Backstage Magazine Digital Edition: March 18, 2021 by Backstage

03.18.21

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“DANIEL KALUUYA’S POWERHOUSE PERFORMANCE IS ALTERNATELY RAW, TENDER, AND INCENDIARY.” LEAH GREENBLATT,

BEST PICTURE

RYAN COOGLER, p.g.a. CHARLES D. KING, p.g.a. SHAKA KING, p.g.a.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR DANIEL KALUUYA

WINNER TOP 10

MOTION PICTURES OF THE YEAR

WINNER 2020 TOP FILM

WINNER TOP 10 FILM BLACK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE

WINNER

WINNER CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARD

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR DANIEL KALUUYA

PGA AWARD

WGA AWARD

CSA AWARD

BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

FEATURE BIG BUDGET DRAMA

GOLDEN GLOBE®

NOMINEE

SAG AWARD

NOMINEE

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

DANIEL KALUUYA

NOMINEE ARTIOS AWARDS

“A GREAT AMERICAN EPIC.” JIM HEMPHILL,

F O R

Y O U R

C O N S I D E R A T I O N W W W. W B AWA R D S . C OM

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The Actor’s Remote Resource

We’re taking you directly to acting and casting industry power players through Instagram takeovers, Q&As, live-streamed seminars, and interactive group classes to ensure you’re hitting all the right marks in and out of the audition room!

Celebrity guests include: Nicole Kidman Jodie Foster Jason Sudeikis Elle Fanning Rachel Brosnahan Alison Brie Aishe Dee Ricky Gervais Anthony Mackie Bradley Whitford Nicholas Pinnock Susan Kelechi Watson and more! To get all the details and view the full schedule, please visit backstage.com/magazine.

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03.18.21

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Can’t Pin Him Down Bob Odenkirk on achieving an unlikely, multifaceted career in the arts

When should actors join SAG-AFTRA? An agent answers

9 Pages OF CASTING NOTICES

From Netflix to Oscar-buzzy indies,

casting director Susan Shopmaker shares her audition room secrets

Emily VanCamp’s

grand return to Marvel

WINNER BE ST ACTRESS C

“

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY EMERALD FENNELL

S CAREY MULLIGAN

6BEST PICTURE B A F T A

A W A R D S

N O M I N A T I O N S

INCLUDING

SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS NOMINEE

PRODUCERS GUILD AWARDS NOMINEE

OU T S TA N D I N G AC T R E S S CAREY MULLIGAN

BEST PICTURE

D I R E C T O R S G U I L D A W A R D S NOM I N E E

W R I T E R S G U I L D A WA R D S N O M I N E E

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR EMERALD FENNELL

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY EMERALD FENNELL

“JAW-DROPPING AND MASSIVELY BOLD” ADAM CHITWOOD, COLLIDER

“The performance of Carey Mulligan’s career. ‘Promising Young Woman’ lands like a lightning strike” KYLE BUCHANAN, THE NEW YORK TIMES

Sign up at FocusInsider.com for exclusive access to early screenings, film premieres and more. For more on this film, go to FocusFeaturesGuilds2020.com.

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Contents

vol. 62, no. 09 | 03.18.21

Cover Story

‘This Is Probably Our Guy’ Bob Odenkirk has his sketch roots to thank for what’s become a creative metamorphosis from king of comedy to dramatic leading man to full-fledged action star page 16

The Green Room 8 The 2021 BAFTA nominees 9 This week’s roundup of who’s casting what starring whom

10 Jermaine Fowler on landing his

dream job in “Coming 2 America”

Advice 13 NOTE FROM THE CD On-set gun safety

14 #IGOTCAST

Vanesa Ferizoli

14 SECRET AGENT MAN Taking the leap

Features 7 BACKSTAGE 5 WITH... Emily VanCamp

12 MEET THE MAKER

Eddie Huang, “Boogie” writer and director

13 THE ESSENTIALISTS

Kate Navin, head of scripted content

15 IN THE ROOM WITH Susan Shopmaker

21 YOUR 2021 SAG

AWARDS BALLOT Get your virtual viewing party votes in with Backstage’s own audience one-sheet

32 ASK AN EXPERT

Charis Joy Jackson on how to style your hair for auditions

Casting 22 New York Tristate 27 California 29 National/Regional Bob Odenkirk photographed by Ian Spanier on Feb. 16 in Los Angeles. Cover designed by Ian Robinson.

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PE RFO R M ANCE S “ THE ARE NE X T-LEVE L.” ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Colman and Gillian Anderson deliver “ Olivia A MASTERCLASS IN AC TING. ” ABC NEWS

TR IUMPHANT. “ Josh O’Connor and Emma Corrin’s

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Backstage 5 With...

Emily VanCamp By Allie Volpe

A television mainstay since her teens, Emily VanCamp’s career has been marked by multiseason runs on “Everwood,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Revenge,” and “The Resident.” Now, she’s reprising a familiar role— Sharon Carter—for Disney+’s latest Marvel series, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” offering audiences a glimpse into what the former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been up to since 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War.”

ILLUSTRATION: NATHAN ARIZONA/PHOTO: DFREE/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

What advice would you give your younger self? Especially when I was younger, I had a tendency to be incredibly hard on myself. That can be really limiting. Looking back as a grown-up now, I would say: Stop being so hard on yourself! Let yourself play; let yourself fail. Those are the most important things in any creative environment—or, really, anything you put your mind to. You have to allow yourself to fail. I had this very bad relationship with failure, and probably still do, to an extent, but I recognize it now…. That’s all part of starting really young, too. You have to learn and grow through the process. In a sense, that’s your experience [and] your schooling. For me, it was learning on the job constantly and just trying to grow.

Vancouver, or “Everwood,” which was one of my first big, long-running shows. What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done to get a role? There have been many jobs that I really wanted to fight for, and most of that has been in doing the research and committing my time and really investing into whatever character that may be. There’s always something to be said if you’re passionate about something and love something and really feel like you connect with it; you should definitely fight for it, because the people who are on the other side of the camera will appreciate that and see that and recognize that.

What is your worst audition horror story? I would probably go as far as to say that [at] most auditions I’ve ever done, I’ve failed in some way, just because of that element of being so hard on myself. There was one in particular where I’d taken a little bit of time off acting and I had to do this screen test with an actor I really admired, and it was just a bomb. I was prepared, but everything just escaped me for some reason that day. I was sweating; it was a really hot day in New York. I remember leaving the audition thinking, I will never work again, because if word gets out or this video gets out, it’s the end of my career. It was so bad. I guess we all have those days.

What’s one screen performance every actor should see and why? I just saw “Nomadland” with Frances McDormand. There’s something so visceral about her performance— about all of the performances, some of which I think are not even [done by] actors. I would highly recommend watching everything that she’s done, but this performance really got to me. I was really moved by the entire movie, and especially her performance.

How did you first get your SAG-AFTRA card? It was either “Glory Days,” which was a very short-lived show that I did in

“In the Marvel [Cinematic] Universe, you want to be bringing your A-game in every way, shape, and form, because everybody else is.”

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03.18.21 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 we’ll be in touch to hear your success story! @BACKSTAGE

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Wunmi Mosaku in “His House”

“Clemency”; Vanessa Kirby for “Pieces of a Woman”; Wunmi Mosaku for “His House”; Radha Blank for “The Forty-Year-Old Version”; and, perhaps most interestingly, Bakray, the 18-year-old star of “Rocks,” who had never acted previously.

The (Surprisingly Diverse) 2021 BAFTA Nominees This year’s acting nominees are mostly non-white, and female directors are leading the pack By Bex Palmer

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metal drummer who begins to lose his hearing. In the acting categories, Ahmed is joined by many new faces. Twenty-one of the 24 actors nominated have never been recognized by BAFTA before, and 16 of them are nonwhite, including Daniel Kaluuya and Dominique Fishback for “Judas and the Black Messiah,” Tahar Rahim for “The Mauritanian,” and Bukky Bakray for “Rocks.” Best Actor The leading actor race looks like it will be quite the

battle, with the late Chadwick Boseman leading the pack for his final performance in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” He’s joined by Ahmed, Rahim, Anthony Hopkins for “The Father,” and Mads Mikkelsen for “Another Round.” Best Actress Best actress is another interesting category. As widely predicted, two-time Oscar winner and one-time BAFTA winner Frances McDormand is nominated for “Nomadland.” She’ll have tough competition from Alfre Woodard for

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AIDAN MONAGHAN/NETFLIX

AFTER RECEIVING HEAVY criticism last year for its allwhite slate of acting nominees, the British Academy Film Awards have made some big changes—and they’re evident in the list of 2021 nods. Overall, 50 films are in contention. That’s a big step up from 39 last year, and it includes the kind of movies you might not see advertised on buses—such as Sarah Gavron’s “Rocks,” a story of friendship among London teenagers starring a cast of mainly untrained actors; and “Sound of Metal,” starring Riz Ahmed as a heavy

Best Film As for the biggest prize of the night, the contenders for best film include “Nomadland,” “The Father,” political thriller “The Mauritanian,” Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman,” and Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” The BAFTAs are held two weeks before the Academy Awards, and they tend to give a reliable indication as to which way the awards winds are blowing. This year’s ceremony will be held on April 11, largely virtually, from the Royal Albert Hall. For a full list of nominees, head to bafta.org, and follow along with Backstage for up-todate coverage of this unusual awards season.

