Equity? Non Equity? Please Help!

[Fiyero2]

Posted: 10/17/07 at 10:39pm

so i noticed on PLAYBILL.com there are auditions for Equity actors, could a non equity actor audition???

Thanks so Much!

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 10/17/07 at 10:43pm

This has been done to me so much...and I'm honored i have the chance to do it now....


SEARCH!

[Fiyero2]

Posted: 10/17/07 at 10:44pm

i did search and couldn't find anything.....

[Fiyero2]

Posted: 10/17/07 at 10:46pm

okay so i searched and found out i can go!

wicked and spring awakening next week - here i come!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 10/17/07 at 10:47pm

If you aren't union, you aren't ****.






That's why they srike.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 10/17/07 at 10:47pm

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=945800#3258195



https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=940643#3142063


https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=228672



https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=86212


Oh really?
Good luck. But you and 94294852474857204958 ppl are gonna be there.

Updated On: 10/17/07 at 10:47 PM

[Fiyero2]

Posted: 10/17/07 at 10:50pm

thanks!

and actually TheatreDiva90016, playbill.com clearly states that Tara Rubin likes to see NON UNION Members and 90% of non equity actors get seen


ucjrdude902 - thanks for your help!

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 10/17/07 at 10:52pm

No prob! Good Luck! Make them want you!

[OrdinaryJukebox]

Posted: 10/17/07 at 11:11pm

You can totally go. Just know that you may sit around for hours on end without being seen at the end of the day. It's the nature of the beast that is non union actors going to union calls.

It helps if you're EMC (Equity Membership Candidate) a bit...and by a bit, I mean, very, very little...it basically means that they'll see all equity first...THEN if they have ANY time left over, EMC will go first, then non-eq.

I'm thinking of going on a few of those myself. I usually only audition for non union work, or projects that offer EMC points, but I figured, why not? I have my EMC card, I'll take a chance.

-Vincent

[AngActing]

Posted: 10/17/07 at 11:26pm

Yes, sweety . . . you can go.
The way most of us non-union actors do it . . .as you just have to "take the chance". GO EARLY IN THE MORNING! Get your name on the "official" non-union list as soon as it is posted -- to get a good number. (1-15 are best)

You see, at Equity calls if they HAVE TIME they may see non-union. Still, they do not HAVE TO. For Broadway shows, there is often "no time" left and no space to see any non-union. All the out-of-work or 'doing low-paying Equity showcase work' Equity actors FLOCK to Broadway calls.

Thus, bring a good book and go to lunch. The benches for the non-equity aren't all that comfortable; but you can have nice chats with other non-equity folk. I've made some good friends at those calls.

And recently, very recently . . . for a touring Equity show (not Broadway) there were about 45 of us non-Equity types there. At one point, there was a nice space and they took the first six on the non-union list. Then for the next four or five hours NOT ONE MORE. Then, near the end of the call . . they took about ten or fifteen and stopped. Then they had room, possibly, one more and it was ME!!! They send EVERYONE else [except me] home and gave me only a "maybe" if I could audition. Just as I was prepared to finally get my chance . . . the last Equity person showed up and they told me to go home, without giving me a chance to audition.

I was certainly made aware that could happen . . . so, I wasn't upset. I had made lots of new friends waiting from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., with one hour out for lunch. I passed out my business card(s) [I do other freelance work, i.e. Psychic readings] and made some nice contacts with others on the same journey -- for professional stage work. Thus, it's never a loss.

The only drawback . . . I lost a whole day of paid "temporary" work and couldn't earned $150.00 dollars working! LOL!

Also, statistically speaking . . . if they have enough Equity actors for the role; they will hardly hire a non-Equity. Nevertheless, I believe there are miracles and when it's your time, it is!

Blow them away if you get in! That would be a great story . . .
I mean, no one on Broadway was born with an Equity card! So, there's always hope.

Just, as someone suggested, don't get your hopes up too high -- you may or may not even get seen or heard. But, hey, if you do [get in] don't freak out and just think of it as another chance to do what you love . . . sing and perform for an audience for the first time!

If you end up with a call-back, hey, that will just be the icing on the cake of a the great experience of your little 16-bar performance at the call!

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 10/18/07 at 3:06am

if an audition is in the AEA building, dont you need an AEA just to get inside, let alone audition

[DTBG2]

Posted: 10/18/07 at 5:06am

no.

and refer to OrdinaryJukeBox's comment...

