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11.17.16 BACKSTAGE.

COM

F O R

Y O U R

FRONT COVER - C1

C O N S I D E R A T I O N

ENGRAVE THE NAME CASEY AFFLECK


ON THE OSCAR FOR BEST ACTOR,

SO EXTRAORDINARY AND ENGULFING IS HIS PERFORMANCE.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES INCLUDING

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

CASEY AFFLECK

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

KYLE CHANDLER, LUCAS HEDGES


BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

MICHELLE WILLIAMS

AmazonStudiosGuilds.com

11.17.16 BACKSTAGE.COM

LION ROARS INTO


AWARDS SEASON
32 OF THE YEARS TOP
TV & FILM ENSEMBLES
PLUS 12+ PAGES OF
CASTING NOTICES

The
Great
Escape
NAOMIE HARRIS
DESERVES
THE BUZZ FOR
BARRY JENKINS
MOONLIGHT

CONTENTS
vol. 57, no. 46 | 11.17.16

NEWS
8 Celebrating the premier solo comedy
festival in NYC

10 This weeks roundup of whos casting


what starring whom

11 4 writing gigs to expand your skill set

ADVICE
13 THE WORKING ACTOR 
Spin your own web

13 #IGOTCAST 
Timothy J. Cox

14 SECRET AGENT MAN 


The ultimate agent test

15 #IGOTCAST 
Rolando J. Vargas

FEATURES
6 BACKSTAGE 5 WITH... 
Amy Ryan

12 MEET THE MAKER 


Garth Davis, Lion

14 SPOTLIGHT ON... 
Brittain Ashford

15 INSIDE JOB 
Andrew Habel,
McLaren Engineering Group

20 KINGS AND QUEENS 


With hundreds of scripted shows at our
fingertips, we break down why the casts
of these 20 TV series reigned supreme
this season

23 BIG SCREENS, BIG ENSEMBLES 


Some of the years biggest studio and
indie films featured the most tightly knit
casts. These 12 rose above the rest!

40 LEAGUE OF RESIDENT THEATRES 


Asolo Repertory Theatre

CASTING
33 California
36 National/Regional
Naomie Harris photographed by Matt Doyle in NYC on
Oct. 4. Hair by Peter Lux. Makeup by Alex Babsky. Nails
by Mo Qin. On this page: jumpsuit by Wai Ming, coat by
Burberry. On the cover: jumpsuit by Wai Ming. Cover
designed by Jessica Balaschak.

2 backstage 11.17.16

COVER STORY
page 16

A WOMAN LOST
AND FOUND

Naomie Harris is getting major awards buzz for her performance


in Barry Jenkins Moonlight. This is how she did it

MATT DOYLE

26 New York Tristate

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Arts Casting Editors
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Contributing Writers 
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BACKSTAGE, vol. 57, no. 46 (ISSN#53635 USPS#39740) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY (except the fourth week of December) by Backstage LLC, 45 Main St., Brooklyn, NY 11201, $3.99 per copy, $99 per year.
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4 backstage 11.17.16

BACKSTAGE.COM

BAC KS TAG E 5 W ITH . . .

Amy Ryan
By Jack Smart

Did you ever use Backstage in your early career days? I actually had
really good fortune when I got out of high school. I had an agent, so
they were able to find stuff for me. But I certainly used to read it for the
articles and just to keep tabs on whats going on. Just to make sure my
agents were doing their job!
Tell us about Love, Love, Love. I love this play so much, its so
different. My mom was at the show the other night and said, This is the
best play Ive seen in a long time. You know, the other play I liked this
much was Cock. I go, Mom, you know thats the same writer. Shes
like, What? When I saw King Charles III, same thing. Its so hard to
believe this is the same brain that dreams up all these different stories.
I get very excited to go to the theater every night. Sandra, we first meet
her in 1967, shes 19 years old and a student at Oxford. Shes really
excited by the changes happening in the world; freedom is coming and
she devours it.
What advice would you give your 19-year-old self? When I was
younger I was so happy to work, I would kind of do anything. Which isnt
necessarily a bad thing, because work begets work. But I would probably
advise my younger self to be more patient. Quality, not quantity, matters
more. Six months can feel like an eternity when youre not working. My
mother actually gave me that advice. She would say, Something better
is around the corner. Just be patient. I would also save my money.
I advise young actors today: Save your money. Borrow your friends
clothes for fancy parties, dont buy $900 shoes. If you save your money,
youre going to be able to afford to do that play you really love that pays
no money.
Do you have any audition advice? This is really the truth: They want
you to get the job. They want you to be the one[then] their day is done.
They were justified in bringing you in. They want you to win, theyre
not against you. If people know that, theyll have a bit more confidence
walking in the room.
What was your first headshot like? Haha! Its pretty big, my whole
head is in the frame. Black-and-white, because Im old. It looked like me,
it wasnt some overly styled glam shot. I had good representation who
guided me: Be yourself, dont try to disguise yourself, wear the makeup
that you wear in real life. It was the third headshot, a few years later,
that was pretty awful. Just bad hair, getting into the early 90s, late
80sbig hair.

Oscar- and Tony-nominated actor Amy


Ryan (Gone Baby Gone, Birdman) has
been treading the Off-Broadway boards
since age 19. Now, the New York native is
playing a 19-year-old in Mike Bartletts new
play Love, Love, Love, co-starring Zoe
Kazan and Richard Armitage and presented
by Roundabout Theatre Company at the
Laura Pels Theatre through Dec. 18. She tells
Backstage about the show, her audition advice,
and her most embarrassing headshots.

I THINK YOU SHOULD STUDY ALL FILMSTUDY COMEDY, STUDY DRAMAS. YOU CAN

6 backstage 11.17.16

JOEL KIMMEL

LEARN SOMETHING FROM EVERYTHING.

BACKSTAGE.COM

The deadline for the


full application has
been EXTENDED to:
November 28, 2016

Follow us backstagecast

NEWS

Follow us @backstagecast

Follow us @backstage

HAVE YOU BEEN CAST in a project through a Backstage casting notice? Share your story with us and you might be featured in an
upcoming issue! Just tweet @Backstage using the hashtag #IGotCast and well be in touch to hear your success story!

Lucas Brooks
COMEDY

Spotlighting
Solo Comedy
SOLOCOM CELEBRATES FOUR YEARS IN NEW YORK CITY

BY BENJAMIN LINDSAY
f you are a New Yorker in need of a laugh,
SOLOCOM is the place for you.
As the Big Apples only solo comedy
festival for four years strong, SOLOCOM
(running Nov. 1720) boasts over 130 performances, approximately 120 of which are
world premieres of new material. The rest
are encores of fan and festival favorites from
years past, like Polly Esthers Dammit, Jim!
Im a Comedienne, Not a Doctor!. According
to festival founder Peter Michael Marino, his
hearty, four-day helping of comedy is just 50
percent of the total applications received for
festival participation.

8 backstage 11.17.16

We take a lot of things into account when


were curating the actual festival, Marino told
Backstage. We always try to make sure that the
types of shows in the festival are very diverse as
well as the performers being diverse.
Submissions are closed for this years festival, but Marino explained he generally opens
applications in August to field comedians
pitches for new show ideas and weed out
applicants based on their pitch and their prior
experience performing, among other factors. A
comics idea needs to resonate on a greater level
than his or her personal experience.
Ive been writing, directing, performing,
and producing solo shows for 20 years now. [A

solo show is] somebody revealing some kind of


life-changing experience or some kind of challenge, but the truly good ones manage to not
only focus on the individuals experience but
also how that experience is actually universal,
Marino said. Thats certainly something that
we look for. [We also encourage] people to find
more theatrical ways to tell their story rather
than what we expect from a one-person show,
where it can sometimes just be an hourlong storytelling show. If people are adding multimedia
or using the audience in an interesting way or
exploring the themes in an unusual way, that
certainly is mold-breaking.
The fourth annual SOLOCOM will take place
in three spaces in the Peoples Improv Theater
in Manhattans Flatiron District and at the PIT
Loft in Chelsea. Performances are expected to
be a varied bunch, with one being done completely in the dark, another sharing the stage
with a wheelchair named Leonardo DiCaprio,
and another spotlighting a spoof of Bob Happy
Trees Ross, among others. Each show costs
$5$10; full festival passes are available for $30.

The truly good [solo shows]


manage to not only focus on
the individuals experience
but also how that experience
is actually universal.
SOLOCOM FOUNDER PETER MICHAEL MARINO

For actors interested in pursuing solo comedy or trying their hand at writing, SOLOCOM
is an easy and affordable opportunity to see
others at work and gauge what audiences connect with. Just by being exposed to different
ways to use the art form, I think it inspires
writer-actors to think outside the box and think
of different ways to tell a story, Marino said.
Even if you dont see yourself as a writer-actor,
try it out! You may surprise yourself.
Were all writers, Marino added. If youre
able to tell a story at the end of the day at the
dinner table, youre certainly able to tell a story
to a bunch of strangers.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit thepit-nyc.com/solocom.
BACKSTAGE.COM

C O U R T E SY S O L O C O M

UPDATE |

Like us facebook.com/backstage

news
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more news and advice at youtube.com/user/backstagecasting

INDUSTRY NEWS

QUEEN OF THE KINGS


HALLE BERRY STARS IN RODNEY KING
RIOT RETELLING

FOR MORE UPCOMING


productions and casting news,
visit backstage.com/resources.

Into the future we can see:


Disney is taking Thats So Raven
for another spin. Raven-Symon,
who toplined the Disney Channel
series about a young psychic in
the 2000s, recently announced
shed be leaving her current gig as
a co-host on The View, freeing

BACKSTAGE

Get Resourceful
THERES SO MUCH MORE TO BACKSTAGE THAN THE LATEST
industry news or profiles of your favorite (or soon-to-be favorite) actors.
Visit backstage.com/resources, and there youll find a wealth of
industry information that you can leverage to take your career to the

10 backstage 11.17.16

her up to make the move back to


Los Angeles and start work on
the series. While the project is
still in the early stages of production, casting is underway for the
sequel series with Howard Meltzer.
Symon will once again take the
series lead position along with
an executive producing title. The
series will find Raven Baxter as
a divorced mother of two trying
to deal with one of her children
inheriting her ability to see into

the future. With enterprises such


as Girl Meets World and Fuller
House proving lucrative rebrands
for the Disney family, it was just a
matter of time before the Mouse
repackaged the series. The familyfriendly fare will start filming in
Los Angeles in February 2017.
For the latest news, check out
backstage.com/resources to find
thousands of production listings,
casting directors, acting classes,
agents, and more!

next level. Want to land an agent? Browse our listings and find one in
your area! Curious about what projects might be filming nearby? Check
out our Production Listings. We even provide a list of casting offices and
their submission regulations!
Taking the time to explore the carefully curated content on backstage.
com may mean the difference between struggle and successso go
check it out now!
BACKSTAGE.COM

U N D R E Y/ S H U T T E R S T O C K . C O M

her living shelling out autobiographies of celebrities, finds herself in


hot water when she refuses to pull
a piece on Este Lauder. The writer
then turns to hawking letters she
forged, claiming them to be from
dead actors and writers, until the
FBI gets wind of her money-making scheme. The film will pull from
Israels own 2008 autobiography.
Aside from McCarthy, who took
over after Julianne Moore left the
feature last year, the film will also
star fellow Bridesmaids alum
Chris ODowd. Jennifer Euston is
handling the casting while Marielle
Heller takes on directing duties for
the January 2017 shoot. Production
will take place in New York.

SPENCER ALEXANDER

BY REBECCA WELCH
cademy Award winner
Halle Berry is making her
way back onto the silver
screen with her new project Kings. The actor, who has
been out of the spotlight since her
television stint on CBS supernatural thriller Extant, is picking
up the dramatic project alongside
James Bond himself, Daniel
Craig. The film will follow a Los
Angeles woman and her family
throughout the Rodney King trial
and the 1992 riots that followed,
a meaty subject for both actors
involved. The project, directed
by Deniz Gamze Erguven, will
begin filming in mid-December
and continue through February
2017. While no other cast has been
announced, Heidi Levitt Casting
will handle any additional roles
needing to be filled. Filming will
take place at the center of the real
riots: Los Angeles.
Melissa McCarthy is about to go
straight as she picks up her new
dramatic project, Can You Ever
Forgive Me? The actor, who is
primarily known for her slapstick
features and fun character work, is
about to take on a film based on a
fallen writer. Lee Israel, who made

news
Check the Casting section for full details on upcoming stage and screen roles, or visit casting.backstage.com

RESOURCES

WRITE YOUR WAY


4 NEW WRITING GIGS TO FLEX MORE
THAN YOUR ACTING MUSCLES
BY JACK SMART
o you have a script youre
dying to get produced?
There are more than just
acting gigs in Backstages
casting listings; playwrights and
screenwriters (and actors who
write!) should keep their eyes
peeled when browsing notices.
Stay abreast of writing
submission opportunities by
using the Writers filter under
Entertainment Jobs & Crew on
our casting calls page, backstage.
com/casting. Dont have a play or
film ready to go? You can also visit
backstage.com for advice on how
to jump-start a writing career!
Daily advice articles and casting
listings are regularly updated with
information on writing contests,
fellowships, and other exciting
options for writers at all levelsincluding these four notices
currently available below.

U N D R E Y/ S H U T T E R S T O C K . C O M

SPENCER ALEXANDER

THE GREAT GRIFFON INC.


NEW READING SERIES
Beginning in January 2017, David
Beck and Natalia Bougadellis of
the Great Griffon will be accepting submitted workscreenplays,

plays, music compositions, performance art pieces, you name


itfor a brand-new monthly
reading series in New York City.
Formed as a response to the
oppressive lack of substantial
LGBTQ characters in mainstream
entertainment, the Great Griffon
is now opening its doors to writers, actors, directors, and other
artists to share their work and
network in a safe yet swanky
environment, according to
the notice. If safe yet swanky
matches your ideal gig, consider
lending your talents to this upand-coming company. Check out
the notice on backstage.com for
more information.
IMPRINT THEATRE
Multihyphenate artists in
California, take note! We strive to
touch the hearts and minds of our
viewers, states Ricky Abilez, the
artistic director of Imprint Theatre
Community, which focuses on
igniting thought provoking conversations. This growing theater
community is seeking talent from
Los Angeles, Orange County, and
San Francisco. Get involved now!

BACKSTAGE

Have You Seen?


DONT JUST READ ALL ABOUT ITNOW YOU CAN WATCH, TOO!
Backstages YouTube channel, BackstageCasting, has even more
great advice and tips on how to build (and sustain!) an acting career as
part of our Set the Scene series. From casting directors to agents to
BACKSTAGE.COM

ATLANTA THEATRE-TO-GO
If you are looking to marry your
talents with benefiting your community, Atlanta-Theatre-to-Go is
offering a distinctly wonderful
opportunity. Its mission is to bring
live theatre to senior centers,
retirement communities, assisted
living facilities, community centers, churches and synagogues.
Contributors will have the opportunity to have their work performed
by professional actors in front of
seniors, enriching their quality of
life. What better way to give back
while also honing your craft?
STRAWBERRY ONE-ACT
THEATRE FESTIVAL
The Riant Theatre, based in
midtown NYCs Theatre at St.
Clements, is once again holding
its annual celebration of new stage

work. The Strawberry One-Act


Theatre Festival is now seeking
talent through backstage.com
and not just writing talent. Actors,
stage managers, videographers,
and costume, set, and lighting
designers are all invited to contribute their skills to the companys
growing community of artists.
Although the festival runs July
1130, 2017, writers are encouraged to begin submitting now.
Plays should be 1530 minutes in
length; awards with cash prizes
will be given in August of next
year, including a $4,000 prize and
development deal for the best play.
For more information on
theater festivals and writing
contests, as well as advice on how
to write your way onto the stage,
visit backstage.com.

dance instructors, we talk to the people in the know about an actors


need to know.
New videos are posted twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so be
sure to keep an eye out on Youtube.com/BackstageCasting and also on
Backstage.com. Even better, subscribe to our YouTube channel! And let us
know what else youd like to see from usyour suggestion might become
a new video series!
11.17.16 backstage

11

ACTOR 101

For more Actor 101 stories, visit backstage.com/actor101

excellence of Davis casting and


direction crystallizes.
Its one thing to get a boy to be
physical, but get to him to play the
emotionality of the scene, thats
where it gets hard, Davis says.
We would create experiences for
[Pawar] and examples, and so then
he understood the story. I started
to realize that hed sense through
me when a scene worked or when it
needed more emotion. I would run
my hand down my face and pat my
heart. It served as this language
that this scene needed to be felt.

Its one thing to get


a boy to be physical,
but get to him to
play the emotionality
of the scene, thats
where it gets hard.

Garth Davis, Lion


BY BRIANA RODRIGUEZ

THERES NOTHING MORE COMplicated than shooting with a


5-year-old child in India, Garth
Davis admits. But the prospect of a
challenging casting choice or location is rarely a deterrent for creators
who lean into authenticity.
A self-proclaimed emotional
director, Davis takes the lead on a
film thats as affecting as it is crowdpleasinga good combination for
the Weinstein Company, which
has been left empty-handed these
past few awards seasons, despite
projected successes Big Eyes,
Southpaw, and Mandela.
The true story of Saroo Brierley, a young Indian boy who was
separated from his family at age 5,
Lion features Dev Patels most
moving work to date and a starmaking turn from newcomer Sunny
Pawar, acting as a young Saroo

12 backstage 11.17.16

in the films first chapter. Filming


two continents worth of sprawling landscapes (captured by Greig
Fraser) and various time periods,
the Emmy-nominated director (Top
of the Lake) didnt shy away from
a challenge for his first foray into
feature-length narrative.
The film begins on the outskirts of
rural India with Saroo and his family.
His mother (Priyanka Bose) makes
a meager living carrying rocks, while
he and his beloved older brother
Guddu (Abhishek Bharate) provide
what they can.
When the two boys go in search
of work, Saroo falls asleep on a
seemingly inactive train and wakes
up hours later to find it traveling
1,600 kilometers away to Calcutta,
unable to speak the language and
with a childs perception of where
home is. Lion begins as a startling

portrait of the hardships orphaned


Indian children face: dodging child
abductors, scrounging for food,
and suffering abuse in orphanages.
After months on the streets, Saroo
is eventually adopted by Australian
couple Sue and John Brierley (beautifully played by Nicole Kidman and
David Wenham).
The story jumps forward 20
years and Saroo, now played by
Patel, is heading to Melbourne for
college. Meeting other Indians by
way of an American girl (Rooney
Mara) who piques his interest
sparks a flood of memories about
his childhood. Its here, oscillating
between what gradually evolves
into Saroos unrelenting obsession with finding his mother and
brother, flashbacks to himself as
a young boy, and looming guilt
over his privileged life, that the

BACKSTAGE.COM

I L L U S T R AT I O N : H A N N A B A R C Z Y K ; C OX : J E N B EC H T E R P H O T O G R A P H Y

[Meet the Maker]

One scene on the bridge, specifically, showed Davis how far Pawars
craft had come: He runs across the
bridge, he has to stop on a mark,
and he has to look at the expanse
of the bridge that hes never seen in
his life, then turn over his shoulder
and hear the danger [of a train coming] and run to the other side of the
bridgethats four things going on
in a shot. Thats an actor.
For Patel, the preparation
process involved more sensory
mapping (Davis played sounds of
the village during certain scenes).
The Slumdog Millionaire actor
visited orphanages in Calcutta
to gather the sights, smells, and
sounds of the world, and met with
the real Saroo, while building a relationship with his onscreen mother
(Kidman) in rehearsal. While it
carries themes of identity and the
effects of poverty, Lion is at its
core a love story about mothers
and their sons.
It was like a poem to meit had
a shape to it, this poem that I could
craft, says Davis. With TV series,
its more meandering, like a novel;
this is more complete and I found
that exciting.

MARK ROGERS

Dev Patel in Lion

actor 101


For more advice from industry professionals, visit backstage.com/advice-for-actors

characters for themselves as well


as a storyline thats both hilarious
and heartbreaking, and then effectively used the web series format
to their advantage.

The freedom to place


content on the internet
for an immediate
audience removes the
gatekeeper dynamic.

[The Working Actor]

Spin Your Own Web


I L L U S T R AT I O N : H A N N A B A R C Z Y K ; C OX : J E N B EC H T E R P H O T O G R A P H Y

MARK ROGERS

BY ANNA MARGARET HOLLYMAN


THIS SUMMER I HAD THE GREAT
pleasure of starring in my first web
series, Cleansed, about a girl
named Max who goes on a weeklong
juice cleanse in Los Angeles only to
stumble into various absurd situations and characters la Alice in
Wonderland. Its a comedic take on
the current state of wellness culture
as well as an exploration of one
womans quest for self-actualization
against a sun-filled, slightly hazy
L.A. backdrop.
Cleansed was created by writerdirector duo Sarah Scarlett Downing
and Flora Birnbaum, and produced
by Natalie Sandy, a trifecta of women
who went outside the bounds of
their respective titles and covered
location scouting, casting, wardrobe, editing, and a variety of other
behind-the-scenes roles. The result
BACKSTAGE.COM

is a wry, visually stunning six-part


series that was both artistically fulfilling and incredibly fun to shoot.
The term web series has, over
the last few years, become a kind
of shorthand for content that can
be made quickly and affordably.
But its one of the only mediums
that remains tonally and structurally undefined and maintains
a true independent spirit at its
core. As an actor, a web series can
be a swift and effective antidote
to the often exhausting grind of
auditioning or overall lack of roles
you feel you may be right for. Last
year, friends Monica Hewes and
Diana Gettinger wrote, produced,
and starred in the web series
Ex-Best, which they released on
Vimeo. Theyre great examples of
talented actors who created great

I use the word effectively because


while some film festivals (always a
great platform to screen your work)
are starting to develop web series
programming, creators can retain
the liberty of being able to forge
ahead regardless of acceptance or
rejection letters. The freedom to
place content on the internet for an
immediate audience removes the
gatekeeper dynamic and allows
an audience to develop on its own.
Diana and Monica did as much, and
the response was so positive theyre
already on their way to creating a
second season.
While series such as High Maintenance, and Broad City have
made their way from the computer
screen to cable television, theres
a Wild West element embedded in
any web series thats being created
today. Of course, there is an underlying hope that the content will
speak for itself and will be picked
out of the interweb to be featured
on a larger platform. But regardless of the results, a web series can
allow creators and actors to retain
a sense of infinite creative freedom.
While you may be aiming to be the
next HBO show, there is no limitation as to where your stories or
characters can go. Beyond anything
else, the experience of simply making something with similarly minded
collaborators will help restore any
actors faith in the creative process.

#IGOTCAST.
Timothy J. Cox
By Casey Mink

Actor TIMOTHY J. COX has found


his niche in the acting landscape.
I love supporting roles, and thats
been my bread and butter for as
long as Ive been an actor, says Cox,
a member of both Actors Equity and
SAG-AFTRA. It helps, too, that supporting actors always work.
Thats certainly true for Cox, who
just wrapped production on Mail
Time, a fantasy-drama depicting
the journey of one mailman. The
actor also has two more projects
in the pipeline: In the Dark, which
follows a reporter returning to her
native South Africa, and Psychic
Murder, a thriller about a ruthless
talent agent and the client who may
destroy him.
Clearly, the three projects
booked through Backstage are
vastly different from one another,
one reason why Cox has become
a loyal Backstage user. Theres
always a wide range of projects to
submit for, whether its for film [or]
theater, he explains. To ensure he
doesnt miss out on any opportunities, Cox checks Backstage every
day. The site is very organized,
with new projects popping up all the
time throughout the day, he says.
TO SEE YOUR SUCCESS

Hollyman is an actor (White Reindeer, Gayby) who is currently


writing her first film.

story in print, tweet @Backstage


using the hashtag #IGotCast.

11.17.16 backstage

13

actor 101
Find representation at backstage.com/callsheet

5) Should it be legal for an agent


to beat an actor?
A. No! Thats crazy!
B. You mean its not?
C. Only under certain circumstances, like when an actor
forgets to book out and when
theyre late for auditions and
when they refuse to update their
headshots

[Secret Agent Man]

The Ultimate
Agent Test

wo years ago, Secret


Agent Man headquarters created a quiz that
was designed to test
the inner workings of the thespian mind. We published it right
here and since then, agents all
over the world have been using
it to make educated decisions
about who they should sign.
This got me thinking. Why
not do the same for you? Why
not create a quiz actors can give
to agents who offer them representation? So with the help of a
noted psychiatrist and a huge pot
of coffee, weve done just that.
The following test is scientifically guaranteed to help you
make the right choice when an
agent asks you to sign on the
dotted line.
1) Ten percent is:
A. The amount an agent can
legally take as a commission on
their clients work

14 backstage 11.17.16

B. A suggestion
C. Not enough
2) President Lincoln was killed
by an actor. Thoughts?
A. Yes, thats truehis name was
John Wilkes Booth
B. See? Actors are all crazy! They
should be locked up
C. Actors will do anything to get
attention
3) Do you enjoy going to the
theater?
A. I love watching actors perform
onstage
B. No! Look how it turned out for
Lincoln!
C. As long as parking is provided
and the theater is close to my
office and the seats are comfortable and the play is over in less
than two hours
4) Who really books the job: the
actor or the agent?
A. The actorall we do is provide

6) Any thoughts on social media?


