Auditions

Writers Theatre is always looking for new talent for our stages and we accept headshot/résumé submissions throughout the year. While auditions for specific productions throughout the season are by invitation only, we hold general auditions twice a year. 

• How to Submit Your Materials
• Learn about the casting process
• How long does the casting process take?
• What we are looking for in actors
• How we approach Identity casting
• How many actors do we audition per season?
• How many actors do we hire per season?
• Do we hire non-local actors?
• Do you need an agent?
• Do you need to be a part of the union?
• What should you wear to audition?
• Do we care about tattoos or piercings?
• What we want in a headshot and resume
• General audition material
• Is coming in person better than a video?
• How often should you submit to casting and how?
• When can you expect to hear back after an audiiton?

How to Submit Your Materials to WT

Digital Submissions

The casting department is currently only accepting submissions via digital form below. These submissions are reviewed on a regular basis.

CLICK FOR CASTING SUBMISSIONS

Updating Your Information

You can update your information by re-submitting through the above form every 6 months. Please do not submit more often than every 6 months. 

• What’s your casting process like?

• At WT, there’s two types of auditions: General Auditions (Equity Principal Auditions) and Show-Specific Auditions. Both processes are unique from each other and vary depending on the creative team and show. 

• General auditions: Every season, we host 2-3 days of general auditions for the entire season called “Equity Principal Auditions,” or EPAs. For these dates, any Actor’s Equity (AEA) member can schedule an audition appointment and any non-equity actor can walk in and be added to a waitlist to audition for any show in the season. This is considered a general interest audition and usually happens before any other auditions in the season, around January - March each year. 

• Show-specific auditions: To be the most intentional about our casting process, we have audition rounds specific to each production in our season. The process can change based on the director preferences or the show needs itself, but the general process for those is as follows:

  Director Vision.

  1. Our casting team meets with the director of each production to discuss their vision for the show. 

  2. We discuss their thoughts on the play, thoughts on characters and how they interact, and what kind of qualities they’re looking for in the actors. That can range from “has experience with Shakespeare” to physical look, identity, voice quality, etc. 

  Build the Roster.

  1. After meeting with the director, the WT casting director builds a list of actors to call in to audition for the show that is specific to the director’s vision for the characters. Our casting team is constantly going to shows and seeing actors’ work to build our network and rosters. The actors we call in come from shows we’ve seen, auditions we've hosted in the past (general and show-specific), productions we’ve worked on, and student showcases we’ve attended. 

  First Round Auditions.

  1. We invite a long list of actors to audition for a first round, usually via video submission. 

  2. The first round is our opportunity to see several actors’ take on the material and narrow the pool down to a few actors who best fit the vision of the director. 

  Callback Auditions.

  1. We invite a smaller list of actors, usually 3-5 per role, to a round of in-person callbacks. 

  2. The callback round is the opportunity for the director to work with each actor and find the best ensemble for their specific production. 

  
  Offers.

  1. First, principal offers are made and negotiated via email. 

  2. Then, understudy offers are made and negotiated via email.

• How long does the casting process take? 

• From first round invites to hiring, our casting process takes between 5-8 weeks, sometimes longer depending on creative team and actor availability.

• What are you looking for in an actor? 

• Simply put, we’re looking for professional actors who are ready to perform in large houses for 7-8 shows per week. They’re skilled in technique and consistency, and have experience at similar houses. At WT, we’re particularly focused on the intimacy of our performances and the language of the plays. Actors who excel here have a nuanced acting style and can expertly handle the language of both classic and contemporary plays. 

• How do you approach identity in casting? 

• Theatre and identity are fluid and the cultural perimeters for each production will vary depending on the play and the artists involved. We aim to honor the identities that are written in the play, and when not specified, we promote a diverse cast reflective of the world and our community today. In addition, we actively consider how engaging a range of identities for each role will subvert dominant paradigms and deepen the storytelling.

• How many actors do you audition per season? 

• We audition many actors at different stages of the casting process. During our general auditions, or “Equity Principal Auditions,” we see around 175 actors live and review an additional 275-300 video submissions. When casting for a particular show, we generally audition 15-30 actors per available role. 

• How many actors do you hire per season? 

