<p>alwaysamom said:</p>
<p><<one other=“” possible=“” issue=“” is=“” that=“” if=“” the=“” student=“” gets=“” their=“” equity=“” card=“” early,=“” as=“” these=“” two=“” montclair=“” freshmen=“” will=“” do,=“” could=“” present=“” not=“” only=“” usual=“” concerns=“” of=“” vs.=“” non,=“” but=“” also=“” future=“” summer=“” stock=“” casting=“” opportunities.=“” much=“” to=“” think=“” about.=“”>></one></p>
<p>alwaysmom, care to venture an opinion on the taking of an equity card as a college student, particularly early on, such as after freshman year and how that card may effect future summer stock casting opportunities?</p>
<p>ttmom, I think your process of looking at the pros and cons is a wise one. Discussion and seeking out opinions from others, if you’re fortunate enough to have that option, can also help tremendously to see the big picture. You’re right about this not being a great time for opportunities in the city. The number of auditions is way down this year and the numbers at each audition are astronomical. Not a good time to be trying to book work in NYC.</p>
<p>NMR, the reason I mentioned summer stock options was that some summer stock companies have a limited number of places for Equity members and, generally speaking, the actors who are offered Equity roles tend to be those who have more experience. In some cases, they are brought in because they are a ‘name’ and will sell tickets. This isn’t always the case but I mention it only as something else to think about. As you know, lots of college kids book summer stock work during their summers so it may impact them if they have their card as early as sophomore year. There are kids out there who choose to take the opportunity to get their card early, and for some, it works out to be a good decision. Sometimes it doesn’t. There’s no right answer that fits everyone’s situation. I’m just a believer in people making informed decisions. :)</p>
<p>I would like to chime in here about taking the equity card early. My D took hers after freshman year when she was cast at PCLO last summer. We had MUCH discussion as a family about whether she should take it or not, with family friends in the business as well as the head of her program. All opinions were considered, and they were unfortunately conflicting. We decided, largely based on her “lack of height” yet her status as a dancer and her ethnicity (Asian) that she would be very likely to experience difficulty being cast anyway, so taking her equity card was not likely going to make much of a difference in the long run. She would either be the right type for a role, or she wouldn’t, and VERY often the answer would be “no”. And we also figured that it really only would affect two summers, after her sophomore and junior years. Then she would have already crossed the equity card hurdle when she graduates in 2011.
Well after this summer stock casting season, I can tell you that it did indeed affect her ability to find work. First, it was very difficult to even get to any auditions. She is no longer eligible for the regional auditions such as SETC (which her school participates in) NETC, Strawhats, etc. since those are for non-equity actors. Those auditions allow you to be seen by up to 40 or 50 companies at one time. She had to do individual auditions instead. And she couldn’t even re-audition at PCLO because she was in a show at school that weekend (but likely wouldn’t have anyway because their season included nothing for the height challenged. LOL). Second, two of her professors this semester had a zero absence policy, and since one was MWF class and one was T/R, that pretty much made it impossible to miss any school. Third, most equity (but not all) auditions are during the week, not on the weekends! So she was only able to audition during her spring break. That amounted to auditioning for about a half dozen companies. Total!! And some of those were not ones she felt she had a very good chance of being cast at because she had to attend the EPA not the dance call because the dance calls were NOT during her spring break. Out of those, she received no work. She felt she had good auditions, had very complimentary results from three of the auditions, even had a callback at two of them. But ultimately was told that they could not hire her because they only had two equity chorus contracts per show and used those for “name” actors, or those with more experience, or those who they could use in more than one show over the course of the season and she is such a specific type that they couldn’t use her for the other shows. In one case she was told they had to use those contracts for people who could also understudy leads that my D was definitely NOT the right type for!
So yes, think long and hard about taking the card early. I’m not sure there is a RIGHT answer, each kid has to be considered as an individual. But we have made a vow as a family to NOT second guess the decision.