MARGAUX QUAYLE CANNON

Awards

Best Director In the directing category, four women are nominated, including Gavron for “Rocks”; Shannon Murphy for “Babyteeth”; Jasmila Žbanić for “Quo Vadis, Aida?”; and Chloé Zhao for “Nomadland,” who recently won Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Awards. Her nomination underlines the drama’s awards season potential. Lee Isaac Chung and Thomas Vinterberg are nominated for “Minari” and “Another Round,” respectively.

2020, the miniseries will turn the lens on Carole Baskin, Joe “Exotic” Schreibvogel’s rival in wild animal wrangling. When Baskin, who owns Florida’s Big Cat Rescue, learns that Exotic is profiting from his dubiously legal venture, she seeks to shut it down. But she has a dark past of her own, and when the two go head-to-head, things turn dangerous. Susie Farris Casting has already lined up Kate McKinnon to play Baskin. Production on the limited series will begin in June in Queensland, Australia.

What’s Casting

‘I Love Lucy’ Returns…Sort Of Lucy and Desi are getting a new treatment from Amazon By Rebecca Welch

STAY IN THE LOOP ON INDUStry and casting news with our write-up on who’s been slated for recent film and television roles! Please note that shoot dates are subject to state and county restrictions and may change. Refer to Call Sheet for updates, and keep checking Backstage for the latest news on project development during this time.

AIDAN MONAGHAN/NETFLIX

MARGAUX QUAYLE CANNON

“Being the Ricardos” Aaron Sorkin is helming an Amazon Studios feature that will show midcentury

Get cast!

For more upcoming productions and casting news, visit backstage.com/news/casting

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celebrities behind the camera. Fans of classic TV know Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as the comedic duo and seemingly picture-perfect couple behind “I Love Lucy.” The film will follow the two and those in their circle through a week in production on the sitcom that shaped comedy for years to come. From the table read on Monday to filming in front of a live audience on Friday, Ball and Arnaz will face dual crises that threaten both their professional lives and their marriage. Francine Maisler Casting has already lined up an impressive ensemble that includes Nicole Kidman as Ball, Javier Bardem as Arnaz, Nina Arianda as Vivian Vance, and J.K. Simmons as William Frawley. Production on the project is set to start later this month in Los Angeles.

“Joe Exotic” NBC will capitalize on last year’s breakout documentary hit with its adaptation of Wondery podcast “Joe Exotic.” With a similar focus to Netflix docuseries “Tiger King,” which sparked an international frenzy when it premiered in March

TELEVISION

Edie Falco Will Wear the Pantsuit By Casey Mink

“Breathe” Netflix has announced a new six-episode limited series, “Breathe,” which will follow a woman who is the lone survivor of a small plane crash deep in the Canadian wilderness. She must withstand the elements and rely on her surroundings and her own skills to survive. Martin Gero and Brendan Gall, who previously collaborated on “Connecting…” and “Blindspot,” will co-write and executive produce. Cast by Ronna Kress, the project is still looking for actors. Production on the drama is set to start in June in a location that has yet to be announced. For the latest news, check out backstage.com/resources to find thousands of production listings, casting directors, acting classes, agents, and more!

WHO DOESN’T LOVE ICONS PLAYING icons? Four-time Emmy Award winner Edie Falco has signed on to portray Hillary Clinton on the upcoming Sarah Burgess and Ryan Murphy miniseries “Impeachment: American Crime Story.” The project, which will premiere on FX on a still-unknown date, will depict the sex scandal surrounding Clinton’s husband and then-President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky; the duo will be played by Clive Owen and Beanie Feldstein, respectively. The cast will additionally include Annaleigh Ashford as Paula Jones, Betty Gilpin as Ann Coulter, and Billy Eichner as Matt Drudge.

03.18.21 BACKSTAGE

Jermaine Fowler world, and I like to self-sabotage a lot; that’s generally what we do. We’re so bad at structure and conforming, so I’m used to just doing things my own way. And producers watch auditions all day, all week, all month long, sometimes, and it can be a daunting process. So it’s good to kind of take liberties and have fun with it, man! They need something to remember you by. You’re unique, and no one can do what you do. So do it—do what makes you different from everybody else.”

The Slate

Jermaine Fowler Comes Full Circle

From working with Boots Riley to Eddie Murphy, his “Coming 2 America” breakout was written in the stars By Matthew Nerber

The following interview for Backstage’s on-camera series The Slate was compiled in part by Backstage readers just like you! Follow us on Twitter (@Backstage) and Instagram (@backstagecast) to stay in the loop on upcoming interviews and to submit your questions.

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wait to dive into more work (biopics and dramas, especially), the actor says he’s just happy to take things one day at a time. Getting cast in “Coming 2 America” felt like a “full-circle” moment for Fowler. “I did my audition, and I didn’t think I’d get it. I thought maybe I’d work with [director] Craig Brewer in the future, but I didn’t think I’d get the role. I walked out, and a couple [of] days later, my agent said, ‘They want you to do a callback.’ [I] did the callback, and Craig told me he liked it. Next thing I

He learned how to give a good audition from his work in standup. “I come from the standup

TELEVISION

‘Detransition, Baby’ Heads to the Small Screen By Casey Mink

Want to hear more from Fowler? Watch our full interview at backstage.com/ magazine, and follow us on Instagram: @backstagecast.

THE BOOK THAT EVERYONE IS talking about will soon be the TV show that everyone is talking about. “Detransition, Baby,” Torrey Peters’ debut novel, is in development to become a series. Peters is on board to executive produce the series and will also write the pilot; writing-producing team Joan Rater and Tony Phelan will serve as co-showrunners. Following a trans woman, a cis man who has detransitioned after living as a trans woman, and the woman carrying the latter’s child, the project is in the works as a half-hour dramedy.

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MYLES LOFTIN

JERMAINE FOWLER IS HAVING his breakout moment. The actor got his start in comedy in New York City, then starred in Boots Riley’s film “Sorry to Bother You” and on CBS sitcom “Superior Donuts” (which he also executive produced). Now, he’s playing the son of Eddie Murphy’s King Akeem in Amazon Studios’ long-awaited sequel “Coming 2 America.” For Fowler, who was inspired to pursue comedy after listening to Murphy’s standup, the experience represents the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance. And though he can’t

know, Boots Riley is calling my cellphone, and Boots told me, ‘Hey, Jermaine, man, I heard you might be having some good news coming your way about “Coming 2 America.” ’ And I was like, ‘How the hell do you know?’ He’s not my agent! And he said, ‘I’m at the [American] Black Film Festival in Miami—that’s how I know. The producers are down here, and they’re singing your praises.’ And that’s so full-circle to me, because Boots put me in my first film. The funny part about that is I had to act surprised when my agents called!”

Working with Murphy was a dream come true. “They say don’t meet your heroes—they might let you down. Eddie exceeded every expectation that I had…. I will say what motivated me about being around him was his passion and longevity, and seeing how professional he is around people. One day, we were filming a scene out in the cold and he was giggling, and I said, ‘What you laughin’ at?’ And what he told me was beautiful: Basically, what he said was that he just loves this; he has such a passion for it. And it made me realize that I want to be doing this forever, until the wheels fall off. I love what I do, and it was a beautiful moment, and it made me admire the guy even more.”

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Meet the Maker

Eddie Huang, “Boogie” writer + director Taylor Takahashi and Eddie Huang in “Boogie”

BACKSTAGE 03.18.21

outside the window, and I just totally smashed the camera.” “Boogie” is Huang’s first feature film, and he’s come out of it with an even greater respect for actors. “Acting is very hard,” he remarks. “You’re very naked out there.” Not many people know this about Huang, who is wellknown for writing the memoir that inspired the ABC sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat” and as the founder of Taiwanese restaurant Baohaus in New York City: He minored in film in college, and he has experience writing and directing short films. “I always wanted to direct, and I wanted to write [on the series]

“This is not everyone’s Asian American coming-of-age story. But it’s mine.”