• The roles we have available every season vary based on the amount of shows, the size of each show, and the amount of understudies needed per production. On average, we hire around 50 actors per season in principal and understudy roles. 

• Do you hire non-local actors? 

• We prioritize local Chicago actors whenever possible. On average, we hire 2-3 non-local actors per season.

• Do I need an agent to be considered?

• Nope! You do not need to be represented by an agent to be considered for an audition at WT. Our casting team spends many hours going to shows, student showcases, and general auditions to meet as many local actors as possible. When we’re looking for actors for specific shows, we consider all the actors in our network of experience to find the best options for the roles we have available.

• Do I need to be a part of the union (AEA) to audition?

• You do not need to be Equity to audition for Writers Theatre. For most of our shows, we have principal and understudy roles available for both Equity and non-equity actors.  

• What do I wear to my audition? 

• Whatever you feel good in! Our casting team is most interested in seeing you do your best work. Whatever clothing or shoes helps you do that is what we want to see. Occasionally we will ask you to wear something that allows you to move or do choreography, but that will be specified in the audition instructions or invitation. 

• Do you care about tattoos or piercings? 

• In general, not at all. We love seeing you express yourself! For every show, our creative team has a specific vision for the production or casting type in mind that may preclude someone with excessive body modifications, but not always. Anything that can be reasonably adjusted or covered with makeup, wigs, or costuming will likely not affect your consideration. 

• What do you want to see in a headshot or resume? 

• Headshot - A professional level photo of you from your shoulders up that is clear with good lighting. It should look like the most “you” version of you. 

• Resume - Ideally, your resume should list what productions you have worked on, including the title of the play, the role you played, the director, and what theater produced it. It should be well organized and easy to read, and in a PDF format. If you have your headshot on the resume, that’s a bonus! The more times your name and face appear next to one another, the easier it will be for us to remember them. 

• What material should I prepare for a general audition? 

• For a general audition (i.e., an audition that we did not provide sides or script material for), prepare whatever the audition notice requests. The best audition is the audition that is the most prepared and sincere. Present pieces that follow the guidelines and best represent your set of talents. 

• Is coming in person better than sending a video? 

• For a general audition, there is very little difference between in-person and video auditions. We provide video submissions for accessibility, in order to see as many people as possible and accommodate actors’ schedules. If you’re not able to wait at the theater or can’t schedule a time, a video will be reviewed with the same consideration as someone coming in-person. 

• For show specific auditions, we almost always start the process with a video round to increase accessibility for all parties and to be able to see more actors. For callbacks, we prefer in-person whenever possible, but are able to accommodate live virtual auditions when absolutely necessary. 
  
  
  
  

• How often should i submit to casting and how?

• If you’ve never worked with us or have never been called in for an audition, we recommend submitting for our EPAs - it’s the best way to be seen! You can also invite our casting team to a local production you are in. We aren’t able to get to every show, but we do our best to see as many shows a week as possible.  

• If you have worked with us recently on a show or been called in for something, it’s not necessary to come in to EPAs - we are already familiar with your work! If you are particularly interested in a show in our season, you can send us an email directly or through your representation.

• When can I expect to hear back after an audition? 

• For general auditions: These are considered general interest auditions - anyone coming to EPAs should not expect an offer to come from these auditions. These auditions are for our casting team to get to know you and your work, and see if there might be a role for you in our season. If we feel like there is a role that works for you in the season, you will be called in for that role in the show-specific casting process.  

• For show-specific auditions:

1. If you are selected for a callback audition, you will be notified 1-2 weeks before the callback date, which is included in your first round invitation.

2. If you are not selected for a callback or do not receive a principal role, you will be notified of your status within 3-4 weeks after callback auditions.

3. If you are offered a principal role, you will generally be notified within 1 week of the callback audition, but can be longer depending on how many roles are available and how complicated the casting process is. 

4. If you are offered an understudy role, you will be notified after the principal offers are confirmed. This is the most lengthy process and timing can vary. 

5. If you are released entirely from consideration for a production, either principal or understudy, you will be notified as soon as casting is complete. 

6. If at any point in this process you have a conflicting offer, please let us know and we will get you information on your status in our process as soon as we are able.