Membership in the Antaeus Company is not lightly offered. Not only do we seek out the finest, best-trained, and most gifted stage actors we can find, we also need to know that the recruit is equally gifted in ensemble skills. Antaeus is a true Company of Actors, a troupe in the mold of the classic American stock companies.

Truth to tell, there are many excellent actors who, over the long haul, won't thrive in a company environment. We have a slogan about Antaeans: "They can carry a play, and they can carry a tray." That is, we like to recruit people with the skills, talent, and charisma to excel in major roles, yet with the company spirit to do a small supporting role when necessary. And as Founding Member and Alumnus Robin Gammell once said, "This company runs on altruism."

TYPES OF MEMBERS
There are three states of Antaeus membership: Permanent Associate Membership, Regular Associate Membership, and Full Membership. Permanent Associates are non-acting members -- directors, designers, technicians, writers, translators, etc. -- theatre artists who wish to be associated with the Company but have no real interest in acting in company projects. Regular Associate Members are new recruits who remain Associates for a six-month trial period. At the end of the trial period, they may then be invited to become Full Members.

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
Membership in Antaeus is by invitation only. Generally, we only recruit professional stage actors with classical theatre training. Antaeans are mostly members of Actors Equity Association with solid stage experience on professional regional stages and many classical theatre credits.

Members pay dues of $25.00 a month, payable quarterly or at a discounted annual rate. To maintain "active" status, members must keep their dues up-to-date and do at least 50 hours of of work a year in workshops, classes, productions, etc. Paid (i.e., Equity Contract) work does not count towards that total.

RECRUITING PROCESS
We don't usually have auditions as such (although we do have annual open auditions for actors who might not otherwise be known to the Company and its members). As actors, we realize that three-to-five minutes of classical and modern monologues give no real indication of someone's chops, versatility, creativity and sociability.

For this reason, we recruit new members almost exclusively through personal recommendation of other members and after they've participated over a period of time as a Guest Artist in a study project or in a production. Antaeans are urged to recommend actors they've worked with on classical projects - people they've actually rehearsed with, spent time with, done a full run with.

So if you're an actor interested in membership, the first thing to do is to look below at the ROSTER OF ANTAEANS. See if you know and have worked with anyone already in the Company. If so, contact them directly and see if they'd be willing to recommend you.

If you don't see anyone you know on our roster, you're welcome to submit two (2) pictures and resumes, and, if you wish, a cover letter detailing your interest and background. Send to:

Membership Committee
The Antaeus Company
4916 Vineland Avenue
North Hollywood, CA 91601

THE ANTAEUS ACADEMY and GUEST ARTISTS
Actors between the ages of 18 and 30 can audition for the Antaeus Academy when such auditions are scheduled. Membership in the Academy is one way to become involved in Antaean activities -- Academites are often used as guest artists in Antaeus workshops and productions, and as their abilities increase and their professional stage credits grow, we hope to recruit from among them.

Potential recruits are often invited to join us in a Monday night study cycle (we have four cycles a year, with from two to four projects working per cycle) as a guest artist. We also use guest artists in productions when there are insufficient members available to make up a full performance ensemble.

MEMBERSHIP STEPS
New recruits are invited to join the Company as Associate Members for a six-month trial period, at the end of which they may be offered Full Membership.

The membership process is very slow and deliberate -- sometimes frustratingly so -- but we take recruitment very seriously in Antaeus.

It's not easy to get into the Company because, in our view, once you're in you're in for life. Although many of our members belong to one or more other theatre groups, most of us consider Antaeus our artistic home, and we're here for the long haul.