‘Fresh Off the Boat,’ ” he says. “[The producers] just never gave me a chance.” He started writing “Boogie” in 2015. The film follows an Asian American teen named Alfred (Taylor Takahashi), nicknamed “Boogie,” who dreams of playing in the NBA. But his parents keep pressuring him to get a basketball scholarship and go to college. “I wanted to make my definitive Asian American coming-of-age story,” says Huang. “This is not everyone’s Asian American coming-of-age story. But it’s mine.” And he did take elements from his own life: Like Boogie, Huang grew up playing basketball in a low-income, predominantly Black neighborhood. Because the movie is rooted in authentic experience, an authentic cast was especially

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NICOLE RIVELLI/FOCUS FEATURES

WRITER-DIRECTORrestaurateur and jack-of-all-trades Eddie Huang has been onscreen before, including as the host of his own Vice docuseries, “Huang’s World.” But in “Boogie,” a film he wrote and directed about a high school basketball player which is now playing in select theaters, Huang gave himself a small speaking role. For the first time, he was playing a true character. How did it turn out? “I crashed the car,” says Huang with a laugh. That’s not a metaphor. One scene required Huang to drive around Flushing, Queens, and talk to the title character at the same time. Unfortunately, he was so distracted by acting that he hit a Korean spa truck. “We totally lost the camera,” he recalls. “The camera was on a tray

crucial. For that reason, the ensemble is mostly comprised of first-time actors. (Huang even cast his mom in a small role.) His lead, Takahashi, had never acted before. The two met because they play for the same local basketball team, Stinky Tofu, in Monterey Park, California. However, because Takahashi grew up in a similar neighborhood, he quickly stood out as the ideal casting choice in Huang’s eye; code-switching is a very specific skill, one Huang wanted portrayed realistically in the film. Furthermore, he needed an actor who could play basketball well enough to potentially qualify for the NBA (or, at least, look it onscreen). “I have to say—some of the auditions felt almost racist, because they came in, and it was very, like, trying to be bicultural, trying to be downtown,” says Huang. “And it just felt off to me. I was like, I don’t know how to teach them. It would be very hard to teach someone these experiences of how to navigate between these cultures if they haven’t done it in their real lives. We looked at a lot of people, and it just ended up that the best was Taylor. It wasn’t even close.” To Huang, great actors don’t necessarily come from training programs. They can come from anywhere—and “Boogie” only reinforced that. “My belief with acting is that I would rather work with an actor who’s felt it and experienced it,” he says. As he sees it, the entire cast “gave tremendous performances. And I think it’s a testament to giving people a chance.”

ILLUSTRATION: MARGAUX QUAYLE CANNON; NAVIN: MAHMOUD SAMI

By Diep Tran

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Note From the CD

On-Set Gun Safety By Marci Liroff

NICOLE RIVELLI/FOCUS FEATURES

ILLUSTRATION: MARGAUX QUAYLE CANNON; NAVIN: MAHMOUD SAMI

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A film or television set and heard the prop master shout, “Gun on set”? Even though it might just be a rubber replica, prop guns are always handled with the utmost care. In my last column, I interviewed Rebecca Kenyon, the prop master of my current TV project. I’ve always been surprised that a prop master handles firearms, so I decided to talk to her about the intricacies of actors handling prop guns. In these cases, an armorer is often called in. “A licensed armorer is someone with the proper credentials to handle weapons and ensure the safety of everyone on set,” Kenyon explains. “They are used for any specific weapons or firearms handling, and are licensed and proficient with many varieties.” Armorers collaborate with the director and props department to help them make choices that are best suited for those scenes.

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So what is the protocol on set when a scene calls for a gun? “It differs on a case-by-case basis, but the essentials are mostly the same,” Kenyon says. For one, guns should always be brought to set in a secured, lockable compartment by either an armorer or an employee of the props department. Whether you need an armorer “depends on the local laws and restrictions, as well as the comfort and knowledge of the prop master.” But if there are any special skills or licenses needed for the gun, an armorer is necessary. Kenyon thinks it’s a good idea for most productions to bring an armorer into the fold, “because the prop master doesn’t always get to be around on set,” she says. “There are plans to be made, meetings, shopping, ordering, and always a lot of paperwork.” I was really surprised at the steps the prop master follows, even when bringing a rubber

THE ESSENTIALISTS

KATE NAVIN

head of scripted content As head of scripted content at Audible and artistic director of the robust Audible Theater, KATE NAVIN has long heralded audio theater as an art form. Last March, when live performance evaporated due to the pandemic, she and the company knew they had a rare opportunity to keep actors and other artists employed. When live performance was halted, Audible stepped up. “The whole company snapped to it immediately. Audible has always prided itself on being a great resource for and employer of artists in the industry.

By Casey Mink Very quickly, we put our heads together and said, ‘What are we going to do in response to this for those actors and writers and producers and sound designers we love so much?’…. The actors we’ve worked with over this past year have said, ‘It was so great to flex these muscles again. It is creatively fulfilling.’ ” Good theater is good theater—no matter the medium. “Great writing is going to make great audio, so it’s got to start there. Specifically—and it’s why I think playwrights have been so successful in the medium—[audio] is a language-driven art

replica gun on set. “The guns should be carried to set and shown to the first assistant director. Then, the gun is offered to be shown as fully empty and safe to any other members of the crew. The prop master or armorer calls, ‘Rubber gun on set!’ Rubber, foam, and resin guns are all used to achieve the look of the firearm without the real thing,” she says. Then they announce, “Cold weapon on set!” to confirm that the firearm is empty. Additional steps are taken with the actors. “The gun is then presented to all actors in the scene—especially the one who holds the weapon and anyone it may be pointed at.” This is the protocol for a nonfiring weapon on set. “All guns used are modified to fire blanks only. In the case of [the] firing of a blank in the scene, the armorer

form…. The other thing that really continues to hold true is [that] when sound is part of the initial concept and the sound designer’s voice is brought in early on, and when the playwright is thinking about that sound language early on, that translates the best.”

will observe the rehearsals and determine the concerns and needs of the director to help accomplish the scene safely,” Kenyon says. For scenes that require an actor to actually shoot a gun, you can’t be careful enough. Kenyon explains, “Actors are always spoken to before participating in gunfire. We will usually ask if the actor has any training or experience with weapons, and I encourage everyone to be as honest as possible…. Often, we do practice or test-fire with anyone who would like it. We want everyone to be as safe and comfortable as possible.”

Want more?

Read our full Note From the CD Want more? at backstage.com/ Allarchives our Backstage Experts can be magazine found at backstage.com/magazine

03.18.21 BACKSTAGE

culture +

Spotlighting the people and projects you need to know

#IGOTCAST. Vanesa Ferizoli

Taking the Leap

What’s the smart move? Well, every actor is an individual with unique goals. That means you have to determine what’s best for you.

BACKSTAGE 03.18.21

a major rite of passage. It’s one of the things that marks you as a professional who is ready to work in film and television. Being a member of the union provides you with: 1. Excellent pay rates, with residuals 2. G ood working conditions and safety on set 3. O utstanding health insurance (if you earn enough) 4. Best of all, a pension when you retire. (If you’re under 30, a pension probably doesn’t mean jack right now, but you’ll be glad you have one when you’re coming up fast on 60!) Over the years, I’ve known actors who have thrown parties to celebrate the arrival of their union card. I remember one client who pretended to lose his card so he could pay $15 for a replacement, which he then gifted to his parents. This leads to the question I get all the time from actors who are

VANESA FERIZOLI hasn’t been using Backstage for long, but she’s already found more than enough projects to keep her busy. Bored in the house? Stay occupied with Backstage. “I’ve been using Backstage for four months now. I come back to Backstage because I have found lots of [suitable] projects on here, and I’ve had the chance to send in more self-tape auditions and attend online auditions, even though there is a pandemic going on at the moment.” Your uniqueness stands out more than any gimmick. “My advice for finding success would be to be yourself. It’s good to stand out in a crowd, and the best way to do that is by being yourself and being confident in that.” It takes time to build relationships, and that’s OK. “I would say I have become more familiar with some casting directors [through Backstage]. I wouldn’t say I have made connections just yet, but it has only been four months, and I hope I will soon—and I look forward to working with lots of people.” TO SEE YOUR SUCCESS story in print, tweet @Backstage using the hashtag #IGotCast, or email us at igotcast@ backstage.com.

backstage.com

ILLUSTRATION: SPENCER ALEXANDER; FERIZOLI: VANITY STUDIOS

EVERYONE IN THIS BUSINESS goes through several rites of passage. As an agent, a big one for me was negotiating my first pilot deal. I had never done one on my own, so I had to muscle my way through. In the end, everything worked out fine, and the finished contract was a work of art. These moments allow us to move from one phase of our careers to the next. It’s like leveling up in a video game. Once you get past the barrier, new opportunities present themselves, and you’re better equipped to take advantage of them. If you’re an actor, joining the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is

By Jalen Michael

RAQUEL APARICIO

Secret Agent Man

finally able to join SAG-AFTRA: “Should I join right away, or should I stay eligible for as long as possible?” To clarify, being eligible means that you worked a union job and you now have the right to join, but you’re not legally obligated to do so until you receive a second offer of employment on a union project. So, what’s the smart move? Well, every actor is an individual with unique goals. That means you have to determine what’s best for you. Are you still looking for theatrical representation? Some film and television agents work with nonunion talent; some don’t. Every company has its own policy, so that’s something to consider. My agency only takes on nonunion talent if they’re under 25 or crossing over from another field, like music or sports. If you have commercial representation, you should get their advice before joining. More and more commercials these days are going for nonunion actors. You can still go out for them if you’re SAG-AFTRA–eligible, but that option disappears when you become a member. When all is said and done, my advice is this: Move heaven and earth to become eligible to join the union, then hold off on actually doing it for as long as possible. This will allow you to play on both sides of the union fence in the commercial world. But just know that sooner or later, you will have to sign up— and that will most definitely be a day worth celebrating. Once you achieve this career milestone, congratulations! Now you can look forward to the next hundred. (Hey, no one said this acting thing was going to be easy, right?)

culture +

Spotlighting the people and projects you need to know

In the Room With

Susan Shopmaker

For “Sound of Metal,” the CD had to immerse herself in a community she “literally knew nothing about” By Elyse Roth

were looking for a kid who was acting out—a bit of a mirror for Riz’s character in some ways. We were trying to get them to do that without them really understanding what acting is. For the role of Shaheem, they wanted a guy who could really rap. Emily [Fleischer] in my office found an entire world of deaf rap. I have to give her 100% credit there. She tapped into a small but real world and started getting self-tapes. What felt different about this casting process? I was immersed in a culture that I literally knew nothing about and which definitely changed how I look at deaf people. There’s that, but also working with a director who knew what he needed and wanted. What was on the page was so specific. Working with somebody who is excited, who is actually thrilled to be getting to do what he wanted to do—that’s infectious.

