APPLICATION FAQs

Any New England-based Non-Equity theatre actor and/or singer may apply to audition.

Actors will be assigned to slots based on experience, singing request, time availability and other factors. Waitlists will be available for those who are not initially assigned an audition slot - we get as many people seen as possible.

Anyone who is not selected or is unable to make the audition dates will be encouraged to submit self tapes through Casting Networks. 

Full time students and actors under 18 are not eligible to audition live but may submit tapes.

The first thing you'll need to do is create a FREE profile on Casting Networks. Never done it before? Here’s help if you need. Be sure to upload your picture and resume, and enter Boston on your list of your work regions.

Complete the audition application found here, and look for our message through Casting Networks.

Please note that not everybody who auditions will recieve a slot. Slots are determined by a weighted lottery process. We try our best to see as many people as possible. If you do not receive a spot you will be encouraged to submit a self-tape through Casting Networks. 

Live auditions are not open to anyone under 18, nor to full time 26-27 students (you are eligible if you are graduating in Spring 2026).

Our goal is to support professional theater artists and organizations. Since children are a "specialty" call, theaters will hold specific auditions as needed. Kids and students may still submit an application and self-tape. 

Now that you have created a Casting Networks profile, completed it with your headshot and resume, and applied, start preparing your 2-minute audition. After applications close on March 2nd, you will receive an email from us through Casting Networks confirming your application to which you must reply. 

If you are selected by the lottery, you will receive an email from Casting Networks with your audition time or wait list slot. You MUST click the “Confirm” or “Reschedule” link ASAP or your slot may be given away. If you do not receive any of these communications, please Contact Us. 

If you have created your Casting Networks profile, submitted the google form, and received a submission confirmation from google forms than you are all set to go! We will accept applications until Monday, March 2nd at 11:59 PM ET. After that, our team will work to assign times and waitlist spots. This is a bit of a puzzle and will take a week or two, so don't worry if you haven't heard from us yet.

Once the schedule is created, you will receive an email from Casting Networks with your audition time or wait list slot. You MUST click the “Confirm” or “Reschedule” link ASAP or your slot may be given away. Make sure to check your spam/junk folders! If you do not receive any of these communications, please Contact Us. 

Casting Networks is a searchable database for the entertainment industry, used by actors, agents, casting directors, and project creators across the US and around the world. It is owned by Talent Systems, LLC. Basic accounts are free for Project Creators and Talent (actors/performers). Talent may upgrade to a paid account for additional benefits, but a Free account is all that is required to be part of the Boston Area Theatre Auditions. 

Here is a great tutorial for setting up a profile! Many more articles and videos are here. 

With the closing of StageSource, Boston no longer has a talent database or an easy place for actors to find out about theatre auditions. After exploring several options, BATA decided that using the CN database would provide more benefits for producers and actors, with less upkeep and more stability. CN is already being used by two on-camera casting directors in Boston, Slate Casting and Asylum Casting, so many local actors already have profiles. Actors have the ability to update their profile throughout the year, which will be visible to producers including those who were not present at BATA. We hope that embracing this system will enable Boston area actors and theatre producers to easily communicate about auditions throughout the year. 

You do NOT need to pay for Casting Networks. Everything you need for BATA will be available through the Free talent membership. If you wish to respond to other casting listings, you might choose to pay for an upgrade, but that is not required for BATA.

BATA are theatre auditions, and theatre producers hope to see you perform in-person, so we ALWAYS recommend trying to get an in-person slot. Unless auditioners opt-out on site, live auditions will be recorded and saved to Casting Networks in such a way that only BATA-registered producers may view them. This enables producers to view your audition and your profile throughout the year, and share auditions with colleagues who were not there.

That being said, we only have two days and there were over 600+ applications last year! So if you do not receive a slot, cannot make the live auditions, or you are ineligible to audition live (under 18+ and current students) you are invited to submit a self-tape to Casting Networks!

As a cross-section of the community, the Leadership Committee has designed these auditions to fill the Non-Equity casting needs of producers. All auditioning actors should have some experience and be available to be cast as a local hire in the Greater Boston area in the 2026-27 season.

We assign slots by a weighted lottery system, including factors such as previous BATA exposure as well as BIPOC, trans, and disabled actors. Each question on the application form is one of these factors. Every applicant who meets the qualifications and deadlines and is not offered a timeslot may be assigned a spot on the waiting list and/or submit a self-tape.

The 2026 Boston Area Theatre Auditions are intended to amplifying the work of Non-Equity artists living in New England.  AEA members should follow Boston Actor Auditions on Instagram, review the AEA Callboard and individual theatres’ websites for information about Equity Open Calls. 

As producers register, we will add them to the Confirmed Producer list, at least weekly. 

We know that our Leadership Committee will be there representing their companies, including The Huntington, Boston Playwrights' Theatre, Liars and Believers, Teatro Chelsea, Trinity Rep, Speakeasy Stage, Company One, CHUANG Stage and Asylum Casting. The committee is actively working to commit their colleagues. Historically, there have been anywhere from 25-50 theatre companies and casting agencies in attendance. All companies in attendance are asked to send people who have casting authority/input on casting. All auditioners will receive a list of producers with contact info.

The organizers of BATA are committed to making these auditions as equitable, accessible and welcoming as possible. On the signup form, we ask you to please let us know what we can do to reduce any barriers that prevent you from accessing these auditions. See physical accessibility info here. Ex: ASL interpreter, escort for wheelchair or low vision person, etc. This will not impact your ability to register but will allow us to staff appropriately. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

While the committee organizing these auditions are volunteers, and we get donations wherever we can, it costs money to run them! We are paying administrators, audition managers, accompanists, and interpreters to ensure a smooth and valuable experience for everyone. In the past, non-union actors were required to pay for a StageSource membership to be eligible to audition. We have committed to not charging actors to audition, and are working to keep producer registration fees low. 

Please note that making a donation (or not) does not in any way affect any application to audition or your chance of being hired. Donations will be processed by Liars & Believers, our fiscal sponsor. 

All applications will be submitted at the same time in 2026, but slots are NOT assigned first-come-first-served. Slots are assigned on a weighted basis to reflect the demands of the Boston theatre community, inclusive of historically excluded artists. The BATA leadership is committed to having the most diverse pool of applicants possible.