equity membership questions

[MJB]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 5:17am

For the last several years I have seen many auditions posted that I am uneligible to audition for because I am not a member of Equity. I have heard that I can "crash" auditions, but I haven't tried that out yet... more or less for fear of the unknown, how to do it. Can someone clarify for me how to find a job at a theater that participates in the Equity Membership Candidate program. I see jobs posted on backstage, and playbill, and also, the actors equity site... but, how does one get a job at one of these theaters... and what types of JOBS are they? are they all acting/singing roles, or are they "manual" type jobs (such as ushering or something like that). Also, I have never "stage-managed". Is it possible to get a stage managing job, having never stage managed? I would appreciate some information. Thanks

[Jon]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 8:07am

Any Equity theatre other than Broadway or National Tours participates in the EMC program. In Equity regional theatres,summer stock, dinner theates, etc. The cast does not have to be all Equity members. If you get cast as a non-Equity performer at one of these theatres, you can register for the EMC program. Once you have accumulated 50 weeks of work, you get your Equity card. Of course, this might take several years. The alternative is to get cast in a role that has to be played by an Equity member. For example, it it's a smal cast show, they might be alowed only one non-Equity. Different kinds of theatre have different quotas.

[superwoman108]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 9:55am

Updated On: 2/28/05 at 09:55 AM

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 11:27am

Here is me "How to join Equity" blurb:

If you live outside of NYC, then you will want to work at Equity theatres in your city (or nearby major city) as a local, non-Equity actor--often in the chorus. You earn points per week of rehearsal and performance. After 50 points, you can join Equity. In the meantime, you are growing on the professional stage and earning the experiences to fill out your resume.

You can also be offered an role that happens to be on an Equity contract. Unless you are in a right to work state, you will have to join Equity to take the role. Joining outside of NYC is a tricky question as there isn't as much work for Equity actors.

I would join before coming to NYC if you can. Otherwise, you can do non-Equity auditions and try to be seen at Equity auditions here.

It's really all about timing. And, yes you have to join Equity to be on Broadway, Off-Broadway or an Equity National Tour. Lead roles in regional theatre are also Equity.

AEA is the union of stage actors and stage managers. For film, you would join Screen Actors Guild. There are also unions for radio/tv and opera, etc.

You can find much more info at the AEA web site. And, feel free to ask any other questions---this really is a lot to try to cover in one post. :)

-----------------------

And to specifically answer some questions:

There is a non-Equity list at every Equity open call. However, if the audition is completely filled with Equity actors, you will likely not be seen as there won't be time.

An actor can earn up to 11 EMC points as a production assistant under an Equity Stage Manager. This is how I got my first 11 points during my internship with a regional theatre. It's an incredible experience, too.

Stage Managers do have a difference road map. You start out as a production assistant and gain experience. When a theatre thinks you are ready, they will hire you as an Equity Stage Manager.

[jasonvanemburgh]

Posted: 2/6/05 at 11:31am

Another hint would be to send your resume to all the Equity theatres in your area and ask them to consider you for an understudy position. Generally you go to a few rehearsals and just take notes on the role you are understudying. I live in Philadelphia, and here there are a lot of theatres, so an Equity card could be achieved in about a year and a half. One final note, "going Equity" is not always the best route for a new performer. People in Equity are mostly (not always..lol) more experienced and crisp than a non-Equity. I know of people who got lucky, got and equity card early, and NEVER worked again. Remember, you cant do non-equity once you join. With the birth of many non- Equity tours right now (rent for example) going equity is not always best. If you join Equity with a sparse resume and little experience you will definitely be in troubel. Not mto mention Equity costs about $1300 to join I belive, as well as paying quarterly dues.

[eslgr8]

Posted: 2/6/05 at 11:47am

Am I right to assume that it's more difficult for a "non-musical" actor to become Equity? It has seemed to me that whenever I see a mixed Equity/non-Equity cast, it's almost always for a musical. What about for actors who "don't do musicals"? Just curious...