RAQUEL APARICIO

ILLUSTRATION: SPENCER ALEXANDER; FERIZOLI: VANITY STUDIOS

SUSAN SHOPMAKER HAS DONE A LOT OF SEARCHING IN HER career. Whether it’s to fill onscreen high schools with young talent or helping filmmaker Nancy Meyers populate her well-heeled worlds from her New York office, the casting director has found herself looking for talent in all different communities. That was no different for Amazon Studios’ acclaimed “Sound of Metal.” With just lead Riz Ahmed attached as Ruben, a drummer whose life is upended when he loses his hearing, Shopmaker and her team had to fill out two disparate worlds: that of the hearing from Ruben’s life as a musician, and that of the deaf, which Ruben immerses himself in while grappling with his new reality. Shopmaker dove deep into the deaf community to find actors and non-actors alike. What was the process for casting “Sound of Metal”? Riz was attached when I came on, and we made lists for Lou [Ruben’s bandmate and girlfriend]. We tag-teamed with Lisa Lobel in Boston. There was the world of

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deaf culture and the rock-androll world. We knew early on there was a real band someone on the team knew that was going to be a part of this, so that was not a casting job. It was really the world of the deaf

that we were casting. That was everything you could imagine: Putting out normal breakdowns, going into deaf schools, organizations, theaters—we really did it all. There were a lot of self-tapes, because we were going anywhere in the country at a certain point [to look] for certain roles. We were looking everywhere. What were auditions like, especially for first-time actors? With the kids, at least on our end, some of it was just talking to them, and some of it was trying to elicit a kind of response. In the schools, we had interpreters to help us, so it became much easier. We

Where do you look for new talent? I think any New York casting director will tell you that we go to theater. I’ll watch stuff from schools. We did a TV show that was all high school students, and it was very specific. We went to school shows; we would call up all the schools in the city and ask if we could come. They were pretty generous. I’m not big on social media searching, but Emily is; she does a lot of Instagram stuff. You know what else works? Small movies with unknown casts are where you find some gems. Sometimes it’s short films. It’s sort of anything, and it always depends on what project you’re working on.

Want more?

Read the full interview at backstage.com/magazine

03.18.21 BACKSTAGE

‘This Is

Probably

Bob Odenkirk has his sketch roots to thank for what’s become a creative metamorphosis from king of comedy to dramatic leading man to full-fledged action star By Allie Volpe Photographed by Ian Spanier

Our Guy’

THE FIRST TIME BOB ODENKIRK RECEIVED a “Breaking Bad” script—Season 2, Episode 8—his initial inclination was to tweak his lines. It was Odenkirk’s debut appearance as Saul Goodman, and the sleazy, scheming lawyer’s notoriously verbose soliloquies and turns of phrase didn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Thus, Odenkirk’s writerly instincts overtook his acting brain. Before he joined the AMC drama in 2009, Odenkirk spent much of his career as a writer. He cut his teeth at “Saturday Night Live” starting in the late 1980s; “The Ben Stiller Show” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” in the early ’90s; and later as the co-creator, executive producer, and star of cult HBO sketch series “Mr. Show with Bob and David.” Serving as a series’ creative mind afforded him artistic control over the words on the page—power he didn’t wield in Vince Gilligan’s world of meth cooking, drug trading, and the moral low ground. “I was just about to make a note to change something, and I thought, No, that’s not what this is. This is an acting gig. I’m not the producer; I’m not the writer,” Odenkirk remembers. “Let’s pretend I was an actor for a minute. How would I treat this?” Instead of viewing the dialogue as an obstacle, Odenkirk used the words to piece his performance together. No longer was Bob Odenkirk the writer struggling to grasp another scribe’s text; Saul Goodman, as written on the page, became a living being through Bob Odenkirk the actor. The multihyphenate’s method for tapping into Saul, and eventually Saul’s younger self, Jimmy McGill, on “Breaking Bad” prequel “Better Call Saul,” paid off in dividends. Odenkirk has earned four Golden Globe nominations, four Screen Actors Guild Award individual nominations, and five Emmy nominations for “Better Call Saul.” He’s quickly emerged as one of the most lauded dramatic actors of the decade, landing roles in the

We don’t tell the stories about things that don’t work, but they take years of your life. I’m trying to tell those stories, because if you’re thinking about a career as an actor, you really have to see everything.

BACKSTAGE 03.18.21

critically acclaimed “Nebraska,” “The Post,” and “Little Women,” and on the small-screen iteration of “Fargo.” Tiptoeing farther from his comedy roots, Odenkirk will next become an action star in the Universal Pictures thriller “Nobody” playing Hutch Mansell, an unassuming suburban dad whose desire to inflict pain and chaos surfaces after a home robbery. Not bound by his past, or his past insecurities, Odenkirk has hit his stride—and not a moment too soon. He has long grappled with his identity in show business. Despite writing and performing comedy for over 20 years at the time, he never considered himself a “real” actor until getting cast as Saul. After “Mr. Show,” he languished in development hell, writing movies and television series that never came to fruition. There were bit parts on “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and “How I Met Your Mother,” but straight acting was intimidating, he admits over Zoom. Unlike comedy, in which an actor can hide behind the veneer of being in on the joke, dramatic roles require an actor to relinquish himself to the character and the story. “There’s an element of comedy where the performer is very self-aware of their largeness, their bigness, what’s funny about them,” Odenkirk says. “In that way, they’re like a puppet master manipulating themselves to be funny for the audience and for themselves. You [can] almost hear it in their voice that they’re entertained by themselves.” Odenkirk was surprised when he got the offer for “Breaking Bad.” He hadn’t auditioned, but Gilligan and writer Peter Gould, who conceived the character, were both fans of “Mr. Show” and frequently played clips of the sketch series in the writers’ room. “This is a fast-talking, chameleonlike character, and Bob just had this enormous catalog of characters that he played on ‘Mr. Show,’ ” Gould says. “It felt like: This is probably our guy.” As “Breaking Bad” progressed, a joke emerged among the show’s writers: Whenever a fun Saul moment would arise that didn’t quite fit into the greater “Breaking Bad” narrative, the writers would suggest it be shelved for “The Saul Goodman Show.” After a few years, the quip became an imperative, and “Better Call Saul” became a reality; the show was announced shortly before its predecessor’s finale. It became clear that the world needed more Saul—and more Odenkirk. The first two seasons of “Better Call Saul” were among Odenkirk’s most challenging and rewarding years as an actor. Undeterred by sprawling, multipage monologues and the contradiction of portraying Jimmy’s earnestness despite his cons and duplicity, Odenkirk dug in his heels and felt he was making true progress in his career. Coupled with the cast’s rigorous rehearsals and communal living arrangements (Odenkirk and his wife bought a house in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he, Rhea Seehorn, and Patrick Fabian live while shooting), Odenkirk was able to blossom while fully immersed in Jimmy’s world.

“He’s become more confident as a performer—and he has every reason and right to be, because he only gets better with every season,” Gilligan says of Odenkirk. “He’s not afraid to lean into the silences more than he might’ve been way back on ‘Breaking Bad.’ The Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill of the fifth season of ‘Better Call Saul’—there would be entire scenes where he doesn’t say a word, and I think that would’ve made Bob a little nervous 10, 12 years ago. Now he relishes it, looks forward to it.” At home in Los Angeles while speaking with Backstage, Odenkirk is only a few weeks away from the start of shooting the sixth and final season of “Better Call Saul.” Any bittersweetness is eclipsed by looming COVID-19 safety measures that might impede his process, like the inability to rehearse on set. “Often, [when] we were working in a new set, one that was only going to live for an episode or two, we wanted to get familiar with it and walk through it a couple times,” backstage.com

Odenkirk says. “We figured out the blocking we could pitch to our director when they arrived. They can use [them] or not use [them], but oftentimes, they would use our instincts. That kind of thing isn’t going to happen.” Beyond navigating a set in the time of coronavirus, Odenkirk is preparing to embrace a new tonal shift altogether: high-octane action. “Nobody,” in theaters March 26, pitches Odenkirk as an unlikely antihero with ample fight scenes, action sequences, and rugged snarls. When his character, Hutch, the patriarch, refuses to defend his family against home intruders, he loses the respect of his wife (Connie Nielsen) and teenage son (Gage Munroe), which ignites a long-dormant lethal rage he’d stowed away since starting a family. Over the course of 90 minutes, Odenkirk single-handedly takes down a group of ruffians on a bus, destroys a Russian mob hideout, and suffers many blows to the face. To prepare for the role, he endured two years of training to handle the physical aspect of the choreography, transforming his body in order to perform nearly all of his own stunts. As for the emotional component of the job, BACKSTAGE 03.18.21