And the great news is, these kids can find other opportunities if they don’t get cast in summer stock! Our D has won a scholarship to study abroad this summer and will be going to Korea to study for 6 weeks, with her sister (both adopted from Korea). So an opportunity that she would have had to pass up if she’d gotten work, has turned out to be possible. She also plans to take a bartending class, and has already lined up her first waitressing job! I’m sure she’ll need those skills eventually! So all is not lost.</p>
<p>Just to add to the stories… a student of mine was removed from a collegeprogram for missing an audition (a requirement documented in their manual) which gave them basis for probation and therefor blocked her out of the BFA courses and only allowed her to continue on in a BA track. The family went to mediation with the University and lost so she came home wondering what to do. While deciding what to do she went on an audition for an equity show in Florida, got cast, did the show, got her card and then thought she’d complete a degree locally in Florida. Another audition, another show and so on. Eventually she went to NY for an off Broadway show cast out of Florida and ended up living there, working all over the place for the next 10 years. She got her first Broadway show, Shrek, this past year and is happy as can be. I have asked her many times if she ever regrets not finishing school and she says “no”. However, if she hadn’t been able to get work and didn’t have a family to help support her when there was a shortfall she might have felt differently. The equity card issue has come up several times over the years, but it somehow always worked out. The shows she has been in often have a limited number of equity spots but she has been successful in getting them. The one thing she always did complain about was her inability to get an agent-the first 10 years of work came the hard way without one. Interestingly enough it was within a year of her getting an agent that she landed “Shrek”. She has felt that she might have had an easier time getting an agent if she graduated from a reputable BFA program.
Again, just another story for the record books…</p>
<p>Hm, interesting discussion about taking your Equity card or not. D is a freshman this year, although I guess since the academic year is over, she now is technically a sophomore :D. </p>
<p>Anyway, she was offered her Equity card early last year (as a HS senior), and at the time opted against it as she really wanted to audition and hopefully get to do some non-Equity shows before leaving for college. It worked out for her, and we were able to see her in two dream roles in regional shows before we moved her cross country. </p>
<p>Flash forward to this year, when she was fortunate enough to be offered summer stock jobs that come, you guessed it, with an optional Equity card. However, at this time, and after discussing it with a myriad of people (including her current teachers), D feels that it is most definitely the right thing for her to take it, even if she is still quite young. </p>
<p>Her plans include a study abroad program during the summer next year, perhaps re-audition for the summer stock company that she is getting her card through this year, depending on their show schedule, and if none of that works out, she is planning on applying for internships in a “non theatre” related field, and the Director of a Youth Theatre Conservatory has contacted her to be their Guest Choreographer. In other words, and like nydancemom says, there are other things to do besides Equity summer stock :).</p>
<p>Does she know that she is limiting her options in some ways? Yes, absolutely, she is well aware, but she also feels that having a card will give her some advantages eventually, especially when it comes to audition scheduling.</p>
<p>So, I realize that the title of this thread is actually “Report Successes after Graduation here”, but it has turned a bit into a Equity yes/no discussion and I received some PM’s asking if I could provide more details about my D’s decision. </p>
<p>I will add this, even though it is really nothing new as it has been said before, but ultimately the decision will be a personal one, and so there really is no “right” or “wrong”. </p>
<p>For example, if you live (and plan to stay) in a smaller town where there are not an abundance of opportunities and you would need to travel extensively to get to Equity auditions, getting your Equity card may not necessarily be the thing to do, especially if you are looking to book show after show. Now if you are looking to say move to New York, you will find that being Equity will give you access to some basic benefits, although you need to be aware that you will be “competing” against seasoned professionals; thinking you will book show after show is unrealistic to say the least :D.</p>
<p>Some people will say, it only pays to get your card if you are a leading man/lady type, other people will tell you that being Equity when auditioning for a chorus position may set you aside from the pack. Ten people will likely give you ten different opinions. Talking to people you have worked with (especially Directors, teachers etc.) will generally give you an idea if they feel you are “ready to compete” and “ready to handle rejection” in the process.</p>
<p>Dancermom beat me to the punch! I just wanted to say again congrats to the two Montclair Univ MT students who were casted on broadway in Bye Bye Birdie with John Stamos. My son is very happy for them. He performed with on of them in “See what I want to See” they were both understudies. My son was also in Miami doing a show during auditions. Go Montclair MT !!!</p>
<p>I thought when all is right in the universe that you:
