Ariana Cook
Cara Mia Theatre Co.
Dallas, TX USA
"Be in awe and be humbled at the wonderful variety of the human experience."
Career Roadmap
Ariana's work combines: Acting & Theatre, Business, and Being Creative
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
For my current job specifically, I would suggest perhaps a master's program in arts management. It's obviously not a requirement, but it's something that I think would have been helpful to me had I had the opportunity to do so. It's important to also be aware of how art is made. So while an entire bachelor's degree in dance, theatre, music, or art would be great, it's important to at least do a show or be involved in the making of these projects to gain a working knowledge.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Musical Theatre
Sam Houston State University
Graduate Degree
Drama
Texas Woman's University
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Managing Director:
Bachelor's Degree: Musical Theatre
Graduate Degree: Arts Management
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I grew up listening to musicals because my mom loved musical theater.
2.
I’ve always loved theater and have been taking theater classes and participating in shows since I was 6 years old.
3.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in musical theater and then spent some time working in the field, which helped me determine whether or not a master’s degree would be beneficial.
4.
After working for a few years, I went back to school for a master’s degree in drama.
5.
I joined Cara Mía Theatre, a culturally specific theater, in 2014 and started to really understand just how important and needed the arts are.
6.
I’ve been with Cara Mía Theatre since then and currently work as the managing director.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
Is this something I'm going to be able to do? If I want to work in theater, am I always going to have to have a side job to make money?
How I responded:
I was having a hard time as an actress. I was struggling to make money and started to doubt my path. I wanted to be in this field but felt like I'd always need a side job to live. I went through a time of despair about it but eventually realized I had to do something about it. So I explored every avenue. I learned more about directing and playwriting. I taught myself After Effects and bookkeeping. I knew I just had to keep exploring and trying new things—eventually, I found a good route for me.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
Growing up as a mixed race child, I felt very othered. I didn't really grow up around any other mixed race kids. Even in my own family, I had a white side and a Black side, but no one really understood my experience being mixed race.