Odenkirk took an actor’s approach to the fight sequences. Rather than inhabit superhuman strength and serenity while throwing punches, he wanted to respond in earnest to the chaos of the moment: pain, delight, annoyance, and all. “I really wanted to see if I could be a human being even when I was doing this ultraviolent stuff,” he says, “which is to say, if you cut to my face in the middle of a fight, there’s some kind of feeling about the fight.” Early in Odenkirk’s training regimen for “Nobody,” director Ilya Naishuller remembers observing his leading man homing in on this method of full-body-action acting. In one area of their rehearsal facility, Keanu Reeves was working with trainers ahead of “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.” In a smaller room, Odenkirk was practicing with two stunt coordinators; he hadn’t quite mastered the art of onscreen combat yet, Naishuller says, but the essence of Hutch’s rage and anguish were palpable, even while cameras weren’t rolling. Naishuller pulled out his phone and started recording. “I still have videos on my iPhone where it’s close-ups of him doing his thing,”

Naishuller says. “I remember being so excited.” The physical demands of an action thriller proved no match for the challenges presented by an oft-humorous script meant to be delivered without any satire. While lines like, “Give me the goddamn kitty cat bracelet, motherfucker,” delight an audience, as a performer, Odenkirk instead needed Hutch’s blind fury to play as authentic. For an actor with comedic roots, fighting the easy laugh was no small feat. “When you joke about these big feelings, you soften them,” he says. “You’re saying, ‘I don’t really mean it; I only kind of mean it.’ You give yourself an out, and you don’t have to sell to the audience—that I’m so wrapped up in my anger that I can say, ‘Give me the goddamn kitty cat bracelet, motherfucker,’ and mean every word of it and not hear in my own voice the ridiculousness of that.” The story of “Nobody” is ultimately one of a man addicted to violence and the thrill it inspires. The same could be said of the trajectory of an actor yearning for the delight of creation, and how all-encompassing that desire can be, even while life continues in the periphery. For Odenkirk, there’s the balance of fatherhood, the depth of giving himself fully to Saul (“When I play Saul—especially [in] a challenging scene, an emotional scene, an intense scene—it feels like I left my existence and took a break from it, which is really cool”), and the comfort of writing. Despite his success as an actor, Odenkirk still feels most at ease when he’s writing. The craft was there for him as he slogged through fruitless development periods; it was there amid his acting success, including his co-writing of 2017’s “Girlfriend’s Day” on Netflix, which he also starred in; and it’s there for him during the pandemic as he writes a memoir (which comes out in 2022) and drafts scripts for his new production company, CalGold Pictures. And unlike acting, in which a performer often needs an opportunity to showcase their abilities—that is, unless they author their own material—writing can be an isolated creative pursuit. “An actor can’t go in their office and act and, 15 years later, somebody sees it and goes, ‘Let’s just put that movie out that you made alone in your room,’ ” Odenkirk says. “I knew that from the start, and I knew I was not going to rely on other people to give me work, so I focused on writing.” All actors, he says, should have their “thing” independent of performing—a respite for when the work is scarce; and the work will be scarce at times. Acknowledging the lows—the projects that should’ve worked but didn’t, the jobs that almost were but weren’t—as well as the highs helps paint a clearer picture of a life in show business. For Odenkirk, that picture featured a man on the edges of the frame, finally now in focus. “We don’t tell the stories about things that don’t work, but they take years of your life. I’m trying to tell those stories, because if you’re thinking about a career as an actor, you really have to see everything.” backstage.com

Screen Actors Guild Awards 2021 Ballot FILM Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture n “Da 5 Bloods”

n “One Night in Miami”

Kingsley Ben-Adir, Beau Bridges, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Michael Imperioli, Joaquina Kalukango, Leslie Odom Jr., Lance Reddick, Nicolette Robinson

Chadwick Boseman, Paul Walter Hauser, Nguyen Ngoc Lâm, Lê Y Lan, Norm Lewis, Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Veronica Ngo, Johnny Trí Nguyen, Jasper Pääkkönen, Clarke Peters, Sandy Huong Pham, Jean Reno, Mélanie Thierry, Isiah Whitlock Jr.

n “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

n “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Chadwick Boseman, Jonny Coyne, Viola Davis, Colman Domingo, Michael Potts, Glynn Turman

n “Minari”

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Alex Sharp, Jeremy Strong

n Riz Ahmed, “Sound of Metal” n Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role n Amy Adams, “Hillbilly Elegy” n Viola Davis, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”

n Vanessa Kirby, “Pieces of a Woman” n Frances McDormand, “Nomadland”

n Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role n Sacha Baron Cohen, “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

n Chadwick Boseman, “Da 5 Bloods”

n Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah”

Noel Cho, Yeri Han, Scott Haze, Alan S. Kim, Will Patton, Steven Yeun, Youn Yuh-jung

n Anthony Hopkins, “The Father” n Gary Oldman, “Mank” n Steven Yeun, “Minari”

n Jared Leto, “The Little Things” n Leslie Odom Jr., “One Night

TELEVISION

n “Ozark”

Grace Marshall, Griffin Matthews, Rosie Perez, Terry Serpico, Colin Woodell

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series n “Better Call Saul”

Jonathan Banks, Tony Dalton, Giancarlo Esposito, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando, Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn

n “Bridgerton”

Adjoa Andoh, Julie Andrews, Lorraine Ashbourne, Jonathan Bailey, Ruby Barker, Jason Barnett, Sabrina Bartlett, Joanna Bobin, Harriet Cains, Bessie Carter, Nicola Coughlan, Kathryn Drysdale, Phoebe Dynevor, Ruth Gemmell, Florence Hunt, Martins Imhangbe, Claudia Jessie, Jessica Madsen, Molly McGlynn, Ben Miller, Luke Newton, Julian Ovenden, RegéJean Page, Golda Rosheuvel, Hugh Sachs, Luke Thompson, Will Tilston, Polly Walker

n “The Crown”

Gillian Anderson, Marion Bailey, Helena Bonham Carter, Stephen Boxer, Olivia Colman, Emma Corrin, Erin Doherty, Charles Edwards, Emerald Fennell, Tobias Menzies, Josh O’Connor, Sam Phillips

n “Lovecraft Country”

Jamie Chung, Aunjanue Ellis, Jada Harris, Abbey Lee, Jonathan Majors, Wunmi Mosaku, Jordan Patrick Smith, Jurnee Smollett, Michael Kenneth Williams

backstage.com

Jason Bateman, McKinley Belcher III, Jessica Frances Dukes, Lisa Emery, Skylar Gaertner, Julia Garner, Sofia Hublitz, Kevin L. Johnson, Laura Linney, Janet McTeer, Tom Pelphrey, Joseph Sikora, Felix Solis, Charlie Tahan, Madison Thompson

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

n “The Great”

Belinda Bromilow, Sebastian de Souza, Sacha Dhawan, Elle Fanning, Phoebe Fox, Bayo Gbadamosi, Adam Godley, Douglas Hodge, Nicholas Hoult, Louis Hynes, Florence Keith-Roach, Gwilym Lee, Danusia Samal, Charity Wakefield

n “Schitt’s Creek”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

n “Ted Lasso”

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series n “Dead to Me”

Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini, Max Jenkins, James Marsden, Sam McCarthy, Natalie Morales, Diana Maria Riva, Luke Roessler

n “The Flight Attendant”

Kaley Cuoco, Merle Dandridge, Nolan Gerard Funk, Michelle Gomez, Michiel Huisman, Yasha Jackson, Jason Jones, T.R. Knight, Zosia Mamet, Audrey

n Maria Bakalova, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”

n Glenn Close, “Hillbilly Elegy” n Olivia Colman, “The Father” n Youn Yuh-jung, “Minari” n Helena Zengel, “News of the World”

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture n “Da 5 Bloods” n “Mulan” n “News of the World” n “The Trial of the Chicago 7” n “Wonder Woman 1984”

in Miami”

n Jason Bateman, “Ozark” n Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us” n Josh O’Connor, “The Crown” n Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul” n Regé-Jean Page, “Bridgerton”

n Gillian Anderson, “The Crown” n Olivia Colman, “The Crown” n Emma Corrin, “The Crown” n Julia Garner, “Ozark” n Laura Linney, “Ozark”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Chris Elliott, Emily Hampshire, Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Sarah Levy, Annie Murphy, Catherine O’Hara, Noah Reid, Jennifer Robertson, Karen Robinson