A. Its a valuable tool. Every single actor should have accounts
on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
and all the other sites
B. I dont have time for computer
games
C. Actors who create their own
content can benefit strongly from
social media
7) How do you drop clients?
A. Thats the worst part of the
job! I cant even think about it!
B. I prefer to do it in personthat
way, I can see the tears
C. A simple phone call is best
8) What would you do for a living
if you couldnt be an agent?
A. I would become a manager so I
could still work with actors
B. I would run a hedge fund
C. I would work for Netflix
Now heres how you judge
an agents response to these
questions:
An agent who mostly answers
A is probably new to the job and
way too naive to be effective. Do
not sign with this person.
An agent who mostly answers
B is a bitter and cynical crook
who might be insane and should
be avoided at all costs.
An agent who mostly answers
C has been at it for several years,
understands the business, and
will get the job done. If he or
she offers you representation,
accept right away and consider
yourself lucky.

SPOTLIGHT ON
BRITTAIN ASHFORD
By Benjamin Lindsay
As Natashas cousin
Sonya in War and
Peace riff Natasha,
Pierre & the Great
Comet of 1812,
Broadway newcomer
BRITTAIN ASHFORD
has been part of the
buzzy production
since day one. She chats about seeing it
through to the Great White Way.
On The Great Comet.
A lot of people hear War and Peace and
they kind of wonder how that is going to be
good fodder for a Broadway show, but it is
masterfully pieced together.... The show
is not a mirrored reflection of this stoic,
dark, Russian society. Theres definitely
some of that, but youre not coming to see
a period piece.
On being asked to do the show.
[Composer] Dave [Malloy] approached
me with the idea of the show, I wanna
say five years ago, over drinks. I knew
him as a friend. So when he approached
me with this idea of a show based on
War and Peace, I was like, Ha ha ha,
no, thanks. I initially said no because Id
never done theater outside of high school
and there I was.... I just continued doing
it because I really believed in the show. I
really believed in what Dave and [director]
Rachel Chavkin were putting together, and
fortunately for everyone, the show just
kept goingthere was always a next step.
On changes to the production.
In certain ways, [its] wildly different. But
in most ways, I think it still retains a lot of
the magic of the original production and
the subsequent productions.... Now we
have so much space to work with and so
many more people to make these larger
things develop.
FOR THE FULL Q&A,
visit backstage.com.

BACKSTAGE.COM

H A B E L : C O U R T E SY M C L A R E N E N G I N E E R I N G G R O U P ; VA R G A S : D A N D R E M I C H A E L

the opportunity
B. Me, myself, and I
C. Its a team effort

I L L U S T R AT I O N : S P E N C E R A L E X A N D E R ; A S H FO R D : Z H E N YA A N D TA N YA P O S T E R N A K

actor 101


Find answers to your industry questions at backstage.com/resources

[Inside Job]

Andrew Habel
MCLAREN ENGINEERING GROUP

BY MOLLY EICHEL
ART AND SCIENCE COLLIDE AT MCLAREN ENGINEERING GROUP.
The international firm has an entertainment department that works with
groups like Cirque du Soleil to make sure that their equipment, sets,
props, and performers are safe. Andrew Habel, Florida regional director
at McLaren, recently headed up the adaptation of Cirques La Nouba
bamboo aerial act for an outdoor venue.

What are those dynamics? Its


very important to understand
the design intent and the artistic
intent of the show. How is the
piece being used? How fast are the
moves? You have to understand
how the performers are interacting
in the piece.
H A B E L : C O U R T E SY M C L A R E N E N G I N E E R I N G G R O U P ; VA R G A S : D A N D R E M I C H A E L

I L L U S T R AT I O N : S P E N C E R A L E X A N D E R ; A S H FO R D : Z H E N YA A N D TA N YA P O S T E R N A K

Why does Cirque work with


McLaren? Weve been working
with Cirque for almost 10 years.
McLaren has a specialty within
entertainment design. We understand strange structures; we know
how to understand a show. There
are specific dynamics to this.

How does the process start? Many


times, it varies. For [the bamboo
aerial act], it was an existing
show. The performers are Russian.
Theyve been doing this act for
years, and Cirque brought them in.
They said, We have this new act,
we want to review the show components for safety. We analyzed
the pieces and created drawings of
what they had and recommended
reinforcements. They had been
using these components in their
show in Russia for who knows
how longit wasnt unsafe, but

it wasnt up to our standards.


We had to be careful with the
modifications. If you go too far and
reinforce too heavily, it changes
the feel and that can throw the
performer off because theyre so
calibrated with that.
So theres a balance you have to hit.
There is definitely coordination

between the performers and the


client. There is attention paid to
what were doing: Is it a minor
thing or are we changing the look
of the show? If its changing the
look of the show, maybe we need
to go back and find a new solution.
Its very important to see how they
use the show so were not designing something that wont work.
Why do you like working with
artistic groups like Cirque? Theres
a lot of variety. Youre looking
at something different all the
time. Theres a wow factor. If you
designed a building, people would
be like, Oh, OK. But if you can
point to entertainment, you elicit
more of a response. Theres an
excitement because its a show
or an attraction, something they
went to see. Theres a buzz around
it, and to be part of that is a really
cool thing.

Andrew Habel

We get the industry. Many other firms would take a long time to get
caught up to speed; there are specific dynamics to this.
BACKSTAGE.COM

#IGOTCAST.
Rolando J. Vargas
By Casey Mink
Despite being
in and out
of auditions
for 25 years,
ROLANDO J.
VARGAS says
hes never had
one quite like
the audition
for the last project he booked
through Backstage: Nosferatu: A
Symphony in Terror.
The director, choreographer,
and producers wanted to see how I
brought physicality to various characters through dance, movement,
and direct expressionist acting
without any words or pantomime,
he explains. But Vargas must have
impressed the creative team; he
booked the gig and originated a role
onstage, a feat that was nothing
short of a dream come true.
Vargas is a devout Backstage
reader, and has been since 1994. I
still have a few old Backstage publications, circled and highlighted with
casting notices that I was interested
in from the mid-90s, he says.
As a working actor on both
coasts, Vargas believes Backstage
is one of the most useful resources
for any performer; it can provide a
needed jolt of positivity in a tough
business. There are lots of great,
legitimate casting opportunities to
take advantage of through Backstage, he says. Its an extremely
helpful resource for a proactive
actor like myself.

TO SEE YOUR SUCCESS


story in print, tweet @Backstage
using the hashtag #IGotCast.

11.17.16 backstage

15

NAOMIE HARRIS
IS GETTING
MAJOR AWARDS
BUZZ FOR HER
PERFORMANCE
IN BARRY JENKINS
MOONLIGHT.

THIS IS HOW
SHE DID IT
By Benjamin Lindsay | Photographed by Matt Doyle
16 backstage 11.17.16

BACKSTAGE.COM

BACKSTAGE.COM

11.17.16 backstage

17

18 backstage 11.17.16

C O U R T E SY A 2 4

I FEEL LIKE YOURE ALWAYS TRYING TO


escape yourself on some levelotherwise,
why would you choose acting? Why would
you choose to spend your days inhabiting
other souls? muses Naomie Harris over
a mid-Manhattan lunch. There must be
something about yourself that youre not quite
comfortable with.
With Harris, conversation quickly turns
reflective when discussing Barry Jenkins
acclaimed coming-of-age indie Moonlight,
in which she gives an awards-worthy turn
as Paula, a crack-addicted mother. While the
character appears at face value the antithesis
of Harrisa charismatic British beauty and prodigious on-camera talentshe admits that the
idea of escaping herself allowed her to connect
with the troubled woman in the first place.
I realized first and foremost that we are
all one step away from an addiction of some
kind, Harris says, citing addiction to drugs
and alcohol, to sex, or to work. We all battle
with our own demons and we all use our own
form of whatever it is to numb the pain in some
way. Paula is the same as all of us; she just
chooses crack.
It was a hard-won epiphany of character. When first approached with Jenkins
screenplay, based on Tarell Alvin McCraneys
autobiographical play In Moonlight Black Boys
Look Blue, Harris feared Paula may be too far
gone to save on the screen. She was afraid of
drawing her, a drug-addicted black woman living in Miamis inner city, as a stereotype.
I always said that I wanted to show positive
images of womenblack women in particularand so Id always drawn the line at playing
a crack addict, Harris explains. She changed
her mind after several long Skype calls with
Jenkins, who had a particularly personal
investment in Paulas arc.
The character was based on my experience
with my mom and Tarells experience with
his mom, Jenkins tells Backstage. When I
explained to Naomie what that was like and
how it affected my life, she saw a way into the
character that did not revolve around addiction
but revolved around the relationship between
this woman and her son, and the role that
addiction plays in creating a wedge in that
relationship.
I thought, Heres an opportunity to play an
addict in a completely different wayto show
the many layers and complexities of her, and
her deep humanity as well, Harris says. I like
projects that scare me like that.
Were lucky Harris was up for the challenge.
Despite having co-starred in major blockbuster
franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean and
James Bond, its Moonlight for which she
BACKSTAGE.COM

C O U R T E SY A 2 4

I THINK TO
PLAY THE
CHARACTER,
YOU HAVE TO
FALL IN LOVE
WITH THEM.

will likely be rememreal-life Winnie Mandela


bered. Alongside the
in Mandela: Long Walk
three incarnations of its
to Freedom, the witchy
main character, Chirona
soothsayer Tia Dalma
young boy (Alex Hibbert),
in two Pirates of the
a closeted teen (Ashton
Caribbean films, or the
Sanders), and a hardened
iconic Eve Moneypenny
drug dealer (Trevante
in Skyfall and
Rhodes)Harris shines
Spectre.
YOU HAVE TO DEEPLY
as the three-act films
I think to play the
constant. Her bone-deep
character, you have to
CONNECT AND
portrayal of a woman
fall in love with them,
SYMPATHIZE AND
descending into a cripHarris adds. You have
pling drug dependency,
to deeply connect
HAVE COMPASSION
then finding sobriety and
and sympathize and
FOR THEIR STORY.
trying to reconnect with
have compassion for
the son she lost along
their story.
the way, is broken yet sympathetic, brutal yet
It is a lesson in acting that has only proven
warm. Its a balancing act, fleshing out a repentruer with time. Harris, now 40, began working
tant mother who is, in Harris words, the same
at age 9 in her native U.K. on kids programs
as all of us.
including Simon and the Witch, Runaway
All of these expectations people have, I
Bay, and The Tomorrow People.
think Naomie in particular brings something
I always knew that I wanted to be an
else to it, Jenkins says. Theres a life beneath
actress, Harris says. I used to stand in
the haze of all this addiction. It was definitely
front of the mirror trying to make myself
the most terrifying aspect of making this film,
cry and all this stuff, imagining I was other
because its really easy to see the character of
people. Raised by a single mother, she was
a drug dealer or the character of a drug addict
enrolled in a local kids acting class. Im
and already get to the endwhat happens is
incredibly fortunate that I had a family who
the audience telling me who these characters
supported me in that. She went on to graduate
are rather than allowing myself and the actors
with a degree in social and political sciences
to show them who these characters are. The
from Pembroke College, Cambridge, and
thing that Im proudest of in the film is how
pursued postgraduate acting training at Bristol
much [the actors] show about these characters
Old Vic Theatre School.
that is unexpected.
Harris now recalls that interim period,
Such depth was forged in Paula, Harris says,
shifting from being a teen actor to focusing on
after tremendous amounts of research on crack
her studies, and experiencing a lull in work.
addictionlargely through interview clips
There were times when she was totally broke,
and documentaries found on YouTubeand
living at home, and thinking Im never, ever
a self-created backstory for her character.
going to make it in this profession, she says.
Moonlight is ultimately Chirons story, so it
But training and preparedness are what got
was up to Harris to hypothesize and internalize
her to where she is today: in demand with
the characteristics and circumstances that
Hollywoods top filmmakers.
make Paula who she is. What prompted this
Ive had it happen in my career now where
dramatic deterioration? What happened with
I get a call and theyre like, OK, we need you
Chirons father? Where are her parents? Who
to get on a plane tomorrow and meet a director
are her friends?
and they want you to have this accent, she
How I do it is I imagine I am in an interview
says. Working actors, she adds, should always
situationI imagine someone is asking me all
be ready for such opportunities. Until recently,
of these questions, and I answer them in the
I still went to acting classes at the Actors
voice of the character, Harris explains. As
Centre in London. Just stay as prepared as you
Im speaking, Im creating the narrative and
possibly can.
also somehow connecting with the character,
After her year of taking classes and living at
developing and playing with their mannerhome, Harris got the call for 28 Days Later,
isms, their voice, their physicality. Over time,
and the rest of her filmography continues to
they emerge.
speak for itself. With the right training and
Self-interviewing is a practice Harris undermindset, your call could be next.
takes for all of her roles, whether shes playing
an unlikely survivor in Danny Boyles 28 Days
Jumpsuit by Wai Ming, shoes by Christian Louboutin, coat by
Later (what she cites as her breakout role), the
Burberry.
BACKSTAGE.COM

THREE
ACTS
IN
THREE
DAYS

s if the content of Moonlight


wasnt challenging enough,
Harris was given only three
days to film the whole thing.
After flying in to Miami from a
press tour for Spectre, time was
of the essence in bringing Paula
to life. That meant inhabiting the
single mother in her early stages
of drug addiction, as a full-blown
addict comatose on the couch, and
as an aged, rehabilitated mother
sometimes all in the same day.
It was crazily short.... I really
didnt have time to think about it
and be scared, Harris says. Its
one of those situations where youre
just in it, youre in the thick of it,
and you just keep going, really. So
often people say this and its very
rarely true, but with Moonlight it
really is true: Every single person
on this is a beautiful soul and very
generous. I think it really helps that
the budget for the movie was really
small, so nobody was in it for the
money. Everyone was there for the
right reasons, and they were in a
place to be generous and giving and
supportive. It was such a supportive
environment. I was really lucky.
11.17.16 backstage

19

Kings and Queens


With hundreds of scripted shows at our fingertips, we break down why
the casts of these 20 TV series reigned supreme this season
By Backstage Staff

AMERICAN CRIME

ABC and showrunner John Ridley one-upped


themselves with the second 10-episode outing
of this anthological miniseries. With much of
the Season 1 ensemble returningincluding
standouts Timothy Hutton, Felicity Huffman,
and Regina King, along with newcomer Lili
Taylor, Season 2 explores racial and class tensions within an Indianapolis private school.
When a working-class male student (Connor
Jessup) accuses two championship basketball stars (Joey Pollari and Trevor Jackson)
of sexual assault after photos of the alleged
incident appear online, the school becomes a
hotbed of administrative cover-ups and false
accusations, and the battleground for one tenacious mothers pursuit of the truth. American
Crime succeeds in its sobering representation
of a faulted world we know so wellone which
the series reveals time and again cannot make
us complacent. Benjamin Lindsay

THE AMERICANS

FXs Cold War espionage drama finally got the


critical and audience reception it deserved this
year, with a handful of Emmy nominations
(including best drama series and acting nods
for stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys) and a
second win for guest actor Margo Martindale.
Season 4 opens just after the cliffhanger of
Paige (Holly Taylor) telling Pastor Tim (Kelly
AuCoin) that her parents are KGB spies, but
the series wisely takes its time playing out the
repercussions of her actions. Efforts to silence
Tim and his wife, Alice (Suzy Jane Hunt), are
further upended by the introduction of glanders, a disease caused by a deadly bacteria
filched from the Department of Defense. At
the center of it all, though, are the Jennings
and their struggle to be there for each other as
a family in the least likely and most trying of
situations. BL

DOWNTON ABBEY

Well miss the Crawleys, their household


staff, and the quiet yet riveting minidramas that played out so beautifully between
them. Julian Fellowes upstairs/downstairs import from England captured the

20 backstage 11.17.16

American imagination (and awards seasons)


in ways surely no one involved on the show
expected. Throughout it all, Hugh Bonneville,
Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura
Carmichael, Joanne Froggatt, Allen Leech,
and Brendan Coyleplus, of course, Maggie
Smith as the unforgettable Dowager Countess
of Granthamshowed admirable restraint in
their performances, never a discordant note in
the symphony of their collective storytelling.
In their final season, the Downton Abbey cast
proved alternately hilarious and heartbreaking,
bringing their beloved characters some of the
resolution they deserved. Jack Smart

FARGO

FX has been slowly but surely upping its


awards tally, and with series like Fargo
Noah Hawleys riff on Joel and Ethan Coens
Midwestern masterpieceits no wonder.
Season 2 blew us away, thanks in no small part
to its willingness to let every character wander
between eccentricity and nihilism as bitter
cold as a North Dakota winter. Kirsten Dunst,
Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons, Ted Danson,
Jean Smart, and breakthrough scene-stealer
Bokeem Woodbine understood their storys
distinctly offbeat voice, one that cant be found
anywhere else on television. Its a shame the
show is so violent; with each gruesome dispatching of a character, we resisted saying
goodbye to another superb actor. JS

GAME OF THRONES

With the White Walkers gaining momentum


just beyond the wall, the stakes of Game of
Thrones reached new heights in Season 6.
HBOs critical darling also boasted series-best
performances this round from 2016 supporting actor Emmy nominees Peter Dinklage, Kit
Harington, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, and
Maisie Williams. The women, in particular,
dominated; Arya Starks journey from blind
beggar under Jaqen Hghar (Tom Wlaschiha) to
eventually reclaiming her family name offered
the young Williams this seasons most richly
layered and emotionally engaging arc. Thats
not to say we didnt love Sansa (Sophie Turner)
enacting the sweetest revenge, or Cersei (the
masterful Headey) reclaiming something of her

own: a heartless and calculating badassery, and


the Iron Throne with it. Season 7 cant come
soon enough. BL

MR. ROBOT

Well be honest: writer-director-evil-genius


Sam Esmail couldnt keep all his plates spinning in the sophomore outing of USAs hit
hacker drama. The cinematography was still
utterly riveting, the suspense still superb, but
pacing and credibility issues plagued a plot
trying too hard to outdo its first installment.
Yet this makes the achievements of the Mr.
Robot cast all the more remarkable: having
mastered the shows distinct style, the actors
managed to keep enhancing it. A glance, a
twitch, the subtlest intake of breathfew other
TV ensembles say so much by doing so little.
Swept up in the brooding paranoia of Elliot
Aldersons parallel world, we need the human
yet flashy performances from Carly Chaikin,
Portia Doubleday, Christian Slater, Grace
Gummer, Craig Robinson, BD Wong, and, of
course, star Rami Malek to keep us focused and
hungry for more. JS

THE PEOPLE V. O.J. SIMPSON:


AMERICAN CRIME STORY

Although it was a competitive year for prestige


cable miniseries, few were surprised when
Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewskis
true-crime anthology dominated the Emmy
Awards. Every delight the FX show provided
felt doubled; audiences were reinvested in
O.J. Simpsons murder trial because the actors
played 1995 public figures not as homages,
but as living, breathing humans whose stories
resonated all too well in 2016. Individually,
Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance, Sterling K.
Brown, David Schwimmer, John Travolta, and
Cuba Gooding Jr. delivered career-best work;
together, the cast of People v. O.J. combined
both grounded realism and drama as heightened as it felt the first time the Trial of the
Century took over our screens two decades
ago. JS

QUEEN SUGAR

Ava DuVernay portrays a grab bag of big themes


for her first foray into television, a completely
BACKSTAGE.COM

S T R A N G E R T H I N G S : C O U R T E SY N E T F L I X ; G A M E O F T H R O N E S : H E L E N S L OA N / H B O ; AT L A N TA: Q UA N T R E L L C O L B E R T/ F X

DRAMA

Game of Thrones

S T R A N G E R T H I N G S : C O U R T E SY N E T F L I X ; G A M E O F T H R O N E S : H E L E N S L OA N / H B O ; AT L A N TA: Q UA N T R E L L C O L B E R T/ F X

Atlanta

Stranger Things
female-directed, 13-episode order on Oprah
Winfreys OWN. Centered on Nova Bordelon
(Rutina Wesley), a journalist who unexpectedly inherits her familys sugar cane farm,
its a story of love and sacrifice under the
Louisiana sun. After the death of their father,
Nova and her estranged siblings, ex-con Ralph
Angel (Kofi Siriboe) and basketball player wife
Charley (Dawn-Lyen Gardner), reunite on their
homestead. Its not long before tensions flare,
giving the ensemble meaty material to work
with each episode. Queen Sugar dips into
the ripple effects of infidelity, drug addiction,
and poverty with supporting help from Bianca
Lawson, Dondre Whitfield, Nicholas L. Ashe,
Tina Lifford, and Omar J. Dorsey. Already
renewed for a second season, were intrigued
to see where the Bordelon familys story goes
next. Briana Rodriguez

STRANGER THINGS

Its safe to say no new streaming series received


as much buzz this year as Netflixs Stranger
Things. And its nostalgia factor and Winona
Ryder headline credit werent the only elements this 80s-set show had going for it. Child
actors Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, and
Caleb McLaughlin deliver star-making performances as a group of friends who stumble
across a young girl (the ineffable Millie Bobby
BACKSTAGE.COM

Brown), the telekinetically charged runaway


from a creepy government experiment. Factor
in David Harbour as a hardened sheriff with
something to prove, Natalie Dyer, Charlie
Heaton, Joe Keery, Shannon Purser, and, of
course, Ryder (snatching the title for Badass
Mom of the Year), and its clear the Duffer
brothers know how to pick a cast. BR

THIS IS US

One of network televisions most highly anticipated new series of the fall, This Is Us lives
up to the hype. Starring The People v. O.J.
Simpson Emmy winner Sterling K. Brown,
Milo Ventimiglia, Chrissy Metz, Chris Sullivan,
Jon Huertas, Justin Hartley, and Mandy Moore,
the NBC series follows a group of people who
all share the same birthday, and decide, upon
turning 36, to make big life changesfrom an
overweight woman choosing to get into shape
to a man seeking out his estranged biological
father. The show follows a nonlinear structure
that allows minute, seemingly insignificant
moments to set up walloping emotional
punches. Just how powerful they turn out to be
is a testament to the skills of the sprawling but
united This Is Us cast. BR

COMEDY
ATLANTA

If FX prides itself on creating fearless content,


the network should consider Atlanta its pride
and joy. From the mind of actor-musicianshowrunner Donald Glover, the series follows
rapper Alfred Paper Boi Miles (Brian Tyree
Henry) of the Peach States capital city after one
of his singles unexpectedly takes off. Glover
plays his cousin Earn, a down-on-his-luck
Princeton dropout and father trying to weasel his way into managing Paper Bois music

career, which presents itself like a get-out-ofpoverty-free card. With crisp, languid scripts
that are unafraid to take their time in portraying a distinct and unexpected slice of lifeplus
an assortment of supporting roles (as Glovers
girlfriend and mother of his child, Zazie Beetz
walks away with one of the series most affecting episodes)Atlanta not only marks the
arrival of an exciting new creative voice in
Glover, but one of the best ensemble comedies
on TV. BL

BLACK-ISH

Few TV series are sillier than Kenya Barris


Black-ish. After all, its second season
included Anthony Andersons Dre shrieking
as he tried and failed to prove he could swim,
Tracee Ellis Ross Bow botching a school auction, the kids beating up their cousins in slow
motion, and, of course, a Good Timesesque
flashback complete with laugh track. But even
when putting its spin on tried-and-true sitcom
tropes, throughout it all the hit ABC comedy
features the most tightly knit family on the
small screen. The Johnsons may be goofy, or
even chaotic, but no more or less so than any
other American family trying to make it work in
the 21st century; Anderson, Ross, and the other
actors portraying them are clearly a loving family, too. JS

BOBS BURGERS

Though it was once an arena dominated by the


Norman Lears of the world, would you believe
that TVs best family sitcom is a Fox cartoon?
Now in its seventh season, Bobs Burgers has
established itself as an animated series with
the staying power of only The Simpsons
and Family Guy before it. Loren Bouchards
greatest skill is his ability to ground the shows
11.17.16 backstage

21

humor in heart without losing its silliness and


wit. And as the creator told us in September,
this cast of voice actors is irreproducible. H.
Jon Benjamin as Bob, John Roberts as Linda,
Dan Mintz as Tina, Eugene Mirman as Gene,
and Kristen Schaal as Louise have such an
apparent skill and devotion to what they do
that the series can truly be unhinged and fearless in its scripts. Were fortunate enough to be
along for the ride. BL

HIGH MAINTENANCE

For anyone who had reservations about this


award-winning web series move over to HBO,
you can relax! Hitting the network big time
hasnt done a thing to dull the sharp-tongued
wit of the shows writers, nor has the rotating
cast shied away from the all-too-often underexplored elements (gender-bending, religious
defiance, frenemy dynamics, full-frontal male
nudity) that made the show so refreshing.
Actor Ben Sinclair and casting director Katja
Blichfeld, the shows co-creators, have continued to bring audiences stories that manage to
both represent quintessential New York and
maintain a universal appeal grounded in our
desire to connect to one another. Its a beautiful
balance we cant wait to see more of. BR

JANE THE VIRGIN

Weve come so far since Jane Villanueva was


accidentally artificially inseminated on her
gynecologists examination table. Two seasons,
a Golden Globe win, and a baby later, and Jane
The Virgin is still going strong as it enters its
third installment. The series ensemble membersled by Gina Rodriguez and including her
onscreen husband, Brett Dier, babydaddy
Justin Baldoni, Jaime Camil, Yael Grobglas,
Andrea Navedo, and Ivonne Collhave demonstrated their ability to move seamlessly as a
unit while retaining each characters standalone
appeal. From Grobglas double duty as twin
sisters Petra and Anezka to Camils unwavering

22 backstage 11.17.16

Superstore

High Maintenance
commitment to the endearing caricature that
is Janes father, Rogelio De La Vega, and, of
course, Rodriguez as the titular virgin with your
heartstrings wrapped around her fingers, Jane
The Virgin remains a pure delight. BR

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

In order to pass the Bechdel test, developed


by cartoonist Alison Bechdel, a film or show
must include at least two women who talk to
each other about something other than a man.
Does Orange Is the New Black, Jenji Kohans
juggernaut of a Netflix series, qualify? Girl,
pleaseits passed with flying colors for four
seasons. The actors portraying the complicated
inmates at Litchfield womens prison were in
top form in 2016, returning to the honest and
compelling storylines that sometimes felt missing from Season 3. The dramedys deep bench
of eclectic jailbirds gave its central questiondo
actions or moral character determine criminality?unexpected layers of depth both quirky
and brutal, particularly in a shattering season
finale from which were still recovering. JS

THE REAL ONEALS

The ONeals have a lot working against them.


