Editing Burt Reynolds (section)

===Theater===
The Florida State Drama Award included a scholarship to the Hyde Park Playhouse, a [[summer stock theater]] in [[Hyde Park, New York|Hyde Park]], New York. Reynolds considered the opportunity as an agreeable alternative to more physically demanding summer jobs, but did not yet consider acting as a possible career. While working there, Reynolds met [[Joanne Woodward]], who helped him find an agent.

"I don't think I ever actually saw him perform," said Woodward. "I knew him as this cute, shy, attractive boy. He had the kind of lovely personality that made you want to do something for him."<ref name="macho"/>

He was cast in ''[[Tea and Sympathy (play)|Tea and Sympathy]]'' at the [[Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre|Neighborhood Playhouse]] in New York City. After his Broadway debut in ''Look, We've Come Through'', he received favorable reviews for his performance and went on tour with the cast, driving the bus as well as appearing on stage.<ref>Reynolds, pp. 59–63.</ref>

After the tour, Reynolds returned to New York and enrolled in acting classes, along with [[Frank Gifford]], [[Carol Lawrence]], [[Red Buttons]] and [[Jan Murray]].

"I was a working actor for two years before I finally took my first real acting class (with [[Wynn Handman]] at the [[Neighborhood Playhouse]])," he said. "It was a lot of technique, truth, moment-to-moment, how to listen, improv."<ref name="macho"/>

After a botched improvisation in acting class, Reynolds briefly considered returning to Florida, but soon gained a part in a revival of ''[[Mister Roberts (play)|Mister Roberts]]'', in which [[Charlton Heston]] played the starring role.

After the play closed, the director [[John Forsythe]] arranged a movie audition with [[Joshua Logan]] for Reynolds. The movie was ''[[Sayonara]]'' (1957). Reynolds was told that he could not be in the movie because he looked too much like Marlon Brando. Logan advised Reynolds to go to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], although Reynolds did not feel confident enough to do so.<ref>Reynolds, pp. 63–65.</ref> (Another source says that Reynolds did a screen test after studio talent agent [[Lew Wasserman]] saw the effect that Reynolds had on secretaries in his office, but the test was unsuccessful.<ref name="river">{{Cite news|title=Riverboat Set to Sink Maverick|author=Wolters, Larry|work=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=August 20, 1959|page=c10}}</ref>)

Reynolds worked in a variety of jobs, such as waiting tables, washing dishes, driving a delivery truck, and as a [[Bouncer (doorman)|bouncer]] at the [[Roseland Ballroom]]. He wrote that while working as a [[Stevedore|dockworker]], he was offered $150 to jump through a glass window on a live television show.<ref>Reynolds, pp. 65–67.</ref>