How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#1How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 12:17amFor all those actors out there, I'm interested to know how you got your Equity card? Did you do the point system, or were you lucky enough that someone gave it to you? Any advice? Thanks.
#2re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 12:20amI pushed my friend down a flight of stairs and took it from her wallet.
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#2re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 12:37amRentboy, if you're serious about this, send PB ENT a PM. Her Entertainment company handles these matters and she's very sweet about sharing her wisdom with others.
#3re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 12:54amPoint system.
#4re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 12:56am
Footloose- Trump Plaza Atlantic City.
Never did EMC.
#5re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 1:49amA handjob and a dash of luck.
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
#6re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 3:20am
Point system, though I could have joined two years earlier from an Equity contract. Texas is "right to work", so I was able to take the role without joining at that time. It's not advantageous to be Equity in Houston in general. At least not then.
JohnBoy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/06
#7re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 9:45am
I don't even know what the point system is! I got my card when I was 9 and cast in an Equity production of The King and I.
Updated On: 12/9/08 at 09:45 AM
Jack King
Featured Actor Joined: 12/1/08
#8re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 9:51amI don't need no steeeekeeeeng Equity Card. I do music and words. :) However my pockets are empty & sagging from SAG-ing without much on-screen time.
#9re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 11:28amI satrted the points system in college thru summer stock and earmed about 25 but 3 months after moving to NYC I was canst in Naked Boys Singing! and didn't need to continue with the system. Oddly enough I had seen the show many years before and told my mom. She made me promise to never do that show.
#10re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 11:38am
^Does you handle reflect the song you sing in the show? :)
And what did your Mom think when you told her you were cast in it? Or did you never tell her?
#11re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 11:53am
Yes it does reflect my track in the show.
Well, the full story was after I saw it in college, I told my mom and she told me I could never do that show. I asked 'What if i move to NYC one day and cant pay rent and this is the only show that will hire me?' She replied "I'd pay 3 months of rent for you before I let you do that show!" Fast forward 3 years. I'm calling my mom to tell her I have a call back for the show and she doesn't believe me. I thell her my call back involves nudity and asked for the 3months rent. She dared me say I'd never get naked. Well I won (and lost the 3 months rent!).
#12re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 12:15pm
I was an EMC (Equity Membership Candidate) aka "apprentice" at the Barn Theatre in Augusta, Michigan,
Although I was accruing weeks (points?), I was signed to a contract my third season by the producer. I was 22 at the time.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#13re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 1:49pm
My family built our own theatre!
Seriously, my parents opened a non-profit Equity theatre company when I was in high school. I worked backstage all through high school and college. After graduating college, I got may Equity card as a stage manager.
#14re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 3:47pmI working with the point system. I did two stage management internships and now have 23 points and hopefully I either get more points or before then, sign an Equity contract.
~Dirty Rotten Scoundrels~
~Curtains~
~A Tale of Two Cities ~
#15re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 3:57pm
Hey NakedMaid, I just had a naked callback for the show last week. :) Unfortunately, I know I'm not right for the tracks they're casting, but now I can say I auditioned in the nude! My family just scoffed at me when I told them I did it. I had a good time though.
~Steven
jejr
Stand-by Joined: 11/29/08
#16re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 5:24pmI got mine when I was cast in the resident company of the local equity theatre. The main reason I was cast was to create and perform a marionette Pinocchio but went on to do 5 other shows as an actor.
#17re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 6:17pm
This has nothing to do with Equity, but I didn't have to audition naked for NBS in Chicago. But then, I assume I was hired for my voice, not my body. Funny thing is, my parents thought the idea that I was in the show was a hoot.
Not interested in getting an Equity card. I don't live in NYC and I'm just too old and cranky to starve for my art. I do get a bit tired of seeing the same four Equity actors in every production, though.
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#18re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 6:31pmOf course I'm serious about this. I'm new to the city and the "industry" so just curious to hear other people's stories. I know there are pros and cons to becoming Equity so soon, but it's just a goal of mine.
#19re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 6:41pmRentBoy, what do you mean "did somebody give it to you"? Do you mean like another actor passing theirs onto you? Cause that's not possible as far as I know. I have a pretty interesting story as to how I got my card. PM me if interested.
duffny1
Understudy Joined: 9/20/08
#20re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 7:11pm
I was cast in a production in Sarasota Florida as a non-equity actor. When they called to offer me a role in the show, I knew there were equity actors, and wanted to negotiate an equity card. I had a half hour conversation with the director about the trials and tribulations of being non-equity and by the end of the conversation I convinced him to give me an equity contract for one week only, so I would be able to join.
I learned a lot from that experience. I worked a non-union contract for about 6 weeks and one week on an equity contract.
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#21re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/9/08 at 11:45pmNo, I know that. I mean, "give it to you" as in, you audition for an Equity production and then they give you an Equity card for being cast. Although that doesn't seem like the most probable of situations. My problem is that most Non-Eq shows either only offer the point system or are no-pay, and neither works for me. I mean, how am I suppose to support myself without getting paid? I mean, I can understand if they rehearse at night or during the day and therefore you can work around it, but it doesn't seem that way.
#22re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/10/08 at 12:50amI feel ya RentBoy. The whole NY theatre thing is a crappy situation. And I'm not bitter. I'm only 24 but I know what it's like. It's tricky all around. But when everything works out, it's the best thing in the world.
sfs1414
Featured Actor Joined: 8/3/04
#23re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/10/08 at 1:03amI was cast in an Equity Production of Kimberly Akimbo and they offered me Equity. So I took it!!
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#24re: How'd You Get Your Equity Card?
Posted: 12/10/08 at 1:06amOh, I can imagine! I'm not giving up any time soon, nor will I resort to American Idol or something like that. I have morals and values, ha!
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