Auditions in New York: How to Find Casting Calls on Stage and Screen

How do Equity auditions work?

Equity says producers can advertise Equity Principal Auditions (EPAs), Equity Chorus Calls (ECCs), stage manager openings or photo and resume requests, and that photo and resume requests are for non-required auditions only. Equity runs Audition Centers in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, and all required Equity auditions have been held in person since January 2, 2023 (Equity).

Inside those auditions, members come first:

• EPAs: in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, Equity’s EPA procedures assign appointment times only to paid-up members.
• ECCs: the chorus call procedures hand audition cards to members, and once casting staff announce typing, meaning they pick only the people who look right for the production, non-Equity actors can no longer be seen at that call.

How can a non-member get seen?

Equity’s general guidelines for theaters explain the usual approach. Non-Equity actors cannot book appointments at required Equity auditions. A theater may invite them to attend in case time is left and keep a separate waiting list for them, and they are seen only if no member is waiting. It is up to each theater whether to see non-members at all. Read the notice and treat any chance as a bonus, never as a plan. Look for open calls and for productions that are not under Equity contracts too.

The other route is to join. Equity’s Open Access policy lets any theater worker who can show professional experience as an actor or stage manager within its jurisdiction apply without an Equity employer hiring them first. Its joining page asks for a copy of your contract and proof of pay, lists an initiation fee and describes a crossover for sibling-union members. The Equity Membership Candidate program is ending: Equity stopped admitting new candidates on May 8, 2023, and since May 8, 2026 candidates no longer have prioritized audition access.

Tip: Read a union’s rules before you join it. Our guides on how to join SAG-AFTRA and union vs. non-union acting explain what changes when you do.

Where are New York casting calls posted?

Theater notices usually say what to prepare, often a monologue or a song, so read them closely (see monologues for auditions). A subscription pays for a platform’s service, never for an audition.

How does TV and film casting work in New York?

The process is the same as in Los Angeles: breakdowns go to agents, managers and actors through Breakdown Services, and many first rounds are self-tapes. Our Los Angeles guide explains how submissions work, and how to record a self-tape covers the setup.

What changes is the supply of work. New York State’s Film Tax Credit Program offers 30% of qualified production expenses and is funded at $700 million a year through 2036, and a separate program serves independent film producers. The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment processed close to 5,500 production permits for 1,760 projects in 2025, according to its year-end release. The SAG-AFTRA New York Local covers New York State, Northern New Jersey and Western Connecticut.

Can you work as a background actor in New York?

Yes. Central Casting says applicants in New York must complete required training before they are eligible to work (Central Casting). Our guide on how to become a background actor covers sign-up, vouchers and what to expect on set.

How do you find a legitimate agent in New York?

Our guide on how to get a talent agent has the full plan. These are the New York checks:

• In New York City: a business whose primary work is finding employment or engagements for artists is a theatrical employment agency and needs a license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, while managers of artists are generally exempt (DCWP). You can look a business up in the DCWP license search.
• Outside the city: the State Department of Labor licenses employment agencies.
• Fees: the state’s Employment Agency Law covers theatrical employment agencies. It bars registration fees and advance deposits and caps the gross fee on a single theatrical engagement at 10% of your compensation (20% for orchestras and for opera and concert work).
• Union members: SAG-AFTRA members can work only with agencies the union has franchised, and the union publishes a Franchised Agents List. Equity members may sign only with Equity-franchised agents, whose commission schedules cap commissions at 10% of compensation (Equity).

Someone who asks you to pay to be listed, to use their photographer or to attend their class before they will submit you is a warning sign (see how to spot a fake casting call).

Where can you train in New York?

Training is optional, but New York has long-running options. Three whose sites we checked:

• HB Studio, at 120 Bank Street, describes itself as part of the city’s theater community since 1945, with classes in acting, voice and speech and movement. It also has a page for auditing a class.
• The Stella Adler Studio of Acting, at 65 Broadway, says it has trained thousands of actors since 1949.
• The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, at 340 East 54th Street, offers a two-year conservatory and a six-week summer intensive for ages 18 and up.

Audit a class before you commit, and walk away from any school 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 prepare a monologue or a song and one class or workshop session.

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

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be in Equity to audition for Broadway?

Broadway productions hire under Equity’s Production Contract, and Equity’s audition procedures put members first. Non-members may be invited to wait for leftover time, but a better first step is to build credits Off-Off-Broadway and in non-union work and to look at Open Access when you qualify.

Can I get auditions in New York without an agent?

Yes. You can submit yourself on the platforms above and answer open and non-union theater calls. An agent can submit you for roles released only to agents and managers, which is why the plan above works toward one.

Is Off-Off-Broadway paid?

Pay varies, and it can be nothing. Equity’s Showcase Code sets no minimum salaries, and Playbill’s job board lets you filter for paid or unpaid work. Ask about pay, expenses and the schedule in writing before you accept.

Do I need a work visa to act in New York?

If you are not a US citizen, you need legal authorization to work before anyone can hire you. Our guide to the United States explains the main visa routes.

Is New York better than Los Angeles or Atlanta?

It depends on the work you want. New York is where Broadway happens, while Los Angeles and Atlanta are built around film and TV production. Each city has its own market, and our guide to auditions in Atlanta shows how different one of them looks.

Reviewed in October 2026.