Get Actors' Equity Association Showcase 2009-2025

What is the Equity Showcase Code? Technically speaking, an "Equity-Approved Basic Showcase" is a New York City-mounted production in which members of the AEA may participate, without benefit of contract, for the purpose of presenting plays and/or scenes in limited performances for the benefit of participating members.

An Actors' Equity Showcase allows actors who are members of the Equity union to participate in a limited-run show without a contract. This means you can produce a much cheaper play.

AEA Showcase Code just means that the production has been approved by Equity under the showcase code contract. The production team should have an Equity stage manager and are able to hire Equity actors but cannot provide EMC points. The pay is generally a stipend rather than a weekly amount.

Actors' Equity Association (“Equity"), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional Actors and Stage Managers.

WHAT DOES BEING AN EQUITY THEATRE MEAN? An Equity Theatre is considered to be a fully professional theatre in the theatre industry. We pay union actors and stage managers a base rate as well as other benefits (health, pension, etc). Equity Theatres can offer union membership, through an AEA contract, to any actor.

The Los Angeles 50-Seat Showcase Code is an internal union membership rule that permits Equity members to work without the benefit of a contract in theatrical productions in Los Angeles County in theaters of 50 seats or fewer for the purpose of presenting plays and/or scenes in limited performances.

The Actors' Equity Association (AEA), commonly called Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing those who work in live theatrical performance.