By: Donald Jordan

Donald Jordan — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:08:31 +0000

Thanks for coming to the show and thanks for your recognition of our Actor’s Equity Association members and Equity Membership Candidates in the show. As you suggested, perhaps a brief explanation would be interesting for your readers.
As you know but some readers may not, achieving membership in Actor’s Equity is recognized as the national standard for professionalism for stage actors and stage managers. There are approximately 50,000 AEA members nationwide. Every role on Broadway, every role in a Broadway touring company, and roles in every production at professional regional theaters, children’s theaters, dinner theaters, etc. are played by Equity Members.
As one of only two Equity professional theaters in Oklahoma (along with our sister theater Lyric) CITY REP also has been recognized by Actor’s Equity as a theater whose standards are such that we also can administer the Equity Membership Candidacy program. This is an apprenticeship or intern program that allows actors to earn credits thru a point system toward becoming full members in Actor’s Equity and thus nationally recognized as theater professionals.
During our first decade (we are curently near the end of our 9th season at CITY REP) we have helped more than 250 young Oklahoma artists enter or advance in the EMC program and we consider this an important part of our service to our artistic community. Additionally, we have helped numerous artists earn their full Equity membership in almost every season.
As these young actors and Stage Managers spread out across the country to pursue their careers, having the AEA or EMC designation and profesional credits on their resumes helps them gain access to professional auditons and jobs that they otherwise could not. It is,quite simply, the recognized national standard of excellence and professionalism.
Our Oklahoma artists also build and increase their national network and contacts when they have the opportunity to work at CITY REP with the professionals who join us from NY, Dallas, Kansas City, and thruout the American professional theater.
Due to the nomadic nature of the theater artist’s life, often moving from state to state, city to city and theater to theater, producing organizations pay for health, pension and other benefits directly to the union, which administers them thruout the professional artists career. Thus the union is the consistent entity for an actor or stage manager who may well work for literally 100′s of theaters over the course of his or her career. This allows the benefits to be portable, a true nessesity for theater “gypsies”. Actor’s Equity also negotiates the minimum salaries and safe and sanitary work conditions for each theater wishing to employ professional actors and Stage Managers.
Actor’s Equity is the oldest performer’s union in the United States, founded in 1913 and approaching it’s 100th anniversary in a little over a year. It has long and outstanding record of working “to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society” as it says in it’s mission statement.
I hope this brief overview is helpful and interesting in explaining Actor’s Equity Association, and it’s essential position at the foundation of professional theater in America.
Thanks again for OKASK—keep up the good work!

By: Elizabeth Hurd

Elizabeth Hurd — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:30:44 +0000

Thank you for your comment. I’m glad to know my opinion is shared! — Elizabeth Hurd

By: Robin D-Townsend

Robin D-Townsend — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:58:05 +0000

The CityRep/OCU production is the best I have ever seen of”Biloxi Blues.” Michael Jones is a very talented director and the show is EXCELLENT!
Ben Hall, Linda Leonard and ALL the kids did a great job!

Comments on: “Biloxi Blues” A Credit to CityRep and Theatre OCU

By: Donald Jordan

By: Elizabeth Hurd

By: Robin D-Townsend