Summer Stock...what is it?

[bwguyhottie]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 9:17pm

Ok...I know this sounds like a totally dumb question...but I come from a very non arsty community...all my theatre expericence is school/community based and I was interested in summer stock work.

What is it?

Is it equity or non?

Are there certain summer stock theatres? A good website I could go to for summer stock auditions and such?

Thanks.

[AnothaPartofMe]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 11:32pm

Summer Stock is usually this...

A theatre group that solely runs in the summer and employs an actor (paid usually-- can be equity or non-equity..it all depends on the group) with a contract for anywhere from one to all of the group's productions (usually a stock group does up to 5 productions a summer).

An actor employed for the entire season usually is hired as an actor and assistant stage manager, meaning they will be in some of the productions and others they will work tech on. It's hard to explain SS very well because each stock group is different in it's own right. In a nutshell, that's stock.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 6/30/04 at 10:56am

I would do an online search for "summer stock". There's lots of information out there. The information already mentioned is pretty accurate and it does vary from theater to theater.

Summer stock is an excellent way to get a "lot" of experience starting out in the business. But warning... you are used to death for the summer!

Here are two summer stock programs in my area that I've been asoc. with.
Surflight Theater, Beach Haven, NJ http://www.surflight.orghttp://www.surflight.org>http://www.surflight.org, Steven Steiner, Arts. Dir.

Mainstage Center for Perf. Arts. Blackwood, NJ
http://www.mainstage.orghttp://www.mainstage.org>http://www.mainstage.org, Ed Fiscella, mgr.

Wishing you well!