Since an opening episode in which all of their
deepest secrets were laid bare to their Chicago
Catholic community, theyve had to reconcile
inner truths with what is expected of them.
This remains particularly true for the children, Kenny (Noah Galvin), Jimmy (Matthew
Shively), and Shannon (Bebe Wood), who
have to answer to overbearing mother Eileen
(Martha Plimpton), all while she deals with
divorcing their father, Pat (Jay R. Ferguson).
Yet despite each kids differenceswhat family cant relate?they know they have to stick
together. The cast of The Real ONeals does
the same in their performances, sharing the

laughs while proving that chaos can lead to


closeness. JS

SUPERSTORE

In all honesty, the success of Superstore was a


bit of a surprise. The pilot was rough, but going
into Season 2, the NBC series has figured out
what its sellingand were buying. Set in the
retail hell of the Walmart-esque Cloud 9, audiences get a peek into the employee break room,
where the staffs idiosyncrasies shine brightest.
Starring America Ferrera as Amy, Ben Feldman
as her workplace crush Jonah, Lauren Ash as
the overbearing head of loss prevention Dina,
plus Nico Santos, Nichole Bloom, Colton Dunn,
Kaliko Kauahi, and Mark McKinney as the rest
of the Cloud 9 staff, the show is a testament not
only to how far ahead of the curve television
continues to be on the inclusion front, but how
some series can still prove you wrong. BR

TRANSPARENT

The Pfefferman kids of Transparent Season


3 continue to be emotionally adrift narcissists, but that doesnt mean the performances
from Amy Landecker, Gaby Hoffmann, and Jay
Duplass get any weaker. Same goes for Jeffrey
Tambors lauded take on their transgender
mother, Maura. But it seems to us this season
belonged to the one and only Judith Light and
her Shelly. For two seasons she has borne witness to her ex-husband reclaiming his identity
as a trans woman and her three children grappling with their own sexual identities, but she
herself has always been most comfortable in
the service of others. Season 3 saw her begin
to break down those self-imposed limits, call
it like she sees it, and live for herself. To Shell
and Back is one of the series most emotionally
gratifying moments to dateand on a series like
Transparent, thats saying a lot. BL
BACKSTAGE.COM

H I G H M A I N T E N A N C E : DAV I D R U S S E L L / H B O ; S U P E R S T O R E : K E L S E Y M C N E A L / N B C

Comedic performances dont get much greater


than Laurie Metcalf as director of medicine Dr.
Jenna James on HBOs acclaimed (and dearly
departed) workplace comedy Getting On.
Set in the extended-care medical ward of a
hapless Long Beach, California, hospital, the
series tracked the humdrum day-to-day of Dr.
James and her three-person nursing staff caring for the wards aging clientele. Metcalf took
a character who was by all accounts ruthlessly
self-centered and socially inept and managed
to make us care, playing her as a walking tragedy and a victim of circumstance. Co-stars Alex
Borstein, Mel Rodriguez, and especially Niecy
Nash met her mark for mark, and together, they
ended the series on a high note. BL

T H E B I R T H O F A N AT I O N : C O U R T E SY FOX S E A R C H L I G H T; 2 0 T H C E N T U R Y W O M E N : C O U R T E SY A 2 4 ; B I L LY LY N N S L O N G H A L F T I M E WA L K : M A R Y CY B U L S K I / S O N Y

GETTING ON

T H E B I R T H O F A N AT I O N : C O U R T E SY FOX S E A R C H L I G H T; 2 0 T H C E N T U R Y W O M E N : C O U R T E SY A 2 4 ; B I L LY LY N N S L O N G H A L F T I M E WA L K : M A R Y CY B U L S K I / S O N Y

H I G H M A I N T E N A N C E : DAV I D R U S S E L L / H B O ; S U P E R S T O R E : K E L S E Y M C N E A L / N B C

Billy Lynns Long


Halftime Walk

20th Century Women

The Birth of a Nation

Big Screens,
Big Ensembles
Some of the years biggest studio and indie films featured the most tightly knit casts. These 12 rose above the rest!
By Backstage Staff

STUDIO FEATURES

BILLY LYNNS LONG HALFTIME WALK

Although watching two-time Academy Award


winner Ang Lees latest feature takes some
getting used to, theres no denying youre witnessing a director and an ensemble of actors
(led by newcomer Joe Alwyn as Billy Lynn) at
the height of their powers. Shot in incredibly
high resolution at 120 frames per second and
screened in 3-D, the final product has gotten
mixed reviews, with some saying its too hyperreal to be an enjoyable filmgoing experience.
But when processed with an open mind, the
film proves absolutely transporting. So, too, is
the acting.
Garrett Hedlund (Unbroken) said in a
recent interview that Lee directed them to not
act, but just beanything less in such high
resolution would appear stilted and contrived.
The ensemble was up for the challenge, and
Hedlund is a particular standout for his work
as the gruff, dry-humored Sgt. David Dime,
leader of the Bravo Company squad thats now
being touted as a group of military heroes. (The
bulk of the film takes place while the group
is on a promotional tour and appearing in a
Thanksgiving Day football halftime show with
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Destinys Child.) Steve Martin plays a football


teams slimy owner and Kristen Stewart reps
the home Billy leaves behind as his pacifist
sister. Together, the characters frame who Billy
is and where hes going, in ways both touching
and profound. Benjamin Lindsay

THE BIRTH OF A NATION

As the first Hollywood film depicting a successful slave rebellion, the stakes were already
high for actor Nate Parkers feature-length
directorial debut. But the Sundance hit relies
as heavily on its writer, director, producer,
and star as it does on the rest of its brilliant
ensemble cast. Set in the antebellum South,
The Birth of a Nation follows Nat Turner,
a preacher whose organized revolt led to the
death of dozens of slave owners in 1831. A slow
burn that stokes the coals of dissent, the film
ends with a fiery and well-deserved release.
Starring Aja Naomi King as Nats wife, Armie
Hammer as his slave master, and Colman
Domingo as his right-hand man in the rebellion, plus supporting turns from Jackie Earle
Haley, Penelope Ann Miller, Aunjanue Ellis,
Mark Boone Jr., Roger Guenveur Smith, and
Gabrielle Union, Birth provides no clear

villains, instead delivering nuanced portraits of


classic arcs. Regardless of this awards seasons
outcome, this groups deeply felt performances
are feats unto themselves. Briana Rodriguez

FENCES

Largely considered August Wilsons greatest masterpiece, Fences demands an even


higher level of emotional intensity and actorly
commitment than his other plays. The story
of Troy Maxson and his family living in their
1957 Pittsburgh apartment encompasses both
intimate specificity and a broad view of the
African-American experience. Led by director
and star Denzel Washington, the cast of this
screen adaptation rises to the occasion and
then some, elevating each other to some of the
greatest on-camera acting this season.
Having played Troy and Rose (and having
each won Tony Awards for it) on Broadway,
Washington and Viola Davis give fully inhabited performances, both riveting and real. They
know their characters backward and forward,
making it difficult to imagine anyone else in
such iconic parts. But their work is bolstered
by an equally adept supporting cast: Stephen
McKinley Henderson as Troys loyal friend
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23

supportive parents, J.K. Simmons as a pompous lion mayor, and the particularly wonderful
Jenny Slate as his timid sheep assistant. Dont
discount the talking-animals flick: Zootopia
boasts real substance, thanks mostly to its
voiceover talent. JS

INDEPENDENT FEATURES

20TH CENTURY WOMEN

HACKSAW RIDGE

Hacksaw Ridge is a real-life superhero movie


that comes spandex-free. Andrew Garfield stars
as Desmond T. Doss, an unsung World War II
hero and the first-ever conscientious objector
to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Without so
much as touching a rifle due to his devoutly
pacifist religious beliefs, Doss saved dozens
of his injured comrades on the films titular
Japanese battlefield.
The feature has received enthusiastic receptions thus far and will surely be cited as a
comeback of sorts for the long-shunned Mel
Gibson, who hasnt made a movie since 2006s
Apocalypto and a series of public faux pas.
Unsparing in its depiction of violence and loss,
Gibsons film boasts an especially gripping
performance from comedic actor Vince Vaughn,
and is buoyed by Garfield and his inspiring
Doss. The Social Network star leverages the
storys brutality with Doss unyielding devotion
to God and his wartime brothers, and gives this
little-known man the Hollywood treatment he
has long deserved. BL

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS

Weaving emotional performances to complement one another is an art, but doing so


successfully when the actors rarely share the
screen is a rarity that deserves a special sort of
recognition. Tom Fords Nocturnal Animals is
one such example. At the films center sit Susan

24 backstage 11.17.16

and Edward (Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal),


a divorced couple brought back together by
the titular violent novel Edward has penned
and dedicated to his ex-wife. Years after Susan
broke his heart, the revenge tale hes written
unpacks itself like a Russian nesting doll, making for a cinematic experience as gripping as it
is gorgeous. Part flashback cuts, part visualization of the books pages, Nocturnal Animals
will leave audiences tossing and turning.
Alongside Gyllenhaal and antagonist Aaron
Taylor-Johnson, the ever-fascinating Michael
Shannon, here starring as a sheriff hell-bent on
justice, cracks each terrifying layer open with
relish. The tragic Isla Fisher, Armie Hammer,
Laura Linney, and Michael Sheen provide
supporting help for a fully fleshed-out world
populated with salt-of-the-Earth folks and the
devils who give them work. BR

ZOOTOPIA

Technically more of a menagerie than an


ensemble, the cast of Zootopia deserves
credit for turning yet another feel-good animated movie about talking animals into one of
the most insightfully relevant, yet accessible,
stories of the year. Centered on the buddy-cop
adventures of Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin),
a rabbit, and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a fox,
the Disney film took critics and audiences by
surprise with its sure-footed treatment of social
stereotypes and discriminationnot to mention
a hilariously spot-on depiction of bureaucracy
at a DMV run by sloths.
Goodwin leads the way with Judy, whose
earnestness could come off sickly sweet in the
hands of a lesser voice actor. She and Bateman
have the ever-shifting dynamics of their
characters down; close your eyes, and youll
hear an interplay between them as nuanced
as it is warm. Rounding out the ensemble are
Idris Elba as a buffalo police chief with a soft
spot, Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake as Judys

ALWAYS SHINE

Sophia Takals sophomore directorial effort


stands as one of the years most compelling
indie thrillers, and will hit close to home for
any actor whos looked on as a friends career
moves forward. Fueled by a toxic rivalry,
Always Shine is a spiraling descent into
passive-aggressive exchanges that eventually
implodewith gorgeous performances
throughout. Starring Mackenzie Davis
(Halt and Catch Fire) as the unladylike
agitator Anna, desperate for a role, and Caitlin
FitzGerald (Masters of Sex) as Beth, the
budding slasher film ingenue, this metaTinseltown mindfuck takes place over a
weekend in Big Sur where the two estranged
best friends are attempting to catch up.
Tensions rise and competitive edges sharpen
as the trip has the women vying for the same
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2 0 1 6 D I S N E Y. A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D.

Bono, Jovan Adepo and Russell Hornsby as


Troys frustrated sons, and Mykelti Williamson
as his angelic brother Gabriel. Other than a
last, spectacularly divine moment, Fences
anchors each interaction in real, unabashed
humanity, the cast unleashing wave after wave
of emotional nuance, like a growing tempest of
master classlevel acting. Its a group dynamic
that belongs in the pantheon of truly great film
performances. Jack Smart

MARK ROGERS

Hacksaw Ridge

Just like the youth it so beautifully depicts,


20th Century Women defies convention.
Writer-director Mike Mills (Beginners) creates feelings and moments, and in turn, he and
his cast conjure a film thats as much about
nothing as it is about everything.
Set in the summer of 1979, 20th Century
Women features the fictional Dorothea Fields
as its hero. Played by a never-better Annette
Bening, the role seems destined for awards
attention. Shes a Great Depression baby, now
a single mother in her 50s with a young teenage son, Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann). But she
doesnt know how to raise him in the modern
world, one that is so different from when
she was a teen. So while hes listening to the
Talking Heads and doting on his lifelong friend
and neighbor Julie (Elle Fanning), shes smoking like a chimney and perpetually remodeling
her 19th-century home, hoping Julie and her
tenant, Abbie (Greta Gerwig), can help lead him
to manhood.
While these characters are all rightfully
compelling in their realistic day-to-day, its
how they react to external social expectations
and their nations shifting political climate that
really packs the emotional punch. As homages to the women in Mills own life growing
up, Bening, Fanning, and Gerwig are simply
astounding, bringing intention and wisdom
to characters who on the surface seem out of
place and lost. Theyll have you feeling right at
home. BL

Zootopia
thingsfrom acting roles to men.
A collection of players, including Lawrence
Michael Levine, Khan Baykal, Alexander
Koch, and Michael Lowry, drift in and out
of their days, providing points of contention
for the women. But the films standout scene
sees Anna and Beth going over lines together
for a lackluster horror flick Beth has booked.
Accusing her of being weak in her read, Anna
shows her exactly how she would play the part.
Suddenly, the scripts fictional fury is lifted
off the page and focused on Beth, making for
an electric interaction that solidifies both the
characters talent and Davis and FitzGeralds
careers. BR

2 0 1 6 D I S N E Y. A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D.

MARK ROGERS

DONT THINK TWICE

One of the years breakaway indies, Mike


Birbiglias Dont Think Twice and its critical
success came as a surprise to everyone outside
the project itself. Depicting the lives of six
improv artists scraping by in the competitive
world of comedy, the film works because of
its casts degree of separation from the story
theyre telling; each actor in the movie has
clearly experienced the joy and struggle of forging a career in improvisation.
But the other reason Dont Think Twice
successfully fires on all cylinders comes
down to many of the rules of the sketches
depicted in it. A great improv team listens
and responds to each other as a singular unit,
breathing together. When one actor begins a
thought, another finishes it, then another riffs
on it, and on and on. Group-based comedy is
artistic collaboration at its most immediate,
and its exactly what Keegan-Michael Key,
Gillian Jacobs, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard,
Tami Sagher, and Birbiglia accomplish
here. In sequences that capture their group
dynamicdriving home from visiting Gethards
characters sick father, for example (a bittersweet and uproarious scene)the six actors gel
like no other ensemble this year. They dont
just need each other as actors; often, theyre so
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seamless its like theyre all extensions of one


person. JS

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

When it comes to telling a regionally specific


story, a casts main challenge is to get the voice
correctboth literally and figuratively. One
New England accent out of place in Kenneth
Lonergans Manchester by the Sea, a film
made in and about the titular Massachusetts
town, and audiences will call foul. But more
importantly, this searing drama is about a
family; all the usual rules apply in terms of
assuring every actor is on the same page.
Casey Affleck and Kyle Chandler cant just
look and sound like brothers as Lee and Joe
Chandler, respectively. They have to share that
intangible quality that makes them feel like
brothers. Lucas Hedges, who plays Joes son
Patrick, must not only pronounce his vowels
the same way, he must fit in seamlessly with
this storys family. All three actors capture the
energy of their fishing town in distinct ways,
and you cant help but feel that off-camera,
Hedges must have grown up under Affleck
and Chandlers wing. Lonergan also cast the
superb Michelle Williams and Gretchen Mol as
the mens erstwhile wives; both women hint at
complex and specific lives in only a handful of
scenes. Together, this broken family is at once
specific to their surroundings and, in fleeting
moments of gorgeous honesty, universal. JS

OTHER PEOPLE

Bring the tissues for Saturday Night Live


head writer Chris Kellys directorial feature
debut. Molly Shannon deserves the attention her devastating performance as a jovial
mother dying of cancer has received, but wed
be remiss not to pay homage to the rest of this
stellar ensemble.
Jesse Plemons stars as David, a gay,
20-something comedy writer living in New
York City whos forced to move home to care
for his mother, Joanne (Shannon), in her final

months. His small-town homecoming forces


David to reconnect with his two sisters and
estranged father, Norman (Bradley Whitford),
who never really came to terms with his
sons sexuality. Also in the mix are long-lost
high school friends and flings, including a
memorable John Early as a hometown voice
of wisdom. But Other People is truly about
the interplay and bond between a mother and
son, the latter of whom must say goodbye to his
lifelong rock.
The film opens on Joannes death, and from
there rewinds to highlights from their last
weeks together, including a trip to New York
to see David at work. The players behind these
characters bring a gravitas and unfettered
sincerity to the fragile matters at hand.
Though the film risks falling into saccharine
melodrama, Kelly, Shannon, and Plemons avoid
the clichs and work wonders together. BL

THE WITCH

If this film is anything to go by, the horror


and thriller genres are playing host to some
of the years best performances. Breakout star
Anya Taylor-Joy leads this dark 1630s tale as
a teenage girl who finds her younger siblings
and Puritan parentsplayed with devastating brilliance by Ralph Ineson (Guardians
of the Galaxy) and Kate Dickie (Game of
Thrones)pitted against her after the familys youngest child goes missing at the edge of
the wilderness. Production designer-turnedhelmer Robert Eggers, in his directorial
debut, unearths a gem of a film that delivers
both on the visual and narrative fronts; its a
stripped-down horror that forsakes easy jumpscares and gore to instead gnaw at our basest
instincts. As it draws to a close and the forests
sinister forces begin to reveal themselves, our
characters descend deeper into hysteria, and
the true breadth of the story and these actors
talents bubble to the surface for a superb,
ensemble-driven folktale that chills to the
bone. BR
11.17.16 backstage

25

PLAYS

MUSICALS

FILM

TV & VIDEO

COMMERCIAL

MODELING

VARIETY

VOICEOVER

GIGS

EVENTS

PLAYS

CASTING
SUBMIT A NOTICE |

NEW YORK
TRISTATE
PLAYS
I Now Pronounce

Casting I Now Pronounce by Tasha


Gordon-Solomon.
Company: Actors Theatre of
Louisville. Staff: Stephen Brackett, dir.;
Les Waters, artistic dir.; Calleri Casting,
casting.
Runs Mar. 1-Apr. 9 in Louisville, KY.
Note: Actors would be asked to attend a
paid workshop of the production in
NYC planned for a four-day span in
January 2017.
SeekingRabbi & Mrs. Goodman:
males & females, 18+, all ethnicities.
Eva: female, 20-37, all ethnicities.
Michelle: female, 20-39, all ethnicities.
Nicole: female, 20-39, all ethnicities.
Seth: male, 20-36, all ethnicities. Dave:
male, 20-36, all ethnicities. Adam:
male, 20-36, all ethnicities.
Auditions will be held by appt. Dec. 8
and Dec. 9 in NYC.
For consideration, mail picture and
resume to Calleri Casting, 39 West 14th
St., #504, Attn: ATL/I Now Pronounce,
New York, NY 10011. Submissions deadline is Nov. 28. Seeking submissions
from AEA members. AEA members
must submit themselves directly in
order to be considered via this posting
(no agent or third-party submissions).
Note: A sense of comic timing and ability to navigate heightened language are
important for all of the characters.
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity encourages performers
of all ethnicities, gender identities, and
ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to submit.
Pays $650/wk. Equity LORT D Non-Rep
Contract.

Other Than Honorable

Casting the world premiere of Other


Than Honorable, a play by Jamie
Pachino.
Company: Geva Theatre Center. Staff:
Mark Cuddy, artistic dir.; Kimberly

26 backstage 11.17.16

SUBMIT YOUR CALLS FOR CAST AND CREW: Visit backstage.com/findtalent and click on Post a Notice.
Include all relevant project requirements, including any pay, fees, dues, costs, required ticket sales or nudity.
Senior, dir.; Elissa Myers Casting, casting office; Paul Fouquet, casting dir.;
Karie Koppel, casting assoc.
Rehearsals begin Mar. 28, 2017; previews begin Apr. 25; runs Apr. 29-May
21 in Rochester, NY.
SeekingGrace Rattigan: female,
27-33, Caucasian, Hispanic. Brenda
Kurtz: female, 33-37, all ethnicities.
PFC Lydia Walsh: female, 20-24,
African American, African Descent.
Hector Nunez: male, 30-34, Hispanic.
Alvina Croft: female, 50-63, all ethnicities. Gideon Kane: male, 45-49,
Caucasian. Billy Rattigan: male, 34-37,
all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from NY.
NYC auditions to be held Dec. 7-9 by
appointment only. For consideration,
mail or messenger pix & resume to
Elissa Myers Casting; 250 W. 54th St.;
10th fl.; ATTN: Other Than Honorable,
Role of, New York, NY, 10019. Mark submissions: Other Than Honorable
[Role]/NYC Appointment Equity
Submission. Submissions deadline is
Nov. 21. Seeking submissions from
Equity members. Equity members must
submit themselves directly in order to
be considered via this posting (no agent
or third-party submissions).
Pays: $861/wk. Equity LORT B Non-Rep
Contract.

Petticoats of Steel & They


Built America, TYA Tours

Casting Equity actors and actor/singer/


musicians for Petticoats of Steel, by
Carolyn Anderson & Jill RaffertyWeinisch (reh. Jan. 12, 2017; tours Jan.
30-Mar. 3, 2017) and They Built
America, by Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill
(reh. Mar. 2, 2017; tours Mar. 20-Apr. 13,
2017).
Company: Capital Repertory Theatre.
Staff: Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, prod.
artistic dir.; Philip Morris, chief administrative officer; Stephanie Klapper, NY
casting dir.; Margaret E. Hall, dir.
(Petticoats of Steel).
Tours schools and environments
throughout the Capital Region in
Albany, NY.
SeekingFemale 1 - Petticoats of
Steel: female, 20-39, all ethnicities,
physically adept actor who will portray
a variety of characters both male and
female including Sojourner Truth,
Lucretia Mott, and Hartiet Tubman.
Female 2 - Petticoats of Steel: female,
20-39, all ethnicities, physically adept
actor who will portray a variety of characters both male and female including

CASTING PICKS
OF THE WEEK
BY M I C H A E L C O U G H L I N
musicals
Chicago, Bway
Possible future principal
replacements sought in the
currently running production
film
Black Panther
Lupita Nyongo stars in the
upcoming Marvel Studios
feature seeking AfricanAmerican kids in Atlanta
musicals
Avenue Q
A group of 20-something puppets
make their way in the big city Off
Broadway at New World Stages
film
Jumanji
Sony Pictures Entertainment
is casting the feature starring
Dwayne The Rock Johnson,
Kevin Hart, and Jack Black
musicals
The Last Five Years
Jason Robert Browns semiautobiographical masterwork
runs early 2017 in SoCal
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Clara
Barton. Male 1 and 2 - They Built
America: male, 20-49, all ethnicities,
two physically adept actor/musicians
who will portray a variety of characters
ie: Politicians, Immigrant Workers,
Canal Engineers, etc. Good with
accents (Irish, German, Italian and
Norwegian), and can play the guitar,
banjo, or fiddle (violin). Harmonica and
melodica players a plus. Female 1 and 2
- They Built America: female, 20-49,
all ethnicities, two physically adept

actor/musicians to portray a variety of


characters, both male and female, ie:
Politicians, Immigrant Workers, Canal
Engineers, etc. Good with accents
(Irish, English, German, Italian and
Norwegian), and can play guitar, banjo,
or fiddle (violin). Hand-drum a plus.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Nov. 30 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (lunch,
1:30-2 p.m.) at Capital Repertory
Theatre, 111 N Pearl St., Albany, NY,
12207. An Equity Monitor will not be
provided. The producer will run all
aspects of this audition.
Equity members do not need an
appointment, but if you prefer one, call
Charlie Owens at (518) 462-4531 x403 or
email cowens@capitalrep.org. EMCs:
Send headshot and resume to casting@
capitalrep.org marked: Local EPAs.
EMCs/Non-professional actors appropriate for roles will be contacted.
Versatile acting skills needed to play
multiple roles. Actors of all ethnicities
are encouraged to audition. Actors will
read from sides, provided on request
when making an appointment or at the
theater on the day of. For They Built
America: Prepare Oh! That Low
Bridge or Fifteen Miles on the Erie
Canal. Lead sheets available and provided upon request when making an
appointment, or available at the theater. If you are a musician, be prepared
to play/accompany yourself while singing either song. Lead sheets provided
upon request when making an appointment, or at the theatre. Bring picture
and resume. Equitys contracts prohibit
discrimination. Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers
with disabilities, to attend every
audition.
Pays $489 Equity TYA Touring Season
Contract.

Private Lives

Casting Noel Cowards Private Lives.


