BWW SPECIAL FEATURE: How I Got My Equity Card - by Kristin Chenoweth

BroadwayWorld.com is proud to present its newest weekly feature, presented in association with and to celebrate the importance of the Actors' Equity Association. "AEA" or "Equity", founded in 1913, is the labor union that represents more than 48,000 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 and provides a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans, for its members.

Check back weekly for new entries from stars of stage and screen on how they got their Equity cards!

"I had just graduated from Oklahoma City University and was headed to the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia to become an opera singer. I decided to make a pit stop in New York.

My best friend, Denny, wanted to move there to make it as an actor. I went along! I was at Actors' Equity waiting to be seen for a show a Papermill.

Because I wasn't a member of the union I had to wait five hours to be seen! Finally I got in for my audition and ended up getting one of the leads in a musical called ANIMAL CRACKERS. I had an important life decision to make: Opera or Musical Theatre?

Guess what I chose! Not only did I get my Equity Card through that job, I never had to wait five hours again!!"

Click Here for More Entries in BroadwayWorld.com's New Series "How I Got My Equity Card"

Photo Credit: Sarah DeBoer/Retna Ltd.