The Act One Reports: A Great Resource for Chicago Actors

Aug 1, 2011 by     No Comments    Posted under: Chicago, Resources

In a city with over 250 established theatre companies, dozens of union-franchised talent agencies, and a handful of major casting offices, it can be a nightmare trying to find the information you need to get your acting career off the ground. The amount of opportunity for younger actors in Chicago is staggering, but it comes with an equally massive amount of information to digest.

Thank goodness for the Act One Reports.

For those of you not familiar with Act One Studios in downtown Chicago, it’s one of the most recognized actor training centers in the city.  As part of their efforts to foster emerging talent, the helpful folks at Act One have organized a fantastic subscription-based website, the Act One Reports, to provide actors with a ton of resources to boost their professional pursuits.

It only costs $25 annually, and the benefits of subscribing make it easily worth the cost. The site gives you instant access to super-helpful information that would otherwise require scouring the Internet, thereby saving you valuable time. Need to know the contact information for any given agency in the city? Trying to find a reputable headshot photographer? Looking for a theatre to rent for your next production? You’ll find it all right there. Sure, the website might not be the most aesthetically pleasing thing to look at, but it gets the job done.

I encourage you to check out this helpful resource, but bear in mind that websites such as this are a nice launching point, not a replacement for good, old-fashioned relationship-building! Is it important to be knowledgable about the details of your acting community? Of course! Is it a stronger, longer-lasting, more powerful choice to get to know the people in the industry personally? Duh.

~JVB

 

Joe Von Bokern is the Chicago contingent of this blog. Find out more information and view his materials on his website, or read the rest of his blog posts.