Company: Geva Theatre Center. Staff:
Mark Cuddy, artistic dir.-dir.; Paul
Fouquet (Elissa Myers Casting), casting
dir.; Karie Koppel (Elissa Myers
Casting), casting assoc.
Rehearsals begin Feb. 21, 2017; runs
Mar. 21-Apr. 16, 2017 in Rochester, NY.
SeekingAmanda: female, 30-46, all
ethnicities. Elyot: male, 32-45, all ethnicities. Victor: male, 40-55, all ethnicities. Sibyl: female, 20-35, all
ethnicities.
Auditions will be held by appt. Dec. 1,
Dec. 2 and Dec. 5 in NYC.
BACKSTAGE.COM

NEW YORK TRISTATE casting

Samara

Casting Samara, by Richard


Maxwell.
Company: Soho Repertory
Theater. Staff: Sarah Benson, dir.;
Steve Earle, original music.
Rehearsals begin Mar. 6, 2017; tech
begins Mar. 28; runs Apr. 4-May 7,
2017 with a possible extension
through May 28 in New York.
SeekingBeast: male, 20-49, all
ethnicities. Messenger: male, 18+,
all ethnicities. Manan Understudy:
30-49, all ethnicities. Black Agnes
Understudy: female, 60-89, all ethnicities. Drunk Understudy: 50-69,
all ethnicities. Supervisor
Understudy: 50-79, all ethnicities.
Cowboy: male, 20-39, all ethnicities. Steve Earle Understudy: male,
18+, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be
held Nov. 29 from 9:30 a.m.-5:30
p.m. (lunch, 1-2 p.m.) at Actors
Equity Association NYC Audition
Center, 165 West 46th St., 16th fl.,
NYC, 10036. EPA Rules are in effect.
A monitor will be provided.
Prepare a contemporary monologue under two minutes. Bring
picture and resume.
Equity encourages performers of
all ethnicities, gender identities,
and ages, as well as performers
with disabilities, to attend every
audition.
Pays $440/wk. Equity LOA-NYC
Contract.

Seven Spots on the Sun

Seeking Equity actors for eight


roles in Seven Spots on the Sun,
in collaboration with The Sol
Project.
Company: Rattlestick Playwrights
Theatre. Staff: Daniella Topol
(Rattlestick Playwrights Theater),
artistic dir.; Jacob Padrn, artistic
dir. and founder of The Sol Project.
Rehearsals begin Mar. 27, 2017;
first preview begins Apr. 26; opens
May 10; closes June 4 in NYC.
SeekingMoiss: 40-47, all ethnicities. Beln: 34-47, all ethnicities.
Eugenio: 40-69, all ethnicities.
Mnica: 24-29, all ethnicities. Luis:
25-34, all ethnicities. The Town A:
18+, all ethnicities. The Town B:
18+, all ethnicities. The Town C:
18+, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be
held Nov. 30 from 9:30 a.m.-5:30
p.m. (lunch 1-2 p.m.) at Actors
Equity New York Audition Center,
BACKSTAGE.COM

165 W. 46th St., 16th Fl., NYC,


10036. EPA Procedures are in effect
for this audition. An Equity Monitor
will be provided.
Prepare a contemporary monologue under two minutes. Bring pix
& resumes, stapled together. For
more info, visit www.rattlestick.
org.
Pays: $400/wk. Equity LOA-NYC.

NOW
NOWINTERVIEWING
INTERVIEWING
PLAYS

For consideration, mail or messenger picture and resume to: Elissa


Myers Casting, Attn.: Private Lives,
Role of _________, 250 W. 54th St.,
10th fl., New York, NY 10019.
Submissions deadline is Nov. 21.
Note: Equity Members must submit themselves directly in order to
be considered via this posting (no
agent or third- party submissions).
Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and
ages, as well as performers with
disabilities, to submit.
Pays $861/wk. Equity LORT B NonRep Contract.

FOR
JANUARY
CLASSES
FORALL
6-WEEK
SUMMER
INTENSIVE
CALL
NOW
| 212.904.1350
CALL
NOW
| 212.904.1350
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WWW.ESPERSTUDIO.COM

Sex With Strangers

Casting Sex With Strangers by


Laura Eason.
Company: Kitchen Theatre
Company. Staff: Rachel Lampert,
dir.; David Arsenault, set design;
Tyler M. Perry, lighting design; Lisa
Boquist, costume design; Jen
Schilanksy, stage mgr.
Rehearsals begin Feb. 21, 2017;
runs Mar. 12-Apr. 2 at Kitchen
Theatre Company in Ithaca, NY.
Rehearsals begin Apr. 11; runs Apr.
13-30 at Geva Theatre in Rochester,
NY.
SeekingOlivia: female, 30-49, all
ethnicities. Ethan: male, 20-39, all
ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be
held Nov. 29 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at
Kitchen Theatre, 417 W MLK Jr. St.,
Ithaca, NY, 14850. A monitor will
not be provided. The producer will
run all aspects of this audition.
For an audition appointment,
Equity members email michelle@
kitchentheatre.org or call (607) 2720403, Mon.-Fri., noon-5 p.m. AEA
members without appointments
will be seen as time permits.
Actors will read from sides. Sides
will be emailed upon appointment
confirmation, and will be available
at the audition. Bring picture and
resume.
Equity encourages performers of
all ethnicities, gender identities,
and ages, as well as performers
with disabilities, to attend every
audition.
Pays $500/wk. Equity SPT Level 6
Contract.

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The Christians

Casting The Christians by Lucas


Hnath.
Company: Riverside Theatre Inc.
Staff: Allen D. Cornell, dir.; Wojcik/
Seay, casting.
Rehearsals begin Mar. 2, 2017; runs
Mar. 21-Apr. 9, 2017 in Vero Beach,
FL.
SeekingPastor: male, 40+,
Caucasian. Wife: female, 35-45, all
ethnicities. Associate: female,
30-39, African American. Elder:
male, 50-65, all ethnicities.
Congregant: female, 20-36, all
ethnicities.
Auditions will be held by appt.
Dec. 5 in NYC.
For consideration, mail picture
and resume to Wojcik/ Seay
Casting, 247 West 38th St., 10th Fl.,
New York, NY 10018. Attn: The
Christians [Role____] / NYC Appt
AEA Submission. Submissions
deadline is Nov. 21. AEA members
must submit themselves directly in
order to be considered via this post11.17.16 backstage

FORMER STUDENTS INCLUDE


AMY SCHUMER - SAM ROCKWELL - REGINA HALL - LARRY DAVID
ARIJA BAREIKIS - KATHY BATES - CHRISTINE LAHTI - DAVID MORSE
AARON ECKHART - TIMOTHY OLYPHANT - GRETCHEN MOL
MARY MCCORMACK - PETER GALLAGHER - RICHARD SCHIFF
JENNIFER BEALS - PATRICIA WETTIG - PAUL SORVINO - DUL HILL
ROBERT KNEPPER - MATTHEW SETTLE - JEFF GOLDBLUM
HARROLD PERRINEAU, JR. - PATRICIA HEATON - AND MANY MORE

27

casting NEW YORK TRISTATE

PLAYS

ing (no agent or third-party submissions). Callbacks will be held Dec. 6.


Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity encourages performers
of all ethnicities, gender identities, and
ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to submit.
Pays $637/wk. Equity LORT Non-Rep
LORT D Agreement.

The School for Lies

MUSICALS

Seeking Equity actors for three available roles in The School for Lies.
Company: Shakespeare Theatre
Company. Staff: David Ives, writer;
Michael Kahn, dir.; Carter C. Wooddell,
resident casting dir.
Rehearsals begin Apr. 24, 2017; tech
May 23; opens June 5; closes July 2;
extension closing July 9 at the
Lansburgh Theatre, Washington, D.C.
SeekingCelimene: 18+, all ethnicities. Dubois/Basque: 18+, all ethnicities. Arsinoe: 18+, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Dec. 19 from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (lunch
1-2 p.m.) at Actors Equity New York
Audition Center, 165 W. 46th St., 16th
fl., NYC, 10036. EPA Procedures are in
effect for this audition. An Equity
Monitor will be provided.
Prepare one classical monologue, preferably a comedic piece in rhyming
verse, not to exceed two minutes total.
Bring pix & resumes, stapled together.
Note: The Shakespeare Theatre
Company specializes in classic plays.
The theater is always seeking new classical actors of all age ranges and types
to add to its files. The Shakespeare
Theatre Company is a strong proponent
of non-traditional casting and actively
encourages actors of color, seniors,
women, and performers with disabilities to attend its auditions.
Pays: $861/wk. current min. Equity
LORT B Non-Rep Contract, Lansburgh
Theatre.

The Surrogate

Seeking Equity actors for various roles


in The Surrogate. Synopsis: An
ONeill National Playwrights
Conference finalist, The Surrogate is
a smart, funny play about what we can
ask of our friends, our parents, and
spouses, and whether well get any of
our important life decisions right.
When Billy and Sara ask their best
friends Margaret and Jen to be the
guardians of their precious Tallulah
(and yet-to-be-born baby Carroll), lives
change and friendships are tested, and
the definition of what makes a modern
family is rewritten. World premiere.
Company: Centenary Stage Company.
Staff: Patricia Cotter, writer; Carl
Wallnau, artistic dir.; Catherine Rust,
general mgr.; Shelley Delaney, dir.
Rehearses Jan. 31-Feb. 17; runs Feb.
17-Mar. 5 in Hackettstown, NJ.
SeekingMargaret: female, 40-49, all
ethnicities. Billy: male, 40-49, all ethnicities. Sara: female, 30-39, all ethnicities. Jen: female, 50-59, all ethnicities.
Rita: female, 65, all ethnicities. Crystal:
female, 20-25, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be
held Dec. 12 from 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. (by
appointment) at Lackland Center, 715
Grand Ave., Hackettstown, NJ, 07840.

28 backstage 11.17.16

An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all
aspects of this audition.
For an audition appointment, Equity
members may call the office at (908)
979-0900. Equity members without
appointments will be seen as time permits. Actors may read from sides (provided at the audition) or prepare a brief
monologue. Bring pix & resumes, stapled together.
Pays: $352/wk. Equity SPT 4 Contract.

White Snake

Casting White Snake adapted by


Mary Zimmerman.
Company: Center Stage Associates.
Staff: Kwame Kwei-Armah, artistic dir.;
Hana S. Sharif, assoc. artistic dir.;
Michael Ross, managing dir.; Natsu
Onoda Power, dir.; Stephanie Klapper
Casting, casting.
Rehearsals begin Jan. 24, 2017; runs
Feb. 24-Mar. 26 in Baltimore, MD.
SeekingWhite Snake: female, 20-39,
all ethnicities. Green Snake: female,
20-39, all ethnicities. Xu Xian/
Ensemble: male, 20-39, all ethnicities.
Fa Hai/Ensemble: male, 30-69, all ethnicities. Brother-in-Law/Ensemble:
male, 30-49, all ethnicities. Master
Liang/Ensemble: male, 40-69, all ethnicities. Female Ensemble: female,
20-39, all ethnicities. Male Ensemble:
male, 20-39, all ethnicities. Ensemble/
Singer: female, 20-39, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from NY.
Send submissions to klappercasting@
gmail.com.
NYC auditions to be held on or about
the week of Nov. 21 by appointment
only. For consideration, email klappercasting@gmail.com or mail submissions to Stephanie Klapper Casting, 39
West 19th St., 12th fl., New York, NY
10011. Mark submissions White Snake
[Role___] / NYC Appointment AEA
Submission. If given an appointment,
also remember to bring a hard copy of
your photo/resume with you to the
appointment. Theatre statement: We
are committed to creating an ensemble
of ethnically diverse actors who identify as both binary and non-binary gender identities. Seeking submissions
from AEA members. AEA members
must submit themselves directly in
order to be considered via this posting
(no agent or third-party submissions).
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity encourages performers
of all ethnicities, gender identities, and
ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to submit.
Pays $861/wk. Equity LORT Non-Rep
Contract.

MUSICALS
Avenue Q

Casting Equity actor/singers for possible future replacements in the currently running Off Broadway
production of Avenue Q, which
focuses on a group of unique 20-somethings making their way in the big city,
seeking their purpose in life, who find
themselves living on humble Avenue Q.

Important note: previous puppetry


experience not required.
Company: ON Q Limited Liability
Company. Staff: Robyn Goodman,
Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller,
Vineyard Theatre, New Group, prods.;
Jason Moore, dir.; Robert Lopez, Jeff
Marx, music & lyrics; Jeff Whitty, book;
Stephen Oremus, musical supervisor:
Ken Roberson, choreo.; Ken Davenport,
general manager; Adam Caldwell, casting dir.
Currently running at New World
Stages in NYC.
SeekingPrinceton/Rod: male, 20-29,
all ethnicities. Nicky/Trekkie Monster/
Bad Idea Bear: male, 20-39, all ethnicities. Kate Monster/Lucy T. Slut: female,
20-29, all ethnicities. Mrs. T/Bad Idea
Bear/Ensemble: female, 20-39, all ethnicities. Christmas Eve: female, 20-39,
Asian. Brian: male, 20-39, all ethnicities. Gary Coleman: female, 20-49,
African American.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Dec. 19 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (lunch, 1:30
to 2:30) at Pearl Studios NYC (519), 519
8th Ave., 12th Fl., Studio D, NYC, 10018.
EPA Procedures are in effect for this
audition. An Equity Monitor will be
provided.
Prepare a short song of your choice
that shows off range. Please note the
style of music apropos to specific characters. You are welcome to sing from the
show if youd like. Bring sheet music.
An accompanist will be provided. Bring
picture and resume, stapled together.
Important Note: Previous puppetry
experience not required; seeking all
ethnicities for future replacements. For
more info, visit www.avenueq.com.
Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and ages,
as well as performers with disabilities,
to attend every audition. Always bring
your Equity Membership card to
auditions.
Pays $1,057/wk. Equity Off Broadway
Contract.

Chicago, Bway

Casting possible future principal


replacements in the currently running
Broadway production of Chicago,
with music by John Kander, lyrics by
Fred Ebb, and book by Fred Ebb and
Bob Fosse.
Company: Chicago LP. Staff: Fran and
Barry Weissler, prods.; Walter Bobbie,
dir.; Ann Reinking/Gary Chryst,
choreos.; Rob Fisher, musical supervisor; Duncan Stewart and Benton
Whitley of Stewart/Whitley, casting
dirs.
Currently running on Broadway.
SeekingRoxie Hart: female, 33-45, all
ethnicities. Velma Kelly: female, 30-45,
all ethnicities. Billy Flynn: male, 38-60,
all ethnicities. Amos Hart: male, 38-58,
all ethnicities. Matron Mama
Morton: female, 37-55, all ethnicities.
Mary Sunshine: male, 18+, all
ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Dec. 15 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (lunch, 1-2
p.m.) at Pearl Studios NYC (519), 519 8th
Ave., 4th fl., NYC, 10018. EPA
Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be
provided.

Prepare a brief, standard, classic


Broadway song to sing (no pop or rock).
Bring sheet music; an accompanist will
be provided. Bring a picture and
resume, stapled together. Note: There
will be no dancing at this call; any
women coming in to be seen as Roxie or
Velma will be brought back to dance if
there is any further interest.
Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and ages,
as well as performers with disabilities,
to attend every audition.
Pays $1,917/wk. Equity (League)
Production Contract.

Cinderella, Nonunion Natl


Tour

Seeking immediate replacements for


the nonunion national tour of
Cinderella. Douglas Carter Beanes
new book re-invents the classic tale of a
maid-turned-princess with fresh comedy, wit, and satire: with pumpkin,
glass slippers, Fairy Godmother, and
other story elements intact, it is now
Cinderellas turn to rescue the Prince,
reminding us once again that in a cruel
world the act that matters most is
kindness.
Company: Work Light Productions,
LLC. Staff: Richard Rodgers & Oscar
Hammerstein II, score; Douglas Carter
Beane, book; Mark Brokaw, dir.; Josh
Rhodes, choreo.; Greg Anthony Rassen,
music supervisor; Gina Rattan, tour
dir.; Lee Wilkins, tour choreo.; Joy
Dewing Casting.
Tour is currently running.
Replacement rehearsals begin on or
about Dec. 13, 2016. Contracted through
June 2017 with possible extension.
SeekingElla: female, 18-30, all ethnicities, any ethnicity; though no one
notices her beneath her rags and quiet
demeanor, she is opinionated, charismatic, passionate, funny, and effortlessly beautiful; idealistic and hopeful,
she courageously challenges the prince
to change the policies in his kingdom-and helps him discover who he truly
is; always her late fathers daughter, she
is determined to see the good in everyone despite her hardships and suffering; we see her blossom into a confident
woman; an elegant dancer, she must
have strong dance and partnering skills
and great comedic timing; beautiful
and expressive traditional musical theatre soprano. Topher: male, 18-30, all
ethnicities, any ethnicity; a misguided
and lost prince who longs to do something important with his life; though
brave and heroic, he feels lonely and
unfulfilled; charming but not a stereotypical ladies man, he is thoughtful,
appealing, and innocent--with an
unforced goofy streak; moral, genuine,
and kindhearted, he is at a crossroads
and must take control of his kingdom
and his future; must have strong dance
and partnering skills and great comedic
timing; soaring, rich musical theatre
baritone to a G. Jean-Michel/Ensemble:
male, 18-30, all ethnicities, any ethnicity; a feisty, passionate peasant determined to make a change for the
starving class; impetuous; a firebrand,
but lacks authority and isnt taken seriously as a revolutionary; has a crush on
Gabrielle, though their courtship is forBACKSTAGE.COM

NEW YORK TRISTATE casting

Dreamgirls, Korean Tour

Casting singers who dance for the


Dreamgirls Korean tour.
Company: wojcikseay casting. Staff:
Chunsoo Shin (OD Company), prod.;
Work Light Productions, general mgr.;
David Swan, dir.; Tom Eyen, book;
Henry Krieger, music; Tom Eyen, lyrics;
Wojcik | Seay Casting, casting.
Travel to Korea Feb. 17, 2017; rehearsals begin in Feb. 20 in Korea; runs Mar.
28-June 18 with a possible 6-7 week
extension TBD in Korea.
SeekingMale Ensemble: male, 18-39,
African American, extremely strong
singers who dance to play various
ensemble. Understudies will come from
the ensemble.Specifically African
American men but also other ethnicities; must have a valid passport that
does not expire before Sept. 1, 2017.
Female Ensemble: female, 18-39, all
ethnicities, extremely strong singers
who dance to play various ensemble.
Understudies will come from the
ensemble. Specifically African
BACKSTAGE.COM

American women but also other ethnicities; must have a valid passport that
does not expire before Sept. 1, 2017.
Auditions will be held Nov. 18 at 10
a.m. (females sign in, 9-11 a.m.) and at 2
p.m. (males sign in, 1-3 p.m.) at Pearl
Studios, 519 8th Ave., 11th fl.; Studios
D&F, NYC, 10018.
Typing may occur. Prepare a short
song (16 bars) in the style or from the
show. Note: Selected talent from this
day will be invited to a dance call Nov.
21. The roles of Dave and the
Sweethearts are not being cast from
these calls. Callbacks will be held the
week of Dec. 12. All talent must have a
valid passport that does not expire
before Sept. 1, 2017. All talent submitted must be available and interested in
performing in Korea.
Pays $1000/wk. (principals); 600/wk.
(ensemble). Travel, housing and per
diem will also be included for all. Single
housing will be negotiable for some
roles.

Dreamgirls, Korean Tour,


Dancers

Casting dancers who sing for the


Dreamgirls Korean tour.
Company: wojcik / seay casting. Staff:
Chunsoo Shin (OD Company), prod.;
Work Light Productions, general mgr.;
David Swan, dir.; Tom Eyen, book;
Henry Krieger, music; Tom Eyen, lyrics;
Wojcik | Seay Casting, casting.
Travel to Korea Feb. 17, 2017; rehearsals begin in Feb. 20 in Korea; runs Mar.
28-June 18 with a possible 6-7 week
extension TBD in Korea.
SeekingMale Ensemble: male, 18-39,
African American, extremely strong
dancers who sing to play various
ensemble. Understudies will come from
the ensemble. Specifically seeking
African American men but also other
ethnicities. Female Ensemble: female,
18-39, African American, extremely
strong dancers who sing to play various
ensemble. Understudies will come from
the ensemble. Specifically seeking
African American women but also
other ethnicities.
Auditions will be held Nov. 21 at 10
a.m. (females sign-in, 9-11 a.m.) and at 2
p.m. (males sign-in, 1-3 p.m.) at Pearl
Studios, 500 8th Ave., 4th fl., NYC,
10018.
Bring jazz shoes and heels and your
book of music along with your headshot. Note: Callbacks will be held the
week of Dec. 12. All talent must have a
valid passport that does not expire
before Sept. 1, 2017. All talent submitted must be available and interested in
performing in Korea.
Pays $1000/wk. (principals); 600/wk.
(ensemble). Travel, housing and per diem
will also be included for all. Single housing will be negotiable for some roles.

Frozen

Casting Frozen. Synopsis: From the


producers of The Lion King, Mary
Poppins, and Aladdin comes the
beloved tale of two sisters torn apart
and their journey to find themselves
and their way back to each other. Based
on the 2014 animated feature, the new
Disney stage musical Frozen features
a score by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and

AUDITION
HIGHLIGHT S

N E W YO R K T R IS TAT E
Fri. Nov. 18
Here Lies Love
The Detroit Project, Singers
Dreamgirls, Korean Tour

Sat. Nov. 19
Entertaining Strangers

Sun. Nov. 20
Royal Caribbean, Dancer/Aerialist

Mon. Nov. 21
The Detroit Project, Dancers
Dreamgirls, Korean Tour, Dancers
The Woman Who Shed Her Skin

Tues. Nov. 22
The Detroit Project
Frozen
Gotta Get A Girl
For the full auditions calendar,
visit backstage.com/auditions

Pays $1975/wk. Equity Production


(League) Contract.

The Detroit Project

Seeking Equity actor/singers for various roles in The Detroit Project.


Company: Berkeley Repertory
Theatre. Staff: Des McAnuff, dir.; Sergio
Trujillo, choreo.; Kenny Seymour,
music dir.; Tara Rubin (in attendance at
the EPA), casting dir.; Claire Burke (in
attendance at the EPA), casting assoc.
Dates: Feb. 6-Mar. 16 in Berkeley, CA.
SeekingOtis Williams: 18+, all ethnicities. Paul Williams: 18+, all ethnicities.
Eddie Kendricks: 18+, all ethnicities.
Melvin Franklin: 18+, all ethnicities.
Elbridge Al Bryant: 18+, all ethnicities.
David Ruffin: 18+, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Nov. 22 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (lunch 1:302:30 p.m.) at Pearl Studios NYC (500),
500 8th Ave., 12th fl., NYC, 10018. EPA
Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be
provided.
Be prepared to sing a Motown song.
Bring sheet music; accompanist provided. Bring pix & resumes, stapled
together.
Pays: $861/wk. Equity LORT B Non-Rep
Contract.

CHORUS CALLS
Crazy For You, Dancers

Robert Lopez, including their Oscarwinning song, Let It Go, and a book
by Jennifer Lee, the Oscar-winning film
writer and director (with Chris Buck).
Company: Disney Theatrical
Productions. Staff: Michael Grandage,
dir.; Christopher Gattelli, choreo.;
Stephen Oremus, music supervisor;
Telsey + Company, casting.
Rehearsals begin on/about June 12,
2017; July 22 travel to Denver, CO; runs
mid August-Oct. 1 in Denver, CO.
SeekingElsa: female, 18+, all ethnicities. Anna: female, 18+, all ethnicities.
Olaf: 18+, all ethnicities. Kristoff: male,
18+, all ethnicities. Hans: male, 18+, all
ethnicities. Weselton: male, 50-59, all
ethnicities. Young Elsa: female, 11, all
ethnicities. Young Anna: female, 8, all
ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Nov. 17 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Nov. 22
from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (lunch, 1:30-2:30
p.m.) at Pearl Studios NYC (519), 519 8th
Ave., 12th fl., New York City, NY, 10018.
And Nov. 29 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
(lunch, 1:30-2:30 p.m.) at Ripley-Grier
Studios (520), 520 8th Ave., 16th fl.,
NYC, 10018. EPA Procedures are in
effect for this audition. An Equity
Monitor will be provided.
Prepare a short, contemporary musical
theatre song. Bring sheet music; accompanist provided. Bring picture and
resume.
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity encourages performers
of all ethnicities, gender identities, and
ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.

