Equity Performers: Summer Jobs

[Jarboe]

Question:

I'm a musical theatre performer with my equity card, but I'm still in college. I was wondering what the likelihood for getting summer work would be if I were to audition at their NYC open call. I heard that they prefer 6 month contracts, but do they offer students real summer jobs? (NOT those in the college program) Thanks!

 

[markc]

Question:

I'm a musical theatre performer with my equity card, but I'm still in college. I was wondering what the likelihood for getting summer work would be if I were to audition at their NYC open call. I heard that they prefer 6 month contracts, but do they offer students real summer jobs? (NOT those in the college program) Thanks!

I'm not quite sure what your question is..(1. Do they offer students these jobs or 2. Will they allow me to only work for the summer?). If you're asking if they'll let you do it for 3 months or however long your summer break is for school, the answer is no. They don't want to train somebody just to have them leave after a short time. Disney doesn't really offer any "summer" jobs anymore..not even for the college program. First time college program students must be there for at least 6 months (i.e. Start in late May and go through December). The only exception are alumni of the college program who go back for a second time.

 

[Jarboe]

Ok, I understand what you're saying. They'll only hire equity performers for 6 months at a time. It makes sense from a business point of view, however it would have been nice to make some money in the park over the summer!

 

[RonAnnArbor]

You should also know that when they hire Equity performers (and they hire very few of them, as they have so many show interns) they usually cast from the local Orlando-area professionals. THis topic has come up at SSDC meetings in the past (where I am a member) and the general consensus has always been, if you want professional theatre work with Disney, move to Orlando.

 

[raven]

I have asked about this many times in the past and have been told over and over that they do NOT hire Equity performers. This might be different now though. As you know the Equity rules about performing in non-Equity shows go you can always do a non-performing job for them (such as stage managing, special effects, etc.) I know of some Equity performers however that use a different name so they won't get caught. :zipit: Try the Barn Theatre up here in Michigan that does summer stock. They are Equity.

 

[Littlebit]

I'm not so sure that they don't hire Equity performers. I know that MANY of their "face" performers at WDW (AdvClub, CWH, Streetmo, Belle @ B&TB, the main characters in the old HBOND show, etc) are/were Equity. Also, why else would they separate our Equity vs non-Equity in their casting?

 

[RonAnnArbor]

They definately hire Equity - but it is even more competitive than other places in America - and they will always hire a non-equity over an equity if they can get away with it to save costs, insurance, etc.