Recently I received a letter from a young actress who recently moved to New York City. It reads in part: "I've taken some of the steps towards getting work such as joining an acting class ( a very good class) and saving up my money to get my pictures but I have a few questions about what to do next........What's the best way of getting an agent, and what are the requirements for getting into. the various unions? "

So many people starting out, and many more who already are in this business, believe that their troubles really would be over if, by some miracle, the right agent would be willing to represent them. Just think! If you had the right representation you wouldn't have to read the trades to see what show was auditioning that particular week. Your agent would already have done it and set up an audition for you with a definite appointment. No more cattle calls. No more endless waiting for hours at an audition just to get typed out. No more standing on line at 6.00 A.M to get a number to be be seen at an interview that might lead to being heard and being allowed to sing 16 bars at an actual audition. (if they don't type you out.) Finally, to be treated with the respect you crave and know you deserve.

The problem, of course, is that getting into see an agent today is about as difficult a feat to accomplish as arranging an audience with the Pope. It almost seems as if agents have more people protecting them than mafia chieftans or heads of state. They don't take, or return calls, from people they don't know, and for them to answer an unsolicited letter from am actor is rare indeed. How then does one get an agent?

Well, I've got some bad news for you. First of all an agent is not there to do ALL those things for you that you imagined he was there to do. Secondly, agents don't wish clients to choose them. They want and have the right to choose their own clients. How do they do this? Primarily by getting strong recommendations from their existing clients. If one actor raves about another actor then it stands to reason that the actor being raved about is probably worth seeing. The second way an actor finds clients is by FINDING THEM. Agents are always going to see shows whether in New York, or in Washington (at the Kennedy Center) in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago or Los Angeles there is always some piece of theatre that will bring an agent out. It is there that he, or she becomes interested in new talent. This is probably the only way that you are going to get an agent. Cruel as it may seem you will have to get into a show first and be so good that an agent will want to represent you. That is the principle reasons actors will work for no pay in an equity approved showcase and why they will practically kill to get into an Equity Library Theater production. Agents come to these and many stars have had their careers begin by being seen by the right agent in one of those productions.

Now comes the disappointing news. The majority of actors who have agents representing them work as little as those that have no representation at all. Why? The answer is simple. You may possess an enormous amount of talent and skill but if there is no work available for your particular type there will be no demand for your services and the most powerful agent in the world will be unable to change that. I have many friends who have agents who are some of the most terrific performers I have ever seen in my life. Some of them are stars with Broadway credits. If they haven't worked for several years what guarantee is there that you will.

Given the above information, and considering your experience at this time, there is only one valid reason for meeting an agent that hits home with me. That is to get honest feedback as to what you are doing wrong, or how to do it better. In short, to be told what you need. There are several ways to accomplish this. The first that comes to mind is joining an organization that provides services and workshops to it's actor members where agents are present for questioning and evaluation. Of these AIP, Actor's Information Project, first comes to mind.

The other way is by mailing out pictures and resumes with cover letters to a certain number of agents each week until you get a response. It is true that most of these will be discarded but you ever can tell. One particular day one particular agent may need to find one particular person to submit for one particularly hard to fill role and that might be at the one particular moment he or she has opened your particular envelope and seen your particular picture and resume. You never can tell.