Chicago has earned its reputation as a world-class city for actors, offering a rich landscape of gritty theater, a legendary improvisation scene, and a growing market for on-camera work. For the aspiring performer, it presents an ecosystem that blends rigorous artistic training with practical opportunities. This guide offers a step-by-step approach for those looking to navigate this dynamic market.
Get Formal Training in Chicago
The foundational step in building a Chicago acting career is consistent, high-quality training to develop a strong artistic skill set before seeking auditions or an agent. The city’s training philosophy emphasizes a well-rounded approach, focusing on several disciplines to form a versatile performer. This commitment to craft is what the local industry respects and expects.
A primary focus should be on scene study, the practice of analyzing and performing scenes from plays and films. This training develops an actor’s ability to break down a script, understand character motivations, and make compelling choices. Reputable institutions like Acting Studio Chicago and Black Box Acting offer comprehensive programs that immerse actors in this work, providing a setting to take risks and receive professional feedback.
Given Chicago’s history as the birthplace of modern improvisation, training in this area is necessary. Improv teaches spontaneity, listening, and collaborative creation, skills valued in both theatrical and on-camera auditions. The Second City and iO Theater are world-renowned institutions that have trained generations of successful performers.
Dedicated on-camera training is necessary to translate stage skills to the screen. This technique focuses on the subtleties of performance for film and television, where the camera captures every nuance. Studios like Vagabond School of the Arts and The Green Room Studio offer specialized classes that address the technical demands of working on a set, from hitting marks to understanding different shot sizes.
Create Your Actor Marketing Toolkit
After establishing a foundation in training, you must create professional marketing materials. Your headshot and resume are your calling cards, representing you to casting directors, agents, and directors. These documents must be professional, current, and tailored to the Chicago market.
A professional headshot is an important investment and the first thing a casting director sees. It is an 8×10 photograph that should look like you and suggest your personality and character types. The “Chicago look” often favors a character-driven, grounded quality over a highly polished commercial style. Find a photographer specializing in actor headshots, as they understand the lighting, framing, and expressions that get an actor noticed.
Your professional acting resume has a specific format different from a corporate resume. It must include your name, contact information, union status, and physical attributes. The body lists your credits by category: theater, film, and television. Beginners should list formal training and special skills like fluency in another language, athletic abilities, or musical talents.
Find Auditions and Acting Opportunities
With training and marketing tools prepared, the focus shifts to seeking performance opportunities. Chicago offers a tiered system of work that allows new actors to build experience and credits. Finding auditions requires consistent effort and familiarity with key resources.
The primary platforms for auditions are online casting websites like Actors Access and Casting Networks. These are industry standards used by casting directors for projects ranging from student films to major television series. Actors create a profile with their headshot and resume to submit for roles and should check these sites daily for new postings.
For theater, the League of Chicago Theatres maintains a comprehensive audition calendar on its website. This resource lists calls for non-union and Equity productions across the city. These notices provide details about the project, available roles, and what to prepare for the audition.
New actors should focus on opportunities that build a resume and provide experience. Student films from local universities offer a low-pressure environment to get comfortable on set. Non-union independent films and non-equity theater productions are the next step, offering more substantial roles and the chance to work with emerging creators.
Understand the Chicago Theater Scene
An actor in Chicago must understand the structure of its theater scene. The industry is built on ensemble-based, artist-driven work, creating a distinct pathway for career progression. This environment prioritizes the long-term development of craft within a supportive community over immediate stardom.
The core of the city’s theatrical landscape is the “storefront theater” scene. These are small, non-profit companies producing plays in intimate venues with 99 seats or fewer, and they are the primary entry point for most actors. Working in storefront theater allows actors to tackle challenging material, build relationships, and be seen by critics and casting directors.
While building their resumes, actors will encounter the actors’ unions. The main union for stage actors is the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA). Becoming an Equity actor is a long-term goal that provides access to union-only auditions for larger theaters, better pay, and workplace protections. Joining is a milestone achieved after accumulating sufficient professional experience.
Secure a Talent Agent
Securing a talent agent is a step to pursue only after establishing your training, marketing materials, and some credits. An agent is a business partner who submits you for professional auditions you cannot access on your own, particularly for television, film, commercials, and union theater. Agents seek actors who have already invested in their careers and started to build a resume.
The process begins with researching Chicago talent agencies franchised by the relevant unions, like SAG-AFTRA for on-camera work. A list of these agencies can be found on the local union chapter’s website. Each agency has specific submission guidelines on their website that must be followed precisely.
A submission package includes a brief cover letter, your headshot, resume, and a link to your demo reel. A demo reel is a short compilation of your best on-camera work that you build as you accumulate credits. Since agents receive hundreds of submissions, your package must be polished and professional to show you are ready for the next level of auditions.
Build Your Network and Community
Building a career in Chicago means becoming part of its artistic community. Networking here is less about transactions and more about genuine integration. This involves supporting the work of others and building authentic relationships to establish yourself as a committed local artist.
An effective way to network is to see as much theater as possible, especially in the storefront scene. This demonstrates your engagement with the community and helps you understand the city’s aesthetic. It also introduces you to the work of different companies and artists.
Participating in classes and workshops is another networking tool. The relationships built with teachers and fellow actors in a classroom are often enduring. These are the people who may recommend you for a role, invite you to a table read, or collaborate on a future project. Consistently showing up and doing the work builds a reputation as a reliable and talented artist.