Summer Stock Tips with Camden Garcia
With Summer Stock season upon us, I invited one of my close friends, Camden Garcia, to write a guest blog post about it! I know many of you are aspiring professional actors, so you probably know landing a summer stock job is an excellent way to break into the business.
I first met Camden in the Catskill Mountains during summer of 2012 at my first and only summer stock gig! I landed a job at the legendary theater camp Stagedoor Manor, and Camden was one of the hilarious campers I met that summer. We bonded instantly and he has been like a little brother to me ever since. Camden's article is so informative to anyone looking into summer stock jobs, and I'm confident his advice will help guide you in the right direction!
As you already know, there is no perfect algorithm or check list in order to book a show. If there were, we’d ALL already be on Broadway and I’d be playing Karen in “Mean Girls”. That being said, sometimes finding the auditions can be the hardest part especially when you're in college or just starting out. These are a few fast tips I wish I had known prior to looking for my first summer stock job during my freshman year of college.
For those of you who don’t know, summer stock is a summer season of musicals and plays by repertory companies all over the country predominately located in vacation towns on the east coast. This is because summer stock started when “city folk” would flee the city to escape smelly NYC summers, and the entertainment industry followed. Some summer stock playhouses even date back to 1918! Summer stock jobs are ideal for college students for a few reasons. They cast large numbers of non-union actors, they often provide housing, and many provide equity points or even equity cards depending on the company. Additionally, summer stock can be a fantastic way to meet phenomenal performers from other major programs all over the country and create lifelong friendships and connections.
01. Look into organized mass auditions and find the one that best fits you.
Ok, so you're about to leave for Thanksgiving break your freshman year of college and people are already talking about where they plan to audition for the summer. Terrifying. But do not fret, finding auditions doesn't have to be a nightmare. In fact, with mass auditions, you can audition for a large handful of companies at once without having to travel to multiple cities. I’d say the four most popular are A1 Auditions, StrawHats, The New England Theatre Conference or NETCs, and The Southeastern Theatre Conference or SETCs. All require application fees anywhere from $50 to $90 and an audition slot is not guaranteed. A1 and StrawHats are easily the most competitive as they take place in NYC and, unless you have years of dance training, this may not be a strong investment for you right out of freshman/sophomore year. The companies that attend those mass auditions are large companies that can afford to cast primarily union leads and are looking to fill dance ensemble roles. I always recommend NETCs and SETCs for summer stock newbies. They are far less competitive and you’re more likely to receive an audition slot (which is based off resume and paper application, not audition). Also the day of auditions operates similarly to Unified Auditions, which you're most likely fresh out of so the format is not overwhelming. For the lucky few who somehow dodged the bullet that is Unifieds and are confused, National Unified Auditions are mass auditions for colleges that happen all over the country in hotels. The only difference is, instead of going into a hotel room to audition for a BFA program, you're going into an hotel room for a callback for a production of Shrek in Indiana. I booked my first summer stock contract from NETCs after freshman year and it was a wonderful experience.
If you live in or go to school in NYC however, do not be afraid of StrawHats or A1s. StrawHats accept their applications on a rolling basis so apply right away to secure a spot. If you do not receive a slot, like most mass auditions, StrawHats has standby slots if you're feeling lucky the day of. Another benefit of StrawHats is their application allows you to apply specifically to audition with a song and a monologue, just a monologue, or audition as a dancer who sings. This is a wonderful way to make sure you’re showing off your best self.
02. Utilize your school.
Another less accessible option is many schools have companies come directly on campus to hold auditions for their season. If you're reading this your school most likely doesn't do this, but it couldn't hurt to ask the head of your program if any local companies are looking to fill summer stock jobs. Faculty are always a solid resource because chances are they worked summer stock gigs at theaters that are still operating and might have valuable connections that could get you seen for an audition.
