I was a junior at Boston University (BFA, acting) when I was one of four students picked by director Sharon Ott to appear in The Huntington Theatre Company's production of A Winter's Tale. (I played the memorable character of Dorcas.) I had known about Actors’ Equity for many years, and it was always my goal to become a member someday; I wanted to be a pro. So I signed up for my EMC candidacy through this Shakespeare play and continued to work toward getting my 52 weeks after I graduated college.
But I managed to procure my card before I ever even accrued my workweeks. A year after graduation, I was cast in a regional theater production of The Nerd. The director called me and asked, "Do you mind going Equity?" I said, "Mind, schmind, bring it on!" (OK, maybe I didn't really say that, but the spirit was certainly there.) And, finally, I was a member of the union. Being a member had been my goal because it meant you were a part of a collective that upheld working standards and you could finally make a living doing what you loved.
To this day, I am grateful and proud to be a member, and I thank all those performers who came before me that helped set the standards and have continued the fight for better wages and working conditions.