Annette Badland, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Toheeb Jimoh, James Lance, Nick Mohammed, Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, Hannah Waddingham

n Kaley Cuoco,

“The Flight Attendant”

n Annie Murphy, “Schitt’s Creek” n Catherine O’Hara, “Schitt’s Creek”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series n Bill Camp, “The Queen’s Gambit” n Daveed Diggs, “Hamilton” n Hugh Grant, “The Undoing” n Ethan Hawke, “The Good Lord Bird”

n Mark Ruffalo, “I Know This Much Is True”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series n Cate Blanchett, “Mrs. America” n Michaela Coel, “I May Destroy You”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

n Nicole Kidman, “The Undoing” n Anya Taylor-Joy,

n Nicholas Hoult, “The Great” n Dan Levy, “Schitt’s Creek” n Eugene Levy, “Schitt’s Creek” n Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso” n Ramy Youssef, “Ramy”

n Kerry Washington, “Little

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series n Christina Applegate, “Dead to Me”

n Linda Cardellini, “Dead to Me”

“The Queen’s Gambit” Fires Everywhere”

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series n “The Boys” n “Cobra Kai” n “Lovecraft Country” n “The Mandalorian” n “Westworld”

03.18.21 BACKSTAGE

Plays Musicals Film TV & Video Commercial Modeling Variety Voiceover Gigs Events

Submit a Notice |

New York Tristate Plays ‘Skeleton Crew’

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for principal & understudy roles in “Skeleton Crew” (all roles will be understudied). Local NYC actors strongly encouraged to submit. Synopsis: In 2008 Detroit, a small automotive factory is on the brink of foreclosure, and a tight knit family of workers hangs in the balance. With uncertainty everywhere, the line between blue collar and white collar becomes blurred, and this working family must reckon with their personal loyalties, their instincts for survival and their ultimate hopes for humanity.

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. your name, the character name, and your Equity status in the subject line. Submissions deadline is Mar. 18.

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

tion. 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 submit.

‘Tru’

stage

Rep Contract.

• Seeking—Faye: female, 50-59, Black /

African Descent, working class woman. Tough and a lifetime of dirt beneath her nails. Somewhere, deep compassion. Dez: male, 18-29, Black / African Descent, working class man. Young hustler, playful, street-savvy, and flirtatious.. Somewhere, deeply sensitive. Shanita: female, 18-29, Black / African Descent, working class young woman. Pretty but not ruled by it. Hard-working. By-the-books. Believes in the work she does. Also, pregnant. Somewhere, a beautiful dreamer. Reggie: 30-39, Black / African Descent, white collar man. Studious. Dedicated. Compassionate. The Foreman. Somewhere, a fire brims. • Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, submit contempo-

rary monologues, two minutes in length (Monologues by Dominique Morriseau strongly preferred. Videos should be shot in landscape framing and sent in a non-downloadable format - private YouTube link, Vimeo, etc.) with your headshot and resume to SkeletonCrewEPA@gmail.com with

BACKSTAGE 03.18.21

‘Walden’ Reach for the stars in this Hartford, CT Equity production about twin sisters who work for NASA

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

Connecticut. Staff: Jay Presson Allen, writer; Kevin Connors, dir.; Jim Schilling, MTC managing dir.; Alex Mongillo, admin. mgr.

on or about Dec. 21; runs Jan. 11, 2022Mar. 6, 2022. The plan is to produce this play in person at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in our 2021-22 season.

• Pays $1778/wk. Equity LORT A+ Non-

• Rehearsals begin Nov. 16; previews start

Staff: Ruben Santiago-Hudson, dir.; Dominique Morriseau, writer; David Caparelliotis / Kelly Gillespie, casting.

BY LISA HAMIL

‘Insecure’ Find your voice in HBO’s hit series in Los Angeles, CA

actors for “Tru.” Minorities and Connecticut/Westchester actors are strongly encouraged to submit. Synopsis: “Tru” is adapted from the words and works of Truman Capote, “Tru” takes place in the writer’s New York City apartment during the week before Christmas 1975. An excerpt from Capote’s infamous novel Answered Prayers has recently been published in Esquire and the author’s friends, recognizing the characters as thinly veiled versions of themselves, have turned their back on the man they once considered a close confidant.

• Company: Manhattan Theatre Club.

Casting picks of the week

‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Stand up in this spectacular Emmy Award winning series in NYC

stage

• Company: Music Theatre of

‘Joy and Pandemic’ Wear your mask in this San Francisco, CA Equity deb

• In-person rehearsals will be held Apr.

online commercials

13-22 at the Music Theatre of Connecticut. MTC will meet and exceed all requirements and be in full compliance for reopening with all Equity and State of Connecticut requirements. Performances run Apr. 23-May 9 (Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sat. and Sun. at 2 p.m.). Production will be performed live on Friday-Sunday schedule with a small, limited live audience and an approved closed stream for each performance.

Doggie DNA Commercial Spend a shoot with canine costars in Boston, MA

google link formats. Submissions deadline is Mar. 23.

• Music Theatre of Connecticut, cur-

rently beginning its 34th season, is located in a beautiful theatre center in Norwalk, CT. The company has won numerous “Best” awards both BroadwayWorld and Connecticut Crtitics’ Circle Awards, including the prestigious Killen Award for Outstanding Contribution to Professional Theatre, joining Long Wharf, Hartford Stage and the Westport Playhouse. With questions, contact Alex Mongillo at (203) 4543883 or e-mail admin@musictheatreofct.com.

• Seeking—Truman Capote: male, 50+,

very flamboyant gay novelist/playwright, obsessed with celebrity.

• Seeking submissions from CT. • Due to the pandemic, MTC is currently

accepting video submissions only from Mar. 9-23 (deadline). Prepare a monologue in the style of the show. Slate your name and the name of your audition piece. Also include picture & resume attached to email. All submissions should be sent to Alex at admin@musictheatreofct.com. Submit videos in mp4 or dropbox/

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

‘Walden’

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for roles in “Walden” by Amy Berryman. New York and Connecticut actors particularly encouraged to submit. • Company: TheaterWorks Inc. Staff:

Mei-Ann Teo, dir.; Rob Ruggiero, prod. artistic dir.; Taneisha Duggan, artistic prod.; Erica Jensen / Calleri Jensen Davis, casting dirs. • Rehearsals begin June 24 (begin with

remote zoom table work as the cast quarantines as a pod. Then will move to in- person on-site rehearsals.); runs July 24-Aug. 16 outdoors in Hartford, CT.

• Seeking—Stella: female, 18+, all ethnic-

ities, early thirties, Cassie’s twin sister – former NASA colony architect, her mouth moves quickly to catch up with her even faster brain, her thoughts zigzag like tracing a constellation. She is still deeply heartbroken she will never go to space, harbors secrets and resentment as she struggles to welcome her sister into her new life. Born first. Cassie: female, 18+, all ethnicities, early thirties, Stella’s twin sister – NASA botanist, physically strong, seems put together in the midst of all her success, but inside is doubtful and falling apart. Overwhelmed by the deeply human experience she is having since landing back on Earth. She digs and uproots. Looking for a way to blow up her life, as well as looking for a way to get closer to her sister. Born second. Bryan: male, 18+, all ethnicities, mid-thirties, Stella’s fiancp – a member of the populist political movement Earth Advocates, laid back, kind, emotionally open, strong, still grieving the loss of his brother, struggling with the wall Stella has built around herself. • Seeking submissions from CT. • For consideration, submit self-tapes to

epawalden@gmail.com. Include a slate with your name and height with your audition video. For the self-tape, prepare a 1 to 2-minute contemporary monologue. Feel free to sit or stand. Make sure to have good lighting (bright backstage.com

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casting New York Tristate enough to see the color of your eyes) and sound. Include your name and “EPA-WALDEN” in the subject line of the email. Submissions deadline is Mar. 24. • Theater’s statement: “We consider

actors of all races and ethnicities.”

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

pending.

in front of his new girlfriend Anya; he is totally infatuated with her (and her eyes), and turns anxious and disturbed when he senses her disinterest. Anya: female, 22-27, a photographer and aspiring artist; she loves to try and see the world from unique, exciting points of view; for this reason she is interested in a variety of people - she doesn’t see Paul as a long term, committed relationship; Anya has beautiful, striking eyes that Paul is obsessed with. • Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to adskader@gmail.

com.

• Meals, transportation, and any accom-

modation will be covered by production.

‘Letters From Home’

Student Films ‘Beating Blind’

• Casting “Beating Blind,” a short follow-

ing Otto, an aspiring jazz drummer whose blindness cripples his confidence during an audition with renowned band leader Harry.

• Company: Hofstra University. Staff:

Matthew Mayer, student; Justin Murray, prod. • Shoots one day the weekend of Apr.

10-11 in either New York or New Jersey. • Seeking—Otto: male, 30-60, White /

European Descent, an aspiring Jazz drummer hoping to impress Harry in hopes of being chosen for his Jazz combo; throughout the audition, the insecurities Otto carries with him get the better of him until he realizes those attributes may benefit him more than he once thought. Harry: male, 25-40, Black / African Descent, a prodigy, becoming band leader at such young age; he is the antithesis to everything Otto sees himself as; when confronted with Otto during the audition, Harry sees a version of himself, and makes a pivotal choice for each of them. • Seeking submissions from NY and NJ. • Send submissions to Jmurray1@Pride.

Hofstra.edu.

• Include headshot and reel if you have

one.

• Meals and travel expenses will be cov-

ered on day of shoot.

