Being an actor is hard work... But I love it.
There are many out there, though, who have a very fluffy view of what fun it is to be an actor. Some of you reading this may be considering moving to New York to pursue your dreams of acting. Some of you may have seen movies, or did theatre in high school, or have seen SMASH (Season 2 starts tonight!) and think you know everything there is to know about acting and the business. Some of you (like my mother) just find the whole audition process fascinating and want to know more. Some of you just seem to enjoy reading blogs.
So, whatever category you may fall into, here you go...
All the things you didn't know you wanted to know about being an actor in New York City... (from the perspective of a new New Yorker in the middle of her first "audition season")
The New York theatre scene is split into a few different groups:
Celebrities - Fancy...
Offer Only's - Those who are too successful and too busy to go in and audition for small projects, and will only do the show if they are offered a role up front
Equity - Members of the Union
EMC - (Equity Membership Candidate- these people have earned "points" from professional theaters towards their Equity membership)
and Non Equity ("Future Members" as we are often called by monitors)
These groups can also either have agent representation or not.
There's a definite hierarchy here. The higher up on the list (especially with agent representation), the better off you are. You get more jobs, you get more money, and you don't always have to seek out the work. The farther down you are, the harder you have to work to get a job.
I'm a non-Equity performer without agent representation, so most of the process will be explained from that perspective.
There are different types of auditions in addition to the different types of actors... Still following the hierarchy:
Appointments
EPA's - Equity Principal Auditions
ECC's - Equity Chorus Calls (These are also split into Dance calls and Singer calls)
Open Calls - The Non-Equity insanity
I'll start at the top and work down:
I give out appointments. I don't often get them. :) There are a few different ways to get appointments, though. The easiest way to get an appointment is to have an agent. Agents will submit their clients, and if the casting director thinks the actor is right for a role, the actor will be given a time to come audition and the materials he or she needs to prepare. The actor shows up a few minutes beforehand, does his or her thing, and goes back into the world. Additionally, an individual can submit himself for an appointment by sending a picture, resume and cover letter to the casting director requesting to be seen. This is rare, but it happens... and when it does, it's very exciting. You'll see why soon :)
EPA's are really hit or miss for non-Equity actors. A monitor will start signing actors in for the EPA at 9AM. To sign up for a time slot, an Equity actor has to present his or her equity card. Time slots are requested in order of arrival, so lines are often formed at 8am or earlier. If there are still open audition slots, or if the creative team moves through the allotted 10 people every 20 minutes, the audition monitor will fill in the extra time with people on the Equity Alternate list (those people who didn't get a time slot but still have an Equity card). If the casting team sees everyone on the Alternate list, the monitor will move to the EMC list. EMC's also sign up in order of arrival, hoping that there will be open spots where they can squeeze in to be seen. IF the casting team gets through the Alternate list AND the EMC list, they will start seeing Non-Equity. Most of the time, Non-Equity actors are told by lunchtime that they won't be seen, but occasionally there's some sort of miracle and the monitor gets to the list in the afternoon. The non-Equity list is also called in order of arrival, so often non-Equity actors who REALLY want to get seen for something will line up outside the studio before it opens (7-8am-ish) to put their names on a list that the creative team may never see... It takes a mix of dedication and insanity to keep going to those. I've noticed, generally observing, that if one Non-Equity actor gets seen, quite a few will, so there doesn't seem to be any reason to get to the studio at the crack of dawn for those. I usually go at about 10am hoping for the best.
ECC's are a little easier to manage, especially for dancers. I don't know much about ECC's, but here's what I've picked up. An ECC list is posted one week before auditions at the Actor's Equity Building. Equity actors can sign up for that as early as they want, then show up at 9 am on the day of the audition to get put into line. If they don't show up, they get skipped and there's kind of a free-for-all for the rest of us. EMC points don't really count for anything at ECC's. The list is continued based on arrival after the Equity members have checked in. The chances of getting seen are much higher, so the motivation to arrive early is much stronger. Still, I don't like to get to ECC's before 7:30-8. It just gets hot and stinky in those tiny hallways before the studios open, and I definitely don't like standing outside in the cold.
Open Calls are sheer insanity. However, open calls are the best way for Non-Equity actors to get seen. An unofficial list will get posted for the call by the first person who shows up. Everyone who signs that list hopes and prays that the monitor accepts it as the official order so getting to the studio at 6:00 in the morning wasn't a waste of time and sleep. There are pros and cons to the unofficial list.
Pro:
I can sign up at 6:00am, be #75 on the list, go home, shower, get ready, and come back at 10 then have my afternoon free
I know I'm going to be seen, and Equity members that show up 5 hours after I do won't be ahead of me in line
Con:
People sign up like 20 friends who are all warm and comfy at home in bed when I'm there at 6am, working for this audition
If the monitor doesn't take the list, we're all in trouble because the sane ones went back home to get ready
Often, for these open calls, the creative team will "type" auditionees at the beginning of the day. Some people don't like being typed. I love it. Why would I want to waste my time sitting in a holding room all day if you aren't even going to consider me because of my height/weight/look/etc??? When we're typed, they line us up in groups of 30, shoulder to shoulder, with our pictures and resumes. Someone behind the table may ask a question like "what is your dance experience?" and then thank everyone for coming, point to a couple of people that he would like to have stay and sing, and send everyone else home. Then the next group will come in for the same thing. It's rather efficient actually. If there's no typing and 450 people show up for the audition (like they did at Beauty and the Best and Mamma Mia nation tour calls), you will be asked to sing an 8 bar cut of music. 8 bars is basically a sentence. How are you supposed to show your brilliant acting skills in a (rather short) sentence of music? Everyone dreads the 8 bar cut, but we do it... and we try to do it well. From there, some are asked to stay, some are asked to come back next week, some are asked to dance, and some are told "Thank you, that's enough for today." We all say "Ok, Thank you!", leave the room, and move on to the next audition. Some days I'll grab my bag and run across the street to the next audition where I'm signed up, hoping they haven't passed my number. So far, I haven't been able to squeeze more than 3 auditions into a day, but this is just the beginning of the season, so there's still time.
There are five main buildings that host auditions here in NYC. Three are just across or down the street from each other. The other two are within feasible walking distance, but they're really a pretty significant trek, especially in the cold. When you get to the building, you wait in the holding room for the monitor to call your name and put you into the singing line. Imagine, if you will, being locked in a cage of nervous, vicious, chattering monkeys trying to outdo one another. Pretty bad huh? Now add hairspray, curling irons plugged into every visible outlet, stretching legs, and piles of coats and snow boots and you've got a pretty good idea of what it's like to sit in the holding room of a Non-Equity Open Call at the beginning of the day. Fortunately things usually die down by the afternoon, and if you time it right, you can escape to the nearest Starbucks for a little bit of caffeine, respite, and free internet connection. It's also a good idea to have something to do to pass the time. Sometimes I know I have enough time to go to the gym or a dance class, sometimes I read my Nook, sometimes I make a new friend, and this week I'm going to bring my crocheting with me.
Now that you have a slightly better understanding of who's who and what's happening, I feel like I can start sharing funny stories and daily audition quirks with you all. However, my blog is already quite long and my head is hurting a little bit, so I'm going to take a nap instead and update you later.
So, maybe this didn't quite cover all the things you didn't know you wanted to know about auditioning in New York, but we've covered a small chunk, and Part 2 (and so on) will follow.
Grace be with You,
Lindsey Shea
PS, IT'S SNOWING!
