Define RESIDENT PROFESSIONAL THEATRE

Answer 1

A Resident Professional Theatre is another name for a regional theatre, which is a professional theatre company generally outside of New York City. These theatres may be large or small, equity or non-equity, but they produce their own seasons of shows, and all staff and contract employees are paid. This is different from a community theatre, where a few staff may be paid, but generally performers are volunteers from the local community. It is also different than a theatrical venue, where everyone is paid but the entertainment is generally touring shows and pieces created by people who do not work for the theatre.

Regional Theatres occasionally have resident acting companies. The theatres that do this are generally Equity houses, meaning they use union-approved contracts for the majority of their employees and hire majority actors who are members of Actors Equity. The resident acting company is a group of performers who are in residence in the city where the theatre is located, and they are generally featured heavily in the theatre's season. These performers are often offered some type of contract guaranteeing a certain number of years or roles with the theatre.