This story depends on your remembering that my name is
“Jennifer Sherron Stock.
Back in 1971, I was excited to get my first Equity job on my
very first Equity audition. My friends
had told me that some Equity summer stock companies had open calls (meaning you
could audition even if you were not a union member). They urged me to go, and although I
hesitated, I finally gave in and went with them. The casting process went by in a blur. We auditioned in the old Showcase Studios –
which was located at 57th and 8th Avenues, where a less
than attractive apartment building now stands.
It was an open chorus call, and both the director/choreographer, Steven
Baum and the music director Chuck Jones were present – a treat you don’t often
get nowadays – when a second assistant casting director often hears your
audition. We sang, and we were excited
to be called back the same day. After
the callback several of us were offered contracts on the spot. It was exciting but unexpected. I asked my friends what to do and they
said,”sign, sign, you never know when you will be offered an AEA contract again,
” (these were the days before you could “buy in” to the union) so, I did.
After the signing we were told we could go right down to the
union and file our contracts in person – it was a mere 10 blocks away. My friend Carol Nissenson and I arrived at
Actor’s Equity, and we were directed to the contract filing department. A tall elderly gentleman beckoned me up to
the counter. As I stepped forward he
said, “stock.” I replied, “how did you
know my name?” He burst out into gales
of laughter – of course he did not know or mean my name, but was asking if it
was a “stock contract.” The gentleman’s
name was Walter Reimer, and I understand (till the day he retired) he never got
tired of telling that story to friends and colleagues, and laughing at my
naivete all over again. Wow, what a
greenhorn I was. But being young and
naïve – what a special time of life that is and I myself can smile at the young
me filing my very first Equity contract.
