LA's Equity Waiver Plan - Oh How You Vex Me!

I am a theatre girl at heart.  I am a theatre girl who dreamed of moving to the Big Apple and belting out Cabaret's "Don't Tell Mama" on Broadway.   Although I live in Los Angeles, I haven't given up the dream.  I belong to a fantastic theatre company, and truly believe in the west coast theatre scene (stop snickering you New Yorkers, you!).  I've done summer stock and plenty of children's theatre.  Last year alone I did four professional "equity" shows back to back.  I've given up weddings to do shows, and sacrificed a relationship or two for a production.

I wanted an Equity card long before I ever wanted a SAG card.  So Why Oh Why do you elude me you little piece of professional plastic?

Los Angeles has this fantastically maddening location specific  Equity policy called The 99 Seat Equity Waiver Plan.   If you haven't heard of it, I'll give you the rundown.  The policy was created to help keep small theatres alive and well in Los Angeles (a noble cause!).   Small theatres with 99 seats or less can operate under an Equity Waiver contract.  Both union and non-union actors can work at the theatre, although technically it is an "equity house."  A small stipend of about $10 per show is supposed to be paid to the actors, although more often than not it is "forgotten" come closing time.

Almost all theatres in Los Angeles operate under this policy.  The handful of houses that operate under regular equity contracts require an equity card to get into the audition room.   But how do you get one?!  I have a day job, so it's just not feasible to crash an audition that may or may not see me at the end of the day.  This disconnect between Equity membership and Equity Waiver Theatre is so vexing!

I don't mind doing theatre for free, I just want to be able to accumulate points so that I can get my card.  Is that so much to ask?

I know, I know.  I could just "buy" my way into Equity after I've been a member of SAG for year.  But part of me wants to earn it.  Or help change the Equity Waiver policy.   Throw us a bone!

(Photo featuring Paul Plunkett, myself & Jaime Andrews in Sacred Fool's award winning production of "La Bete.")

--Stacey Jackson

Comments

[JimTodd]

A friend of mine is out there and she is Equity and HATING that she's Equity.

She's even thinking of changing her name so she can do some theatre that she wants to do.

According to her, Equity is death in Los Angeles.

[Lawrence]

Ah, the eternal Catch-22 of Equity! To get a card requires you to get into the Equity auditions--to get into the auditions (reliably and realistically) requires a card...what to do?

It's a tough call and realize that theatre acting opportunities in Equity are few and far between in Los Angeles (compared to the East Coast).

I sometimes wonder if the union's worth it anymore. Someone telling me what gigs I can take or not is anathema to me. And many, many non-union gigs pay at least as much as the lower tier Equity gigs. Finally, the health insurance is a joke. No dental and insurance only available to literally a miniscule number of its members who work the required weeks?

Good luck to you in any case.

[B Helliom]

La Bete?! I'm jealous...

[njdramateacher]

Ahh Equity-Waiver...the memories never fade away, even after 30 years. Do you realize that the program was started in 1972 by Equity as an attempt to jump-start "legit" theatre in the LA basin? It actually became a free "showcase" for inexperienced actors to get seen by film casting directors and agents. When I came to LA in 1979, I had no union card. I did plays at the Company of Angels, the Matrix Theatre, the LA Actor's Theatre (directed by Ralph Waite and Susan White!) and the Hollywood Actor's Theatre (whatever happened to Ron Bastone?) Now I live and teach theatre in the northern NJ area and do film and TV in NYC. I have all my cards by first joining AFTRA, then SAG, then Equity. Never try to get your Equity card in LA. Get it in DC at the Arena Stage.