Saturday & Sunday, February 8-9, 2025
A.C.T.'s Strand Theater in San Francisco, CA
About
TBA's 2025 General Auditions will bring together casting professionals, artistic directors, and over 250 local actors for a weekend of Bay Area talent. This year, we are partnering with A.C.T. to hold the General Auditions at the Strand Theater in San Francisco.
These companies will be auditing the 2025 General Auditions (Updated Daily!):
Alan Stewart, Berkeley Playhouse, Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre, La Lengua Teatro en Español, Marin Theatre, Plethos Productions, SPARC Theater, Val Hendrickson
Learn More
Actors
The 2025 General Auditions are your chance to be seen by companies from across the Bay Area!
Deadline
The application will close at 11:59 PM November 29, 2024. View the application here.
Eligibility
Applications are open to all TBA Individual Members, including Premium, Free, and individual users on a Company's membership. There is no cost to apply or audition, though audition slots are limited.
TBA General Auditions are open to both AEA and non-AEA actors. More details for AEA actors below.
Selection Process
In collaboration with the Casting Collective, auditioning actors will be selected based on several factors, representing a breadth of special skills, experience, and training, as well as casting type. The selection process will be weighted toward casting types and skills in demand, based on auditor feedback and survey data.
While we will try to prioritize actors that applied for the 2024 General Auditions and did not receive a live slot, we cannot guarantee that you will receive a live audition.
Following the 2025 General Auditions, all applicants will be added to Casting Collective's comprehensive casting database, which is used to cast shows across the region. Additionally, auditors will receive the profiles of all actors who applied for the auditions, not just those who were selected for a live slot. We encourage all eligible actors to apply to ensure that your profile appears in the 2025 General Auditions database!
Timeline
Theatre Bay Area has multiple events planned to support actors during the General Auditions process. Here are some dates to put in your calendar!
Application Open: November 1, 2024
General Auditions Applications Tips Webinars: November 7, 2024 and November 18, 2024
Application Close: November 29, 2024
Actor Notification: January 8, 2025
Deadline to Accept Live Audition: January 22, 2025
Actor Audition Prep Webinars: TBD January 2025
Live General Auditions in San Francisco: February 8-9, 2025
Full General Auditions Actor Database Shared with Auditors: February 10, 2025
Here's who attended the 2024 General Auditions:
African-American Shakespeare Company, American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Boxcar Theatre, The Casting Collective, Cast Images, Center REP, The Chikahan Company, Claire Ganem, Crescent Moon Theatre Productions, Crowded Fire Theater, Cutting Ball Theater, Daphne White, The Eel Musical, EnActe Arts, Foothill College Theatre Arts Department, Fuse Theatre, Grabmeier and Jost, Griot Theater Company, Guinea Pig Theater Company, Half Moon Bay Shakespeare Company, Hillbarn Theatre, Juliet Green, Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre, Kunoichi Productions, Las Positas College, Left Coast Theatre Co., Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, Marin Shakespeare Company, Marin Theatre Company, Novato Theater Company, Pacific Repertory Theatre, Pinole Community Players, Play Cafe, Plethos Productions, Ross Valley Players, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company (SFBATCO), San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, SF Mime Troupe, The Shotgun Players, Sixth Line Studios, SPARC Theater, TASC LLC, Theatre Rhinoceros, Theatre of Yugen, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Town Hall Theatre Company, Western Stage, Word for Word/Z Space, WYALD
Questions?
Check out the FAQ at the bottom of this page.
Still need assistance? Email Programs Officer Melissa Hillman at Melissa@TheatreBayArea.org
Auditors
Introducing a NEW registration structure for auditors!
About Auditing
Attendance at the 2025 General Auditions is open to all casting professionals and theatre artists regardless of TBA membership status. Current TBA members will receive access to discounted registration.
A note for BAT/LORT Theatres: while the 2024 Generals will not fulfill one of your annual AEA audition requirements, both AEA and non-AEA actors will be auditioning.
Actor Selection
TBA is thrilled this year to work with The Casting Collective, a local team of experienced casting directors, for the 2024 General Auditions. Auditioning actors will be selected based on several factors, representing a breadth of special skills, experience, and training, as well as casting type. The selection process will be weighted toward casting types and skills in demand, based on auditor feedback and survey data.
Costs and Discounts
In a change from previous years, any registration for this year's auditions gives you access to the entire weekend.
A Company Pass allows you to add up to four members to your casting team. Those four individuals may attend as much of the full weekend of auditions as they like, and each will receive 1 year of access to the digital contact book. Please contact us at Meghan@TheatreBayArea.org if you would like to bring more than four individuals.
A Solo Pass allows you to attend as much of the full weekend of auditions as you like on your own. Please note that the member discount for this pass is only available to TBA Individual Premium Members.
There are discounts available for TBA members and an additional 10% discount for all during the early bird period.
Company Pass
Register 1-4 auditors for a full weekend of auditions and 1 year of access to the digital contact book. Register for a Company Pass!
Early Bird
Open now through Jan 8, 2025
General Admission
$180
Member Discount
Company & Associate Members
$135
Member Discount
Company Members with Annual Budget <$300k
$90
Standard
Jan. 9, 2025 – Feb. 8, 2025
General Admission
$200
Member Discount
Company & Associate Members
$150
Member Discount
Company Members with Annual Budget <$300k
$100
Solo Pass
Register yourself for a full weekend of auditions and 1 year of access to the digital contact book. Register for a Solo Pass!
Early Bird
Open now through Jan. 8, 2025
General Admission
$135
Member Discount
Individual Premium Members Only!
$72
Standard
Jan. 9, 2025 – Feb. 8, 2025
General Admission
$150
Member Discount
Individual Premium Members Only!
