Founded in 1913, Actors’ Equity became a force to be reckoned with in an historic 1919 strike. Since then, Equity has gone beyond securing the safety, health, and rights of stage actors to become a progressive force in theater.
Actors’ Equity Association (AEA or ‘Equity’) represents more than 49,000 professional stage actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions.
Equity is governed by its own members through an elected council, representing principal actors, chorus actors and stage managers living in three regions: Eastern, Central and Western. Members at large participate in Equity’s governance through a system of regional Boards and Committees. Equity has 24 designated area liaison cities with over 100 members each.
