Acting Tryouts for Membership Theatres

by Angela

(Sydney, Australia)

QUESTION:

Hi, I am pretty inexperienced and have only attended a workshop, an improvisation class and drama class at school. (Unfortunately there is no drama club or school plays held at my school, because of my area and country).

I was looking around for community theatres but I was wondering how I could have an audition in them? There is really only one I can go to and they have a membership fee before you can join…is that normal?

ANSWER:

I’m not familiar with how things work in Australia, but in the US there are several membership theater companies that require a small fee to join. Usually it’s an annual fee around $100 that is paid by all the members to support the cost of producing plays, as many theatres don’t make a profit.

That being said, in America, actors usually audition before they have to pay a fee. Legitimate membership theater companies will only accept as members actors who they think are talented and will be cast in some of their productions. Usually, members still audition for roles from plays produced by the company, but they should at least appear in one staged role a year to make it worth it.

I would drop your headshot and resume off at your community theater and ask if they hold open calls for new members prior to paying a fee.