A vast majority of the film and TV work may be in Los Angeles, but New York remains the place where a beginning actor finds the tools and training to become a working professional. To remedy that imbalance, on Apr. 17 performers on the West Coast will be able to attend Back Stage West's 5th Annual Actorfest, modeled after the similar annual event in Manhattan.

"ActorFest `99 -- A Day For Actors," which runs 9 AM-4 PM at the Hilton Universal City & Towers, 555 Universal Terrace Parkway, will also offer four panels featuring TV, film and theatre actors and agents; and private sessions with casting directors. Structured something like a college job fair, ActorFest also allows performers can talk to casting directors, agents, managers, directors and working actors, as well as video demo producers, photographers and representatives from acting schools.

Expected to take part are such industry notables as casting directors Eddy Foy III (Dick Clark Productions) and John Levey ("ER"), actors Chris Owens ("The X-Files") and Susan Sullivan ("Dharma & Greg"), CSA President Beth Hymson-Ayer, and commercial casting director Sheila Manning.

The event is sponsored by Back Stage West, the California arm of the NY actor's newspaper, Back Stage. Previous Actorfest participants have included actress K Callan, agents Bill Melamed and Craig Wyckoff, and casting directors Fern Champion ("The Naked Gun") and Tracy Lilienfield ("Dream On," "The Naked Truth").

For information on Actorfest call (323) 525-2225 or check out the website: http://www.backstage.com. --By David Lefkowitz