• Casting voiceover for “Letters From

Home,” an essay film about familial disconnection, urban alienation, and waiting. Synopsis: Letters from a man who has been incarcerated in China work as the voiceover of the film, paralleling with long shots of New York City in the winter snow. The continuous whispers in the snow bring thoughts of family to the protagonist, who is alone in New York. Words also connect those distant spaces and gradually eliminate the deep-rooted estrangement between the family members. • Company: Columbia Visual Arts MFA.

Staff: Ryan Wang, visual artist-dir-cinematographer.

• Shoots remotely or in-person in

Manhattan.

• Seeking—Man: male, 35-60, this man is

incarcerated in China. He sends letters to his family during the pandemic. The letters will be the voiceover in the film. Man (Chinese Version): male, 35-60, this man is incarcerated in China. He sends letters to his family during the pandemic. The letters will be the voiceover in the film. • Seeking submissions worldwide. • Send submissions to mw3456@colum-

bia.edu.

• In your cover letter, include a voiceover

reel. Be prepared to read a segment of a letter. • SAG-AFTRA Student Film Agreement.

‘Only Child’

• Casting “Only Child,” an NYU graduate

Kader, dir.; Shuni Chopra Dhar, prod.; George Du, DP.

short film. Synopsis: An only child represses the family burden after reading a text on his Dad’s phone. Ash (12) still sleeps on a futon in his parents’ room, when one Sunday morning over pancakes, he reads a lewd text on his Dad’s phone. As the day unfolds, Ash gleans new aspects of his parents’ relationship and decides it’s time to move to his own room, leaving him alone with questions that he’s not sure how – or whom – to ask. This is an NYU Graduate Film production - all COVID guidelines will be strictly adhered to, including testing for talent before and after production, PPE and distancing at all times.

NYC area.

Cagin, dir.

‘Eyes’

• Casting “Eyes,” (working title) a short

film directed by NYU Tisch alum Adrian Kader and shot by cinematographer George Du. Synopsis: Eyes follows Paul, a medical student, as he falls in love with the enchanting Anya, a photographer. Paul’s love slowly turns into obsession as Anya grows distant from him. The story takes a dark, mysterious turn as Paul does whatever it takes to keep Anya around. • Company: Independent. Staff: Adrian

• Shoots in mid-May (May 14-16) in the • Seeking—Paul: male, 22-27, a lonely

medical student with an affinity towards opthamology - the study of the eye; he is a nerd deep down, specifically into mythology; but tries to play it cool

BACKSTAGE 03.18.21

• Company: NYU Tisch. Staff: Carlos

• Shoots Mar. 26-29 in NYC. • Seeking—Ash: male, lead; 10-14 to

play 12; embarrassed that he still sleeps in his parents room; discovers a text on his dad’s phone and just

wants to know the “truth” about his parents’ relationship; self-reflective; reserved; observant; sensitive; required media: Headshot/photo; self-tape; this role is really about watching, listening and wondering; first round of auditions will be done through self-tapes; do one take to introduce yourself and tell us about a time that you really wanted to know something, but weren’t sure how to ask, be free and use the opportunity to tell us about yourself; five min max per tape. Cheryl: female, 32-46, supporting; a mother who knows she agreed to a complicated marriage but can’t help but be hurt by it and worries how it might affect her son; required media: Headshot/photo and self-tape; first round of auditions will be done through self-tapes; tell us about a time you knew something about a person and weren’t sure whether or not to share it with someone you love, you don’t have to divulge the secret, but tell us why you chose to tell or not tell the person. David: male, 34-50, supporting; a father who deeply loves his family and tries to keep his sexual proclivities private; as his secret starts to come out, he only suppresses it deeper; required media: Headshot/photo and self-tape; first round of auditions will be done through self-tapes; do one take introducing yourself, and tell us about a time you’ve kept a secret about yourself from someone you love, you don’t have to divulge the secret, but tell us why you chose to share or not share it with that person. • Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to carlos.cagin@nyu.

edu.

• Self-taping required to audition. • No pay.

‘Stormy Weather’

• Casting “Stormy Weather,” a short,

silent, sci-fi thriller film.

• Company: 6 train productions. Staff:

Divad Durant, dir.-screenwriter.

• Date(s) TBD in the NYC area. • Seeking—Detective Rodgers: male,

33-50, White / European Descent, a sadistic, chain-smoking, emotionally cold, power-thirsty cop. There will be a reversal where Detective Rodgers’s body is inhabited by another person (at this moment, he is frustrated, masochistic, afraid, and ultimately focused on retribution no matter the cost). In the end, he will be in danger and fear for his life. Nina: female, 22-38, Black / African Descent, Latino / Hispanic, a woman still reeling from the loss of her girlfriend, Helen. In the process of mourning, she is detained by a plainclothes detective who killed and framed her lover. She goes from feeling fear to disgust. She also enters a dreamlike dimension where she is in a hypnotic state but fights her way out of it. Helen: 18+, Black / African Descent, Latino / Hispanic, Helen gets shot by the police. She exists mostly as a memory. For a moment, she seems alive as she gives her girlfriend Nina one last embrace. • Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to Divad.Durant@

feirstein.film.

• Reimbursement for transportation and

food covered. SAG-AFTRA Student Film Agreement.

Scripted TV & Video ‘Black Gumball’ Season 2

• Casting various roles in season two of

“Black Gumball,” a Netflix series.

• Company: Roman Candle Casting.

Staff: Todd Feldman, casting dir.

• Shoot dates TBD in NYC. Mostly evening

shoots going overnight (approx. 2 p.m.-3 a.m.).

• Seeking—Actors with 1980s Hair Styles

or Timeless Styles, Nothing Too Modern: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, Shoots March-April 2021. 1980’S Car Owners: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, only submit is you own a 1980s vehicle and available to work in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area. Hungarian Tourist Types: all genders, 18+, White / European Descent, Works April 2021 in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area. Actors with Cool Hair Styles: 18+, with cool hair styles like mohawks, colored hair, shaved sides etc.; shoots March/April 2021. Squash Players with Experience: all genders, 18+, note your skill level in your submission. Children Ages 0-17: all genders, all ethnicities, available for shoot in March/April in NYC. Must be comfortable with COVID testing. Actors to Play Pregnant Women: all genders, 25-45, all ethnicities, if you are pregnant, note how far along in your application. Hippie Women Types: female, 18+, all ethnicities, shoots March/April in NYC. Athletic Fit Gym Types: 18-45, all ethnicities, shoots March/April in NYC and Brooklyn. Real EMTs with Experience: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, shoots March/April in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area. Actors to Play Goth Types: 18+, all ethnicities, with your own Goth attire and style/make-up. Actors 18+ to Play Young High School Types: all genders, all ethnicities, 18+ to play high school students; shoots in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area. Actors to Play Strung Out, Skinny, Junkies: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, shoots March/April in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens. Breakdancers with Experience: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, shoots in March/April 2021 in NYC, Queens, Brooklyn. 1960’s Car Owners: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, only submit if you own a 1980s vehicle and available to work in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area. Street Musician With Own Instrument: 18+, all ethnicities, note what type of instrument you play in your submission. Shoots in the NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area. • Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to romancandlebg@

gmail.com.

• Submit recent photos, selfies, have

sizes ready.

• Pays SAG-AFTRA day rates. COVID test-

ing provided.

‘Cafe’

• Casting “Cafe,” a nonunion Spanish-

language television series for RCN

backstage.com

New York Tristate casting

Colombia (which has ww rights). Role is for a series of episodes in which the characters are visiting New York. • Company: Liz Lewis Casting Partners.

Staff: Angela Mickey, managing dir. of casting.

• Shoots in NYC. • Seeking—Milton: male, 40-50, Latino /

Hispanic, a gangster/bodyguard type. He is tall (6’0” at least), burly, and tough. Should have a South American/Brazilian vibe. Fluent in Spanish (Portuguese accent preferred). Confirm your fluency in Spanish and if you can speak Spanish with a Portuguese accent (the accent is not required). • Seeking submissions from NY. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Confirm your fluency in Spanish and if

you can speak Spanish with a Portuguese accent (the accent is not required). • Pays $350/10-hr. day.

Epix, ‘Godfather of Harlem’ Season 2

• Casting background for season 2 of the

Epix series “Godfather of Harlem.”

• Company: Roman Candle Casting.

Staff: Todd Feldman, casting dir.

• Shoots in Brooklyn and Harlem, NYC. • Seeking—BG With Martial Arts

Experience: all genders, 14+, Black / African Descent, must have flexible schedule and be available for testing and filming in Brooklyn. Casting calls may be last-minute requests. Pay provided for testing, fitting, and work days. Ladies in Lingerie for Club Scene: female, 21-35, all ethnicities, no visible tattoos. Coverable tattoos (the size of a quarter or smaller) are acceptable. Must be comfortable in lingerie on set. Interior club scene. Italian Mob Types: male, 18+, White / European Descent. Harlem Mob Types: male, 18+, Black / African Descent. Italian Mob Wife Types: female, 18+. Harlem Mob Wife Types: female, 18+, Black / African Descent. Italian Mob Kid Types (Minors Ages 6-15): all genders, 15, White / European Descent, child performer work permits required. Parent required on set with child. Harlem Family Kids Types (Minors Age 6-15): all genders, 15, Black / African Descent, child performer work permits required. Parent required on set with child. • Seeking submissions from NY. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Submit recent photos, height, and

sizes.

