Is this true with casting directors that if you are "currently" a non-eq and audition/go out on a non eq tour such as pheonix, big league or troika they wont hire you for an equity show? I heard this stupid comment from somebody and I just want to confirm if it could be true.
Casting directors want the best actor for the part. Unless you beat your wife, kick the dog and threaten the President, they will pretty much overlook anything.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
This would really only apply if the non-Equity person didn't want to join the union when cast in an Equity show.
And yes, there actually are some people who prefer to retain their non-union status a little longer because they believe they get a lot of work that way (even with the inferior and sometimes scary work conditions involved).
Although it is rare, I have known people who turn down a chance at union work because it means giving up their non-union careers.
Frankly, that would be an unwise professional choice in the long run, but at various points in an actor's career there are different needs. It is a big step for some people who work regularly in principal roles in non-Equity shows to step up and then compete with Equity people (many of whom are much more experienced and well known).
And you can't have it both ways --- you can't take the Equity work AND keep working non-union in the future too.
But it most certainly isn't the casting agent who's to blame as was indicated to you.
Updated On: 2/21/04 at 04:32 PM
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