Seeking dancers who sing for the


ensemble in Crazy For You. Actors of
all ethnicities and cultural backgrounds strongly encouraged to attend.
Company: Manhattan Concert
Productions. Staff: George & Ira
Gershwin, music-lyrics; Ken Ludwig,
book; Ken Ludwig & Mike Ockrent, coconception; inspired by material by Guy
Bolton & John McGowan; originally produced on Broadway by Roger Horchow
& Elizabeth Williams; Susan Stroman,
dir.-choreo.; Kevin Stites, musical dir.;
Manhattan Concert Productions, prod.;
Tara Rubin Casting, casting.
Rehearsals begin Feb. 6; concert performance Feb. 19 (8 p.m.) in NYC.
SeekingFemale Ensemble/Tess:
female, 20-39, all ethnicities. Female
Ensemble/Patsy: female, 20-39, all ethnicities. Female Ensemble/Showgirls:
female, 20-39, all ethnicities. Male
Ensemble/Moose: male, 20-49, all ethnicities. Male Ensemble/Sam: male,
30-39, all ethnicities. Male Ensemble/
Acrobats: male, 20-39, all ethnicities.
Male Ensemble: male, 20-39, all
ethnicities.
Equity Chorus Calls will be held Nov.
29 at 9:30 a.m. (male dancers) and at 2
p.m. (female dancers) at Pearl Studios
NYC (500), 500 8th Ave., 4th Fl., NYC,
10036. ECC Procedures are in effect for
this audition. An Equity Monitor will be
provided.
Men: Bring jazz shoes and tap shoes.
Women: Bring character heels and tap
shoes. Both: You may be asked to stay
and sing. Bring sheet music for an uptempo traditional musical theater song.
An accompanist will be provided. Bring
pix & resumes, stapled together.
11.17.16 backstage

29

MUSICALS

bidden because they are from different


social classes; interesting physical
type--he could be scrawny, short, tall,
chubby, etc.; must have great comic
timing and understand musical phrasing; traditional musical theatre voice
with an attractive, compelling sound;
also doubles in the ensemble; must
move well. Male Tumblers (Fox and
Raccoon): male, 18-30, all ethnicities,
to play characters 20s-30s, including
the Fox footman and Raccoon carriage
driver; any ethnicity; 510 or smaller;
must be fantastic dancers with strong
ballet technique for extensive partnering and lifts; must tumble well: back
handsprings, back tucks, aerials, etc.;
strong singers for multiple voice parts;
potential to cover as well. Male Dancers
Who Sing: male, 18-30, all ethnicities,
must be elegant dancers with solid ballet technique for extensive partnering
and lifts; strong singers who can handle
multiple vocal parts; also seeking principal covers and swings. Female
Dancers Who Sing: female, 18-30, all
ethnicities, must be elegant dancers
with solid ballet technique for extensive partnering and lifts; strong singers
who can handle multiple vocal parts;
also seeking principal covers and
swings.
Auditions will be held Nov. 28 at 10
a.m. (female dancers who sing) and
Nov. 29 at 10 a.m. (male dancers who
sing) at Ripley-Grier Studios, 520 8th
Ave., 17th fl., NYC, 10018.
Sign up for an audition time slot at the
links below. No unofficial list will be
accepted. Arrive at least 15 minutes
before your time slot to check-in. If all
slots are filled, arrive at 9 a.m. on the
day of the audition and sign-up on the
alternate list. Alternates will be seen as
long as time permits.
Female dancers who sing should sign
up at www.signupgenius.com/
go/20f0b48aba72ea6f85-cinderella.
Male dancers who sing should sign up
at www.signupgenius.com/
go/20f0b48aba72ea6f85-cinderella1.
Pays: $650/wk. (Principals); $550/wk.
(ensemble). Per diem, housing, and
transportation provided for all.

casting NEW YORK TRISTATE


Pays: $1,750/wk. Equity Special
Agreement, favored nations.

Crazy For You, Singers

MUSICALS
TV & VIDEO

Seeking male and female singers and


strong singer/dancers for the ensemble
and featured chorus parts in Crazy For
You. Actors of all ethnicities and cultural backgrounds strongly encouraged
to attend.
Company: Manhattan Concert
Productions. Staff: George & Ira
Gershwin, music-lyrics; Ken Ludwig,
book; Ken Ludwig & Mike Ockrent, coconception; inspired by material by
Guy Bolton & John McGowan; originally
produced on Broadway by Roger
Horchow & Elizabeth Williams; Susan
Stroman, dir.-choreo.; Kevin Stites,
musical dir.; Manhattan Concert
Productions, prod.; Tara Rubin Casting,
casting.
Rehearsals begin Feb. 6; concert performance Feb. 19 (8 p.m.) in NYC.
SeekingFemale Ensemble/Tess:
female, 20-39, all ethnicities. Female
Ensemble/Patsy: female, 20-39, all ethnicities. Female Ensemble/Showgirls:
female, 20-39, all ethnicities. Male
Ensemble/Moose: male, 20-49, all ethnicities. Male Ensemble/Sam: male,
30-39, all ethnicities. Male Ensemble/
Acrobats: male, 20-39, all ethnicities.
Male Ensemble: male, 20-39, all
ethnicities.
Equity Chorus Calls will be held Nov.
28 at 9:30 a.m. (male singers) and at 2
p.m. (female singers) at Actors Equity
New York Audition Center, 165 W. 46th
St., 16th Fl., NYC, 10036. ECC
Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be
provided.
Bring sheet music for an up-tempo traditional musical theater song. An
accompanist will be provided. Bring pix
& resumes, stapled together.
Pays: $1,750/wk. Equity Special
Agreement, favored nations.

Frozen, Singers

VARIETY

Casting singers for Frozen with


music & lyrics by Kristen AndersonLopez and Robert Lopez, and book by
Jennifer Lee.
Company: Disney Theatrical
Productions. Staff: Michael Grandage,
dir.; Christopher Gattelli, choreo.;
Stephen Oremus, music supervisor;
Telsey + Company, casting.
Rehearsals begin on/about June 12,
2017; July 22 travel to Denver, CO; runs
mid August-Oct. 1 in Denver, CO.
SeekingFemale Ensemble Singers:
female, 18+, all ethnicities. Male
Ensemble Singers: male, 18+, all
ethnicities.
Equity Chorus Calls will be held Nov.
28 at 10 a.m. (Equity female singers)
and at 2 p.m. (Equity male singers) at
Ripley-Grier Studios (520), 520 8th Ave.,
16th fl., NYC, 10018. ECC Procedures
are in effect for this audition. An Equity
Monitor will be provided.
Prepare 16 bars of a contemporary
musical theatre song. Bring sheet
music; accompanist provided. Bring
picture and resume.
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to

30 backstage 11.17.16

engage in a policy of equal employment


opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such,
Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and ages,
as well as performers with disabilities,
to attend every audition.
Pays $1975/wk. Equity Production
(League) Contract.

Sweeney Todd

Casting Equity singers for Sweeney


Todd.
Company: Theater 2020, Inc. Staff:
Judith Jarosz and David Fuller, prod.
artistic dirs.; Judith Jarosz, dir.choreo.; Tom McDonough, music dir.;
Viviane Galloway, costume designer;
Giles Hogya. lighting designer.
Rehearsals begin Jan. 10 (6:30 p.m.);
runs Feb. 10-Mar. 12 (Thurs.-Sun.) at
McKinney Chapel adjacent to First
Unitarian Church in Brooklyn Heights,
NY.
SeekingSweeney Todd: male, 40-55,
all ethnicities, a wrongfully imprisoned
barber seeking to right the wrongs
committed against him; Johannas
father, singularly focused on taking
bloody revenge; the tormented protagonist; bass baritone, range F2-Gb4; role
cast. Mrs. Lovett: female, 35-50, all ethnicities, an entrepreneurial and amoral
meat pie shop owner who falls in love
with Todd and turns his desire for
revenge into a profitable business venture; alto, range G3-E5. Anthony Hope:
male, 20-30, all ethnicities, a naive and
youthful sailor returning to London
who helps Todd return to London and
unexpectedly falls in love with
Johanna; bari-tenor, range Bb2-F4.
Johanna: female, 18-25, all ethnicities,
a spritely girl, full of innocence, constantly yearning for freedom, who is
Todds long-lost daughter and Turpins
ward. Soprano, range Bb3-A5. Tobias
Ragg: males & females, 18+, all ethnicities, age dependent upon casting; a
poor apprentice to Pirelli who finds a
surrogate family in Todd and Lovett;
tenor or alto, range Bb2-Ab4. Judge
Turpin: male, 50-69, all ethnicities, a
lecherous public official who portrays
himself as a sanctimonious authoritarian, takes advantage of his position in
the city and is responsible for imprisoning Todd; bass, range E2-Gb4. The
Beadle: males & females, 40-55, all ethnicities, a pompous public official,
deeply loyal to the corrupt Turpin;
tenor or alto, range D3-D5. Beggar
Woman: female, 35-50, all ethnicities, a
deranged and schizophrenic woman
who harbors a dark, surprising secret;
alto, range Ab3-F5. Adolfo Pirelli: males
& females, 30-45, all ethnicities, a flamboyant, charlatan barber who pretends
to be Italian but is actually Irish; tenor
or soprano, range B2-C5. Quintet or
Sextet Ensemble: 18+, all ethnicities,
Jonas Fogg, Birdseller, Townspeople,
Policemen, Lunatics; with the exception of Todd and Lovett, the ensemble
may be drawn from actors playing other
characters.
Auditions will be held Nov. 29 from
7-10 p.m. (no appointments; doors open
6:30 p.m.; actors seen on first come,
first seen basis.) and Nov. 30 from 7-10
p.m. (no appointments; doors open 6:30

p.m.; actors seen on first come, first


seen basis.) at First Unitarian
Congregational Society, 116 Pierrepoint
Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201. An Equity
Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this
audition.
Prepare one musical comedy song to
show your range, Sondheim preferred.
Bring sheet music; accompanist provided. Bring picture and resume.
Seeking ethnically diverse, exceptional, versatile singers: character and
legit. A sense of humor is mandatory.
Non-traditional and cross-gender casting considered.For more info, visit
www.theater2020.com.
Equity Showcase-NY Basic Showcase
Code.

REALITY TV &
DOCUMENTARY

require strong vocal ability; others


require strong tumbling passes or a
great male physique.
Auditions will be held Dec. 1 at 2 p.m.
(sign-in, 1 p.m.) at Pearl Studios, 519 8th
Ave., 12th fl., New York City, NY, 10018.
Late applicants will not be allowed to
audition. Be warmed up and ready to
begin at the time listed. Wear form fitting attire to show your silhouette.
Bring pix & rsums. Dancers will be
taught a ballet combination. Selected
dancers will learn advanced jazz. For
more info, visit www.disneyauditions.
com. Note: Must be 18+. Performers
from all cultural backgrounds are
encouraged to attend. Some call back
candidates will be required to sing 16
bars of a musical theatre selection of
their choice; be prepared with sheet
music in the correct key. An accompanist will be provided.
Competitive pay, travel, room and
board, guest sailing privileges, contract
completion bonus and additional benefits package. EOE.

Skateboarding Documentary

Disney Cruise Line, Vocalists

Casting and seeking skateboarders for


a new documentary series of skateboard techniques and tricks.
Company: School of Visual Arts. Staff:
Arnold Lau, cinematographer.
Rehearses February 2017; shoots
through the end of March 2017 in NYC.
SeekingWilliam: male, 18-85, all ethnicities. Peter: male, 18+, Caucasian,
Hispanic, Asian, South Asian, Middle
Eastern, Ethnically Ambiguous / Mixed
Race, a skateboarder who can do a variety of tricks. Wilson: male, 18-96,
Caucasian, African American, Asian,
South Asian, Native American, Middle
Eastern, Southeast Asian / Pacific
Islander, Ethnically Ambiguous / Mixed
Race. Kristy: female, 18-93, all ethnicities, very smartass selfie type of event.
Seeking submissions from NY.
Send submissions to arnoldlau@
icloud.com.
For the skateboard techniques, be prepared to do any event trials.
Pays: $15/day.

CRUISE LINES
Disney Cruise Line, Dancers

Seeking well trained dancers who sing


well, to bring to life the classic characters you grew up with aboard the
Disney Magic and Disney Wonder
cruise ships. Repertory includes full
scale musical theatre shows including
our newest Mainstage production of
Frozen, A Musical Spectacular.
Company: Walt Disney Parks Talent
Casting. Staff: Sheryl Kaller (Mothers
and Sons, Next Fall) , original direction; Joshua Prince (Beautiful,
Shrek), choreo.
Nine month contracts begin March
2017.
SeekingMale and Female Dancers
Who Tumble Well/Female Dancers
Who Sing/Male Dancers Who Tap:
males & females, 18+, all ethnicities,
versatile and exciting dancers; must be
trained in ballet and jazz. Some roles

Seeking principal actors to bring to life


the classic characters you grew up with
aboard the Disney Magic and Disney
Wonder cruise ships. Repertory
includes full scale musical theatre
shows including our newest Mainstage
production of Frozen, A Musical
Spectacular.
Company: Walt Disney Parks Talent
Casting. Staff: Sheryl Kaller (Mothers
and Sons, Next Fall) , original direction; Joshua Prince (Beautiful,
Shrek), choreo.
Nine-month contracts begin in March
2017 aboard the Disney Magic and
Disney Wonder cruise ships.
SeekingAnn Marie: female, 20-29, all
ethnicities, youthful 20s, to play a
child; should have a genuine and
youthful disposition. Youthful belt,
high mover; strong movement is preferred. Anna: female, 18+, all ethnicities, Elsas younger sister; persistent,
daring and highly optimistic; at times
reacts impulsively; longs to reconnect
with her sister Elsa and naively shares
her thoughts with anyone who will listen; readily believes shes found her
one true love in Hans. Manipulates
puppets that are child size versions of
herself. Must have excellent acting
skills, and must show a natural, yet
awkward, comedic charm; skilled
soprano; mix/belt. Bulda/Circle of
Life Vocalist: female, 18+, all ethnicities, motherly and sassy troll; must
have a bright and powerful gospel belt.
Also sings Circle of Life in an alternate production; a confident mover.
Cruella DeVil: female, 18+, all ethnicities, 57+, long, thin, gorgeous diva
with a great bellowing laugh; can be
sexy as well as intimidating. Usually
played by a dancer; strong speaksinger. Elsa: female, 18+, all ethnicities, princess who becomes Queen;
fearfully plagued by powers she hasnt
yet learned to control; lives a life of
isolation separated from society and
those she loves, including her sister.
Her isolation becomes her freedom. At
times manipulates puppets that are
child size versions of herself; physiBACKSTAGE.COM

NEW YORK TRISTATE casting

STAGE STAFF & TECH


Amazing New Product!

Seeking a stage manager for Amazing


New Product!
Company: Creative Arts Lab. Staff:
Peter Husovsky and Chad Taylor, writers; Peter Husovsky, dir.
Rehearsals begin Nov. 22, 2016; runs
Dec. 20 (7 p.m.) and Dec. 21-22 (8 p.m.)
at at Studio Theatre at Theatre Row,
NYC.
SeekingStage Manager: males &
females, 18+, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from NY.
For consideration, email cover letter
and resume to mawtyt@aol.com with
An Amazing New Product/Stage
Manager Submission in the subject
line. Submissions deadline is Nov. 17.
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to
engage in a policy of equal employment
opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such,
Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and ages,
as well as performers with disabilities,
to attend every audition.
Equity Seasonal NY Showcase Code;
stipend approval pending.

A Class Act NYs 6-Week Class,


Film and Voice-Over Narration

Seeking participants for a 6-week, preprofessional, film and voice-over narration series of classes for ages 12-18,
focused on how to develop voice-over
narration and acting skills. Artistic
Director states: In this 6-week course,
students will work on film scripts and
develop their acting skills on-camera
one week and then address the
voiceover narration of the character in
a state of the art professional voiceover studio the next. The course culminates with actors showcasing their
individual talents in a presentation of
both mediums for industry agents.
Company: A Class Act NY. Staff: Jessica
Rofe, artistic dir.; voice-over and TV/
Film actor; industry guests.
Classes run Jan. 22, 29; Feb. 5, 12;
March 5, 12 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; final
presentation on Mar. 12 at Ripley-Grier
Studios, 520 8th Ave., NYC.
SeekingYoung Actor: males &
females, 8-11, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from NY.
Send submissions to info@aclassactny.com.
For consideration, submit a video
audition of yourself please perform a
one-minute, age-appropriate contemporary monologue. Submissions will be
accepted now through Dec. 1. Students
are accepted on a rolling admissions
basis. Classes are by audition only and
limited to 14 students.
No pay. $635 tuition fee required.

A Class Act NYs 6-Week Class:


Scenes Into Songs, Ages 8-11,
By Audition Only

Seeking participants for a six-week,


pre-professional, musical theatre series
of classes focused on how to transition
seamlessly from a scene into a song.
Artistic Director states: Learn how to
make strong character choices and how
to move gracefully on stage and how to
act through song. At the end of the sixweek session, students will perform in
a final showcase for family, friends, and
a few talent agents and managers. This
class is geared toward young actors
who are serious about their work.
Company: A Class Act NY. Staff: Jessica
Rofe, artistic dir.; Broadway actor; professional music dir.
Classes run Sundays, Jan. 22, 29; Feb.
5, 12; March 5, 12, 11 a.m. 1 p.m.; final
presentation on March 12 at Pearl
Studios, 500 8th Ave., NYC.
SeekingYoung Actor: males &
females, 8-11, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from NY.
Send submissions to info@aclassactny.com.
For consideration, submit a video
audition of yourself singing 32 bars, a
cappella, of a musical theatre song and
perform a one-minute, contemporary
monologue that are age appropriate.
Submissions will be accepted now
through Dec. 1. Students are accepted
on a rolling admissions basis. Classes
are by audition only and limited to 12
students.
No pay. $635 tuition fee required.

A Class Act NYs Hamilton &


Audition Technique Workshop,
Kids & Teens

Seeking participants for A Class Act


NYs Hamilton & Audition Technique
Workshop in New Jersey. Artistic director states: Join Broadway star of
Hamilton, Andrew Chappelle
(Hamilton, Mama Mia!, Priscilla,
Queen of the Desert) for a one-day
musical theater Hamilton-themed
workshop. Andrew will teach lucky
participants a dance combo from
Hamilton. In addition, Andrew will
also host a lively question and answer
session about his experience in this historic, revolutionary, and inspiring
American tale. As if that werent
enough, Andrew will also be signing
autographs and taking pics with students. Stick around and work on musical theater audition technique with an
NYC Talent Rep who is actively scouting for new talent. Sing for the talent
rep and gain useful feedback and
coaching on your presentation, song
choice, and interpretation.
Part 1 is a Hamilton workshop with
star of Broadways smash hit,
Hamilton, Andrew Chappelle. All skill
levels. Space is limited. Part 1 is open to
both kids and adults, ages 7-25. Part 2 is
audition technique with NYC talent rep.
All skill levels. Space is limited to 24
students, ages 720.
Company: A Class Act NY. Staff: Jessica
Rofe, artistic dir.; Andrew Chappelle,
actor, Broadways Hamilton; NYC talent rep.
Workshop is Dec. 18 (part 1, 10 a.m.12:30 p.m.; part 2, 1-3 p.m.) in Wayne,
NJ.
SeekingYoung Actors: 7-20, all
ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from NY and NJ.
Send submissions to info@aclassactny.com.
To register for the Dec. 18, NJ workshop, call Meryl Budnick at (973) 5950100 or email mbudnick@metroymcas.
org, or call A Class Act NYs office (212)
315-3010 with questions.
No pay. Cost: $120 Y Members/$130
Non-Members required for Part 1; $95 Y
Members/$105 Non-Members required
for Part 2.

Advanced Class on Vocal Styles


of Musical Theatre, Ages 12-18

Seeking participants ages 12-18 for


From Hammerstein to Hamilton, to
learn the vocal styles of Broadways most
iconic hits through the years. Company
states: Singers will learn how to adapt
their voice to any style of musical performance. The class will cover the 20th and
21st centuries of American musicals from
the jazzy standards of Gershwin and Cole
Porter, through the golden age of Rodgers
and Hammerstein, all the way to 90s pop
hits like Rent and the hip hop musical
Hamilton. In each class, students will
learn about the vocal styles of a specific
period of Broadway history, focusing on
shows that are often performed today. In
the final class, students will perform as a
chorus with a few featured solos, showcasing the range of vocal styles learned.
Dont audition for The Sound of Music
with a Hairspray sound! Learn how to
bring an appropriate cut to any vocal
11.17.16 backstage

31

EVENTS

VISIT BACKSTAGE.COM/CASTING
for full character breakdowns, script
sides, and more casting notices

WORKSHOPS

GIGS

BACKSTAGE.COM

male, 20-39, all ethnicities, burly


tough physically intimidating character actor; excellent physical comic
actor/singer; must be a comfortable
mover; also portrays various roles
within the repertory.
Auditions will be held Nov. 29 at 10
a.m. (male vocalists for roles Duke of
Weselton, Grand Pabbie, Franco, Male
Lion King Vocalist, Stabbington
Brothers; sign-in, 9 a.m.) and at 2 p.m.
(female vocalists for roles Ann Marie,
Cruella DeVil, Queen Type/Ariel/Blue
Fairy; sign-in, 1 p.m.), Nov. 30 at 10 a.m.
(male vocalists for roles Flynn Rider,
Hans, Kristoff, Maximus/Sven, Peter
Pan/Aladdin, Prince Charming; sign-in,
9 a.m.) and at 2 p.m. (female vocalists
for roles Bulda/Circle of Life Vocalist,
Ensign Benson, Fairy Godmother; signin, 1 p.m.) and Dec. 1 at 10 a.m. (female
vocalists for roles Anna, Elsa,
Rapunzel/Cinderella; sign-in, 9 a.m.) at
Pearl Studios, 519 8th Ave., 12th fl., New
York City, NY, 10018.
Late arrivals will not be accepted.
Prepare 16 bars of music and provide
sheet music in correct key. Provide a
current headshot and rsum. Some
performers may be asked to learn a
small movement combination. For
more info, visit www.disneyauditions.
com. Note: Must be 18+. Performers
from all cultural backgrounds are
encouraged to attend. Callbacks to be
held Dec. 2 or 3, 2016.
Competitive pay, travel, room and
board, guest sailing privileges, contract
completion bonus and additional benefits package. EOE.

VARIETY

cally trim; mezzo soprano; floaty mix/


powerful belt. Ensign Benson: female,
18-39, all ethnicities, 53-55; must
sing well, musical theatre mix to an F,
actress to play the quirky yet
extremely confident stage manager of
the Walt Disney Theatre. Thrust into
the spotlight to host the show, she discovers her innermost potential. Very
strong comedic actress and vocalist;
will also portray various roles within
the repertory. Fairy Godmother:
female, 30+, all ethnicities, 56 and
below; experienced comedic character
actress who sings well, can play bubbly
and absent-minded with ease; musical
theatre soprano. Queen Type/Ariel/
Blue Fairy: female, 18-39, all ethnicities, 55+, beautiful soprano with
strong mix; moves well with slender
physique. Rapunzel/Cinderella:
female, 18-29, all ethnicities, principal
actress, 55 and under; very trim,
strong actor, strong singer, mix belt to
F, beautiful and bold, spirited, smart
and adventurous. Actress should have
a genuine innocence and inner
strength; will also portray various
roles within the repertory. Duke of
Weselton: male, 30-39, all ethnicities,
top notch comedic actor with dark and
manipulative undertones; must bring
strong movement to the ensemble;
bari-tenor. Flynn Rider: male, 20-39,
all ethnicities, 510+, strong actor,
strong singer, handsome, good physique, great sense of humor; his wits
and agility help him navigate the trickiest of situations. Actor should have a
strong sense of humor and compelling
charm; will also portray various roles
within the repertory; baritone. Franco:
male, 30-39, all ethnicities, strong
singer & character actor, Song and
dance man with a magical flair.
Charismatic baritone with pizzazz;
must be a very comfortable mover;
dance is preferred. Grand Pabbie:
male, 18+, all ethnicities, wise and allknowing troll; a confident mover;
bass/baritone. Hans: male, 18+, all ethnicities, 511+, handsome prince from
a neighboring kingdom; debonair,
charming, possible dark undertones;
baritone/tenor to an A. Kristoff: 18+,
all ethnicities, 60+, ice harvester;
rugged blue-collar type; a little rough
around the edges, yet endearingly
awkward; not your typical Disney
hero; protector and loyal; baritone.
Male Lion King Vocalist: male, 20-39,
African American, African Descent,
58-60, vocalist of African-heritage,
extremely strong singer; physically in
good shape; sings Can You Feel the
Love Tonight; soaring tenor.
Maximus/Sven: male, 20-39, all ethnicities, 58 and under, actor who
manipulates life size puppet, nonverbal communication, physical agility,
athletic; also portrays various roles
within the repertory; tenor. Peter Pan/
Aladdin: male, 20-29, all ethnicities,
58 and below, energetic with youthful boyish charm; tenor that brings
strong dance and physical agility (will
be required to fly by single point flying). Prince Charming: male, 20-39, all
ethnicities, 510+, romantic and handsome leading man, heroic singing
voice to A. Stabbington Brothers:

casting NEW YORK TRISTATE


audition. Focus of the class: The
Enduring Standards of the Early 20th
Century: Gilbert and Sullivan, Irving
Berlin and the Gershwins; Broadways
Golden Age of the 1950s-1960s: Kiss Me
Kate, Guys and Dolls, and The Sound of
Music; A Changing Sound: Pop
Influences of the 1960s-1970s: Bye Bye
Birdie, Hair, The Wiz; The Spectacular
1970s and 1980s: The Phantom of the
Opera, Les Misrables, and Sunday in
the Park with George; Disney and Pop
Musicals: 1990s today: Rent, The
Little Mermaid, and Hamilton. Final
Showcase: On the last day, actors will
perform a variety of the skills they have
mastered for family and a few agents and
managers.
Company: A Class Act NY. Staff: Jessica
Rofe, artistic dir.; various Broadway
actors.
Class runs Jan. 22 & 29, Feb. 5 & 12, and
March 5 & 12 (final showcase), 11 a.m.-1
p.m. at Pearl Studios in NYC.
SeekingYoung Actor: males &
females, 12-18, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from NY.
Send submissions to info@aclassactny.com.
$635 tuition fee required.

