i would love to become a proffesional actor?

Question

i love acting and was wondering how people audition for shows. Do you have to have to be at an agency if not how can i find out about audition details.

Answer 1

Just stop by the theatres, a lot of times they will have signs up for auditions. Also join AFTRA, the stage actors union because they have to have open auditions for union members according to union rules. Start out at a communtiy theatre and build up your resume and then go try out for the bigger plays. Good luck.

Answer 2

Do you love acting enough to do it for low or no pay? That is how most actors start out--and how most actors continue for years. It's a tough business with a lot of competition and not a lot of pay (the high salaries you hear about are reserved for "name" talent--ie, celebrities--only), so your love of the craft must be what drives you.

That having been said, here's the nuts and bolts: Gain experience by taking classes and workshops and appearing in community theater productions and student films. After you've built a solid resume, start inviting agents and casting directors to your shows. Put on your own show if you have to, because the best way to get these people interested in you is to let them see you work. You can always mail them a headshot and resume, but unless you are young and have an amazing face, mailings will probably be a waste of your time and money.

To find out about auditions, you can subscribe to a publication called Back Stage (www.backstage.com), which lists audition notices for both union and non-union actors on the East and West coasts. You can also log on to "classifieds" Web sites like mandy.com as well as the community theater Web sites in your area.

Worry about joining the unions last--dues have become VERY expensive and there's plenty of non-union work out there for folks like you just starting out.

One thing that helped me get a little more comfortable within the business was to read books about acting and the business in general. Browse Amazon.com for titles. Reading a lot of different books, you'll find a lot of differing opinions, but you'll also be able to get a handle on what works and doesn't work overall.

Good luck.

Answer 3

I don't know where you are, but I'm sure that there are at least community theatres in your area. Involve yourself with them. Act as much as possible, and listen to the actors you admire. Learn, Learn, Learn!

I'd like to correct an earlier answerer who told you AFTRA was the stage actors' union. AFTRA is for TV and Radio performers. The stage actors' union is Actors' Equity Association. You can find audition information at their website; www.actorsequity.org.

Answer 4

In areas other than NYC and LA auditions are usually advertised in your local newspapers.

Call the Community Theatre and Professional Theatre in your city, or nearest large theatre and ask if they have open auditions, and ask the procedure for auditions.

Answer 5

You will probably need to fill out an application and fill out many forms just like a job.

Then after getting all these forms filled out and filed, if you are selected, then you will need to submit a resumé. If they approve your resumé then they will eventually select you for a job interview.

They will ask questions like, "why do you want to work here" etc...

After the job interviews, they will probably have you preform against the finalist applicants. If they decide you are better than the rest of the other applicants then I guess you have the job.