Casting Calls in New York

New York is the only U.S. market where a working actor can realistically split a career between theatre and screen — Broadway, Off-Broadway and a dense network of non-profit companies sit alongside the largest concentration of episodic television production outside Los Angeles.

The city's procedural and prestige series cast enormous numbers of guest stars, co-stars and day players locally, and the commercial and voiceover markets run continuously alongside them.

Everything below is a live casting call we currently hold for New York and the five boroughs.

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Live casting calls in New York (9)

  • Keychain - Baseball-Playing Extras
    Location
    Queens, NY
    Project type
    Feature Film
    Compensation
    Paid — SAG-AFTRA $241/8 hrs

    Posted Aug 12 · No deadline given

  • Souped-Up Cars Shoot (IG CARS)
    Location
    New York, NY
    Project type
    Commercial
    Compensation
    Paid — Rate TBD

    Posted Aug 4 · No deadline given

  • Truck Stop - Paid Background
    Roles
    Paid Background (Background, adult)
    Location
    New York
    Project type
    Feature Film
    Union
    Non-Union
    Compensation
    Paid — Day rate (released per notice)

    Posted Jul 26 · No deadline given

  • Out the Kitchen - Paid Background
    Roles
    Paid Background (Background, adult)
    Location
    New York
    Project type
    TV Series
    Union
    Non-Union
    Compensation
    Paid — Day rate (released per notice)

    Posted Jul 26 · No deadline given

  • Gemini - Paid Background
    Roles
    Paid Background (Background, adult)
    Location
    New York
    Project type
    TV Series
    Union
    Non-Union
    Compensation
    Paid — Day rate (released per notice)

    Posted Jul 26 · No deadline given

  • Ghost - Paid Background
    Roles
    Paid Background (Background, adult)
    Location
    New York
    Project type
    TV Series
    Union
    Non-Union
    Compensation
    Paid — Day rate (released per notice)

    Posted Jul 26 · No deadline given

  • The Gilded Age - Season 4 (Paid Background)
    Roles
    Period Background (Background, adult)
    Location
    New York
    Project type
    TV Series
    Union
    Non-Union
    Compensation
    Paid — Day rate (released per notice)

    Posted Jul 26 · No deadline given

  • Hamilton - Virtual Open Call (Broadway & Tour)
    Roles
    Ensemble & Principal Replacements (Lead, 18+)
    Location
    New York
    Project type
    Theater
    Union
    SAG-AFTRA
    Compensation
    Paid (theatrical)

    Posted Jul 26 · No deadline given

  • Bridgeport (Horror Feature) - Paid Background
    Roles
    Paid Background (Background, adult)
    Location
    New York
    Project type
    Feature Film
    Union
    SAG-AFTRA
    Compensation
    Paid — SAG-AFTRA $231/8 hrs; Non-Union $187/10 hrs

    Posted Jul 26 · No deadline given

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Alerts for New York, New York.

Our casting call standards

How casting works in New York

Theatre and screen are two different pipelines

Theatre casting still runs on the Equity audition system — EPAs and ECCs are posted publicly, and non-Equity actors can and do get seen from the unaffiliated list. Screen casting runs entirely on breakdowns released to agents and managers, with self-tape submissions. Most New York actors work both pipelines at once, and the audition etiquette in each is genuinely different.

Union norms in the city

New York is the most heavily unionised acting market in the country. Actors' Equity governs the theatre side and SAG-AFTRA the screen side, and the density of union work means many actors join earlier here than they would in a right-to-work state. Non-union work exists — student films, indie shorts, showcase theatre, some digital content — but it is a smaller share of the whole than in Atlanta or Houston.

What local actors should know

Availability is the currency. Episodic guest-star roles are frequently cast two or three days before the shoot, and productions expect you to be reachable and able to reach a Midtown or Brooklyn location on short notice. Fittings, COVID-era holdover protocols and early calls all assume you live in the city, so being genuinely local — not commuting from two states away — matters.

Commercials and voiceover

New York's commercial market is large enough to support actors on its own, and the voiceover industry here is the deepest in the country for narration, promo and animation. Both are increasingly cast from home submissions, which means a treated recording space is a real competitive advantage rather than a luxury.

New York casting FAQ

Do I need an agent to audition in New York?

Not for theatre — Equity Principal Auditions are open, and non-Equity performers are regularly seen. For film and television, most breakdowns go to agents first, so representation matters considerably more on the screen side than the stage side.

Are there paid casting calls in New York?

Yes, and the rates are among the highest in the country. Equity contracts, SAG-AFTRA scale for episodic work and union commercial sessions with residuals all originate here. Compensation is shown on each notice below where the production disclosed it.

How do I find casting calls near me in New York?

This page collects the live New York notices we hold across all five boroughs. Create a free account to be alerted when new city postings arrive, since New York roles frequently close within 48 hours of going out.

What should I bring to an audition in New York?

For theatre, bring your headshot and résumé, sheet music in the right key if it is a musical, and appropriate shoes. For screen work, expect to self-tape: clean audio, a plain background, and a reader who can hold a scene at your pace.

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