Soaps are taped in New York and Los Angeles. Living near NY or LA makes auditioning a lot easier then living far away from NY or LA. It is also possible to get an opportunity to audition if you live near secondary market cities in the US and Canada (Chicago, Miami, Houston, Toronto, Vancouver, etc.) Auditions are taped locally and later reviewed by the casting people in NY or LA.

The soaps hire several hundred full-time principal cast members as well as hundreds of extras (atmosphere players), under-fives, and day players each week. Atmosphere players say no lines. If a performer says five or fewer lines, then they're called an "Under-five" and earn more money than an atmosphere player. Extras can be upgraded to under-fives if:

1. a principal player addresses them individually
2. they are alone in a scene
3. they speak as part of a group

A character who has more than five lines is called a "Day Player". A "Recurring Day Player" is a day player who appears in more than one episode. These folks earn more than under fivers or atmosphere players.

Atmosphere players, under-fives, and day players do not get steady work. They might get work for a day or two or possibly longer, but then not get work on a soap for weeks or months. Getting work as an atmosphere player can give you some good experience on a studio set so you can learn how the business works. It gives you an opportunity to earn some money (and pay the rent) while you audition for speaking roles. It might also give you an opportunity to upgrade your status from atmosphere player to under-fiver and day player - both of which can proudly be included on your resumé.

Contract Players are the regular, full-timers you see day after day. These performers get paid the most.

Soap work is grueling, even for atmosphere players. The shooting for an entire half hour or hour long episode is done in one day. The day might typically begin at 7am and not end until 7pm or later. Rehearsals are brief if at all. A lot of the character work a soap actor does is done on their own. There is little input from the director. An atmosphere player's day might not be so long since there is less for them to do and no lines to learn. But the shooting day can still get pretty long.

After the day's shoot, the cast heads home to learn their lines (maybe 20-40 pages of script) for the next long day of work. This schedule goes on day, after day, after day, after day. Needless to say, soap work requires discipline, stamina, initiative, a deep love and commitment to acting - excellent memorization skills.

How do you find out about soap auditions? Generally, you find out through a franchised agent. What if you don't have a franchised agent? Work real hard until you get one (see the AWOL lesson "I GOTTA GET AN AGENT ! ! !" on the AWOL homepage.)

Atmosphere players (extras) are also cast through agencies. Some agencies, like CENEX CASTING and CENTRAL CASTING, specialize in casting atmosphere players.

If you don't have an agent, or if you decide to market yourself even though you have an agent (which is what you should always do agent or no agent) you can send the various soap casting people your resumé and photo on the chance that you will be exactly what they are looking for that week.

Theatre work is good training for the soaps and it can give a casting director or agent an opportunity to really see you work. If you are in a theatre production (in LA or NY) you can send them an invitation to attend. If they do attend (no guarantees of course,) and they like your work, you might possibly get a call to audition or interview.

Due to industry economics and audience viewing habits a number of soaps have been cancelled in the last few years. But don't be surprised if they become more popular again one day.