had-a-paying-job-that-was-not-in-theatre/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```