03. Search by show.
The third way to find auditions is by doing research for a specific show. This can be a time consuming way of putting together an audition list, but it often pays off. For example, I know Crutchie in “Newsies” is a part that I could play very well and is also a show that is frequently being produced so I searched high and low for summer stock productions of “Newsies”. The best way to find what companies are producing shows of your “casting type” is utilizing royalty licensing companies’ websites. To stay on the Newsies example, by going on Musical Theatre International’s website and researching “upcoming productions”, I was able to quickly get a list of all the companies doing “Newsies” this summer. After some brief sifting out of children’s productions and summer camps, I emailed my headshot and resume to about about twenty companies as well as a brief message about who I was, where I was currently attending school, and my interest in auditioning for their production. I did this for a handful of shows I had the right “look” for and probably heard back from around ten theaters and was able to set up auditions.
Some companies specifically say on their websites “please do not email or call about casting”. You are not an exception; respect their request. Also if you do not hear back from a company, never send another email. It is very easy to get caught up in the hustle but always be respectful.
04. Search by theatre.
Additional tools include this very old, but helpful, link with a good amount of summer stock companies. This link has not aged well as many companies no longer exist. That being said, it is a good idea to keep an eye out for what shows are popular this season as you will most likely be asked in the callbacks for mass auditions to sing songs from those shows. The website is organized by state and also includes theme parks which are another fun way to work as a performer over the summer!
05. Stay organized!
It’s a busy time and conveniently enough almost every company will ask for different things as your audition. Spread sheets can be your best friend in keeping everything you need for the audition season organized. Here is page one of two of mine from this year:
06. Quick do’s and don’ts I wish I knew prior to my first audition season:
I am reluctant to advise people to only audition for top tier summer stock companies straight out of their freshman year. By top tier, I mean the big name companies who cast Broadway alumni as their principles…companies like The Muny, Barrington Stage, or Sacramento Music Circus for example. I have a few friends who have worked at these places right out of their first year of college, but they are all stunning dancers and many had been on Broadway prior to going to college. Much like myself, if you don’t find yourself in that category of performer, it’s important to embrace that most of us are still learning and growing our craft. Although auditioning for a major company could be a great learning experience, casting directors remember your audition, and freshman year you may not be the performer you want to be remembered as by The Muny casting team. The time will come for those opportunities, but utilize small companies that will allow you to be in process, grow, and most likely give you far more stage time.
Always do research on a company before signing a contract. The theatre community is a very small world and with Facebook it is so easy to type in a theatre company’s name and see which one of your friends, or a friend of a friend, has posted about the company or worked there. It is always important to hear from a past employed actor before shipping off to a state you've never been in to spend ten weeks with people you've never met. Unfortunately, in today’s climate especially, it is extremely important that you are always doing your best to stay safe in all work environments. I cannot make this more clear… there is no sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior that is ever worth equity points or another show on your resume. Upperclassmen in your program can often be a strong resource in either vouching for companies or pointing you in the direction of a mutual friend that has been employed by that company.
Final Ultimo
Wow! If you've made it this far, you must really want a summer stock job or the grandma of somebody who does! One of the hardest parts about the summer stock audition season is the planning. It can feel like re-applying and auditioning for schools every year of college, as well as years after graduation. Understand however, that the stakes are lower and if you don’t get a job this summer, a job will come eventually. There are many other great ways to spend your summers if you do not receive an offer. Apply to be an intern at a local theatre company, work at a kids’ art camp, or produce your own show! Like college applications though, you should be going into the spring with a list of scheduled auditions that contain safer jobs or jobs you're more likely to book (as if there is any safety in auditioning) as well as a few reach theaters. It’s important you don’t stress yourself out by busing yourself to NYC every week and missing a ton of classes by auditioning for thirty plus companies. You’ll destroy yourself. Pick those ten auditions you really are passionate about; that way you are able to present your best self every audition. Of course, these are just the steps to help you find auditions and I cannot sing your 32 bar cut for you, I can barely do that for myself. That being said, things did work out for me in my previous “Newsies” example because this summer I will be playing Crutchie at Cortland Repertory Theatre in NY as well as parts in “Saturday Night Fever”, “Dorothy Meets Alice”, and “Our Town”. If you work hard and stay organized I am sure you will successfully set yourself up to find a summer gig. These tips also barely scratch the surface so, if you ever have any additional questions, feel free to DM my Instagram @camdengarcialater. I am happy to help and break legs with your auditions!
