Equity Actors
Equity Actors
#0Equity Actors
Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:20pmSo, this may be a really stupid question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. I went and saw Mamma Mia (touring company) in Kansas City last night. As I was going through the program, and reading the bios, I saw that 16 actors had put in their bios "proud member of AEA" or something to that effect. Some had it in all caps, and most had it followed with an exclamation mark. Is there something going on that would make Equity Actors feel the need to "boost it up?" I'm not saying by any stretch that I think they shouldn't put it in their bios. It's just that when 16 put it in, one starts to wonder. If that's a dumb question, my apologies...
Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#1re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:25pm
Actors' Equity Association has been stressing "Equity Pride" to its members lately. They are strongly encouraging their members to give some sort of "shoutout" (if you will) to AEA in their bios, whether they are saying how long they've been a member, or that they are proud to be a member. So that is why you're seeing an influx of AEA mentions in actors' bios.
Not a dumb question at all!
"IF IT'S NOT EQUITY, IT'S NOT BROADWAY!"
Updated On: 2/14/05 at 05:25 PM
#2re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/14/05 at 5:31pm
Thanks a bunch! That really helps. I was thinking there was gonna be another strike, and I was going to fall over!
Thanks again!
#3re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/14/05 at 7:06pmEquity Baby! Damn, for a moment I just felt like Anna Nicole Smith!!
"I'm learning to dig deep down inside and find the truth within myself and put that out. I think what we identify with in popular music more than anything else is when someone just shares a truth that we can relate to. That's what I'm searching for in my music." - Ron Bohmer
"I broke the boundaries. It wasn't cool to be in plays- especially if you were in sports & I was in both." - Ashton Kutcher
"I broke the boundaries. It wasn't cool to be in plays- especially if you were in sports & I was in both." - Ashton Kutcher
#5re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/14/05 at 7:24pm
In your case I would say ecstatic! 
"I'm learning to dig deep down inside and find the truth within myself and put that out. I think what we identify with in popular music more than anything else is when someone just shares a truth that we can relate to. That's what I'm searching for in my music." - Ron Bohmer
"I broke the boundaries. It wasn't cool to be in plays- especially if you were in sports & I was in both." - Ashton Kutcher
"I broke the boundaries. It wasn't cool to be in plays- especially if you were in sports & I was in both." - Ashton Kutcher
ashley0139
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
#6re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/14/05 at 8:08pm
I noticed this too. Heck, if I were equity I would shout it to the world! 
"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife
brandonm
Featured Actor Joined: 5/26/04
#7re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/14/05 at 8:11pmwhats equity do?
"Let the little girl go, and that poor little dog? Dodo." That's my favorite line in the whole show (Wicked). My next favorite line is "Oh! It seems the artichoke is steamed."
Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#8re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/14/05 at 8:22pm
Actors' Equity Association is the American union for professional actors and stage managers.
They act like any other union, guaranteeing health benefits, wages, etc.
Any Broadway or off-Broadway actor is a member of AEA (with a VERY rare few exceptions).
For more information, visit http://www.actorsequity.org
Updated On: 2/14/05 at 08:22 PM
#9re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/14/05 at 8:25pm
im not equity (yet!) only sag!! :)
i want a REALLY cool project to give me my equity card!!!
awkward.
"I think it was the Korean tour or something. They were all frickin' asian!" -Zoran912
Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#10re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/14/05 at 8:26pm
For those who don't know:
SAG is the Screen Actors' Guild. They are the equivalent of Actors' Equity Association, except SAG is for film and television actors, as the name suggests.
jasonvanemburgh
Chorus Member Joined: 1/23/05
#11re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 12:26ama union card doesnt make you a great performer. Ive seen some pretty crappy auditions from union actors, and amazing things from non-union. Its just a card. Remember the actor who joins Equity was non-equity yesterday! Same perfoemer however. Union actor doesnt always mean working actor either! SO many young actors rush into the unions without a resume/experience to back them up. Then they are screwed, because they cant do anything. Cant get cast in union shows, and cant work non-union to gain experience. Although, the catch-22, you shouldnt seriously do the "New York" thing until you ARE in the unions. Advice: work regionally/stock/non equity tours/ etc until you are ready. Youll know that when you're working consistently, your probably ready to enter the next level. Good luck!
" I wish that the stage were as narrow as a tightrope wire, so that no incompetent would dare step upon it" Goethe
camthom
Featured Actor Joined: 1/27/05
#12re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 12:53am
As a member of Equity, I have to say I am NOT a proud member.
Because as someone said earlier, they are supposed to guarantee things like Health Benefits and Wages...however...often time those wages are as low as $245 a week. And with the amount of weeks you need to "guarantee" health benefits, it's virtually impossible to acquire them, unless you are in a successful Broadway show (look out cast of GV).