- audition for a MT Program
- get accepted
- get your degree
- find representation
- get your equity card
- have a professional career</p>
<p>The only way I would pass on the equity card now is if the card is always there for the taking or you do not have many local options. You would be jumping to stage 5 and be that much ahead of the game.</p>
<p>there’s lots of discussion on this and other threads about the pros and cons of taking the card early. Consensus is that in most, but certainly not all, cases it makes more sense to wait unless the person is beyond any doubt something special and didn’t need the MT program training in the first place. It has to do with the fact that once you take the card there are lots of venues (non-equity) where you can no longer work and equity venues where you are auditioning against older and much more experienced card-holders. It just really depends…</p>
<p>I can tell you firsthand, as a director, that it does a huge disservice to a talent if they take their card too early. I see it all the time that an actor loses out on a role because they are Equity and what they bring to the table does not warrant a union contract. It puts an actor out of the game to continue to learn and hone their craft so that they truly deserve the union contract. If they have it before they’re ready their chances of getting cast become very slim. </p>
<p>It happens at Disney all of the time. Young kids come in to the parks to do a show for a year or so and take their card because it is offered to them. Then they leave the company and cannot compete with those folks who truly are of Equity caliber. There are exceptions to the rule but not many.</p>
<p>It’s a shame and it happens far too often.</p>
<p>Maybe where you are located has a lot to do with the decision? In NY, my D has far more opportunities being Equity then not. She is also a full time student going into Junior year trying to perfect her craft. I guess it is a individual decision. I hear of a lot of kids going back to school even after a year of touring.</p>
<p>It’s not so much of a question of opportunity as it is whether the performer is Equity ready. Becoming Equity before you’ve got all the goods in place can severly impact your chances of working. Staying non-Eq until you’re ready gives you much more time to perfect your craft. It takes more than college to be Equity ready.</p>
<p>I actually do feel that some of the decision involves being both “Equity ready”, and considering opportunities. As I mentioned in an earlier post, one could be Equity ready, but if you live in an area where there are hardly any local Equity opportunities, and you have no actual intent of actively pursuing any elsewhere, remaining non Equity is a logical option.</p>
<p>I agree with DisneyDirector however, that one should definitely not think that they are automatically Equity ready upon completion of a BFA. We have seen people assume that they were, only to get really disappointed when they got rejected time and time again. </p>
<p>Again, the decision to “go Equity” is a very, very personal one, and based on one’s individual characteristics. I don’t think that those are the same for everyone.</p>
<p>I would think it would also matter what program you graduate from and as well and how talented or seasoned the individual is. I also think even “equity ready” professionals get rejected time and time again. Equity can also be a catch 22. Producers may not take a chance on someone who is not in the union.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’ve never known this to be the case. If an actor is the top choice after auditioning, whether or not they’re an Equity member isn’t going to matter.</p>
<p>I have not had the experience of a producer not casting someone because they are non-union. If they are right for the part and have a breadth of experience behind them that gives the producer a reassurance that they can carry a show or support those who are carrying the show, then that person will be cast. What a producer may not take a chance on is someone with little experience.</p>
<p>Hm yeah, I don’t think I have ever heard of producers not taking a chance on a non union person either, but I do know that sometimes it can be tough as a non union person to get seen at Equity auditions. D has friends who, in spite of waking up in the wee hours of the morning to get in line, are eventually being turned away as the slots have filled up. Of course, in full disclosure, there are also plenty of non Equity auditions that Equity members can’t attend. </p>
<p>Now you can quite possibly graduate from a so called “top MT program” and not necessarily be all that successful (defining successful simply as a regularly employed and self sufficient professional performer). I think a lot of this ultimately has to do with talent, training, determination, perseverance, and a lot of luck (being in the right place at the right time) :D.</p>
<p>A friend of mine just got casted in ‘In The Heights’! I believe it is for the tour. She is an FSU Acting grad.</p>
<p>Thanks Disney Director. Your assessment and comments on Equity card v No card make more logical sense to me than anything I’ve read so far</p>
<p>Re: a comment in post #157…while it may be hard for a non-Equity actor to be seen at an Equity open call…that is not so much of an issue if the non-Equity actor has an agent. An agent can submit a non-Equity actor for a private audition appointment for those very same Equity productions that hold open calls, let alone some Equity jobs that don’t hold open calls too. My D just graduated college and is non-Equity, but her agent ONLY submits her for EQUITY work and doesn’t deal with non-Equity work. She is free to attend non-Equity auditions on her own.</p>