Casting Director Brette


Goldstein Workshop

Seeking actors for an educational


workshop with casting director Brette
Goldstein (Sharknado 2 and
Donny!). Owner states: The night
will begin with a special introduction
from Brette. Then well dive into scene
work. Each actor will have the rare
opportunity to perform a prepared oneminute monologue for Brette and the
class. She will provide valuable feedback and work with each participant.
While not performing, the rest of the
class will get to observe and listen.The
night will conclude with an extremely
valuable question and answer session.
At this time, the class will have the
opportunity to ask Brette any questions
about the business, her career, acting
etc. She is currently casting for the new
USA TV series Donny!, an untitled TV
series, a pilot, and the feature films
The Lost Prince and Extra Innings.
Company: Robert Peterpaul
Productions LLC. Staff: Robert
Peterpaul, owner.
Workshop runs Dec. 8th (7-9:30 p.m.)
in NYC.
SeekingActors/Actresses: males &
females, 14+, all ethnicities, performers
looking to potentially expand their
knowledge of the industry and make a
valuable connection.
Seeking submissions from NY, NJ and
CT.
For consideration, email your headshot and resume to robertpeterpaulproductions@gmail.com, with subject
Brette Goldstein. For more info, visit
www.robertpeterpaulproductions.
com/brette-goldstein-casting-director.
$109 participation fee required
(includes workshop notes emailed to
you).

EVENTS

Dance Agent Seminar

Seeking dancers for a dance agent


seminar with Sofia Morrow-Schap of
CESD and choreographer Karla Garcia

32 backstage 11.17.16

of Hamilton. Company states: We


are hosting a one-of-a-kind dancer
agent seminar. Dance Agent Sofia
Morrow-Schap of CESD will be at the
event along with choreographer Karla
Garcia (Currently performing in
Hamilton). They will conduct an industry Q&A, then Karla will teach a dance
combo from Hamilton that everyone
will work on in a mock audition. The
difference is that we will stop and start,
give feed back, answer questions, and
let you know what you are doing right
and wrong both from a choreographers
perspective and from an agent that specializes in dancers.
Company: Actors Launchpad. Staff:
Tom Lapke, prod,; Sofia Morrow-Schap,
agent; Karla Garcia, choreographer.
Class takes place Nov. 19, 10 a.m. in
NYC.
SeekingDancers: 18+, all ethnicities,
this class is for professionally auditioning dancers and is not appropriate for
beginners or movers. The choreographer will teach a musical theatre style
combo from Hamilton.
Seeking submissions from NY.
To sign up for this class, go to https://
goo.gl/CK0oxx.
No pay. Class is $50.

Goodspeed Movers Boot Camp


Seeking participants for Goodspeed
Movers Boot Camp. Company states:
Are you struggling to keep up in dance
auditions? Do you need a dance tuneup before the audition season begins?
Are you new to the audition scene in
NYC? Goodspeed Movers Boot Camp is
an intensive weekend designed to alleviate your dance audition fears and
increase your chances of booking roles
that require basic dance ability. This
weekend-long program in New York
City will be led by professional working
choreographers and a casting director
who wants you to succeed in the audition room. This is a unique opportunity
to hone your basic dance skills in a safe
judgment-free environment, learn how
to pick up basic choreography quickly,
and connect with industry professionals. Goodspeed Movers Boot Camp is an
unintimidating way to take your dance
audition to the next level and advance
your career.
Company: Goodspeed Musicals. Staff:
Kelli Barclay, Paul Hardt (Stuart
Howard Associates LTD.), Randy
Skinner, Richard J. Hinds, John
McMahon, Kristyn Pope, and
PhysioArts, teaching artists.
Program runs Jan. 6-8, 2017 at Pearl
Studios (500) in NYC.
SeekingMovers: 18+, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from NY.
Send submissions to Jritter@goodspeed.org.
Important dates and registration
information: Dec. 22: application deadline; Dec. 26: notification of acceptance; Dec. 30: a tuition payment of
$375 will be due. Exact schedule is Jan.
6, 2017 (6 p.m.-8:30 p.m.), Jan. 7 (9 a.m8:30 p.m.), and Jan. 8 (9 a.m.-7 p.m.) If
you would like to apply for this program after the deadline, contact Josh
Ritter at (860) 873-8664 ext. 522 or jritter@goodspeed.org to inquire if space
is available. The program includes: pro-

fessional teaching artists with the ability to cast participants; mock dance
audition with feedback; individualized
attention and support; 24 hours of
class; physical conditioning for movers;
classes specifically dedicated to picking up choreography quickly; basic tap,
jazz, hip-hop, partnering, and contemporary rep. classes; Q&A sessions with
instructors; lunch is included in the
registration fee. To learn more, visit
www.goodspeed.org/
movers-boot-camp.
No pay. Participation fee of $375 is
required.

L.A. Industry Dir. & Casting Dir.


Workshops, Kids + Teens

Seeking participants, ages 7-20 to register for both workshops and save $50.
Workshops include TV workshop with
L.A. Casting Director Krisha Bullock of
Bullock/Snow Casting and On-Camera
Workshops with Liv and Maddie
director and On-Set Coach, Wendy
Faraone.
Company: A Class Act NY. Staff: Jessica
Rofe, artistic dir.; Krisha Bullock, casting dir.; Wendy Faraone, dir.
Krisha Bullock Workshops run Nov. 18
(ages 8-19, 5:30-9 p.m.); Nov. 19 (ages
711, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; ages 12-19,
25:30 p.m.); Nov. 20 (ages 8-19, 10 a.m.1:30 p.m.) in NYC.
Wendy Faraone Workshops run Dec. 3
(ages 7-11, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m; ages 12-20
2-5:30 p.m.); Dec. 4 (ages 7-11, 10 a.m.1:30 p.m; ages 12-20 2-5:30 p.m.) in NYC.
SeekingYoung Actors: males &
females, 8-19, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from NY.
Send submissions to info@aclassactny.com.
To register, visit AClassActNY.
Eventbrite.com.
$225 participation fee (Krisha
Bullock); or $195 participation fee
(Wendy Faraone) required. Register for
both workshops and save $50.

GROUPS &
MEMBERSHIP
COMPANIES
Archetypes!

Casting Archetypes! for The Actors


Project NYCs 37th season of full-length
theatrical showcases of music, scenes,
monologues, and sketch comedy, all
original works by company writers.
Producer states: TAPNYC is a company
that assists its members in landing
agents and getting work through industry showcases. All shows are attended
by industry in film, TV, and theater.
Past productions have been attended
by producers (Broadway), agents (commercial/legit), managers, and casting
directors.
Company: The Actors Project NYC.
Staff: Joe Naples, Duvall OSteen,
Bobby Holder, and Maureen Toomey,
co-dirs.; Sam Carner & Derek Gregor,
music.
Rehearses in fall 2016; performs in
winter 2017 in NYC.

SeekingActors & Singers Seeking


Representation Through Showcases:
18+, all ethnicities.
Auditions will be held by appt. Nov. 21
from 3:30-4:30 p.m. (group audition) at
TAPNYC @ Studios 353, 353 W. 48th St.,
NYC, 10036.
Send submissions to audition@theactorsprojectnyc.com.
In your submission, include an audition date selected from the options;
casting personnel will email you an
audition request. Add audition@theactorsprojectnyc.com to your contacts
to ensure the confirmation lands in
your inbox. If you do not receive
same-day confirmation, direct-email
headshot and resume to audition@
theactorsprojectnyc.com. Prepare a
one-minute contemporary comedic
monologue. Auditions will be done in
groups. Producer states: We suggest
(though do not require) monologues
from Bobby Holders book Out of the
Blue (available on
TheActorsProjectNYC.com,
BobbyHolder.com, Amazon, iBooks,
etc.) or TAPNYC approved monologues
at monologuestogo.com.
Membership dues are $495/season and
include agent/manager coaching,
resume workshops, branding-yourself
workshops, and entry into The ActingCareer Seminar, where company members meet with a commercial agent, a
legit agent, and a talent manager.

Beyond Fiction!

Casting Beyond Fiction! for The


Actors Project NYCs 37th season of
full-length theatrical showcases of
music, scenes, monologues, and sketch
comedy, all original works by company
writers. Producer states: TAPNYC is a
company that assists its members in
landing agents and getting work
through industry showcases. All shows
are attended by industry in film, TV,
and theater. Past productions have
been attended by producers
(Broadway), agents (commercial/legit),
managers, and casting directors.
Company: The Actors Project NYC.
Staff: Joe Naples, Duvall OSteen,
Bobby Holder, and Maureen Toomey,
co-dirs.; Sam Carner & Derek Gregor,
music.
Rehearses in fall 2016; performs in
winter 2017 in NYC.
SeekingActors & Singers Seeking
Representation Through Showcases:
18+, all ethnicities.
Auditions will be held by appt. Nov. 21
from 3:30-4:30 p.m. (group audition)
and Nov. 29 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. (group
audition) at TAPNYC @ Studios 353, 353
W. 48th St., NYC, 10036.
Send submissions to audition@theactorsprojectnyc.com.
In your submission, include an audition date selected from the options;
casting personnel will email you an
audition request. Add audition@theactorsprojectnyc.com to your contacts
to ensure the confirmation lands in
your inbox. If you do not receive
same-day confirmation, direct-email
headshot and resume to audition@
theactorsprojectnyc.com. Prepare a
one-minute contemporary comedic
monologue. Auditions will be done in
BACKSTAGE.COM

CALIFORNIA casting

Casting Imaginary Tales! for The


Actors Project NYCs 37th season of
full-length theatrical showcases of
music, scenes, monologues, and
sketch comedy, all original works by
company writers. Producer states:
TAPNYC is a company that assists its
members in landing agents and getting work through industry showcases. All shows are attended by
industry in film, TV, and theater. Past
productions have been attended by
producers (Broadway), agents (commercial/legit), managers, and casting
directors.
Company: The Actors Project NYC.
Staff: Joe Naples, Duvall OSteen,
Bobby Holder, and Maureen Toomey,
co-dirs.; Sam Carner & Derek Gregor,
music.
Rehearses in fall 2016; performs in
winter 2017 in NYC.
SeekingActors & Singers Seeking
Representation Through Showcases:
18+, all ethnicities.
Auditions will be held by appt. Nov. 21
from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at TAPNYC @
Studios 353, 353 W. 48th St., NYC,
10036.
Send submissions to audition@theactorsprojectnyc.com.
In your submission, include an audition date selected from the options;
casting personnel will email you an
audition request. Add audition@theactorsprojectnyc.com to your contacts
to ensure the confirmation lands in
your inbox. If you do not receive
same-day confirmation, direct-email
headshot and resume to audition@
theactorsprojectnyc.com. Prepare a
one-minute contemporary comedic
monologue. Auditions will be done in
groups. Producer states: We suggest
(though do not require) monologues
from Bobby Holders book Out of the
Blue (available on
TheActorsProjectNYC.com,
BobbyHolder.com, Amazon, iBooks,
etc.) or TAPNYC approved monologues at monologuestogo.com.
Membership dues are $495/season
and include agent/manager coaching,
resume workshops, branding-yourself
workshops, and entry into The
Acting-Career Seminar, where company members meet with a commercial agent, a legit agent, and a talent
manager.

VISIT BACKSTAGE.COM/CASTING
for full character breakdowns, script
sides, and more casting notices

BACKSTAGE.COM

PLAYS
Betrayal by Poetry

Casting Betrayal by Poetry, a onehour stage play consisting of poetry


excerpts intertwined with a storyline of
betrayal and opposition.
Company: Story Byrd Productions.
Staff: Eric Byrd, CEO-founder.
Rehearsals will commence after the
new year in Feb. 2017 and will be twice
a week in Hollywood, CA.
SeekingKyle Kingston: male, 21-30,
Caucasian, a homosexual Caucasian
male in his mid-twenties is currently
working on his MBA in psychology at
USC, but his sarcastic approach to life is
not helping his knack of tapping into
the insight of peoples behavioral traits;
his wittiness, and innate logic to
assume the worse out of everyone and
every situation, causes him much conflict between his partner and strangers
alike. William Paterson: male, 21-30,
African American, a homosexual, charismatic, mild mannered African
American male in his mid-twenties,
whose recent graduation from USC with
a degree in Computer Science has him
at a crossroad in life; hes come to realize hes just fulfilled his fathers dream
of going to college and not his own of
being an aspiring musician and vocalist; he spends day cultivating his craft
while waiting tables at a local restaurant by night; his hint of insecurity not
knowing exactly what he wants to do
with himself has placed a strain on not
just himself but his relationship. Flute
AKA SAM: transgender, 25-35,
African American, a feisty drag queen
whose known for her no-holds-barred
personality and quick lashing tongue-a confident queen whose second-place
ranking on a highly rated drag show
earned her that right; shes young at
heart but wise beyond her years, having found her calling from her short
stint living on the streets; with the
he transformation to she, she
comes into her own as Flute, with her
curvaceous body and larger-than-life
personality. Starr Davenport: female,
21-30, Caucasian, a well-off Caucasian
woman whose parents funded her
entire college tuition at USC only for
her to drop out during her sophomore
year; she continues to receive a
monthly allowance to sustain the lifestyle shes grown accustomed to as she
tries to figure out what to do with her
life; shes very book-smart and techsavvy, with an eye for fashion and anything chic; she can come off very
self-centered and nave at times
because of her sheltered life, which
disconnects her from the real realities
of peoples struggles. Marcus AKA Po11.17.16 backstage

Fringe Deaths

Casting and original Off-Broadwaybound play, Fringe Deaths. Company


states: This is a workshop version
debuting in Carmel, CA. If you can
arrange your own housing, this is great
opportunity.

Company: Pine Bros. Staff: Dave


Roach, promotions dir.
Rehearses Nov. 10-Dec 3; runs early
December in Carmel CA.
SeekingGeorge Reeved: male, 31-46,
Caucasian.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Send submissions to Ridermc@sbcglobal.net.
Submit headshot & video.
Pays $500 for entire gig.

MUSICALS

Imaginary Tales!

SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA

Po: male, 25-35, African American, a


heterosexual man whos worked his
way up the ranks in the citys local
police force, who prides himself on
dedicating his free time giving back to
his old community of Compton,
California; hea straightforward,
aggressive, and assertive individual
who has no time for shenanigans and
games. Dr. Curtis Mitchell AKA BOB:
male, 25-35, all ethnicities, a homosexual male whose seasoned experience,
education, and contribution as a counseling psychologist took him beyond
the campus grounds as a veteran professor to his own private practice in the
neighboring LGBT community; hes a
compassionate, open-minded individual who takes great satisfaction in helping others find their true selves in the
healing process.
Auditions will be held by appt. Nov. 19
from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Hollywood
Casting and Film, Hollywood, CA.
Send submissions to storybyrdpro@
gmail.com.
Seeking nonunion members who are
willing to take a pay offering of $100
each actor per show, with a two-show
run max. Drinks and snacks will be provided, with an occasional lunch, during
rehearsals.

PLAYS

groups. Producer states: We suggest


(though do not require) monologues
from Bobby Holders book Out of the
Blue (available on
TheActorsProjectNYC.com,
BobbyHolder.com, Amazon, iBooks,
etc.) or TAPNYC-approved monologues at monologuestogo.com.
Membership dues are $495/season and
include agent/manager coaching,
resume workshops, branding-yourself
workshops, and entry into The ActingCareer Seminar, where company members meet with a commercial agent, a
legit agent, and a talent manager.

MUSICALS
Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story

Casting Buddy: The Buddy Holly


Story, by Alan Janes.
Company: New Village Arts Inc. Staff:
Christy Yael-Cox, dir.
Opens May 27, 2017 and moves to a second venue and runs July 3-Aug. 27 in
Carlsbad, CA.
SeekingBuddy Holly: male, 18-28, all
ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Nov. 21 from 7-10 p.m. at New Village
Arts, 2787 State St., Ste. B, Carlsbad, CA,
92008. Entrance will be lobby doors. An
Equity Monitor will not be provided. The
producer will run all aspects of this
audition.
Prepare a Buddy Holly song of your
choice; an accompanist will be provided, however you may accompany
yourself if you wish to do so.
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diver-

CAST
YOUR
PROJECT
Find the best actors,
dancers, singers, models,
comedians, and more
with Backstage's state-ofthe-art casting system.

Visit Backstage.com/FindTalent

33
castingHouseAd.indd 5

4/21/15 11:03 AM

casting CALIFORNIA
sity and encourages all its employers to
engage in a policy of equal employment
opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such,
Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and ages,
as well as performers with disabilities,
to attend every audition.
Pays $361/wk. Equity Special
Appearance Level 2 Contract.

MUSICALS

The Last Five Years

FILM

Casting The Last Five Years, a


musical.
Company: McCoy Rigby. Staff: Brent
Crayon, music dir.; Julia Flores, casting
dir.; Tom McCoy & Cathy Rigby, prods.;
B.T. McNicholl, producing artistic dir.;
Nick DeGruccio, dir.
Rehearsals begin Jan. 3, 2017; runs Jan.
20-Feb. 12 in Yorba Linda, CA.
SeekingCatherine Hiatt: female,
25-33, all ethnicities. Jamie
Wellerstein: male, 25-33, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Nov. 29 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (sign-up
begins at 10 a.m.) at La Mirada Theatre
Rehearsal Space, 15519 Phoebe Ave., La
Mirada, CA, 90638. EPA procedures are
in effect for this audition. An Equity
monitor will be provided.
Modern musical theater, pop/rock
genre, or anything from Jason Robert
Brown. You may also sing from the
show. Bring your own sheet music. We
will not have the score with us. Note
that the audition address is not the La
Mirada Theatre.
Pays: $799/wk. Equity COST Contract.

FEATURE FILMS
Horror Feature, Evan Peters
Type

Seeking an Evan Peters type actor and


name talent for an award-winning
directors feature horror adaptation.
Shoots 2017 in Louisville, KY or
Atlanta, GA.
SeekingJulianne Moore, Patricia
Arquette, Maria Bello, Laura Dern
Type: 45+, all ethnicities. Evan Peters
Type: male, 25-40, Caucasian.
Seeking submissions from GA, NY and
CA.
Apply on Backstage.com
Professional pay provided.

Phantom Punch

Casting extras for Phantom Punch.


Company: Haymaker International
LLC. Staff: Branden Maxham, prod.
Shoots in November in the L.A. area.
SeekingRestaurant Customers:
males & females, 21+, Asian, South
Asian, Southeast Asian / Pacific
Islander. Airplane Passengers: males
& females, 18+, all ethnicities.
Shoppers: female, 20-50, all ethnicities. Hotel Staff Members: male, 18+,
all ethnicities. Couples: males &
females, 18-40, all ethnicities. Old
Gentleman: male, 55+, all ethnicities.
Hotel Guests/Extras at the Hotel Pool:
males & females, 25-40, all ethnicities. Dashing Gentlemen: male, 18-35,
all ethnicities. Restaurant Wait Staff:
males & females, 25-50, all ethnici-

34 backstage 11.17.16

AUDITION
HIGHLIGHT S
Fri. Nov. 18

CA L I F O R N I A

Scientist 3: female, 45-60, all ethnicities,


heavy gravitas. Scientist 4: male, 54-70,
all ethnicities, direct; heavy gravitas.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Send submissions to jackiesteelela@
gmail.com.
Note your availability and include a
reel if you have one.
Pays $150/day.

Auburn Pines (also 11/19)


Midnight Diner

Sat. Nov. 19
Betrayal by Poetry
Partners in Crime (also 11/20)

Sun. Nov. 20
Memoirs of a Geisha Reenactment
Salvador
L.A. Connection, Comedy Improv

Mon. Nov 21
The Promise (also 11/22)
Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
For the full auditions calendar,
visit backstage.com/auditions

ties. Straight and Gay Couples: males


& females, 25-60, all ethnicities.
Airplane Passengers: males &
females, 18+, Caucasian, Asian, South
Asian, Southeast Asian / Pacific
Islander, Ethnically Ambiguous /
Mixed Race. Backpacking Couple:
males & females, 18+, all ethnicities.
Bouncer: male, 25-50, all ethnicities.
Club Extras: males & females, 18+, all
ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Apply on Backstage.com.
Pays: $80/day.

SHORT FILMS
Big MisUnderstanding

Casting a directing exercise for a college course, Big MisUnderstanding.


Company: Art Center College of
Design. Staff: Kamren Fuartado, production assistant.
Rehearses Nov. 15 , 12:30-1 p.m. Nov.
22, 11:30- 12:30 p.m in L.A.
SeekingMalcolm: male, 18-27,
African American. Stephanie: female,
18-28, Caucasian.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Send submissions to kamfuartado@
gmail.com.
Pays $50.

Remote Viewing

Casting Remote Viewing, a short scifI horror film.


Company: Schell Studios. Staff: Jackie
Steele, line prod.
Shoots Jan. 12-20 in Los Angeles, CA.
SeekingScientist 1: male, 51-70,
African American, African Descent,
heavy gravitas. Scientist 2: female,
40-60, all ethnicities, stern; concise.

STUDENT FILMS
Auditory Malfunction

Casting Auditory Malfunction, a


psychodrama.
Company: Hidalgo Films. Staff:
Herbert Hidalgo, dir.
Shoots Jan. 7-8, 2017 in Los Angeles,
CA.
SeekingMark: male, 25-35, all ethnicities, suffers from schizophrenia and
bipolarism; he begins with hearing
voices to complete hallucination. Travis:
male, 18-27, all ethnicities, the younger
brother of Mark is a mental projection of
Marks sub conscience that verbally
attacks, intimidates and haunts Mark.
Auditions will be held Nov. 18 from 5
p.m.-8 a.m. at New York Film Academy,
3300 Riverside, Los Angeles, CA, 90027.
Send submissions to hidalgoherbert90@gmail.com.
Upon emailing me your submission, I
will notify you of the room location.
Meals and copy provided.

Evening Scene

Casting a scene with dialogue from the


2007 independent film Evening for an
ArtCenter College of Design assignment.
Synopsis: The film is about Buddy, a gay
man who tries to tell his female friend,
Ann, that he has feelings for her. Buddy
confesses to Ann shortly after he witnesses her kissing his former crush,
Harris. The problem is that Buddy has
always loved Harris and Ann, but hes
been rejected by both of them. In this
emotional scene between Buddy and
Ann, Buddy tries to confess to Ann that
he loves her. He admits to kissing Harris.
He shows her a note hes carried in his
pocket for four years, a note that was
passed to him by Ann in college. Then
Buddy asks Ann if she wants to settle
down with him. Hes very hopeful, but
she refuses. Director states: This is a
homework assignment and is not so
fancy. It relies on good acting and emotions. Love, affection, and sadness are
the main emotional themes.
Company: ArtCenter College of
Design. Staff: Zoe Zou, student dir.
Shoot date TBD in Pasadena, CA (close
to Old Town Pasadena).
SeekingBuddy: male, 18-32, all ethnicities. Ann: female, 18-30, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Send submissions to zouooe@gmail.
com.
To expedite casting process, submit a
link to your acting reel, if available.
No pay.

VISIT BACKSTAGE.COM/CASTING
for full character breakdowns, script
sides, and more casting notices

Golds Gym: Be Your


Strongest, Spec Commercial

Casting a spec commercial for Golds


Gym for Art Center College of Design.
Synopsis: Empowered mentally and
physically by their newfound personal
strength at Golds Gym, this super-couple completes seemingly difficult tasks
with ease.
Company: Art Center College of
Design. Staff: Kevin Yurasovich,
dir.-prod.
Shoots Nov. 26 or 27 (TBD) in West
Covina, CA.
SeekingTracy: female, 22-40,
Caucasian, Hispanic, Ethnically
Ambiguous / Mixed Race, a young and
spry mother who maintains an active
lifestyle and is empowered by her
strength. Tony: male, 22-40, Caucasian,
Hispanic, Asian, South Asian, Native
American, Middle Eastern, Southeast
Asian / Pacific Islander, Ethnically
Ambiguous / Mixed Race, a little
scrawny and dorky; usually intimidated
and emasculated by his wifes strength.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Send submissions to kyurasovich@
inside.artcenter.edu.
Pays: $75/day, plus meals and travel
provided.

Mansions

Casting Mansions, a 15-minute coming-of-age film for USC School of


Cinematic Arts and intended for submission to Sundance. Synopsis: Three
best friends from a lower-class town
spend an unforgettable day in an
upper-class suburban neighborhood.
Company: USC/SA Entertainment
Group. Staff: Sam Elgart,
writer-dir.-prod.
Shoot date(s) TBD in L.A.
SeekingJared: male, 14-19,
Caucasian. Skyler: male, 14-17,
Caucasian. Daniel: male, 10-12,
Caucasian.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Send submissions to mansionsshortfilm@gmail.com.
Pays: $50/day (two days of principal
photography). Copy, IMDb credit,
meals, and travel provided. Producer
states: Film festival distribution.
Producer plans to apply for a SAGAFTRA Student Film Agreement.

