Chicago

This year The Kaufherr Resource Center is aiming to raise $1,000.00 in donations on Giving Tuesday, Nov 28!

Giving Tuesday is an annual day of global fundraising; in 2022, the event raised over $3 billion for the U.S. nonprofit sector - it's an amazing day of support and action!  

If you're keen to help spread the word, email melissa@thekaufherrcenter.org to become a Giving Tuesday Ambassador for The Center.

Donations will go toward general operating expenses (gotta keep those lights on!) along with continuing our top-notch programming and ongoing tech upgrades.

Donations can be made here, early donations will still count toward our November 28 goal!

Together, we can support our local performers with the time and attention that they deserve. 

UAW Local 551 and their 4,000 workers at the Ford Plant have been called on Strike!

Join UAW Local 551 for their Stand-Up Strike to help fight for a record contract to uplift working families across the country. UAW International President Shawn Fain will be at a strike rally in support of Local 551 THIS SATURDAY, October 7 at 1:30 p.m. at 13550 Torrence Ave, Chicago. 

Note: Only USA made vehicles will be allowed to park in the UAW lot. No exceptions.

The United Auto Workers are on strike, and need support on the picket lines.  If you have a free day, and are able to walk the line with them for a couple of hours - please visit: 

https://uawlocal551.com/ for details on their strike schedule.  You can support UAW Local 551 by visiting the picket line any time, they are out 24/7.  The plants are in Chicago Heights, IL, and Southeast side of Chicago.

Can we interest you in a beer to benefit the SAG-AFTRA Foundation?

The Beer Temple is raising a glass in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA members!  The Beer Temple and Fair State Union Lager have partnered to donate $1 from each package (pour or six-pack) of Union Lager sold in the month of October to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation in support of striking members! Not only is it beer for a good cause, it's tasty beer from a great place and a great brewery.

Visit The Beer Temple in Avondale to get yours!

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

Ever wish that you could have one-on-one time with casting directors?
Now’s your chance! We’re hosting a night of “Casting Speed Dating” on November 7th from 6-8pm!
 

Join us for this event, where you’ll get the opportunity to spend five minutes with casting representatives from O'Connor Casting, PR Casting, and Compass Casting. In addition to meeting in person, you’ll have the opportunity to share a digital package of your materials as well as a hard copy of your headshot & resume. (All casting authorities involved will have access to your materials after the event, as well.)

This is a fast paced, closely timed Conservatory, so we need to do some pre-production to make sure it all goes smoothly. Here's what you'll need to do:
 

1.) Register for this event through this SAG-AFTRA Event Registration page  (PLEASE NOTE - WE ARE CURRENTLY MANAGING A WAITLIST.)
2.) Submit a digital package of your materials (if/when you move off the waitlist, you will receive an email with specific instructions regarding the digital package after you register for your time slot - please do not email materials at this time)
4.) The day of the event (November 7th), please bring additional hard copy headshots and resumes for the casting directors. YOU MUST BE ON TIME. We are scheduling members in specific windows of time. If you miss your time slot, there's no way to make it up. (Just come early and you'll have no worries.) 
 

As these events are free, reservations fill up fast. A waiting list will be used. If you can't make it, please cancel your reservation with as much notice as possible. Only a limited number of spots are available, so please register ASAP!
 

Parking is available for $13 in the parking structure at 10 East Ontario. Enter on the north side of Ontario between Wabash and State, then take a ticket. When you sign in, you may purchase a four-hour ticket for $13 (Cash only). You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure.

Many SAG-AFTRA members in Chicago have had to rely on assistance from local food pantries during COVID and most recently during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. 

The poverty rate in Chicago is 17.1% - 33.59% higher than the national average. We have an opportunity to come together to support our fellow SAG-AFTRA members through the Greater Chicago Food Despository (GCFD). The GCFD distributes quality food to participating food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in Cook County.

If you are in need of a food pantry - please find one close to your residence here.

We will be volunteering for "Repack," which is just as straightforward as it sounds: we will repack donated and purchased food! We may sort produce, inspect and box shipments of bread, or repack bulk dry goods (such as pasta, rice, beans).

After our shift is over, we will go to a nearby restaurant for lunch as a group. It will be a morning of good deeds and good company! Join us...and bring your friends and family (children 11 and up are welcome)!  

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing (paid thru Oct. 31, 2023). Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 72 business hours before the start of the event. 

Hosted by the NextGen, Game Night is for Everyone!  Game Night is the third Tuesday of every month, bring a game of your choosing, and let's see if we can play it!  Feel free to bring a friend or 2, a snack to share, and join in on the fun!