[Jon]

Posted: 2/6/05 at 11:58am

he reason non-Equity actors have a better chance in musicals is simply that most musicals have larger casts than most straight plays. If a regional theatre is doing a play with seven characters and a musical with a cast of twenty, the odds are that all seven actors in the play will have to be Equity, but there may be six or seven non-Equity slots in the musical.

As someone who works at a regional Equity theatre, I can also tell you that if you are a young performer, you have a better chance of geting hired if you stay Non-Equity for this reason: Theree is a huge pool of young non-equity performers, and very few "older" non-equity actors out there. Therefore, If a theatre is doing "FIddler on the Roof" for example, the roles of Tevye, Golde, Yente, Lazar Wolf, etc, are going to go to Equity actors, while the daughter, Motel, Perchik, etc. are more likely to go to non-union actors. It's the law of supply and demand. You are likely to audition twenty really talented Non-Equity girls for the roles of the daughters, but it is very unlikely that you'll see a lot of middle-aged men audition for Tevye who are still non-union.

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 2/6/05 at 3:48pm

You can always try going to AEA open calls. I have done it many times. They normally have a list of non equity who they will see if they have time toward the end of the day. On my last try I got to sing very early, and was even called back for Belle:)
Give it a shot!

[FOCI]

Posted: 2/6/05 at 4:49pm

Hold on-if you are young it is better to be non-equity?!?!?
Dammit, what if you just joined equity b/c you wanted to be in the union before you go to college in NY next year? I thought I should join before I go to NY b/c I had much better odds of getting an equity contract. HELP, I haven't finalized it yet someone tell me if I am about to make a mistake in joining!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!

[ShuQ]

Posted: 2/6/05 at 7:01pm

I guess it's a matter of opinion but I would think it would be better for you to not join Equity...but that's your call. I'm not really qualified to give you advice either...but do you really want to never do non-equity again when you aren't even in college yet?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 2/6/05 at 10:20pm

FOCI: If you are good, then don't sweat it. If you want to do Equity theatre, then the only reason you would want to be non-Equity is if you think you need more experience. And Equity actors can perform in school productions with no conflict of interest--though you should talk to Equity to make sure you have permission.

[FOCI]

Posted: 2/6/05 at 10:29pm

Thanks jrb_actor and ShuQ, I am now re-considering. I'm sure I could use more experience.. I just figured it was a no-brainer-you get a chance to join equity and you do. I hadn't quite thought it the whole way through yet.
"If you are good, don't sweat it."- I guess that's the million dollar question..it's so hard to know as evertything is so subjective.

[sweetiedarlinmia]

Posted: 2/7/05 at 12:14am

Just curious, how do you know if a local theatre is Equity? Is there some mystical listing out there?

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 2/7/05 at 11:28am

FOCI, maybe I missed something but how did you get the chance to join Equity? It's not like it's an easy process unless you've been cast in an Equity show, in which case, if you had been, you'd already be Equity and not making this decision. At your age, that would really be the only way you could have accomplished it.

Joining Equity before even going to college is very rare. I know kids who I go to school with who have their Equity cards and it's about evenly balanced between those who are glad they have them and those who wish they hadn't. With the seeming increase in non-Eq tours, it could pose a problem for those who have them.

[Jon]

Posted: 2/7/05 at 2:25pm

How do you know if a theatre is Equity? You could try calling them and asking.

Or try calling Equity.

[FOCI]

Posted: 2/7/05 at 8:59pm

Yep erinrebecca nice guess, it's an equity show. Maybe I should have clairified sorry: I got the message two days ago that I got the part and was about to call back but then read this thread and had second thoughts.. I got to audition only b/c I knew the director from before so she put me on the list to audition and I had also told her previously that I wanted to join equity.
RE: my decision. The director is sort of my mentor in the acting world, so I called her back today and told her my concerns and she agreed that she thought I might benefit from more experience and that she would let me audition again for upcoming shows if the opportunity comes up.
So thanks for the help everyone, I appreciate it, even thoguh this wasn't my thread:)

Updated On: 2/7/05 at 08:59 PM

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 2/7/05 at 11:43pm

What state are you in? Because in right to work states, you can take an Equity part without joining Equity--Texas is one such state.