The Graduate, Scene

Casting The Graduate. SMCs Award


Winning Film Department re-imagines
scenes from well-known films under
the guidance of the Head of Film
Production, critically-acclaimed filmmaker Salvador Carrasco. This Student
Project takes a scene from The Graduate
and reinterprets it from Mrs. Robinsons
point of view. Scene 61 from The
Graduate will be approached from Mrs.
Robinson s perspective. Instead of seeing Benjamin getting ready for Mrs.
Robinson, we will see her getting ready
for him and examine the conflicting
narrative society places on women with
their sexuality as they mature.
Company: SMC Film Program. Staff:
Suzette Martinez, dir.; Linnea Joelsson,
prod.
Shoots Nov. 23, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. in L.A.
SeekingMrs. Robinson: female,
40-80, all ethnicities, older woman in
BACKSTAGE.COM

CALIFORNIA casting

Tomorrow

Virtual, Virtual Reality

BACKSTAGE.COM

Seeking animated character performers who move well to bring to life the
classic characters you grew up with
aboard the Disney Magic and Disney
Wonder cruise ships. Performers
appear as fully costumed Disney
Characters in our mainstage musical
theatre productions, meet and greets,
events and production numbers on
board our fleet. Some Disney Costumed
Character performers also appear as
Disney Character Look-alikes, including some performers to step out into
ensemble dancer roles.
Company: Walt Disney Parks Talent
Casting.
There are multiple contract opportunities throughout 2017 for up to nine
months.
SeekingFemale Character
Performers: female, 18+, all ethnicities,
48.5-50.5, 52-53, 55-57 Male
Character Performers: male, 18+, all
ethnicities, 55-58 with a youthful
look; 511-64
Auditions will be held Dec. 2 at 2 p.m.
(sign-in, 1:30 p.m.) at Screenland
Studios, 10501 Burbank Blvd., North
Hollywood, CA, 91601.
Late arrivals will not be accepted. Be
warmed up and ready to begin at time
listed. Wear form fitting attire to show
silhouette. Audition will consist of a
movement and animation exercise.
Provide a current headshot and rsum.
Note: Height ranges strictly adhered to;
no exceptions. Candidates will be measured at sign-in. We strongly encourage
performers from all cultural backgrounds to attend. Must be 18+. For
more info, visit www.disneyauditions.
com.
Competitive pay, travel, room and
board, guest sailing privileges, contract
completion bonus, additional benefits
package and no cruise staff duty. We
strongly encourage performers from all
cultural backgrounds to attend. EOE.

NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA
PLAYS
Kill the Editor

Casting for Kill the Editor, an original play. Project description: A filmmaker and a young editor have just one
week to completely re-edit their documentary film. Things get complicated
when the previous editor shows up,
demanding they use her cut.
Company: Quick Brown Fox Theatre.
Staff: Aren Haun, prod.
Rehearsals begin week of Feb. 13; runs
Mar. 23-Apr. 8, in San Francisco.

STUDENT FILMS
Chops

Casting Chops, a student film.


Synopsis: Confined to the playroom of
an ominous babysitters home, Natalie
and Kyle attempt to show Lara how to
escape the threats of reality through
imagination. However, Laras determination to prove shes not a baby leads
to adult attention, and, with it, her literal consumption.
Company: San Francisco State
University. Staff: Kat McLain, dir.;
Allyson Reynolds, prod.
Rehearses in December; shoots earlymid January 2017 in the San Francisco
Bay Area, CA.
SeekingLara: female, 4-10, all ethnicities. Natalie: female, 9-12, all ethnicities. Kyle: male, 7-11, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Send submissions to chopsshortfilm@
gmail.com.
Copy, credit, and meals will be
provided.

Over the Handlebars

Casting Over the Handlebars, a student film for San Francisco State
University. Synopsis: This is a coming-of-age comedy set in the early
80s about a kid in high school who
seeks revenge on an ex-girlfriend by
TPing her house with his friends.
After his bike snaps, the main character is left behind to face his ex-girlfriend when she catches him outside
of her house.
Company: Forced Perspective. Staff:
Brittany Doyal, prod.
Reading on Nov. 18 at SFSU; shoots
Dec. 2-4 in San Francisco, CA.
SeekingJimmy: male, 15-19, all ethnicities. Trent: male, 15-19, all ethnicities. Cashier: female, 40-70, all
ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Send submissions to badoyal@gmail.
com.
Full craft services will be provided on
set.
11.17.16 backstage

35

VOICEOVER

Seeking voiceover artists for Virtual,


Virtual Reality, a VR indie game in
development. The tone of the game lies
somewhere between Hitchhikers
Guide to the Galaxy and Inception.
Company: Tender Claws. Staff: Tanya
Leal Soto, prod.
Records between Nov. 19-23 or Nov.
28-Dec. 1 in L.A.
SeekingHernandez: male, 35-50, all
ethnicities, high energy CEO, salesman; over the course of the scene he
is gradually growing weaker and grappling with his own mortality; approx.
2.5 hrs. recording time. Eliza: female,
25-40, all ethnicities, CEO of a VR
travel company; she is a strong boss, a
leader who has been trapped in a
tough situation; shes business-like
but still has a sense of melancholy;
approx. 2.5 hrs. recording time.
Tumbleweed: female, 50+, all ethnicities, a jolly character obsessed with
moving along and building momen-

Disney Cruise Line, Characters,


LA

Seeking well-trained male and female


dancers who tumble well, female dancers who can sing well, and male dancers who can tap to bring to life the
classic characters you grew up with
aboard the Disney Magic and Disney
Wonder cruise ships. Repertory
includes full scale musical theatre
shows including our newest Mainstage
production of Frozen, A Musical
Spectacular.
Company: Walt Disney Parks Talent
Casting. Staff: Sheryl Kaller (Mothers
and Sons, Next Fall) , original direction; Joshua Prince (Beautiful,
Shrek), choreo.
Nine month contracts begin March
2017.
SeekingMale and Female Dancers
Who Tumble Well/Female Dancers
Who Sing/Male Dancers Who Tap:
males & females, 18+, all ethnicities,
versatile and exciting dancers; must be
trained in ballet and jazz. Some roles
require strong vocal ability; others
require strong tumbling passes or a
great male physique.
Auditions will be held Dec. 2 at 10 a.m.
(sign-in, 9:30 a.m.) at Screenland
Studios, 10501 Burbank Blvd., North
Hollywood, CA, 91601.
Late applicants will not be allowed to
audition. Be warmed up and ready to
begin at the time listed. Wear form fitting attire to show your silhouette.
Bring pix & rsums. Dancers will be
taught a ballet combination. Selected
dancers will learn advanced jazz. For
more info, visit www.disneyauditions.
com. Note: Must be 18+. Performers
from all cultural backgrounds are
encouraged to attend. Some call back
candidates will be required to sing 16
bars of a musical theatre selection of
their choice; be prepared with sheet
music in the correct key. An accompanist will be provided.
Competitive pay, travel, room and
board, guest sailing privileges, contract
completion bonus and additional benefits package. EOE.

SeekingCameron: male, 30-40, all


ethnicities, a successful, young personal documentary filmmaker with a
film entering the prestigious Cannes
Film Festival. Cameron can be everything to everyone, charming, charismatic, while at the same time
obsessive, ego-maniacal, tyrannical; a
true artist, or appears to be. Ben:
male, 20-30, all ethnicities, a young
editor brought in at the last minute
before the Cannes Film Festival to
completely re-edit Camerons documentary. His background is in TV
editing but he is passionate about
working in a true art form. Wants to
please but deep down is capable of
surprising everyone, including
himself.
Auditions will be held by appt. Dec. 10
at Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy St, San
Francisco, CA, 94102.
Send submissions to arenhaun@gmail.
com.
Pays $500 stipend.

VARIETY

ANIMATION &
VIDEOGAME
VOICEOVER

CRUISE LINES

Disney Cruise Line, Dancers,


LA

FILM

Casting for Tomorrow, an original


short film that will not be officially shot
but will be rehearsed and recorded(Will
have lights and production design) in
class for directing two class. The project will be directed by me with the help
of the well experienced director
Richard Pearce. The first rehearsal time
is next Wednesday.
Company: Art Center College of
Design. Staff: Gabriel He, coord.
Shoots TBD at the Art Center College of
Design in Monrovia, CA.
SeekingWong Ling: female, 40+,
Asian. Julia: female, 40+, Caucasian,
African American, Hispanic.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Send submissions to billygabe8@
gmail.com.
Director states: Great advice will be
given both for me and for actor/actress
from an experienced director, Richard
Pearce. The acting for both lead actress
will be a challenge but we will have
fun. Read the first draft of the script
and I will Facetime with you before
next Wednesday and we will talk about
what is your take on the script.
Pays: $50 dollars paid by school and I
will include lunch.

tum; a composite of characters from


old western movies; grizzled old cowboy; role requires whistling; approx. 2
hrs. recording time. Whale: female,
50+, all ethnicities, an old soul; she
likes to tell those who will listen
about her former glory days as the
star of various tech demos; voice reference: Tree Trunks in Adventure
Time (https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=-HbmE7d1P3Q); less
Southern and more a majestic old
dame; approx. 1.5 hrs. recording time.
Elevator: female, 25-45, all ethnicities, depressed, introspective; existential in that she doesnt see a
difference between going up and
going down; reference: Eeyore;
approx. 2 hrs. recording time.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Apply on Backstage.com
Record the corresponding lines for the
character for which youre auditioning
and send them with your application.
Pays: $40/hr.

PLAYS

good shape. Mother-daughter lookalike duos encouraged to apply.


Wardrobe modest lingerie with robe.
Younger Mrs. Robinson: female, 18-22,
all ethnicities, young woman in good
shape. Mother-daughter look-alike
duos encouraged to apply. Wardrobe
modest lingerie with a robe. Ben: male,
18-22, all ethnicities, young, intellectual type. Wardrobe nerdy-intellectual.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Send submissions to martinez_
suzette_nay@student.smc.edu.
Copy and meal provided..

casting NATIONAL/REGIONAL

SCRIPTED TV & VIDEO


Start Up

PLAYS

Casting the role of Jean Luc, a young


French designer. Must have believable
French accent and be able to say a few
phrases in near fluent French.
Company: Lateral Communications.
Staff: Michael Rost, series editor.
Shoots Dec. 8 (afternoon) in Walnut
Creek, CA.
SeekingJean Luc: male, 18-26, all
ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from CA.
Send submissions to michael.rost@
latcomm.com.
Pays: $150 for the scene; about five
lines of dialogue to memorize.

TV & VIDEO

NATIONAL/
REGIONAL
PLAYS
A Christmas Carol

Casting actors to be considered for


possible replacements and/or understudies for A Christmas Carol.
Company: Atlanta Shakespeare
Company. Staff: Drew Reeves, assoc.
prod.
Rehearsals begin Nov. 15; runs Nov.
30-Dec. 23 in Atlanta, GA.
SeekingScrooge - Possible
Replacement and/or Understudy: male,
35-69, all ethnicities. Storytellers Possible Replacement and/or
Understudy: males & females, 18+, all
ethnicities, any age, race, and gender.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Nov. 16 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. (break,
noon-6 p.m.) and from 6-10 p.m. at
Shakespeare Tavern, 499 Peachtree St.
NE, Atlanta, GA, 30308. An Equity
Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this
audition.
For an audition appointment, submit
pix & resumes to audition@shakespearetavern.com or call (404) 8745299 ext. 32. Equity members without
appointments seen as time permits.
Paid street parking or across the street
at Emory Hospital parking deck.
Prepare 20-40 lines from A Christmas
Carol novella. Note: All roles have
been cast; however, actors may be considered for possible replacements and/
or understudies; local Atlanta-area
actors preferred. Equitys contracts
prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all
its employers to engage in a policy of
equal employment opportunity
designed to promote a positive model
of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as
performers with disabilities, to attend
every audition. Always bring your

36 backstage 11.17.16

Equity Membership card to auditions.


For more info, visit www.shakespearetavern.com.
Pays $393/wk. Equity SPT Contract.

Barter Theatre 2017 Season

Casting Equity actor/singers for various roles in Barter Theatres 2017 season. Season includes The Savannah
Sipping Society (runs May 12-Aug. 12,
2017), Footloose: The Musical (runs
May 20-Aug. 12, 2017), Aint
Misbehavin: the Fats Waller Musical
Show (runs Aug. 18-Sept. 9, 2017), TBA
show (runs Sept. 15-Nov. 11, 2017) and
The Santaland Diaries (runs Nov.
29-Dec. 29, 2017).
Company: Barter Theatre. Staff:
Richard Rose, producing artistic dir.;
Katy Brown & Nick Piper, assoc. artistic
dirs.; Lee Harris, resident music dir.
Season runs in Abingdon, VA
(Abingdon is approximately six hours
from Washington, D.C. and ten hours
from NYC by auto. The nearest airport
is Tri-Cities which is a forty minute
drive from Abingdon).
SeekingEquity Actor/Singers: males
& females, 18+, all ethnicities. Equity
Dancers: 18+, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Dec. 4 from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (acting/
singing) and from 3:30-6 p.m. (acting/
singing) and Dec. 5 from 10 a.m.-12:30
p.m. (acting/singing) and from 3:30-6
p.m. (acting/singing) at Barter Stage II,
110 W Main St., (off Exit 17 on I-81,
across street from Barter Theatre),
Abingdon, VA, 24212. And Dec. 4 from
1-3 p.m. (dancers) and Dec. 5 from 1-3
p.m. (dancers) at Barter Production
Building, 271 Barter Dr., Abingdon, VA,
24210.
For consideration, submit pix,
resumes, name, phone, email, time and
day you would like to audition, whether
you will be attending dance call, and
your union status to bartercastingasst@gmail.com; or call (276) 6195405 and leave the same info. Equity
members without appointments seen
as time permits. Bring three copies of
your picture and resume. For acting/
singing: prepare one or two contrasting
monologues, no more than 1 minutes
each. If you sing, in addition to a monologue, prepare one verse and one chorus of a song (or 16 bars of a song). Have
a contrasting piece ready. Bring sheet
music in correct key; no lead sheets or
vocal only music; accompanist provided but will not transpose. No
recorded accompaniment or a cappella
singing. For dancers: site will be open
1/2 hour before audition time each day
for warm-up and changing. Be prepared
to stay through the entire audition.
Wear shoes and clothing appropriate
for a dance audition. Teaching of the
first dance combination will begin
promptly at 1 p.m. Auditions will be
broken down into: 1) Choreographed
Movement/Dance - everyone will learn
combination and more experienced
dancers will stay & learn a second combination, and 2)Dance Combination for
Dancers - including Actor/Singers who
consider themselves dancers. Only
those requested to do the second combination will learn it. If you are a dancer
who plans to attend the movement/

dance auditions but do not plan to


attend the acting/singing auditions,
inform the audition monitor.
Pays $637/wk. Equity LORT D Rep
Contract.

Come Blow Your Horn

Seeking Equity actors for Come Blow


Your Horn, a comedy by Neil Simon.
All roles available.
Company: Theatre Partners LLC. Staff:
Neil Simon, writer; Tod Booth, dir.
Rehearsals begin Dec. 26, 2016; runs
Jan. 4-22, 2017 in Jacksonville, FL.
SeekingAlan Baker: 30-39, all ethnicities. Peggy Evans: 20-29, all ethnicities. Buddy Baker: 21, all ethnicities.
Mr. Baker: 60-69, all ethnicities.
Connie Dayton: 20-29, all ethnicities.
Mrs. Baker: 55-59, all ethnicities.
Woman: 50-59, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Dec. 5 from 1-5 p.m. at Alhambra Dinner
Theatre, 12000 Beach Blvd.,
Jacksonville, FL, 32246. An Equity
Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this
audition.
No appointments. Actors seen on first
come, first seen basis. Prepare a comedic monologue and actors may be asked
to read from the script. Actors are
encouraged to read the show prior to
auditioning. Bring pix & resumes, stapled together.
Pays: $629/wk. Equity Alhambra
Dinner Theatre Agreement.

The Great Society

Seeking Equity male and female actors


for The Great Society. Synopsis: This
is the second of Robert Schenkkans
LBJ plays exploring Texas own political mastermind and his memorable
years in the White House. Despite division over the Vietnam War and ongoing
civil rights issues, Johnson championed the most ambitious legislative
work--an end to poverty and racial
injustice, education for all schoolchildren, healthcare for seniors, and voting
rights--in his vision of a Great Society.
In this political thrill ride, The Great
Society examines who we are, asks
how we got here, and dreams of how
great we could yet become. Note: The
roles of LBJ, MLK, and Lady Bird have
been cast; this play relies on an ensemble of 17 actors who play multiple roles.
Company: Zachary Scott Theatre
Center. Staff: Dave Steakley, dir.;
Robert Schenkkan, playwright.
Rehearsals begin Dec. 27, 2016; runs
Jan. 25-Mar. 5, 2017 (shows Wed.-Sat. at
7:30 p.m. and Sat. and Sun. at 2:30 p.m.)
in Austin, TX.
SeekingCarmichael/Lewis/Crowd/
Protester/Rioter #1/Rioter #2/
Ensemble: 18+, all ethnicities. RFK/
CHP #2/Man in Crowd/Chicago
Reporter #4/Charles Robb/Ensemble:
18+, all ethnicities. Hoover/Ensemble:
18+, all ethnicities. Humphrey/
Policeman/Ensemble: 18+, all ethnicities. Wallace/Nixon/Sherriff Clark/
McCone/Policeman/Morrison/
Reporter #1/Ensemble: 18+, all ethnicities. Dirksen/DeLoach/Col. Lingo/
Chicago Reporter #1/White Crowd/
Clifford/Ensemble: 18+, all ethnicities.
JL Jackson/Bevel/Male Riot #3/Crowd/

Protestor/Ensemble: 18+, all ethnicities. Moses/Dobyens/Willimas/Frye/


Rioter #2/Chicago Reporter #3/
Reporter #3/Crowd/Ensemble: 18+, all
ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Nov. 19 from 2-10 p.m. (by appointment) at Nowlin Rehearsal Studio, 1426
Toomey Rd., Austin, TX, 78704.
For consideration, email auditions@
zachtheatre.org with subject line TGS
Austin Auditions; attach headshot/
resume in PDF/Word format with preferred audition time. Actors should prepare two contrasting monologues not
to exceed three minutes. Bring pix &
resumes, stapled together.
Pays: $478/wk. Equity LOA ref. to
LORT minimum.

The School for Lies

Casting The School for Lies by David


Ives.
Company: Shakespeare Theatre
Company. Staff: Michael Kahn, dir.artistic dir.; Carter C. Wooddell, resident casting dir.
Rehearsals begin Apr. 24, 2017; tech
begins May 23; runs June 5-July 2 with a
possible extension through July 9 in
Washington, DC.
SeekingCelimene: 18+, all ethnicities. DuBois/Basque: 18+, all ethnicities. Arsinoe: 18+, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Dec. 6 from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (lunch,
1-2 p.m.) at Shakespeare Theatre
Company Studios, 507 8th St. SE,
Washington, DC, 20003. An Equity
Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this
audition.
For an audition appointment, email
CastingShakespeare@shakespearetheatre.org or call (202) 547-3230, ext.
2724. AEA members without appointments will be seen as time permits.
Prepare one classical monologue, preferably a comedic piece in rhyming
verse not to exceed three minutes total.
Bring a headshot and resume stapled
together.
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to
engage in a policy of equal employment
opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such,
Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and ages,
as well as performers with disabilities,
to attend every audition. Note: All roles
are understudied.
Pays $861/wk. Equity LORT Non-Rep B
Contract.

Theater At Monmouth Season

Casting the Theater at Monmouths


2017 season. Season includes
Shakespeares Macbeth (Dawn
McAndrews, dir.), Molieres Learned
Ladies (Sally Wood, dir.),
Shakespeares Othello (Catherine
Weidner, dir.), and Lolita Chakrabartis
Red Velvet (Jennifer Nelson, dir.).
Company: The Theater At Monmouth.
Staff: Dawn McAndrews, prod. artistic
dir.
Rehearsals begin June 13; season runs
July 7-Aug. 20 in repertory in
Monmouth, ME.
BACKSTAGE.COM

NATIONAL/REGIONAL casting

Seeking Equity actors for understudies and/or possible replacements if


needed in Theatre Espressos 2016-17
season. Touring shows include Justice
at War (Mimi Jo Katano, Wendy
Lement, and Jordan Winer, writers);
The Confession of Ann Putnam
(Wendy Lement, writer); American
Tapestry: Immigrant Children of the
Bread and Roses Strike (Megan
Cooper, Wendy Lement, and Derek
Nelson, writers); Uprising on King
Street: The Boston Massacre
(Christopher Cook, Wendy Lement, and
Derek Nelson, writers); The Trial of
Anthony Burns (Wendy Lement and
Bethany Dunakin, writers); The Nine
Who Dared: Crisis in Little Rock
(Wendy Lement, Derek Nelson, and
Cliff Odle, writers); and Secret
Soldiers (Wendy Lement, writer).
Company: Theatre Espresso. Staff:
Shelley Bolman, artistic dir.
Runs weekdays October, 2016-June
2017 (max. six shows/wk. in Jamaica
Plain, MA.
SeekingUnderstudies: males &
females, 18+, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Nov. 21 from 2-6 p.m. at Boston
University College of Fine Arts, 855
Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA,
02215. An Equity Monitor will not be
BACKSTAGE.COM

Wellesley Repertory Theatre,


2017 Season

Seeking Equity actors for understudies


and possible replacements in Wellesley
Repertory Theatres 2017 season. All
roles have been cast in the two season
productions. Season includes: Emilie:
La Marquise du Chatelet Defends Her
Life (rehearsals begin early Dec.; opens
Jan. 5, 2017; closes Jan. 29); and Sonia
Flew (rehearsals begin early May; opens
June 1; closes June 25).
Company: Wellesley Repertory
Theatre. Staff: Nora Hussey (in attendance at the EPA), artistic dir.; Kate
Svirsky, theatre studies.
Season rehearses and runs in
Wellesley, MA.
SeekingEquity Actors: 18+, all
ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Nov. 18 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (by
appointment; lunch 1:30-2:30 p.m.) and
Nov. 19 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (by appointment; lunch 1:30-2:30 p.m.) at Wellesley
College, 106 Central St., Alumnae Hall
Ballroom, Wellesley, MA, 02481. An
Equity Monitor will not be provided.
The producer will run all aspects of this
audition.
For an audition appointment, Equity
members contact Kate Svirsky at (781)
283-2678 or ksvirsky@wellesley.edu,
Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., 10 a.m.-2
p.m. Equity members without appointments seen as time permits. Actors will
audition with cold readings from the
script at the audition. Bring pix &
resumes, stapled together. For more
information, visit www.wellesley.edu/
theatre.
Pays: $352/wk. Equity NEAT Cat. 5
Contract.

MUSICALS
Million Dollar Quartet

Casting singer/musicians for Million


Dollar Quartet inspired by Elvis
Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis,
and Carl Perkins.
Company: Atlanta Lyric Theatre. Staff:
Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux, book;
Floyd Mutrux, original concept-dir.;
Brandt Blocker, dir.; Chris Damiano,
music dir.
Rehearsals begin Jan. 15; runs Feb.
10-26 in Marietta, GA.

SeekingCarl Perkins: male, 18+, all


ethnicities. Johnny Cash: male, 18+, all
ethnicities. Jerry Lee Lewis: male, 18+,
all ethnicities. Elvis Presley: male, 18+,
all ethnicities. Jay Perkins: male, 18+,
all ethnicities. W.S. Fluke Holland:
male, 18+, all ethnicities. Sam Phillips:
male, 18+, all ethnicities. Dyanne:
female, 18+, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Nov. 28 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at Lyric
Studio Theatre in the Square, 12 Powder
Springs, Marietta, GA, 30067. Entrance
under maroon awning. No appointments necessary. Equity actors seen on
first come, first seen basis. An Equity
Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this
audition.
Prepare a pop song by one of the artists listed in the cast breakdown below.
If using our provided accompanist
bring music in your key. If you are auditioning for one of the Quartet be prepared to demonstrate the appropriate
instrument listed by their name in cast
breakdown. Piano will be provided in
the room. Those auditioning for
Dyanne should prepare Fever or I
Hear You Knocking or something in
the style of the show. No standard
musical theatre show tunes. Bring a
headshot and resume. For more info,
visit www.atlantalyric.com/.
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to
engage in a policy of equal employment
opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such,
Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and ages,
as well as performers with disabilities,
to attend every audition.
Pays: $420/wk. Equity LOA Contract.

MNM Productions 2017 Season

Casting the MNM Productions 2017


Season. Season includes Spamalot
(Kimberly Dawn Smith, dir. Rehearsals
begin Apr. 25, 2017; runs May 19-June
4); Company (Bruce Linser, dir.
Rehearsals begin June 27, 2017; runs
July 21-Aug. 6); La Cage Aux Folles
(Kimberly Dawn Smith, dir. Rehearsals
begin Sept. 12, 2017; runs Oct. 6-22); and
Little Shop of Horrors (Bruce Linser,
dir. Rehearsals begin Nov. 17, 2017; runs
Dec. 1-17).
Company: MNM Productions LLC.
Staff: Marcie Gorman and Michael
Lifshitz, prods.; Paul Reekie, music dir.;
Kimberly Dawn Smith, choreo.; Mikel
Gambuto, stage mgr.
Season runs in Wellington, FL.
SeekingEquity Actor/Singers : males
& females, 18+, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Dec. 12 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (break, 1:302:15 p.m.) and Dec. 13 from 11 a.m.-8
p.m. (break, 3:30-4 p.m.) at Organic
Movements, 2400 NW Boca Raton
Blvd., Boca Raton, FL, 33431.Parking lot
available. Do Not call studio for information. An Equity Monitor will not be
provided. The producer will run all
aspects of this audition.
For an audition appointment, email
mnmprods@gmail.com with audition in the subject line. Walk Ins will
be seen as time allows.

Bring two headshots and resumes.


