What does Equity Principal Audition (EPA) mean?
Equity Principal Audition (EPA) is a formal audition process mandated by the Actors’ Equity Association that requires theatrical productions using Equity contracts to hold open auditions accessible to all Equity members — regardless of whether the production is using an agent submission process. EPAs give union performers a direct route to audition for productions without requiring agent representation or a personal invitation. Productions that are Equity signatories must schedule and hold EPAs as part of their hiring process, making them an important resource for actors who are Equity members but may not have strong agent representation.
Example:The Equity Principal Audition for the regional theater production was listed in the Equity website and trade publications — any AEA member could sign up for a two-minute slot and present a prepared audition piece directly to the director and casting team.
Example: The young actor, recently upgraded to Equity membership after her first union contract, used the EPA process to audition for a summer stock production — her first experience using the formal union audition channel rather than relying entirely on her agent’s submissions.
Did you know?
The Equity Principal Audition system reflects one of the core principles of the union — ensuring that membership confers real access to work, not just a card. Before EPA rules were established, productions could effectively close their auditions to all but agent-submitted talent, making union membership less valuable for performers without established representation. The EPA mandate levels the playing field, at least at the initial audition stage.
You can also find “Equity Principal Audition (EPA)” and related terms in this category: Contracts and Agreements.
