LOS ANGELES (April 28, 2017) — Intimate theater companies in Los Angeles that have been denied membership status by Actors Equity Association, and/or find themselves financially unable to sign AEA’s new Los Angeles 99-Seat Theater Agreement, are banding together under the title “Independent Theatres of Los Angeles.” Sixteen theaters have joined ITLA to date, with more companies expected to become members soon. Under the auspices of ITLA,citywide auditions will be held on May 7, May 10, May 13 and May 17 at four different locations.
Ten members of ITLA — Crown City Theatre Company, Matrix Theatre Company, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Padua Playwrights, Playwrights Arena, Robey Theatre Company,Skylight Theatre Company, Towne Street Theatre, Victory Theatre Center and Whitefire Theatre — will be represented at each audition call. Additional members of ITLA include Bright Eyes Productions, Collaborative Artists Ensemble, Orpheum Theatre Corp., Santa Monica Playhouse, Teatro de la O and Zubber Dust Playhouse.
“These auditions are a way for us to become familiar with the vast and as yet untapped pool of talent in Los Angeles, and they with us,” explains Odyssey Theatre Ensemble artistic director Ron Sossi. “The auditions are open to both union and non-union actors. However, actors who are members of Actors’ Equity and have not declared financial core status should be aware that they could face sanctions for volunteering their services in our productions.”
“The purpose of ITLA is to say to Los Angeles and all other cities listening that our theaters will continue to provide an opportunity for all artists to volunteer their craft,” states Skylight Theatre Company artistic director Gary Grossman.
“Because Equity has arbitrarily chosen to wave its rules for only a select group of theaters does not mean that other 99-seat theater companies won’t continue to flourish,” points out Victory Theatre Center artistic producer Tom Ormeny. “That’s why we are holding these auditions.”
According to Matrix Theatre Company artistic director Joe Stern, “ITLA theaters will continue to operate with the same high standards we have always championed, protecting the safety and integrity of all the artists in our theatrical families while also providing high quality theater at affordable prices for our growing audiences.”
ITLA auditions will take place on Sunday, May 7 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046; on Wednesday May 10 from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. at the Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90025; on Saturday, May 13from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Victory Theatre Center, 3326 W Victory Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505; and Wednesday, May 17 from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. at the Skylight Theatre, 1816 1/2 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Open to all ethnicities. Actors wishing to audition should prepare either one 2-3 minute monologue or two 1-2 minute monologues (maximum 5 minute slots for each audition) and bring 10 copies of their picture and resume, one for each participating theater company. Actors need only attend one of the sessions to be seen by all ten theaters. No phone calls please.
Newly formed ‘Independent Theatres of Los Angeles’ to hold citywide auditions
May 5th, 2017
Call for Artists, Featured
