Chicago

The Conservatory is back IN PERSON June 26!

Join us for an evening with casting directors from O'Connor Casting as we discuss and work on all things commercial! From self tapes to virtual callbacks to being back in the same room -  the O'Connor Casting crew will help us navigate the latest trends of the modern commercial and help us get ready for that next "Bite & Smile".

A small group of actors will be chosen via a lottery system to actively participate and perform during this conservatory presentation.

If you wish to submit to the lottery, please submit your interest to Jess.Jones@sagaftra.org by Friday, June 16 at noon.   

Scripts will be distributed to those selected a week before the workshop. Some participants will be asked to self tape their script and some will be asked to perform live with casting. This will also be chosen randomly via lottery. Please indicate if you have a preference between self tape or live in-person method when submitting to the lottery.
 

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing (paid thru Oct. 31, 2023, or in compliance with the May 2023 dues relief extension). No guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 48 business hours before the start of the event. 

We are preparing for a headshot event.  SAG-AFTRA Chicago members will be given an opportunity at a discounted headshot at a local headshot photographers' studio. The headshot session will be a 1/2 hour session for 1 look.  If you are interested in reserving a session, please RSVP below.  Once we have a list of photographers and appointment times, you will be given an opportunity to specify your choice.

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing (paid thru Oct. 31, 2023, or in compliance with the May 2023 dues relief extension). No guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 48 business hours before the start of the event. 

Please join us for a Saturday morning Reiki session.  Agent and Reiki master Donna Simons-Dunn will be joining us via ZOOM! Bring a yoga mat and wear comfortable clothing.

After Reiki, stick around for a good old fasioned pancake breakfast in the KRC.

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing (paid thru Oct. 31, 2023, or in compliance with the May 2023 dues relief extension). No guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 48 business hours before the start of the event. 

The NextGen Game Night is back!  Game night will be held the third Tuesday of the month in the KRC. August games will include a Cornhole/Bags Tournament.

Who: SAG-AFTRA members and guests.  Feel free to bring friends to help you win!

What: Game Night - each month is a different game - we are open to suggestions.

Where: KRC - 1 E. Erie, Suite 660, Chicago, IL

When: The 3rd Tuesday of each month from 6 - 9 pm.

Please bring a snack to share, and BYOB.

#IAmNGP

#NextGenChi

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 48 business hours before the start of the event. 

Virtual Studio Jams are a way to plug in with other union members, get practice in the medium, work on industry-relevant material, and share feedback as you flex your muscles in a low-pressure setting - your own house!

Our On Cam Jam is a perfect place to get up on your camera to work on sides, scenes, or the kind of copy that interests you! This is a great time to ask self-tape questions and discuss technology with other members.

Our VO Jam affords voice actors a time and place to work on copy, listen to feedback, ask all your tough tech questions, and make tweaks and revisions to get in tip top shape for the next voice gig!

We also offer Free Form days to work on whatever you want to work on with Center Director Melissa Pryor.

RSVP here.

Please Note:

Studio Jams are intended for union performers in good standing and are offered as a benefit of membership. By claiming your seat in this series, you are confirming that you are a union performer in good standing and are participating in the series in order to share and receive developmental feedback intended for the growth and development of professional union performers. In participating in the series, you also confirm that you are pursuing work and development to work only under union agreements and contracts.

Our virtual jam sessions take place via zoom - you will receive a confirmation email with zoom room info when you confirm your 'seat' in the jam. If you do not receive it or have any questions or problems, email Melissa- melissa@thekaufherrcenter.org.

This workshop is not intended to imply an endorsement of any individual or company by SAG-AFTRA. The information provided through the workshop is given for informational purposes and may not be a suitable substitute for the advice of other industry professionals. You should always use good judgment in these matters and should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided through the workshop.

This event is only open to SAG-AFTRA members in good standing.

Welcome to the SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local! This Member 101 meeting is a must for new members, and a great refresher for the seasoned veteran actor!  

This is a valuable meeting to learn everything you need to know about SAG-AFTRA and all that we have to offer.  

Learn new things and get answers to any questions you have about SAG-AFTRA.

The meeting will be held in person at the KRC - 1 E. Erie, and also available via ZOOM.   If you elect to be in person, you will need to register for a Health Pass through the CLEAR app showing proof of vaccination.  Details will be in the email confirmation once you RSVP.

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local members in good standing (paid thru April 30, 2023 or Oct. 31, 2023, or in compliance with the May 2023 Dues Relief Extension). No guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 48 business hours before the start of the event. 

Please join us for the 2023 Chicago Local Annual Membership Meeting. 

When: Monday, May 8
5:45 p.m.: Social hour reception (light hors d’oeuvres served)
7 p.m.: Membership meeting and guest panel

NEW! Panel: For our industry panel on "The Bear," we will welcome the Casting Directors from PR Casting and Jose M. Cervantes (Angel) and Richard Esteras (Manny).

Where: Instituto Cervantes of Chicago
31 W. Ohio St.
Chicago, IL

RSVP requested below but not required.

This meeting is open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing (paid through April 30 or October 31, 2023, or in compliance with the May 2023 dues relief extension). No guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. No RSVP necessary. Please bring your membership card or digital card on the app for admittance.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 48 business hours before the start of the event. 

