▁an ▁audience ▁from ▁among ▁those ▁who ▁could ▁not ▁afford ▁commercial ▁theatre . ▁A ▁non ‐ pro fit ▁organization , ▁it ▁originally ▁presented ▁its ▁plays ▁at ▁libraries ▁and ▁charged ▁no ▁ad mission ▁but ▁asked ▁instead ▁for ▁a ▁contribution ▁to ▁help ▁sust ain ▁it . ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁it ▁operated ▁its ▁own ▁theatre , ▁first ▁at ▁the ▁Len ox ▁Hill ▁Play house ▁and ▁later ▁at ▁other ▁aud itor iums . ▁Act ors ▁whose ▁care ers ▁were ▁helped ▁by ▁early ▁appearances ▁with ▁the ▁organization ▁include ▁James ▁Earl ▁Jones , ▁Richard ▁K iley , ▁and ▁Jason ▁Rob ards . ▁Fin an cial ▁problems ▁forced ▁its ▁closing ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 9 – 9 0 ▁season . ▁ ▁Since ▁Equ ity ▁Library ▁Theater ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁Sam ▁J aff e ▁of ▁Act ors ' ▁Equ ity ▁and ▁George ▁Fre ed ley , ▁the ▁the ater ▁cur ator ▁for ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Public ▁Library , ▁some ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁actors , ▁direct ors ▁and ▁stage ▁techn icians ▁have ▁worked ▁for ▁no ▁pay ▁in ▁more ▁than ▁ 6 0 0 ▁company ▁produ ctions . ▁The ▁the ater ' s ▁philosophy ▁was ▁to ▁mount ▁non pro fit ▁produ ctions ▁to ▁provide ▁expos ure ▁for ▁actors ▁seeking ▁pay ing ▁roles ▁in ▁commercial ▁shows . ▁Because ▁a ▁substantial ▁number ▁did ▁get ▁paid ▁acting ▁jobs ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁their ▁appearances , ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 7 0 0 ▁people ▁would ▁show ▁up ▁to ▁aud ition ▁for ▁each ▁production . ▁ ▁The