Popular forms of entertainment, such as television, music, and dance, are a source of enjoyment and diversion from the demands of life and work. They stimulate our senses and capture our imaginations, making words come alive through creative interpretation and story telling.

Entertainment professionals are commonly associated with the screens of Hollywood and the stages of Broadway but can also be found around the world in local theatres, comedy clubs, circuses, rodeos, amusement parks, and television studios.

A small number of entertainers achieve wealth and celebrity, but most entertainers experience the less glamorous side of this business. Long work hours, meager salaries, grueling auditions, rejection, and the temporary nature of many jobs can be disheartening. To succeed, entertainment professionals must be talented, confident, thick-skinned, able to make a living at other pursuits, and most of all, determined.

Rising foreign demand for American productions, combined with a growing domestic market, should stimulate the demand for entertainment professionals in the United States. An increasing population and a greater desire to attend live performances will fuel this demand, as will the growth of cable and satellite television, syndicated shows, home movie rentals, and music videos.

Entertainment professionals must be exceptionally talented in music, dance, acting, comedy, stunt performance, or some other type of entertainment.

All entertainers must have stage presence, confidence, creativity, self-discipline, and determination. Physical appearance may be an important factor in being selected for some roles.

Required skills vary according to art form, but many entertainment professionals benefit from being skilled in more than one area. For example, musicians may need dancing ability, actors may need singing ability, and comedians may need acting ability.

In addition, general knowledge of music, literature, history, and the visual arts may be helpful in interpreting dramatic roles, ideas, and feelings.

Talent, training, and experience are more in important in the entertainment industry than a college education. Most aspiring entertainment professionals begin taking lessons and practicing when they are very young and gain valuable experience in school programs and recitals. A few entertainers are talented enough to enjoy popularity without extensive instruction, but most need formal training.

A college education is required to teach in public schools, colleges, and universities, but experience is the only requirement for performing or teaching in private studios.

Work environments for entertainment professionals are as diverse as their roles. From churches to taverns, professional musicians, dancers, comedians and other entertainers perform in a wide variety of settings.

Commitment is essential to endure the demands of this profession. Long hours under heavy lights or on location in adverse conditions can be demanding. Repetitive rehearsals can be tedious. The stress of deadlines and personality conflicts can be draining. Second jobs are often necessary due to the part-time, temporary nature of many performing jobs.

However, despite these difficulties, many individuals continue their pursuit of "making it" in an industry that offers wealth, celebrity, and exciting opportunity.