Our On Cam Jam is a perfect place to get up on your camera to work on sides, scenes, or the kind of copy that interests you! This is a great time to ask self-tape questions and discuss technology with other members.

Our VO Jam affords voice actors a time and place to work on copy, listen to feedback, ask all your tough tech questions, and make tweaks and revisions to get in tip top shape for the next voice gig!

Please Note:

Studio Jams are intended for union performers in good standing and are offered as a perk of membership. By claiming your seat in this series, you are confirming that you are a union performer in good standing and are participating in the series in order to share and receive developmental feedback intended for the growth and development of professional union performers. In participating in the series, you also confirm that you are pursuing work and development to work only under union agreements and contracts.

****Moderated Virtual Jams are often recorded and sent to the Participants for their own playback and education. Recordings are unlisted and only available to those who actively work on copy during a Jam.

RSVP: Reservations are required here.

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing (paid thru April 30, 2023). No guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

Join your fellow SAG-AFTRANs and Chicagoans for this family-friendly event to commemorate May Day and its importance to the Chicago Labor Movement! The race will begin on the Lakefront Trail near the Lakeside Center at McCormick Place at 8:00 a.m. and continue up the trail through the Museum Campus. The course features a segment on Solidarity Drive and beautiful views of Chicago’s Downtown skyline.

Packet pick-up will begin at 7 a.m. at the event site (no prior pick-up will be available.) Commemorative race t-shirts will be provided to all runners and walkers, and medals will be awarded to winners in age-group categories.

Registration Fee:

Adults - $50

Children under 13 years old - $45

Click here to register on a third party site.

Proceeds from the event:

Funds raised from this event will benefit the CFL’s ongoing efforts to support workers in Chicago and Cook County

If you plan on participating and would like to be included on any communications regarding meeting as a group, please contact Amy Rhodes at amy.rhodes@sagaftra.org.

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

Join us April 24 for our Chicago Local virtual Conservatory - Surviving the Actor's Journey: Finding Mental Health in an Uncertain Business, as we gather together to identify the tools you need to ditch the anxiety and reclaim the joy in your acting pursuits. We will be joined by a host of experts, both peer and clinical professionals alike, including:

• Actor and educator Michael Kostroff, who will take us through some entertaining and enlightening concepts from his course/book Audition Psych 101.
• Elizabeth Clare (Chicago Local member and Ally Advocate at NoStigmas, a mental health non-profit) who will provide some resources on how to set boundaries and how to be an ally for your fellow actor's having a rough time.
• Fizzah Zaidi (licensed clinical therapist)
• Dr. Jason Washburn (Director of Clinical Psychology, Northwestern Hospital) who will help us navigate all the tough questions, and point us to where to get additional support when it's needed.

About:
Michael Kostroff
Kostroff is an established stage and television actor best known for his five seasons on HBO’s The Wire and a long list of appearances on shows including Billions, The Blacklist, NCIS and Law & Order: SVU. He toured with The Producers and Les Misérables and has starred at regional theaters all over the US. He’s a teacher, author, audition coach, former Backstage advice columnist, and the creator of Audition Psych 101, which is an online course on the psychological side of the audition process. Books by Kostroff include Letters from Backstage, Audition Psych 101, and the recently-published The Stage Actor’s Handbook: Traditions, Protocols, and Etiquette for the Working and Aspiring Professional (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022), which was listed as one of Playbill.com’s 12 must-read books.

Elizabeth Clare
Clare is an actor and musician based in Chicago and Los Angeles. Her background as a jazz musician lends itself to her work as an on-camera talent, scoring her multiple national commercial spots as well as her recent focus on TV/film roles.  She is also a mental health advocate, having created core programming with NoStigmas (a local non-profit) that includes general education as well as trauma-focused training. As a survivor of intimate partner violence, she understands how peer support from a lived experience perspective can support living in recovery. Claire connects this to the entertainment industry with her work as an intimacy coordinator to help tell stories responsibly. Claire loves baking, adores cats, and holds a 1st Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo.

Fizzah Zaidi
Fizzah Zaidi, LCPC, is a Chicago-based psychotherapist who is trained in EMDR and CCSP-ADHD certified. She specializes in working with adults with ADHD to identify and treat their comorbidities and trauma. Psychology is her second career after spending several years in traditional animation, where she worked on independent cartoons, Sesame Street games and commercials for General Mills and Hasbro. Fizzah uses behavioral and existential perspectives to advocate for breaking cultural and societal stigmas around mental health. She focuses on learning unique patterns in human development to collaborate with compassion and honor the authentic selves of her patients, as well as constantly working to improve her competencies in other modalities and theories. For more information, visit her website at www.fzpsychotherapy.com.

Dr. Jason Washburn
Dr. Washburn is Director of Clinical Psychology at Northwestern Hospital, whose overarching interests include science-based practice, practice-based clinical research, and education and training in Health Service Psychology. His clinical interests include psychodiagnostic, personality, and neurodevelopmental (ADHD, Learning Disorders) assessment. His research interests include nonsuicidal self-injury, suicide, and the implementation of psychological practices, including digital mental health.

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local members in good standing (paid thru April 30, 2023). No guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 48 business hours before the start of the event.