Actors' Equity Association

Co-Published: BeYourArt.com and The North Shoreian Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 4, Practicalities of the Surviving Artist, May 2009. Article written by Don Rebar.

Depressed by the current job market? Used to waiting in long lines for hours to get a three minute audition with a prospective employer? Enjoy performing your patented “401k rant” in front of family, friends and complete strangers—sometimes for money, or at least a free meal? If the answers are “yes”, you need to understand the pros and cons of membership as well as how to attain Equity status if you choose to follow that course.

Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) is a national union that represents over 45,000 professional stage managers and actors. There are three general ways to gain entry into the union. For those individuals who cannot transfer in from a performing arts sister union, such as the Screen Actors’ Guild or the American Federation of Radio and Television Artists, the most direct way is to be cast in a Equity production and given a full union contract.

For those emerging artists without the aforementioned “golden ticket”, AEA offers the Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) program. Through an agreement with the union, certain theatres around the country are allowed to hire a number of non-union actors based upon the size of their Equity cast. In some cases, graduate-level acting and stage management programs are affiliated with these theatres, ensuring that their MFAs have Equity representation upon graduation. Once paperwork has been filed and a $100 payment submitted to AEA (which can be credited toward future fees), these candidates accumulate one EMC point for each week of rehearsals and performances. When the point total reaches 50, that person can file to become a full-fledged member.

Like any other trade union, carrying a union card does not come without expense. In addition to basic ($110/year) and working (2.25% of gross earnings) membership dues, a one-time initiation fee of $1100 is required. Given that the minimum weekly salary for a Broadway actor is $1509—stage managers make more—this is a significant financial investment for an actor of any level.

For actors and stage managers who have just started their careers, becoming a union artist can sometimes do more harm than good. Because it is illegal for AEA artists to work without a union contract (this rule is sometimes waived for academic purposes), many artists receive a more frequent stream of work by keeping their non-Equity status. Because AEA generally represents the highest talent level within the profession, Equity roles are the most difficult in the industry to land. A one-week study conducted by AEA in 2007 found that only 2,070 out of 17,000 union actors living in New York City were employed in Equity roles of any type. This rate remains relatively steady.

What are benefits to holding an Equity card? In addition to health care, a pension plan and a standard workweek, AEA rules stipulate that all union employees are to be given 5 minute breaks for every 55 minutes of rehearsal time, or 10 minute breaks for every 120 minutes. Theatres are required to provide accessible drinking water, give a 12 hour advance notice before any call time, and display headshots of all union actors in the lobby before each performance. Additionally, producers must set a financial bond with AEA to ensure that each actor’s contracted salary is met—even if the production never reaches opening night. In return, Equity artists are expected to perform as consummate professionals. Being punctual for rehearsals and costume fittings, learning lines on time and making positive contributions to the culture of the theatre company are all considered part of the job description.

While Equity artists are some of the most revered in the business, just because a performer does not hold an Equity card does not mean that they are incapable of giving an amazing performance or holding themselves to a high professional standard. Becoming a member of Actors’ Equity Association is a career-oriented decision that must be made by equally weighing professional reputation, artistic opportunity and financial stability.

Don Rebar is an MFA candidate in Dramaturgy at Stony Brook University. He is a member of LMDA (Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of America) and has worked at theatres that have employed Equity actors and stage managers.

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