<p>Hoveringmom:</p>
<p>I lived in Chicago in the late 90s’. At least at that time, there were something like 400 professional shows each year. Many of these, perhaps most, could not afford to pay their actors. Of course, theaters that can’t pay their actors are NOT Equity theaters.</p>
<p>The theatre awards in Chicago are the Jeffersons, or “Jeffs”. Unless the rules have changed, you do not need to be an Equity theater or pay your actors to be eligible for a “Jeff”. Your show just had to run for at least 18 performances (if I remember right).</p>
<p>In my home town of Lansing, MI, the “community theater” is of such quality that folks have told me not to call it “community theater” when I am talking to people in other places. For example, often the “community theaters” beat the local Equity company in the local theater awards. I have been advised instead to call this work “non-Equity” to avoid the “snobbery” that some folks have towards “community theater”.</p>
<p>KEVP</p>