Equity, IMHO, is past it's prime and is no longer serving it's membership well.
What this post will be met with is cries of "Well, if you want change, YOU should run for office." Well to be quite frank-A)With the day jobs I am required to handle, I don't have extra time, in addition to an auditioning schedule, to pursue Equity office. and B) I'm not really interested in running for office in an organization which basically serves little-to-no purpose and continually refuses to stand up for things that matter with their membership.
Flame away...
Jamie Hat
Broadway Star Joined: 4/5/04
#14re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 9:38am
Much of the 'proudness factor' has been inspired by the non-equity tour debate. A lot of the national touring companies are saving money by employing non-union actors, and AEA nor its members are pleased with that decision.
A lot of people feel that these tours should remain under equity contracts, because the shows aren't as good as when they employed equity actors (quality of performers). AEA has asked its members to wear their membership proudly as sort of a "stamp of quality" if you will.
#15re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 11:15am
not to once again drudge up this debate :) but the non-tour issue also has to do with why Equity was started 90+ years ago--producers shouldn't take advantage of actors and stage managers. The actors and stage managers on tour should have a minimum of protections---from wage to housing to scheduling to health. They are not getting the same protections that they would if they were Equity.
Updated On: 2/15/05 at 11:15 AM
camthom
Featured Actor Joined: 1/27/05
#16re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 11:26am
But again one can argue that even the Equity actors in Equity productions that are currently touring are not getting real protection from the union. Equity has proven themself as somewhat useless on repeated occassions. EVERY other theatrical union offers far better protection than Equity does for it's membership.
#17re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 11:52am
camthom--name the things that are lacking on Equity National Tours.
Yes, if you get a job at a small Equity theatre, you can get less than $300 a week. But if you can't afford that--don't take that gig. If you can sublet your NYC apt and the theatre is paying for your housing, it's a viable option for some actors. But a lot of the smaller houses are best for local Equity actors who don't need to live off of their salary.
Interesting to note that actors Off-Broadway get around $300 a week. I know they do at the Atlantic Theater Company.
I'm not saying Equity is perfect--and, no, it's not as strong as SAG, but you are certainly taking an extremist view of it that I don't think holds fair.
Updated On: 2/15/05 at 11:52 AM
leomaxfrank
Broadway Star Joined: 3/19/04
#18re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 1:36pm
agreed JRB - not perfect, smaller base with less money to work with than SAG - but, I believe, always trying to improve.
Proud member here too!
But I won't live alone in a house of regret.
Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#19re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 3:51pm
I would like to echo the comment made by jasonvanemburgh. Being Equity does not equal being a good performer.
DISCLAIMER!! I am NOT trashing anyone this board!
But I do know of people who have received Equity cards from doing something, like, performing on a cruise ship... where you don't exactly have to be the next Broadway star to be cast in. Some Equity members actually lack talent.
Maybe once you are qualified to join Equity, they should make you audition to see if you are talented enough! No, that would be just cruel. And it could diminish Equity's income considerably.
#20re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 4:02pmProud Equity member here!
"I don't really get the ending,all i can go with is when after several months,Judith saw Pat sang,and later she kissed him on the toilet,after that the story back to where Pat went down from the stage after he'd sung,and he went to the italian lady.I just don't get it,what Judith exatcly meant when he kissed Pat that she had seen,and did Pat end up together with The Italian Lady?Please help me,thank u very much!"
Quote from someone on IMDB in reference to a movie he/she didn't understand. Such grammar!
camthom
Featured Actor Joined: 1/27/05
matthius202
Broadway Star Joined: 2/15/05
#22re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 9:13pmhaha...i just want to be Equity to get my foot in the door. do i need it?
"Be not like dumb, driven cattle. Be a hero in the strife." A Psalm of Life...Walt Whitman
#23re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 9:17pmmatthius~ there are some GREAT non equity opportunities, and not everything GREAT is equity. Being in SAG, I'm now finding that some projects I'd like to be involved in are non-equity. The grass is always greener on the other side...
awkward.
"I think it was the Korean tour or something. They were all frickin' asian!" -Zoran912
matthius202
Broadway Star Joined: 2/15/05
#24re: Equity Actors
Posted: 2/15/05 at 9:18pmyeah..i mean i'm about to go to the SETC auditions...and some of the companies that will be there will be Equity companies...I'm so confused about it all. And half of me just doesn't care about all that...i just want to perform. THATS ALL. UGH...i HATE politics.
"Be not like dumb, driven cattle. Be a hero in the strife." A Psalm of Life...Walt Whitman
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