Auditions in Chicago: Where to Find Casting Calls in Theater, TV and Commercials

Where are Chicago casting calls posted?

Chicago uses the same national platforms as every other market. Our Los Angeles guide explains how breakdowns, submissions and self-tapes work, and Actors Access vs. Backstage vs. Casting Networks compares the platforms. Steppenwolf Theatre, for example, says on its site that calls for individual productions are frequently posted on Actors Access and through Breakdown Services. Beyond the platforms, look here:

• Theatre in Chicago: its audition listings are free for actors and for companies, have tabs for Equity, non-Equity and film calls and offer audition alerts.
• League of Chicago Theatres: its Chicago Theatre Auditions board can be filtered by Equity or non-Equity and by category, television included. The League says its community has more than 200 theater companies, from intimate storefronts to major cultural centers (League).
• Casting offices: O’Connor Casting Company, a Chicago office that lists commercial, independent film and television work, says it is not a talent agency but often has projects you can submit for without an agent. It says its Real People and Extras divisions are free to join and that it will never ask you for money, and it keeps a casting board of current projects.

A subscription pays for a platform’s service, never for an audition. If a call asks you for money, read how to spot a fake casting call.

How do Equity and non-Equity theater auditions work in Chicago?

Actors’ Equity, the union for professional stage actors, has Audition Centers in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, and Equity Principal Auditions (EPAs) in those cities follow Equity’s own procedures. Members book the appointments, but two of the city’s best-known theaters explain what happens for everyone else:

• Goodman Theatre: its season auditions are by invitation, although any actor can send materials for its internal database. It holds Equity Principal Auditions each spring and says it sees non-Equity actors if time allows, as long as they sign in person that day with the Equity monitor. It also holds general auditions for local non-Equity actors every year. The round we saw was open to actors who were based in Chicago, were not Equity members and had not auditioned for Goodman in the past calendar year, and its deadline was November 21, 2025, so check the auditions page for the next one.
• Steppenwolf Theatre: its Equity auditions are scheduled once a year, usually in spring. Non-Equity actors are invited to attend and are seen in the appointments that members have not reserved. Auditions for individual productions are by invitation only, and actors can email a headshot and resume to the theater’s casting address in the format it requires (see its Auditions & Casting page).
• Storefront theaters: American Theatre explained in 2019 that Chicago storefront theater has no building requirement, budget limit or seating capacity, and that storefronts can become Equity companies, as many do (article). Both listing boards above include non-Equity calls.

Tip: Read each theater’s audition page before you go, because policies differ, and never pay to be seen.

Can you get commercial auditions in Chicago?

Yes. Commercials are part of the mix the SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local describes, and O’Connor Casting Company’s website lists commercials for brands such as Visa, Nike and Walmart. Commercials follow their own rules, which we explain in how to get commercial auditions. Start with the platforms and the free divisions of local casting offices, and look for an agent once you have footage and credits.

Can you work as a background actor in Chicago?

Yes, and it is a practical way to learn how a set runs. Several Chicago companies cast background talent:

• 4 Star Casting says it was established in 2010 as a Chicago-based company. Registering makes you eligible to apply for the projects it posts on Facebook, and the company states that registration does not guarantee work.
• ExtraOrdinary Casting says it is based in Chicago and casts extras, featured extras, stand-ins and photo doubles for TV. It explains that the production company, not the casting office, hires and pays you.
• O’Connor Casting Company has an Extras division for people who want background work in the Chicagoland area.

Never pay to join a background list. Our guide on how to become a background actor covers sign-up, vouchers and what to expect on set.

Do you need to join SAG-AFTRA to work in Chicago?

You can start without joining. Breakdown Services says on its FAQ that it posts union and non-union projects. Joining has trade-offs: under Global Rule One, members generally may not work for employers that have not signed a SAG-AFTRA agreement. The Chicago Local resources page links to the franchised agents list, so you can see which agencies the union recognizes before you decide.

How do you find a legitimate agent in Illinois?

Illinois does not have a separate talent agency license. The Association of Talent Agents’ state-by-state guide (May 2024) says a private employment agency license is required instead. The state’s Private Employment Agency Act defines a theatrical employment agency as a business that tries to provide engagements for people who want work in theatrical and other entertainment, and it makes running an agency without a license a violation that can bring a penalty for each day. So do your own checks:

• License: ask for the license number. The Illinois Department of Labor says on its agency FAQ that you can verify a license in its list of licensed agencies or by phone.
• Fees: the same FAQ says an agency cannot receive a placement fee until you have accepted a position offered by an employer. The Federal Trade Commission is blunter: never pay an agency up front.
• Franchise: SAG-AFTRA members can work only with franchised agencies, and the union’s Franchised Agents List can be searched by Local.
• Track record: the FTC advises you to ask for a list of the actors an agency has placed, contact references, search the company’s name with words like “scam” or “complaint” and get every promise in writing.

Our guide on how to get a talent agent has the full plan.

Where can you train in Chicago?

Training is optional, but classes are where you meet scene partners and directors. Four places whose sites we checked:

• The Second City Training Center lists improv, acting, conservatory, stand-up, writing and TV, film and digital categories in its Chicago class search. Its Intro to Acting class combines improv techniques with scripted material.
• Piven Theatre Workshop, in Evanston, offers theater classes for adults and says it also runs special workshops such as on-camera classes and scene study intensives.
• Vagabond School of the Arts lists an on-camera acting program in four units, from an intro to auditioning from home and the path from audition to set, plus audition taping and coaching.
• iO Theater runs a year-long improv program with five levels. It reopened on November 3, 2022 under new ownership.

Tip: Audit or take a single workshop before you commit to a longer course, and walk away from any class that promises you an agent or a role.

What does a realistic first 90 days look like?

Budget a few hours every week: time to read calls and submit, time to record self-tapes when invitations arrive and one class or workshop session.

Keep going after day 90: auditioning is a habit you build.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to live in Chicago to get auditions there?

You can begin from anywhere, because many auditions start as self-tapes. Still, theaters ask where you live. Goodman wants to know whether you are a local actor or live outside Chicago and Steppenwolf asks for your current city. One theater on Theatre in Chicago lists its 2027 production as local hires only. You also need legal authorization to work in the United States. Move when you have materials, momentum and a plan.

Do I need to be in Actors’ Equity to act in Chicago theater?

Many Chicago theaters hire non-Equity actors. Theatre in Chicago and the League’s board both list non-Equity calls, and Goodman and Steppenwolf say they see non-Equity actors at their Equity auditions when time or appointments allow. Equity membership is a separate decision with its own requirements, so read about it on Equity’s site before you choose.

Is Chicago still busy now that The Bear and The Chi have ended?

The One Chicago series were renewed for 2026-27, and Illinois reported record spending of $703 million in 2025 with its tax credit extended until 2039. Two flagship series are finished, though, so build credits in theater, commercials and independent film as well. To compare markets, see our guides to auditions in New York and auditions in Atlanta.

Do I need an agent to get auditions in Chicago?

You can start without one. Theatre in Chicago and the League’s board let you find theater calls yourself, Steppenwolf accepts materials from actors directly and O’Connor Casting says it often has projects you can submit for without an agent. A licensed agent can open more doors later, so run the checks above first.

Do I have to pay to audition in Chicago?

Going to an audition does not cost anything. Platforms charge subscriptions for their service, which are optional, and the Illinois Department of Labor says an agency cannot receive a placement fee before you accept a job. The FTC says that paying to get a job is always a sign of a scam.

Reviewed in October 2026.