600 actors in a week, plus 200-300 that our Casting Director, Robin Hughes, sees at showcases. It's a big week for us, and for many of the actors that come out.
Given our status as a non-equity (read: non-union) but professional theatre, it's very competitive for the actors. We'd like to think we're a great place to work. Great facilities, casts, resources and productions.
The process is that we cast all of the shows we're producing this year, from these auditions. Specifically, the individual directors call back the actors they want to see for their show at callbacks which come in the following weeks. It's hugely important for us. We end up casting the shows months in advance. It's efficient for us, and helps us get the actors that we want, contracted to the shows we need.
It makes for very long days for our Casting Director and the individual show directors, but it's the only way to do it. In the end, it's fun.
Good luck to all of the actors this week.
Are there performance/auditions coming up soon for shows in the area? I am not sure where to look. Thanks for helping a newcomer!
Chloe Chung – 847.400.4589
Donna,
We had general auditions last week. We have general auditions for all of our shows ever year in the first half of June. Over the following weeks, we call actors back for individual shows. You can find our auditions listed here, next April or May: https://www.metropolisarts.com/index.php/content/join-audition.html
Another source is Performink either print or online, as well as chicagoplays.com. That’s the League of Chicago Theaters website. All theaters, equity and non, list auditions there.
Good luck and hope to see you here next year!