$80
Questions?
Email Programs Officer Melissa Hillman at Melissa@TheatreBayArea.org
F.A.Q. for Actors
When will I know if I get a slot?
Actors will be contacted the week of January 8, 2025. If selected for a live audition slot, actors will have 2 weeks to confirm your time, otherwise your slot will be given to an actor on the waitlist.
Anyone who doesn't receive a slot will still be added to The Casting Collective database, and their General Auditions profile will be shared with all of this year's auditors.
What should I prepare for the live auditions?
Each actor will have 2 minutes to present their strongest material to the auditors. This might look like two contrasting monologues, a monologue and a song, two contrasting songs, or something else depending on your personal strengths and interests.
Can I get a recording of my audition?
Yes! TBA partners with local video production company, Flying Moose Pictures, to give actors the opportunity to purchase professional quality recordings of their audition.
You are not required to purchase your video and can opt out of being recorded completely. Check out the Flying Moose website for a list of details for actors participating in the 2025 General Auditions.
Before the pandemic, I applied for TBA Generals twice and never got a slot. Am I guaranteed a slot now?
After the extended break caused by the pandemic shutdowns, TBA "reset the clock" in 2024. If you apply in both 2024 and 2025 and do not get a slot, you will be guaranteed a slot in 2026.
We will try to prioritize actors that applied for the 2024 General Auditions and did not receive a live slot, but we cannot guarantee that you will receive a live audition.
I'm a minor/non-union actor/retiree etc. am I eligible to apply to the TBA Generals?
Yes!
Applications are open to all TBA Individual Members: including Premium, Free, and individual users on a Company's membership. There is no cost to apply or audition, though audition slots are limited.
TBA General Auditions are open to both AEA and non-AEA actors. Please note that due to time constraints, there is not a dedicated AEA day in this year's auditions.
Which companies will be there?
As auditors purchase access, we will list them on the General Auditions page on our website.
Here are the companies that attended the 2024 General Auditions: African-American Shakespeare Company, American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Boxcar Theatre, The Casting Collective, Cast Images, Center REP, The Chikahan Company, Claire Ganem, Crescent Moon Theatre Productions, Crowded Fire Theater, Cutting Ball Theater, Daphne White, The Eel Musical, EnActe Arts, Foothill College Theatre Arts Department, Fuse Theatre, Grabmeier and Jost, Griot Theater Company, Guinea Pig Theater Company, Half Moon Bay Shakespeare Company, Hillbarn Theatre, Juliet Green, Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre, Kunoichi Productions, Las Positas College, Left Coast Theatre Co., Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, Marin Shakespeare Company, Marin Theatre Company, Novato Theater Company, Pacific Repertory Theatre, Pinole Community Players, Play Cafe, Plethos Productions, Ross Valley Players, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company (SFBATCO), San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, SF Mime Troupe, The Shotgun Players, Sixth Line Studios, SPARC Theater, TASC LLC, Theatre Rhinoceros, Theatre of Yugen, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Town Hall Theatre Company, Western Stage, Word for Word/Z Space, WYALD
Details for AEA Actors and Theatres
A Little History
Previously, Actors' Equity Association allowed BAT and LORT theatres in the Bay Area to fulfill one of their annual AEA audition requirements with TBA’s General Auditions. This required TBA General Auditions to meet specific criteria for AEA actors, like guaranteed audition slots and longer audition slots.
Since AEA no longer allows BAT and LORT theatres to use TBA General Auditions as one of their required annual AEA auditions, the 2025 TBA General Auditions, like the 2024 General Auditions, will not have an all-AEA day. All actors, regardless of union status, will apply and audition under the same rules and guidelines.
What does that mean?
All auditioners, regardless of union status, will have a 2-minute slot to audition, and no one will be guaranteed an audition slot.
While we won’t have an entire day dedicated to AEA auditions, we will do our best to schedule AEA auditions close together for the convenience of the auditors. This also means actors should expect to see other actors audition and be seen by other actors during their audition.
For theatres looking to cast AEA actors
While the 2025 General Auditions will not fill the BAT and LORT requirement for their annual AEA auditions, AEA actors and theatres with AEA contracts are enthusiastically welcome to participate in the Generals.
Let us know if you are looking to hire AEA actors in your upcoming season in our casting survey!
This will ensure that the pool of actors at the live auditions reflects your casting needs.
Sponsor or Advertise
Reach theatre professionals while supporting this vital community program.
Sponsorships
We are looking to partner with sponsors who believe in the vitality of the Bay Area arts community and want to connect with the hundreds of participating professionals while supporting this unique event.
For questions about sponsorships, please contact TBA's Executive Director
Sean Fenton at Sean@theatrebayarea.org
Advertising
The 2025 General Auditions will bring together over 250 local actors, plus dozens of directors, artistic directors, and casting professionals. Our affordable ad options help support this highly anticipated event, while connecting these talented creatives with professional services and opportunities. Like all TBA advertising, Company and Associate members get a 30% discount.
Tabling
As actors exit the auditions, the lobby space will be an opportunity to chat with tabling vendors. Want to reach performers with services like headshot photography or voice lessons? Looking to amplify your reach for teaching artist opportunities? Tables are available in half or full size on one or both days and includes print ad space.
Print Ads
Each actor and auditor of the event will receive a folder jam-packed with relevant information — share your events, services, and opportunities with the professional performer community. Full page ads are 8.5x11in and half pages are 8.5x5.5in.
How To
After purchasing your Generals advertising, TBA staff will reach out within 1 business day with next steps.
Questions?
Email Marketing & Communications Officer Art Quiñones at Art@TheatreBayArea.org