5 Audition Conferences for Summer Stock Employment (2025–2026 Edition)
Every year, regional combined auditions give actors, dancers, and singers the chance to audition before dozens of theatre companies, production teams, and theme parks. At most unified auditions, musical theatre performers are typically asked to deliver a song and a monologue in under 90 seconds.
Ready to boost your chances at landing summer stock gigs nationwide? Pack your bags… it’s audition road‑trip time! Here are six of the premier combined auditions for performance opportunities in 2025–2026.
1. A1 Conference (All-in-One Conference)
Where: In-person at The Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts (Greater NYC area), January 16–19, 2026; Virtual workshops begin January 11, 2026.
Who can audition: You must apply and submit a non-refundable fee (due by December 1, 2025) Auditions are open to musical theatre and non‑singing actors. Audition types include live pre‑screen at select cities or universities, or video self‑tape.
Pros: A rich blend of auditions and education—workshops, seminars, and networking. Choices to attend virtually or in person expand access.
How many theatres attend?: A roster of participating Artistic Directors and Casting Directors is published each year; the 2025 lineup continues to grow.
https://www.thea1auditions.com
2. Unified Professional Theatre Auditions (UPTA)
Where: Playhouse on the Square, Memphis, Tennessee
Who can audition: Pre-professional students (soon to graduate) and experienced Equity and non-Equity performers alike. Production personnel with a theater degree may interview. Year-round availability is required.
Pros: Attending companies must offer paid positions—either year-round employment, job-in, or internships.
How many theaters attend?: Historically around 80–100 theatres, theme parks, and cruise lines participate.
3. New England Theatre Conference (NETC)
Where: Crowne Plaza, Natick, Massachusetts
Who can audition: Non-Equity performers and Equity membership candidates (not full Equity members), 18+. Producers seek young performers and mature professionals for both seasonal and job-in roles. Musical directors, designers, and tech staff may also interview
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Pros: Opportunities for job-in, full-season employment, and access to Equity Membership Candidacy Programs.
How many theaters attend?: On average, around 40 companies—including summer and year-round theatres, college-based rep, Shakespeare and Renaissance festivals, touring companies, and more.
4. Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC)
Where: Locations vary—typically, Knoxville, TN for spring auditions and Charlotte, NC for fall.
Who can audition:
Professional category: Actors 19+, not enrolled in school, with at least two paid professional theatre roles post-training.
Dancers: Audition separately in spring.
Students: Separate spring/fall sessions available, with professional screening to qualify if criteria aren't met.
Pros: A broad array of companies attend—stock and repertory theatres, cruise lines, outdoor festivals, children’s theatre, touring troupes, theme parks—offering both summer and full-time positions.
How many theaters attend?: Fall draws 30+ professional theatres viewing ~200 actors; spring hosts 90+ companies auditioning more than 800 actors.
5. StrawHat Auditions (Note: No longer operating)
While once a staple of combined audition circuits, StrawHat Auditions have not resumed post-pandemic. As of 2025, performers increasingly report saturation in audition markets and greater reliance on self-tapes, direct submissions, and platforms like self-curated social media groups and cold submissions through Equity Principal Auditions (EPAs) and agency submissions.
Extra Insights for 2025–2026
Rising competition and video surge: As summer stock rebounds post-pandemic, more performers are vying for roles, and video submissions have exploded in usage—driven by increased accessibility, but also heightened competition.
Community-driven intel: The “Summer Stock: The Musical” Facebook group has grown into a vibrant resource with over 12,000 members—sharing audition intel, theatre feedback, and safety information for performers.
Industry shifts: Many theatres—the Creede Repertory Theatre, The REV, and others—are embracing hybrid audition methods (in-person EPAs for some, self-tape options for broader access), responding to increased digital submission volumes.
Worker-first evolution: Companies are updating practices around pay, housing, and work conditions—like Creede’s elimination of housing fees for non-local hires and adjustments to changeover processes to support performer well-being.
For more information regarding audition dates, application deadlines, entry fees, eligibility requirements, and audition tips, visit each organization's website.