Prepare two one-minute cuts of contrasting musical theater selections,
which can be but are not limited to
songs from any of the four shows. Bring
sheet music in you key; an accompanist
will be provided. No recorded music or
a cappella singing.
For more info, visit www.facebook.
com/groups/MNMproductions/.
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity
and encourages all its employers to
engage in a policy of equal employment
opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such,
Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and ages,
as well as performers with disabilities,
to attend every audition.
Equity LOA Guest Artist Tier I and II,
pending.

Sisters of Swing: The Story of


the Andrews Sisters

Casting Sisters of Swing: The Story of


the Andrews Sisters conceived and
written by Beth Gilleland and Bob
Beverage based on an idea by Ron
Peluso.
Company: Montgomery Theater. Staff:
Stephen Casey, dir.; Raymond Berg,
musical arrangements & continuity.
Rehearsals begin Mar. 28, 2017; runs
Apr. 20-May 14, 2017 in Souderton, PA.
SeekingPatty: female, 18+, all ethnicities. Maxene: female, 18+, all ethnicities. LaVerne: female, 18+, all
ethnicities. Strong Actor/Singer: male,
18+, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Jan. 9 from 1-5 p.m. at Montgomery
Theatre, 124 N Main St., PO Box 64033,
Souderton, PA, 18964. An Equity
Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this
audition.
No appointment needed, but email
Artistic Director Tom Quinn if you
know you are coming at tq@montgomerytheater.org or call (215) 723-9984,
ext. 12.
Prepare a song that is in the style of
the Andrews Sisters. Bring a picture
and resume, stapled together even if
you have already emailed them in.
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to
engage in a policy of equal employment
opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such,
Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and ages,
as well as performers with disabilities,
to attend every audition.
Pays $352/wk. Equity SPT Category 4
Contract. Two contracts available.

The Greatest Pirate Story


Never Told! & Roving Blades,
Natl Touring Company

Casting Cape Cod/Eastern MA and NYC


replacements for the repertory touring
production of the improvised, musical
comedy The Greatest Pirate Story
Never Told! and the Celtic music group
The Roving Blades.
Company: NeverTold Productions, Inc.
Staff: Christopher Leidenfrost,
dir.-prod.
11.17.16 backstage

37

MUSICALS

Theatre Espresso Season

provided. The producer will run all


aspects of this audition. No appointment necessary. Auditioners will be
seen in the order they arrive.
Prepare a brief contemporary monologue of your choice. Bring picture and
resume.
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to
engage in a policy of equal employment
opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such,
Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and ages,
as well as performers with disabilities,
to attend every audition. For more info,
visit www.theatreespresso.org/.
Pays $79/show Equity TYA Contract.

PLAYS

SeekingWoman 1: 30-60, all ethnicities. Man 1: male, 30-60, all ethnicities.


Man 2: male, 30-60, all ethnicities. Man
3: male, 30-60, all ethnicities. Man 4:
male, 30-60, all ethnicities. Man 5:
male, 30-60, all ethnicities.
Equity Principal Auditions will be held
Jan. 2 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at Helen
Melledy Hall (Theater at Monmouth),
755 Main St., 16th fl., Monmouth, ME,
04259. An Equity Monitor will not be
provided. The producer will run all
aspects of this audition.
For an audition appointment, Equity
members email boxoffice@theateratmonmouth.org or call (207) 933-9999,
Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. AEA members
without appointments will be seen as
time permits.
Prepare two short, classic monologues, one of them must be
Shakespeare not to exceed two minutes
total. There may only be time to audition with one piece, so prepare your
best piece first. Bring picture and
resume, stapled together.
For more info, visit www.theateratmonmouth.org. Seeking theatre artists
who would like to join a strong ensemble company and are interested in
teamwork, collaboration and artistic
growth, in a creatively-charged atmosphere in a beautiful rural community
in central Maine. Equitys contracts
prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all
its employers to engage in a policy of
equal employment opportunity
designed to promote a positive model
of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as
performers with disabilities, to attend
every audition.
Pays $430/wk. Equity LOA ref. to LORT
Contract.

casting NATIONAL/REGIONAL

MUSICALS
FILM
TV & VIDEO

Separate casts rehearse in Cape Cod,


MA and NYC. Touring nationwide
through 2017.
SeekingRepertory Company
Member: males & females, 21-40, all
ethnicities, seeking diverse and
dynamic performers for a new repertory company performing: The
Greatest Pirate Story Never Told! an
epic, musical tale of piracy with one
small caveat--half the script has been
destroyed; with suggestions from their
audience, the crew improvises a brand
new, musical adventure; seeking quintuple threats who can sing, dance,
improvise, have stage combat experience, and intermediate proficiency in
one of the following instruments: guitar, percussion, accordion/concertina.
Also casting The Roving Blades, a
high-energy music and storytelling
group that performs traditional music
of England, Ireland, and the Americas;
seeking strong singer-musicians with
proficiency one of the following: guitar,
fiddle/violin, percussion, bass, concertina/accordion, or penny whistle/flute.
Seeking submissions from MA and NY.
Send submissions to chris@nevertold.
org.
Auditions will be held in late
November/early December. For an audition appointment, submit headshot/
resume electronically, along with a
cover letter detailing any of your skills
that are listed in the casting breakdown. For more info, visit www.greatestpiratestory.com, Facebook.com/
greatestpiratestory, or Facebook.com/
therovingblades.
Paid travel and performance days
when on tour.

CHORUS CALLS
Roman Holiday, Dancers

VARIETY

Casting Equity dancers who sing for


the ensemble Roman Holiday.
Company: RH on Broadway LLC. Staff:
Paul Blake and Mike Bosner, prods.;
Cole Porter, music-lyrics; Kathy Speer,
Terry Grossman, and Paul Blake, book;
Marc Bruni, dir.; Todd Ellison, music
dir.; Stephen Kopel, casting.
Rehearsals begin Apr. 10, 2017 in NYC;
rehearsals begin May 8, 2017 in San
Francisco, CA; runs May 23-June 18,
2017 at Golden Gate Theatre in San
Fransisco, CA.
SeekingDancers Who Sing: males &
females, 20-39, all ethnicities.
Equity Chorus Calls will be held Dec. 6
at 10 a.m. (male dancers who sing) and
at 2 p.m. (female dancers who sing) at
Pearl Studios NYC (500), 500 8th Ave.,
4th fl., New York, New York, 10018. ECC
Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be
provided.
Wear ballet, jazz or character shoes. No
sneakers. Come warmed up and ready
to dance. We will, most likely, begin
with a ballet combination. Bring a picture/resume to auditions.
Equitys contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to
engage in a policy of equal employment

38 backstage 11.17.16

opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such,


Equity encourages performers of all
ethnicities, gender identities, and ages,
as well as performers with disabilities,
to attend every audition.
Pays $1917/wk. Equity Production
(League) Agreement.

FEATURE FILMS
After Her Smile

Casting After Her Smile, an independent feature-length drama/dark comedy about the life of a street musician.
Company: Gilman Content. Staff: Mort
Fotouhi, dir.; Paul Odgren, UPM;
Heather Miles Haggard, production
coord.
Rehearsal in Dec. in or near Boston,
MA; shoots in Dec. and Jan. 2017 in
Massachusetts and Vermont or Rhode
Island.
SeekingJustin: male, 18-25,
Caucasian, drifts through life trying to
make it as a street musician; he misses
his last train home after a failed pursuit
of a passenger he meets during a train
ride; a detour journey takes Justin
through a string of abuse and neglect,
from the array of colorful characters
that ultimately take him to where he
started.
Seeking submissions nationwide.
Apply on Backstage.com.
Be prepared to sing and play acoustic
guitar for the audition.
Pays: minimum $100/day, plus all production-related expenses, including
meals, travel, and accommodations.
The production has applied to become a
signatory to SAG-AFTRA (Ultra Low
Budget Agreement).

Alita: Battle Angel

Casting the 20th Century Fox feature


film Alita: Battle Angel, starring
Christoph Waltz, Rosa Salazar & Jackie
Earle Haley. Project description: In the
twenty-sixth century, a female cyborg
is rescued from the scrap heap by a
scientist.
Company: 20th Century Fox,
Lightstorm Entertainment,
Troublemaker Studios. Staff: Robert
Rodriguez, dir.; James Cameron & Laeta
Kalogridis, screenplay; Beth Sepko,
casting dir.
Shooting through February 2017, in
Austin, TX.
SeekingBikers: male, 18+, all ethnicities, must have a biker look (leather
jackets/ vests, biker boots, jeans/
leather trousers).
Seeking submissions from TX.
Send submissions to thirdcoastextras@gmail.com.
To apply, submit name, age, phone
number, and location/residence (confirm Texas residence).
Some pay.

Black Panther

Casting the Marvel Studios feature


film, Black Panther, starring
Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan
& Lupita Nyongo. Project description:
TChalla, the new ruler of the

advanced kingdom of Wakanda, must


defend his land from being torn apart
by enemies from outside and inside
the country.
Company: Marvel Studios. Staff: Ryan
Coogler, dir.; Tammy Smith, casting
dir.
Shooting January-February 2017, in
Atlanta, GA.
SeekingAfrican Kids: males &
females, 6-17, African American,
African Descent.
Seeking submissions from GA.
Send submissions to
BlackPantherExtras@tscasting.com.
To apply, submit three-to four recent
photos (face, body & a couple looking
the part you are applying for). Include
your name, contact info, location, age,
height, weight, and all clothing sizes.
Some pay.

Hangman

Casting the feature film Hangman,


starring Al Pacino, Karl Urban &
Brittany Snow. Project description:
Pacino will play a homicide detective
who teams up with Urbans criminal
profiler to catch a serial killer whose
crimes are inspired by the childrens
game Hangman. Snow will play a crime
reporter.
Company: New Life Casting. Staff:
Johnny Martin, dir.
Shoots Nov. 18, in Atlanta, GA.
SeekingEMTs: male, 21-50, all ethnicities, large, strong guys.
Seeking submissions from GA.
Send submissions to Hangitatl2016@
gmail.com.
To apply, submit two recent photos
(face & body). Include your name, age,
height, weight & contact info.
Some pay.

Jumanji

Casting background for the feature


film, Jumanji, starring Dwayne The
Rock Johnson, Kevin Hart & Jack
Black. Project description: Explorers
go looking for the humankind game
that had ended up in a mystical jungle.
Company: Sony Pictures
Entertainment, Central Casting
Georgia. Staff: Jake Kasdan, dir.
Shooting December, in Atlanta, GA.
SeekingExtras: males & females,
18-60, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions from GA.
Send submissions to Jumanji@
CentralCasting.com.
Include name, phone number, sizes,
and current photo.
Some pay.

The Domestics

Casting the MGM feature film The


Domestics, starring Tyler Hoechlin &
Kate Bosworth. Project description: A
survival love story. A young husband
and wife must fight to return home in a
post-apocalyptic mid-western landscape ravaged by gangs.
Company: MGM, Caballero Casting.
Staff: Mike P. Nelson, dir.
Shoots Nov. 21-23, in New Orleans, LA.
SeekingWrenhouse Gamblers: males
& females, 18+, all ethnicities, various
body types, from rough & tough to very
thin, The Gamblers are money driven in
a world in which the dollar no longer

has value, they are considered to be a


community of hooligans, running wild
and free while trying to survive the end
of days.
Seeking submissions from LA.
Send submissions to domestics.casting@gmail.com.
To apply, submit and recent photos.
Include your name, age, contact info,
height, weight, and location of
residency.
Pay is $101.50/12 hrs, plus $25 fitting
bump.

REALITY TV &
DOCUMENTARY
CBS Live Action Candy Crush
Game Show

Casting teams of two for the new live


action CBS show Candy Crush.
Producer states: Its time for you and
a partner to test your Candy Crush
skills on our revolutionary interactive
stage. We want outgoing Candy Crush
fans of all levels who want to compete
in our Candy Crush Arena to win a big
cash prize! Seeking all types of duos
including co-workers; best friends
since birth; college roommates; twins;
siblings; parent-child; grandparentgrandchild; married; engaged; dating;
newlywed; mentor-mentee; neighbors; etc. All types of strong relationships; great personalities and
something unique about each pair
being key.
Company: CBS. Staff: Cherish
Hamutoff, casting prod.
Shoots one day between Mar. 22 and
Apr. 7 at a location TBD.
SeekingOutgoing, Competitive
Women: female, 18-75, all ethnicities.
Outgoing, Competitive Men: male,
18-75, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions nationwide.
Send submissions to castingcher@
gmail.com.
Interviews conducted via Skype
November, December, and January.
Include a note if you are a fan of Candy
Crush and if you have a partner in
mind.
Potential to win big cash prize. Travel
and accommodation to filming location
provided.

CRUISE LINES
Disney Cruise Line, Characters

Seeking animated character performers who move well to bring to life the
classic characters you grew up with
aboard the Disney Magic and Disney
Wonder cruise ships. Performers
appear as fully costumed Disney
Characters in our mainstage musical
theatre productions, meet and greets,
events and production numbers on
board our f leet. Some Disney
Costumed Character performers also
appear as Disney Character Lookalikes, including some performers to
step out into ensemble dancer roles.
BACKSTAGE.COM

NATIONAL/REGIONAL casting


Company: Walt Disney Parks Talent
Casting.
There are multiple contract opportunities throughout 2017 for up to nine
months.
SeekingFemale Character
Performers: female, 18+, all ethnicities,
48.5-50.5, 52-53, 55-57 Male
Character Performers: male, 18+, all
ethnicities, 55-58 with a youthful
look; 511-64
Auditions will be held Dec. 1 at 10 a.m.
(sign-in, 9 a.m.) at Pearl Studios, 519 8th
Ave., 12th fl., New York City, New York,
10018.
Late arrivals will not be accepted. Be
warmed up and ready to begin at time
listed. Wear form fitting attire to show
silhouette. Audition will consist of a
movement and animation exercise.
Provide a current headshot and rsum.
Note: Height ranges strictly adhered to;
no exceptions. Candidates will be measured at sign-in. We strongly encourage
performers from all cultural backgrounds to attend. Must be 18+. For
more info, visit www.disneyauditions.
com.
Competitive pay, travel, room and
board, guest sailing privileges, contract
completion bonus, additional benefits
package and no cruise staff duty. We
strongly encourage performers from all
cultural backgrounds to attend. EOE.

COMMERCIAL & FILM


VOICEOVER
You May Owe Your Life to Carl
Laemmle

BACKSTAGE.COM

Seeking participants for private


classes with Find Your Honesty:
Acting Through Song. Owner states:
Find Your Honesty: Acting Through
Song is an acting coaching studio for
musical theater. Basically, I work with
actors on songs to help them in many
respects. The first and main respect
is to learn tools that they can apply to
their musical theater material to help
them connect in a real and honest
way so that the words feel like they
are theirs. From there, I help with
audition cuts and prep, repertoire,
and even some guidance on the
industry, etc. My overall goal is to
help musical theater actors gain control over their material and get some
direction and confidence in the way
of their goals.
Company: Find Your Honesty: Acting
Through Song. Staff: Alex Covington,
owner-coach.
Ongoing sessions held at RipleyGrier Studios, 520 Eighth Ave., 10th
f l., NYC. If not in NYC, sessions are
offered via Skype or FaceTime.
SeekingActors & Singers: males &
females, 10+, all ethnicities, performers interested in taking their craft to
the next level.
Seeking submissions nationwide.
Send submissions to actingthrusong@gmail.com.
To schedule an intro session, submit
via email or electronically through
Backstage. For more info and for actor
testimonials, visit www.actingthroughsong.org.
No pay. Fee for private sessions are
$85/hr., which includes studio time.
Introductory session offered at $50.
Packages with reduced rates are also
offered.

Merchant of Venice, Italy

Seeking participants for a one-week


training & performance workshop of
Merchant of Venice. Company
states; Perform at historic Villa
Foscari in Venice, Shakespeares
inspiration for Portias Belmont.
Training includes instruction from
OSC director Ron Song Destro, and a
Master Class with former RADA
instructor Malcolm McKay (who
taught Mark Rylance, Fiona Shaw,
Kenneth Branagh, Ralph Fiennes).
Company: Oxford Shakespeare
Company. Staff: Ron Song Destro,
artistic dir.
Workshop runs June 8-15, 2017 at
Villa Foscari in Venice, Italy.
SeekingParticipants: males &
females, 18+, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions nationwide.
Send submissions to Destro@
OSCtheatre.org.
To submit, visit www.
ShakespeareClass.org.
No pay. $595 workshop fee required.
Travel is not included. Company
states: Since the production in Italy
is the result of a master class, both
union and nonunion actors may
participate.

AUDITION
HIGHLIGHT S
Fri. Nov. 18

SOUTHEAST

The Prince Of Peachtree


Much Ado About Nothing
The Odd Couple (also 11/19-20)

Sat. Nov. 19
A Tempest
The Lost Son Returns
Untitled Documentary
Stories
Inevitable
I Am Jane Doe

Sun. Nov. 20
Shattered
Marilyn
For the full auditions calendar,
visit backstage.com/auditions

Photos that Book the Job, Free


Online Training

Seeking participants for a free online


training with Cristina DeHart,
founder of ExploreModeling and
20-plus-year veteran actress and
model. Casting Director states:
Acting and modeling photos/headshots are a necessary marketing tool
for actors and models looking to succeed in this industry. Many are confused on where to go, what they need
and what to strive for when pursing
the best photos. So join me in this
upcoming live online training. You
will learn: How to find the Best
Photographers; Knowing the right
photos to use to Book the Job;
Breaking into NY/L.A. top agencies
with one photo and Industry Tips
from Professional Photographer David
Kaptein and Make-Up Artist Lena
Kaptein! At 57, DeHart is shorter
than the average supermodel, yet has
achieved success in all types of modeling and acting. She has appeared on
more than 20 magazine covers worldwide, and has been featured in literally thousands of print ads, catalogs,
billboards, videos and television commercials for companies including:
Target, Walmart, JC Penny, Laura
Ashley, Nokia, Toyota, AquaFresh,
General Electric, and Proctor and
Gamble. With more than 20 plus years
experience in all aspects of fashion,
print, commercial and runway modeling, Cristina DeHart has been sharing
her vast knowledge about this highly
competitive industry through her own
website, called ExploreModeling.com,
which is a unique and comprehensive
how-to guide for anyone interested
in breaking into acting or modeling
advancing their career.

Workshop With Agent/HardenCurtis SVP Michael Kirsten

Seeking actors for a workshop with


esteemed Agent and Senior Vice
President at Harden-Curtis Associates
Michael Kirsten. Owner states: The
night will begin with a special introduction from Michael. Then well dive
into scene work. Each actor will have
the rare opportunity to perform a prepared one-minute monologue for
Michael and the class. He will provide
valuable feedback and work with each
participant. While not performing, the
rest of the class will get to observe and
listen.The night will also include an
extremely valuable question and
answer session. At this time, the class
will have the opportunity to ask
Michael any questions about the business, landing an agent, his career, acting, etc.
Company: Robert Peterpaul
Productions LLC. Staff: Robert
Peterpaul, owner.
Workshop runs Dec. 13 (6:30-8:30 p.m.)
in NYC.
SeekingActors/Actresses: males &
females, 14+, all ethnicities, looking to
potentially expand their knowledge of
the industry and make a valuable
connection.
Seeking submissions from NJ, CT, NY,
PA, RI, MD and MA.
For consideration, email your headshot and resume to robertpeterpaulproductions@gmail.com. For more info,
visit www.robertpeterpaulproductions.
com/michaelkirsten. Michael Kirsten
currently has clients as series regulars
on Empire, Luke Cage, House of
Cards, Criminal Minds, Greenleaf,
and Queen Sugar. In addition, his clients appear regularly on such shows as
Law and Order SVU, Blacklist,
Blindspot, Chicago PD/Med/Fire/
Justice, Madam Secretary,
Elementary, Stranger Things, and
many others. Harden-Curtis clients
regularly appear on and off Broadway.
Clients currently appear in The Front
Page, Natasha Pierre and the Great
Come, In Transit, Wicked,
Beautiful, School of Rock, and
many others.
$109 participation fee required
(includes workshop notes emailed to
you).
11.17.16 backstage

39

EVENTS

VISIT BACKSTAGE.COM/CASTING
for full character breakdowns, script
sides, and more casting notices

Find Your Honesty: Acting


Through Song, Classes

Company: Cristina DeHart (casting


dir.).
Webinar will be held online on Nov. 17,
8 p.m. in NYC.
SeekingWebinar Participants: males
& females, 10+, all ethnicities.
Seeking submissions nationwide.
Send submissions to cdhart999@cs.
com.
To sign up for the free training, https://
cristinadehart-modelandactress.leadpages.co/photos-webinar-nov-bsm/.
Company disclaimer: In order to be
considered for this project, you have to
join www.exploremodeling.com, a
website that provides career tools and
advice for models. Basic membership is
free, but premium-membership services are also offered for a fee. No fee is
required to submit your materials to
this casting call.
No pay. Webinar is free.

VOICEOVER

Casting a short segment for an


Indiegogo video campaign, You May
Owe Your Life to Carl Laemmle, which
seeks donations for a Carl Laemmle
monument.
Company: The Laemmle Company.
Staff: Rosemary Hilb, owner.
Recordings are ongoing remotely.
SeekingGerman Woman or Mans
Voice: males & females, 36-50, all ethnicities, role should be read in English,
but is of a German person reading the
letter. The story takes place in the 1930s
before WWII. The woman or man must
have a German accent from the BadenWurttemberg region during this time. I
have heard it called High German.
Please only answer this ad if you have
or can do this particular accent.
Seeking submissions nationwide.
For consideration, email a sample of
your voice with the appropriate
German accent to rhilb@usc.edu (this
can be recorded using an iPhone with
an external microphone so the sound
quality is good). Owner states: I will
choose a voice from the submissions I
get, and need the final submission of
the voiceover emailed to me within
three days after getting the job.
Pays $25 upon receipt of a usable
voiceover file.

WORKSHOPS

League of Resident Theatres

Asolo Repertory Theatre

Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory for


BY RYAN MCPHEE
Actor Training. The theater works with casthile New York and Chicago might
ing directors Claire Simon in Chicago and Tara
come to mind first when searching
Rubin and Michael Cassara in New York.
for a wealth of theatergoing opporThe actors appearances in varied roles hightunities, Asolo Repertory Theatre is
light a connecting thread that weaves through a
ensuring that Sarasota, Florida, has a similar
yearslong initiative at Asolo Repertory Theatre.
variety. As one of a few theaters in the United
With the 2011 production of 12 Angry Men as
States to operate with a repertory system, the
a catalyst, Edwards embarked on the American
LORT company offers audiences and artists
Character Project. We have a responsibility
alike the opportunity to experience up to four
as a leading arts organization, he explains,
shows in one week.
to remind people of who we
For most actors, its a new
are and what the big project of
ASOLO REPERTORY
and challenging approach,
America really is. The drivTHEATRE
but producing artistic direcing question of what it means
asolorep.org
tor Michael Donald Edwards
to be American is Asolo Reps
insists its also rewarding.
window into every work it
Its what actors were born
produces.
to do, he says. Its how the Greeks did it; its
There was a lot of intense discussion about
how Shakespeare did it. He observes that once
who owns the idea of what an American is,
actors overcome their fear of studying lines
Edwards recalls as he reflects on the first
and rehearsing for multiple shows, their instruyears of Obamas presidency, which served
ments become more attuned and refined.
as the backdrop for the American Character
Nearly every actor in an Asolo Rep season
Projects early stages. Now, were seeing that
takes the stage in at least two productions.
come to fruition in one of the most toxic ways.
Given the nature of the schedule, Edwards
We have to be one of the leading forces for
views the casting process like assembling a new
elevating the conversation.
resident company each year. The pool is comThis idea is reflected not just in the season
posed of actors from New York and Chicago,
selection, but also in the companys infrastruclocal artists, and third-year students in the
ture and leadership. Asolo Rep has created

40 backstage 11.17.16

a theater district of its ownone largely


imported from Europe. Its main-stage venue,
the Mertz Theatre, was originally built in
Scotland, and now resides in the FSU Center
for the Performing Arts with the companys
smaller Cook Theatre. The Historic Asolo
Theater, an 18th-century venue built in Italy,
stands across the street. Edwards himself hails
from Australia, having come to America in the
late 1970s to study directing.
The years season kicks off with Guys and
Dolls. Beginning in January, Asolo Rep introduces Robert Schenkkans The Great Society
into its roster. The production comes on the
heels of the companys spring 2016 presentation
of the playwrights Tony-winning All the Way,
starring Nick Wyman. This season, Jack Willis
will play Lyndon B. Johnson in Schenkkans follow-up piece, reprising his role from the Oregon
Shakespeare Festival production. Despite the
demanding part, Willis has insisted on participating in the repertory schedule; he will also
appear in The Little Foxes.
When actors commit to being here, they
become committed to the work and each
other, and the differences in their approaches
evaporate quickly, says Edwards. They value
the way we approach the work. And because
were in Florida, were speaking up right
nowwhen what we say has an effect.
BACKSTAGE.COM

JENNY GRAHAM

JACK WILLIS IN THE GREAT SOCIETY AT THE OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

MICHELLE WILLIAMS

COULD VERY WELL EARN HER


FOURTH OSCAR NOMINATION.

CASEY AFFLECK

JOINS THE RANKS OF GIANTS.

BREAKOUT
PERFORMANCE

BY LUCAS HEDGES.

AmazonStudiosGuilds.com

AmazonStudiosGuilds.com

BACK COVER - C4

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