dancermom

We are so excited!! My D decided at the last minute to audition in NYC last week for a theatre group which was in the city to audition for their company in the far northeastern U.S. Since she is at Montclair State, she can easily go back and forth to New York. Anyway, she got a bunch of callbacks and was thrilled with just that alone, but she got the phone call today that she has a job!! They were extremely complimentary in the phone call, and we are ecstatic!! She was late sending in her application for Strawhats so we thought she would be home this summer (which we are kindof sad that she will not - well for about a month she will be anyway). At any rate, as we talked about today, this is what is so great about her location. She has the ability to audition like this, plus she has a voice teacher in the city as well as her teacher at school. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have already been figuring hotel and air fare and mapping out the route - 10 hours - arghhhh!!!! There are four productions, so that is a lot of trips!!

edmondsg

That's so exciting, dancermom! Your daughter must be so thrilled, and you so proud. You'll miss her, but will have a blast visiting for the shows!

kaysmom

Yeah dancermom! That is FABULOUS! I am so happy that things are working out so wonderfully for your daughter!

lynnm

Dancermom! Hooray and congratulations!!! That's really great!

dancermom

Thanks all! There is nothing better than when something great happens for your children, right? We are happy campers!

Melsmom

Absolutely, and depending on how far north she is as well as where you are traveling from, I have the scoop on an amazing airline you should know about with incredible fares! PM me if interested...ASAP!

Melsmom

So much for my fabulous airline....skybus just shut down operations! COME BACK!!!!

shellipearl

Still looking for summerwork anyone have any suggestions? worried that it's too late

KatMT

I would suggest that your D (I think you have a D and not and S in theatre) keep an eye on Backstage for companies still auditioning... there are some companies that will audition later, and some that will hold auditions for specific roles that they were unable to fill at earlier auditions. I also would suggest looking for unpaid opportunities that could dovetail with a paid summer job -- some summer theatres will have local performers in productions and work around work schedules. The theatre in NH where I work does this -- we only have so many paid positions, and then fill out the company with performers who live locally, and can work our rehearsal performance scheudule with another job.

shellipearl

Yes I do have a D, thanks for your good advice, hope we get lucky

Mainstage

Since my last post on this thread, several CCer's have PM'd me asking how my D made out with her Strawhat callbacks. Out of all, she was in negotiations with two (not because she was holding out for $, but they were indecisive). One was in NJ (singing), and the other in Maine (multi-performing & working at hotel).
In the meantime, D decided to continue auditioning on her own. I prefer not to post details as others have mentioned, for safety reasons, however, I'm PROUD to say that she not only has been cast in a musical this summer, but has the lead to boot!! Although it's non-equity she will be getting a wonderful experience working with some pro actors, and doing what she has always loved. A win win situation.
Needless to say, she has written back those above mentioned to say thank you, but no thank you. ;-)

dancermom

Since this thread has been revived, I thought I would update my D's info. She was cast in 3 plays with the summerstock company I discussed before, and got a supporting lead role in a 4th! She knew that she got multi-callbacks for that role, but did not expect to land it! She will be in a nice area also, so we are happy about that, and several of her friends from school have been cast as well!

ttmom

My D got cast in 2 shows at an Equity Summerstock Theater. She is over the moon excited.. Now the great debate rages over whether or not to take the Equity Card. She has spoken with faculty at her program and with some of her mentors here at home, as well as older friends who have and have not taken their cards. She has received a lot of contradictory advice!! I am searching for the thread from last year about the boy from Illinois Wesleyan who got, I believe, the Disney job and left school right after he got there bc that thread had a good "card" discussion on it. If anyone has had this lovely dilemma, please pm me with how it worked for you or your child. She is just completing her freshman year. Thanks.

dancermom

I would like to understand that process better as well, so if anyone has that thread info or knows more about it, please either pm me post it. Thanks!

KatMT

There are some older threads on when to take your AEA card... try the search function and you should be able to find them -- ultimately it is a personal choice. The thing to remember is this -- once you are AEA you can no longer do non-AEA work.

For good or ill many of the touring companies that offer many young musical theatre performers their first year round paid performing experiences are now non-AEA. If a young performer takes his/ her AEA card (s)he is no longer able to audition for these opportunities. This is most likely the reason why some young performers choose to turn down work that will give them an AEA card early in their careers.

If someone is still in school and has an AEA card (s)he may still perform in school productions by obtaining an AEA waiver for educational training purposes.

The pros of having an AEA card -- when you work you are covered by AEA -- work rules, pension and health contribution, collectively bargained agreements with many producers. You can get into all AEA open auditions to be seen for AEA shows.

Cons -- You can only work AEA -- which can be a negative for a young performer -- many regional AEA companies are allowed to hire a certain number of non-AEA performers. Because there are so many talented, well trained non-AEA performers they will often use these contracts to fill younger roles. Also, the whole non-AEA tour issue mentioned above.

Generally speaking -- AEA performers (particularly young ones) MAY find that they work less often than there non-AEA peers, but when thy do work they will usually be paid more, receive pension and heath weeks, and have more "protections" than their non-AEA peers.

It is an exciting decision to have to make!!

Best of luck!!