[AngActing]

Posted: 10/18/07 at 9:45am

>> if an audition is in the AEA building, dont you need an AEA
>> just to get inside, let alone audition

No, you just can't go behind the monitor's desk and read notices; nor can you use the bathroom or sit in the confortable chairs.

You have to sit on wooden benches in the lobby and use the toilet at some public place outside.

[Horton]

Posted: 10/18/07 at 12:02pm

Are you singing Lost in the Wilderness?

[Neverandy]

Posted: 10/18/07 at 12:44pm

ang- While getting seen as a non-union can be tough, I can say from experience on both sides of the table that being non-union does not count against you when you are being seen. If you are right for the role and possess the necessary skills there is no reason not to cast you. Don't forget that all if us in the union had to get our cards somehow!

[OrdinaryJukebox]

Posted: 10/18/07 at 1:36pm

Exactly right! So, here's hoping I get seen and hired for something better than what I'm doing now!! hehe

-Vincent

[AngActing]

Posted: 10/18/07 at 1:51pm

>> ang- While getting seen as a non-union can be tough, I can
>> say from experience on both sides of the table that being non-
>> union does not count against you when you are being seen.

Oh, thanks sweetness . . . I agree with you! I didn't mean to imply it's completely impossible. I mean, I think it's more likely in something regional or not-quite-on Broadway. As Fiyero was talking about auditioning for two Broadway shows. In fact, I've never had a problem getting seen, most of the time.

>> If you are right for the role and possess the necessary
>> skills there is no reason not to cast you.

Oh yes! I completely agree here, too . . . Definitely!
It just, I don't know of course, what is the statistics on a non-union Actor/Singer getting cast directly into a Broadway show? Only talking Broadway, of course. Does anyone know?

From what I've been hearing . . . mostly. Union people are getting seven or more call-backs for roles like "Elphaba" and "Maureen" [and they are Equity, already] and one to two years later, they still haven't cast these women. Thus, I am just guessing (of course), I would think [for Broadway], a non-union person may be excellent; yet, there may be so many others, already a member of Equity, qualified for those roles and more likely to be called back, seen or cast. What do you think? And I am not being sarcastic. I mean, I really want to know!

>> Don't forget that all if us in the union had to get our cards
>> somehow!

Yeah, so true! In fact, I "feel" and "know" that soon, I too, will join my fellow, wonderful friends with my Equity card! From my typing to God's ears, huh?! And I did sort of say that in my first post, didn't I? That no one is born with an Equity card.

Thank you, baby for the really cool reminder, though. I love hearing it, particularly since you've been on both sides of that wonderful table! I love you!

[evadiva]

Posted: 10/18/07 at 7:37pm

Go to the audition if you can. If you have no plans that day - then you have absolutely nothing to lose.

Some good advice on this thread (and the many others just like it)

Def. get there early. Get comfortable. Don't be surprised if you sit all day and nothing comes of it. If they send you home, leave your pic and resume.

Then a week later send another one with a letter to the casting agency requesting an appt. I do that often. And I've gotten called in. In fact I got called in last month.

Always go for it. Don't listen to the bitchy ones. Let them whine and lecture as you take a step closer to your career goals!

How do you think all those equity kids got their cards? By crashing Eq auditions! Or by attending an Eq theatre's open call! They are no better than you. They were simply at the right place at the right time.

So get yourself and your headshot out there as much as possible and audition for EVERYTHING! You never know when a connection or an audition could pay off.

[Fiyero2]

Posted: 10/18/07 at 10:39pm

thanks so much guys!!

horton (jonny) - spring awakening wants a rock song not a theater song so probs not...

[AngActing]

Posted: 10/19/07 at 11:38am

>> How do you think all those equity kids got their cards? By
>> crashing Eq auditions! Or by attending an Eq theatre's open
>> call!

Although, I totally applaud your what you've said -- the majority of them received their Equity cards from regional theatres via their open calls. So, sure, I suspect some of them got it from "crashing" Equity calls; although, more got it from going to open calls where they were seeking non-Equity. Mostly.

>> They are no better than you. They were simply at the right
>> place at the right time.

Yeah, this I am in total agreement about!

>> So get yourself and your headshot out there as much as
>> possible and audition for EVERYTHING!

Yep! Absolutely . . . no matter what happens; another chance to rehearse and practice your craft, doing what you love!

>> You never know when a connection or an audition could pay
>> off.

For me, it pays off each and every time I go to an audition as I just love, love, love to perform! Of course, it's even better when it pays off with real money and real longer-term work!