Union Comedy is holding auditions September 24+25 for the following:

- New Harold Teams performing at Friday Night Fusion (Friday at 9pm)
- Additions to existing Harold Teams performing at Friday Night Fusion  (Friday at 9pm)
- Additions to existing House Teams performing at The Weekend Show (Friday or Saturday at 7:30pm)

What will auditions be like?

• We will be utilizing a casting board consisting of a variety of our teachers, coaches, and performers. This board will cast new teams collectively.
• We will be utilizing a standardized audition scoring system intended to prioritize specific improv skills and limit auditor subjectivity and bias.
• You will join a group of up to 8 people for 30 minutes. Everyone will do a 2-person scene, and then the whole group will do a self-edited series of scenes.
• You can only attend one audition block.
• We may ask you to return for a callback Monday September 25. But a callback doesn't necessarily indicate that you will or won't be cast.

What are the expectations if I get cast?

• Weekly rehearsals with an assigned coach.  Union Comedy will provide rehearsal space either at the theater or, more likely, our training center in Coolidge Corner Brookline.
• Regular performances of 25 minutes. House Teams will work with their coach to develop a longform show that fits their creative goals and sets them up for successful and entertaining shows. Harold teams will be required to do a Harold. All shows are recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel.
• Consistent high quality performances. Teams should be able to provide an entertaining and worthwhile comedy experience for audiences in order to generate returning patrons with the goal of ultimately selling out shows on a regular basis. Throughout the season, individuals and teams will be continually assessed on commitment (regular attendance), execution (the shows are fun and funny), and consistency (the shows continually meet or exceed expectations of quality). If, over time, a team proves to be unable to meet these expectations, Union Comedy may choose to make format adjustments, roster or coaching changes, or disband the team entirely. No team is guaranteed renewal at the completion of the performance season.
• Regular attendance. We expect a minimum 75% attendance at your team's scheduled rehearsals and shows, with exceptions for unexpected events such as work travel, illness, and other personal reasons. Union Comedy may remove any performer from a cast for extended unexplained or unreasonable absences.
• Adherence to our Code of Conduct. As a Union Comedy cast member we expect you to maintain a professional and respectful relationship with your peers, coaches, theater staff. You can read our full Code of Conduct HERE.

What is the casting board looking for?

• Audition scores are primarily based on 3 basic categories: How you handle your own choices, how you handle your scene partners' choices, and how you navigate the scene and show overall. We will be looking for clear proficiency in basic scene skills (yessing, listening, etc) as well as more advanced scene skills (character worldviews, heightening patterns, etc).
• Are you funny? This is the X-factor in casting. Audiences come to Union Comedy to laugh, and we have high standards when it comes to our shows. If we have fun watching your audition, we can trust that audiences will too.
• We do not recommend that your audition is your first time at the theater. Even coming to a show to get a better idea of what they look like will help you understand what you’re signing up for. If you come by, say hi and let us know you’re auditioning. We like to know everyone who wants to be involved. If you want to see what it's like to be on our stage before your audition, jams are Saturdays at 6 and Sundays at 5.

Will I be getting any feedback regarding my audition?

• The casting board will not be providing individual feedback or notes on your audition. If you are interested in specific performance feedback we recommend taking a class or workshop.

I can't make this round - when will auditions happen again?

• Auditions take place twice a year in March (all teams) and September (Harold teams only), although we may hold additional auditions on an as-needed basis. We may also choose to make roster changes outside of the audition process. 

Additional questions? Email us at info@unioncomedy.com