Do Members Need Equity's Permission to do College Shows?

[babens]

<Split from SM:  Plays & Musicals thread Aspirations: ASM for AEA vs. SM for Non-AEA> -Rebbe

"I think you would need permission from equity to act or SM in college productions, because they would be non-equity."

This may have changed in the past few years, but when I went back to grad school, after getting my Equity card, the only school production I needed to get a waiver from Equity for was one where we were using the U/RTA contract because of the number of guest artists that we were bringing in.  Other than that all other productions that were under the auspices of the department were fair game and needed no permission from Equity to participate in.  This was the same for several of the actors who came in to the program already Equity, or got their cards during their time in school.

[stancial]

This may have changed in the past few years, but when I went back to grad school, after getting my Equity card, the only school production I needed to get a waiver from Equity for was one where we were using the U/RTA contract because of the number of guest artists that we were bringing in.  Other than that all other productions that were under the auspices of the department were fair game and needed no permission from Equity to participate in.  This was the same for several of the actors who came in to the program already Equity, or got their cards during their time in school.

I don't know whether it changed in the past few years or not, but an Equity member must always get permission to work without a contract.  Being in school makes no difference.  Educational waivers are quite easy to get, provided a student is in a degree program that requires their participation in school productions, but they must request one for each production in which they are acting or SMing.

[Rebbe]

I was not Equity in college, so I don’t have personal experience with this.  But here’s one of the things I read, from the AEA website (http://www.actorsequity.org/FAQ/QADetails.asp?cat=7&locator=77), that makes me believe that one does need permission:

“Once a member turns fourteen, he or she may only appear in school or community theatre with Equity's express written consent.”

I suspect it’s just a myth that doing a college show without permission is OK for Equity members, but would be interested to hear from anyone who has checked this out with Equity and been told they don't need to get the written consent.

[babens]

These are the two clauses from the U/RTA contract that the business rep in the Chicago office (don't remember off hand who it was at the time, this was a good number of years ago now) quoted to me as to why a waiver/permission was not needed for each production while in grad school.  The waiver I did need to get for our one production under the U/RTA contract was to cover the fact that there would officially be no Equity SM on contract for the production. 

(3) For purposes of this Agreement, Equity members who are bona fide students and teachers
who are full-time instructors of theatre arts in degree-granting programs currently employed to
teach at the sponsoring college or university shall not be required to be signed to Equity
contracts and shall be deemed students and teachers.

(6) The status of bona fide students matriculated in a degree program shall continue for as long
as they are so matriculated. Should the student elect to register as a Membership Candidate,
all provisions relating to the Equity Membership Candidate Program shall apply.

[Rebbe]

These are the two clauses from the U/RTA contract that the business rep in the Chicago office (don't remember off hand who it was at the time, this was a good number of years ago now) quoted to me as to why a waiver/permission was not needed for each production while in grad school.  The waiver I did need to get for our one production under the U/RTA contract was to cover the fact that there would officially be no Equity SM on contract for the production. 

This makes sense for equity members attending a school that is under the U/RTA contract.  But lots of schools aren't under any type of equity contract, so I would think all of those folks would need to check with AEA on whether any of this applies to their situation, or if they still need a waiver.

[VSM]

Call the Equity office.
I love all the helpful opinions but to be absolutely certain about the permission or lack thereof in these days, one should call your nearest Equity office...

[stancial]

I absolutely agree that you should call an Equity office.  However, it's interesting to note that the different regional offices can often give you different answers (a little frustrating since you'd think a rule like this would be standard across the country).  Babens mentions speaking to a rep in the Chicago office who provided information on exceptions to needing a waiver, whereas I normally speak to reps in one of the Eastern region offices, where I'm told a waiver is always required.  I guess it proves that there's an exception to every rule.

[babens]

I wouldn't say so much an exception as to just how different reps interpret the (sometimes very vaguely worded) rules.

[stancial]

I'd agree that this is about how different reps interpret the rules and that some of those rules are vaguely worded (intentionally so in many cases).  However, the overriding rule we're dealing with is not one of those vague rules.  Rule #1 on the back of your Equity card states, "Under no circumstances may you rehearse or perform in any company without a properly executed and signed Equity contract."  Seems pretty definitive to me - and all of the entertainment unions have a similar rule.  The exception is that in certain circumstances, Equity will grant a waiver.

[juliz1106]

I agree with Stancial on this one.  While it may be an easy call for Equity to grant permission to SM a college show and grant a waiver, not asking for a waiver is not a smart move, as it goes against the most basic agreement we make with the Union.  I doubt very much that Equity would not allow work in a University environment while in pursuit of a degree - it is a Union made up of actors, after all - but not asking because you assume it's okay is not the way our Union works.  If you expect that your production won't provide an Equity contract (and for the record, U/RTA *is* an Equity contract, and therefore should never require a waiver for an Equity member), you should expect that a waiver is needed to work on said production, and ask Equity for one.

[VSM]

RIGHT ON !!!