I’ve lived in LA for about four years now and recently started getting back into acting. I love Shakespeare, so I was really excited to audition for the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga.
Long story short, I didn’t get cast, but I joined an internship/mentorship program they offer. The program essentially places you in the ensemble of a production while also providing classes, one-on-one coaching, and the opportunity to become Equity eligible by the end of the season since it’s an Equity house. The catch? It costs $500 to participate. (Which is really not bad for LA).
What I’m struggling with is that the program also comes with a huge list of additional responsibilities: teaching workshops for student field trips, committing to 75 volunteer hours over the summer, and working run crew for the show you’re in. To be fair, they are upfront about all of this.
The issue is that the theatre has been incredibly disorganized. Scheduling is chaotic, communication is inconsistent, the leader of the program randomly quit, and training for many of these responsibilities has felt rushed or incomplete. Again, all of this is unpaid.
I feel conflicted because on one hand, I did knowingly sign up for this, and I genuinely love performing again. The people involved are lovely, and the location itself is gorgeous. But on the other hand, the workload and time commitment are starting to feel excessive, especially considering gas, commuting, and the amount of labor being asked of us. It also seems like this entire thing is a barrier for entry? I’ve realized they rarely cast new people who aren’t related to the Geer family or haven’t gone through this internship program.
I know theatre often operates on passion and sacrifice, especially early in your career, but I’m having trouble figuring out where the line is between “paying your dues” and being taken advantage of.
Would love some outside perspective from people who’ve worked in theatre programs or Equity-adjacent spaces.