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chicago holiday open call

Writer: Sarah Cayce
Sarah Cayce
1 hour ago
4 min read

It's that time of year, and the Compass Casting team is back to spread a little cheer with our eleventh annual open call, so we're hosting it on December 11th! Drop by to share a scene or a monologue and drop off one of the items requested by our chosen organization. It's a lovely, fun day with friends, so come enjoy the casting space in an open call that's for fun and a good cause.


who we're benefitting

This year, we're hosting a donation drive for THE NIGHT MINISTRY, who are our neighbors in Ravenswood, and do amazing work to serve so many folks in so many ways. We wanted to give back and get people together for a fun open call again.


what they'd like

It's about to get cold in Chicago, so let's warm up our community with great winter gear. The Night Ministry has asked for:

  • Socks - All sorts of socks, but the warmer the better!

  • Winter Hats - Nothing beats a thick hat

  • Gloves - Warm gloves for men and women


"Over 58,000 Chicago residents have no permanent place to call home. Each year, we serve thousands of young people and adults who are unhoused or struggling with poverty."


learn more about them

The Night Ministry is a Chicago-based organization whose mission is to provide human connection, housing support, and health care to members of our community who are unhoused or experiencing poverty.




how the open call works

We're excited to see everyone this year, and we'll be ready with donation boxes when you get there. We'll have funky holiday music playing, coffee and hot chocolate, and

  • When you get there: You'll come in the front door, drop your donations is their designated box, and head to the front desk to get your number. When you have a number, go say hi to your buddies, grab a beverage, and hang out while we get through folks spots!

  • Your Open Call Slot: As you can see, it's going to be a laid back day. When you get in the room, you'll be greeted by the Compass Casting team, and you can put your stuff down on a provided chair. We'll start a timer, and your 3m slot is yours to perform a monologue, we'll read a scene with you, or drop off your actor materials if you're shy.

  • Bye, girl! - Once the timer goes off, we'll thank you, and send you on your way, and greet the next person. You can say good bye to your buds, but remember to clear the space so no one calls the fire marshall on us.

We'll see as many people as we can in a day, and if we run out of time, we'll move to a virtual open call.


tips

We love to laugh!

It would be so cool if you didn't bring pieces that had to do with violence against women, children, or animals. It's a holiday open call, friends - remember we don't get to conset to your pieces, so keep in mind we're seeing a lot of you!

You do not need to bring us anything, but if you bring us baked goods, we will absolutely turn around and share them with the rest of the folks at the open call. Make sure you drop by the kitchenette to see what other folks have dropped off while supplies last.

No really, we truly could talk to you all day, but we'll be setting timers to make sure we don't get too far behind, no matter how much we want to chit chat all day with our actors!


early drop off

Can't make it to the open call but want to be a part of the community to support such a great organization? No worries! We'll open the space on Thursday, December 10th from 4:00-6:00pm if Friday is booked solid for ya.


faq (frequently asked questions)

Can I donate money?

While you're welcome to donate money directly to The Night Ministry, we're hosting a donation drive. Casting should never charge you to audition.

We'd appreciate if you bring one of the things that the Night Ministry has requested!

We offer an early drop off, but we'll be donating everything to The Night Ministry quickly, so if you're going to donate, please do it early or during the open call.

That actually happens a lot 😅 This is a first-come-first-served open call, so we recommend getting there early if you can. If we start to get a line, we'll time it to make sure we can see everyone before we close up shop. Keep an eye on our social media for updates if we get overwhelmed and have to move to donation drops and virtual tapes instead. We'll see as many folks as we can!

see you there!

We're so excited to see all of you for our holiday open call. Join us for a fun, laid back day, and go grab coffee at Backlot or pizza at Jimmy's with your friends - make a day of it, and we'll see you there!

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