Hi! I'm seventeen and have been acting for years, and am looking to get an agent. But I have a few questions:
-How do you get an audition with a talent agency without being annoying?
-How do you know if the agency is legit?
-And what are some good agencies to start looking at?

There is no such thing as a "casting agency." There are talent agents, who represent talent, and then there are casting directors, who audition actors for specific roles.

You should not try to get an agent until you have training and experience. Once you have have training and experience, mail your headshot and resume to agencies with a cover letter stating that you're seeking representation.

Read this thread for more information on getting started: http://bbs.backstage.com/group...611031/m/6061061/p/1

Hey Jersey,
As TMR said, read the threads on teens getting started. You have been acting for years, how is your resume? Do you have a mix of stage, film and commercial work that you submitted for on your own? Good, that is what an agency wants to see, that you are castable. Hopefully you have a good amount of student and independent shorts that you have worked on with lead and supporting roles, not background. Same with stage work. If you search on this segment of Child and teen Actors you should be able to find a list of agencys that will take submissions. Make sure you keep up with acting classes too.
Break legs.

There are also a bunch of lists on here for managers. There are some managers that open calls. You can also take showcase type class that ends with agents, managers and or casting directors. If they are interested they will contact you.

Thank you all so much for the help! Your wonderful advice brought me to another question: I don't have a hugely impressive resume quite yet. I have only been in school productions--in which I only had a main role once--and a web series that I currently have a main role in. Is this enough to get an agent or manager interested, or should I wait until my resume is a bit more impressive?

At age 17, school productions alone will not get you an agent. The web series helps, but you need more. So here's what you need to do:

1. Make sure you have a GREAT headshot. Read the "Headshots" section of this site for specific advice on that.

2. Sign up for a Showfax subscription and start submitting to student films, indie films, and web series on ActorsAccess.com. (A Showfax subscription costs $68 per year and gives you unlimited submissions to Actors Access.)

3. Once you've done several student films, indie films, and/or web series, put together a demo reel using the best clips from those films. Add the demo reel to your Actors Access profile.

4. Get GREAT training from well-known, respected places. FishGurl, a knowledgeable poster here, recommends the following places in New York for acting training:

Michael Howard Studios
Maggie Flanigan Studio
Atlantic Acting School
Circle in the Square Theatre School
William Esper Studio
Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting
The Neighborhood Playhouse
T. Schreiber Studio

Once you've done all that, and you're 18 years old, you can submit to agents. If you look younger than you really are, and can play roles aged 14 - 16, that will work strongly in your favor. (It's called "18TPY", which means "18 to play younger.")

Would a manager maybe be a better choice for me at the moment, or would working on my resume before trying to find representation be my best bet at the moment?

I think you should work on your resume first. JMO.

Thank you so much for the help