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing (paid thru Oct. 31, 2023). Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 72 business hours before the start of the event. 

SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local Conservatory presents:
"Demystifying the World of Animation and Video Game Voice Over"

Along with countless negatives, the pandemic brought one shining positive to Chicago's voice actors - more animation and video game auditions! These auditions and subsequent jobs can be full of wide ranging acting challenges. From crisp organic dialogue to crazy characters and event grunts and gory deaths - these scripts bring it all. How can a voice actor best prepare for these types of opportunities? Join us in October as LA-based animation and video game Voice Actors/Directors - and SAG-AFTRA members—help guide you to bringing your A game. The final stretch of our evening will include a discussion with the directors and some of Chicago's A-list voice actors about the realities of working these jobs and contracts, and what to be on the lookout for in our current labor climate.

If interested in the opportunity to submit a read for playback and critique, please register for the event and submit your interest to Jess Jones via (Jess.Jones@sagaftra.org) - deadline is October 13th @ 12noon. Those selected will be notified by Monday October 16th. MP3s for submission and playback will be due by Thursday October 19.

PRESENTER BIOS:

Sarah Elmaleh - Sarah Elmaleh is an actor and voice director with a passion for collaborative creation, and serves as SAG-AFTRA Chair of the Interactive Negotiating Committee. Best known for roles in AAA games like Hi-Fi Rush, Halo Infinite and Gears 5, and for indies like Afterparty, Pyre and Gone Home, her directing credits likewise span production scope from Goodbye Volcano High to Fortnite. Led by her desire to foster stronger inter-disciplinary collaboration within games, she has spent years organizing, advising, and educating in the games industry and academic programs.

Deb Doetzer is a proud member of the performer unions SAG-AFTRA and AEA. Deb is represented exclusively by Stewart Talent in Chicago and New York, and has an extensive list of voice-over credits to her name: most recently she was Gwendolyn Clawthorne on season two of the Disney animated series “The Owl House.” She can also be heard on the interactive games Red Faction (PA Announcer), Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus (Divinity), Watch Dogs (various) and Injustice: Gods Among Us as the Narrator. She is adjunct faculty at both Columbia College and the Theater School at Depaul University, an instructor at Acting Studio Chicago and helped originate the voiceover courses at The Second City Training Center.

(Additional Presenters, forthcoming / as announced)

Panel Participants include:

Brad Grusnick has a B.S. in Theatre from Northwestern University. He is a graduate of The Second City Conservatory in Chicago and UCB Los Angeles. A 20-year VO veteran, he has voiced characters for several video games, including Diablo IV, Back4Blood, Elder Scrolls Online, Metro: Exodus, Days Gone, Bioshock: Infinite, God of War: Ascension, Elder Scrolls: V Skyrim, Asura’s Wrath, and more. He was "Mayor Moose" and "Lou Behr" in the Amazon Pilot, Bear in Underwear, "Mumkey" and "Spiderlamb" in WB Animation's Bunnicula, and is "Magnus Finke" and "Gill" in Dreamworks Dragons Rescue Riders.

Tim Dadabo is a multifaceted voice actor, who in addition to work in commercial, promo, and television narration has worked on some of the biggest titles in Video games like:  Halo, TMNT,Watch Dogs, MLB, Dragon Age, Dragon Dogma, Disney Guilty Party, Stubs The Zombie,  Leisure Suit Larry, and  Red Faction.  His animated credits include Kung Fu Panda, Doc McStuffins, Disney Spidey and His Amazing Friends. Looney Toons and  American Dad.

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing (paid thru April 30, 2023). No guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 48 business hours before the start of the event. 

SAG-AFTRA Chicago will be participating in a Food Distribution Day on 9/25 at Chicago Studio City 5660 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60644. We are excited to be partnering with IATSE Local 476, the Chicago Federation of Labor, United Way of Metro Chicago, Beyond Chicago Dream, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository to provide essential assistance to IATSE members.  

The event will be prepped  in the morning between 9-11am. The food distribution will be open from 11am-5pm.  Vendors will be on site to assist in longer-term assistance set up and Local 476 will also provide a food truck so members can engage with each other.  

Chicago Studio City is generously providing its front lot for the event and stage facilities for bathrooms and inclement weather. 

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP.

Join us Saturday at noon!

Senn (Nicholas) Park - 5887 N Ridge Ave, Chicago, IL 60660

Wear your SAG-AFTRA gear!

RSVP: Reservations are requested. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

Join us Saturday at noon! 

Gompers Park (Samuel Gomper statue) - 4222 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60630

RSVP: Reservations are requested. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

Wear your SAG-AFTRA gear!