• SAG-AFTRA rates apply for union mem-

bers. Nonunion rate: $165/10 hrs.

‘The Gilded Age’

• Casting ‘The Gilded Age,” Season 1 of

the HBO Series from the creator of Downton Abbey. Notes: Women must have natural colors, no balayage, no undercuts, no wigs, no weaves, no braids, no ombre or unnatural looking highlights. Women must be okay with working in a corset, bustle and multiple layers as appropriate to the 1880s. Men must be okay getting an 1880s haircut and have natural hair colors. No buzzed cuts or shaved sides (http://production. gwcnyc.com/thegildedagehmunotes). Men must be comfortable being clean shaven for the shoot or if you have backstage.com

‘The Gilded Age’

facial hair already, must be willing to have it altered in an 1880’s style (http:// production.gwcnyc.com/thegildedagehmunotes). Men & Women must have no visible tattoos (especially on neck and hands). Men & Women must have no wool allergies. Men & Women no braces. Men ideally 5’8 - 6’2; 44inch chest and below; 38inch waist and below. Women ideally 5’3 - 5’9; 34inch waist and below.

• Casting “The Gilded Age,” Season 1 of

the HBO series from the creator of Downton Abbey.

• Company: Grant Wilfley Casting. Staff:

Belle GWC, casting dir.

• Shoots now until mid-May in NYC. • Seeking—SAG-AFTRA Caucasian Men:

male, 18-65, White / European Descent, with at least 1.5 inches of hair growth all around, 5’8”-6” with 38 inch true waist and belly button and below; we are seeking new faces for the show and have one day roles avail from Mar. 25May 7. (Once you’ve been fit for the show, you could likely be reused in other scenes.). There will be a required fitting sometime from now until early April in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Some will portray upper class, some middle class, some specific roles such as press/photographers, etc. We film on Long Island, as well as Tarrytown, NY area. There will be two required PCR Covid Tests prior to starting work, and one required test before a fitting. Tests and fittings are in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. You will be tested on set everyday you work as you will be unmasked while on camera. You will be asked to comply with HBO covid protocols (i.e. wearing masks off camera, social distancing, etc.) Specifics to come upon booking. You could have very early morning call times (as early as 4 a.m.) and/or work late, possibly even overnight shoots as we do not have tentative call time yet. Be prepared for all scenarios. There will be atmospheric smoke in the scenes.

• Company: Grant Wilfley Casting. Staff:

Belle GWC, casting dir.

• Shoots from now until mid-May in NYC. • Seeking—Non Union Men 20’s-60’s:

male, 18-65, White / European Descent, to portray 1880s caucasian middle class bar patrons; the current tentative work dates will be Mar. 31; shoots near Westchester area; there will be a required fitting in Greenpoint, Brooklyn Mar. 12 or Mar. 15 with a required covid test the day prior provided by production; there will be a required PCR Covid Tests provided by production on Mar. 30; you will likely be asked to smoke herbal cigarettes on camera, as well as work around smoke; you will be unmasked while on camera; you will be asked to comply with HBO covid protocols (i.e. wearing masks off camera, social distancing, etc.). Specifics to come upon booking; there will be a required (virtual) covid training to be completed; you could have early morning call times and/or work late, possibly even overnight shoots so be prepared for call scenarios as the time is currently TBD! (call times could be as early as 4 a.m. on some days!); this will likely be interior scenes; there will be atmospheric smoke in interior scenes; this is paid work; nonunion rate is $165/10hrs for work days; must be 18+ for this work.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, email a current can-

did photo to gildedage@gwcnyc.com with the following information and change subject line to read “Backstage SAG Avail”: Your legal name; Phone #; SAG-AFTRA or non union. What forms of ID can you bring to set to fill out an I9? (If you have a VISA or Employment Authorization Card, let us know). Men: Are you okay getting an 1880s haircut if needed? Men: Are you okay being clean shaven on the shoot date or having your facial hair altered? (If so which one, or both?) Women: Confirm your hair has not been colored, dyed, highlighted, etc. All wardrobe sizes: Women: height, weight, dress, bust x waist x hip, shoes; Men: height, weight, chest, neck x sleeve, waist x inseam, shoes. (Take a tape measure to get your true waist measurement in inches.) Do you have any tattoos? (this includes, hands, feet, shoulders, chest, ankles, back of neck, behind the ear) Attach three photos without makeup if possible: one selfie that shows your current hair length/ color; one from the back to show current hair length; (women, make sure to show your hair in its natural state, no straightening, no blow drying, etc as these were not options back in the 1880’s!) one waist up in plain clothes! (No filters, hats, sunglasses, etc.) Women - confirm how many inches below the shoulder your hair is! Are you local to the NYC tri-state area? General open availability from Mar. 25-May 7 [if you have any dates you are definitely not available, please feel free to mention] General open availability from now until early April for fitting. Okay with

• Seeking submissions from NY. • To submit email all below info to: gild-

edage@gwcnyc.com. Write in the subject line: “Backstage Bar Patrons Avail All dates.” Your Legal Name. Phone #. Confirm you are non union. What forms of ID can you bring to set to fill out an I9? (If you have a VISA or Employment Authorization Card, let us know). Men: Are you okay getting an 1880s haircut by our production if needed? Men: Are you okay being clean shaven on the shoot date or having your facial hair altered? (If so which one, or both?) Women: Are you okay with wearing a corset or bustle? Women: confirm your hair is not dyed or colored in any way (if it is, elaborate) All wardrobe sizes (Men: height, weight, jacket, neck, sleeve, waist, inseam, shoe. Use tape measure to send accurate chest and waist measurements.) Do you have any tattoos? (this includes, hands, feet, ankles, back of neck, behind the ear.) Attach three photos: one selfie (no makeup) that shows your current hair length/color; one from the back that shows your hair length/color; one waist up in plain clothes for us to submit to the director. (Absolutely no filters, no hats, no sunglasses, etc.) Are you local to the NYC area? Fully available for work Mar. 31. Fully available to covid test and fitting. Okay smoking on camera. Okay with general covid procedures. • Pays $165/10hrs.

general covid procedures. Okay working around atmospheric smoke. Women: confirm you are okay wearing a corset/bustle. Women must have natural colors, No balayage, No undercuts, No wigs, No weaves, No braids, No ombre or unnatural looking highlights. Women must be okay with working in a corset, bustle and multiple layers as appropriate to the 1880s. • Women must not have acrylic nails, gel

polish, etc. Must have bare nails. Men must be okay getting an 1880s haircut. (http://production.gwcnyc.com/thegildedagehmunotes.) Men Must be comfortable being clean shaven for the shoot or if you have facial hair already, must be willing to have it altered in an 1880’s style. • SAG background rate: $178/8hrs.

‘The Gilded Age’

• Casting “The Gilded Age,” Season 1 of

the HBO Series from the creator of Downtown Abby.

• Company: Grant Wilfley Casting. Staff:

Belle GWC, casting dir.

• Shoots until mid-May in NYC. • Seeking—SAG Women W/Long Natural

Hair: female, 18-65, White / European Descent, 5’3”-5’8”, 23-30 inch waist for various background roles; new faces for the show and have one day roles avail from Mar. 25 -May 7. (Once you’ve been fit for the show, you could likely be reused in other scenes); there will be a required fitting sometime from now until early April depending on the role; some will portray upper class, some middle class, some specific roles such as maids, etc.; we film on Long Island, as well as Tarrytown, NY area; there will be two required PCR Covid Tests prior to starting work, and one required test before a fitting; tests and fittings are in Greenpoint, Brooklyn; you will be tested on set everyday you work as you will be unmasked while on camera; you will be asked to comply with HBO covid protocols (I.E. wearing masks off camera, social distancing, etc.) Specifics to come upon booking; you could have very early morning call times (as early as 4 a.m.!) and/or work late, possibly even overnight shoots as we do not have tentative call time yet; be prepared for all scenarios; there will be atmospheric smoke in the scenes; SAG-AFTRA = $178/8hrs; when you respond in your email take a tape measure to measure your true waist at the belly button as we are limited on stock and can only determine your sizing by accurate waist measurements. • Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, email a current can-

did photo to gildedage@gwcnyc.com with the following information and change subject line to read “Backstage SAG available”: your legal name; phone #; SAG-AFTRA or non-union. What forms of ID can you bring to set to fill out an I9? (If you have a VISA or Employment Authorization Card, let us know) Men: Are you okay getting an 1880s haircut if needed? Men: Are you okay being clean shaven on the shoot date or having your facial hair altered? (If so which one, or both?) Women: Confirm your hair has not been colored, dyed, highlighted, etc. All wardrobe

03.18.21 BACKSTAGE

casting New York Tristate sizes: Women: height, weight, dress, bust x waist x hip, shoes; Men: height, weight, chest, neck x sleeve, waist x inseam, shoes. (Take a tape measure to get your true waist measurement in inches. )Do you have any tattoos? (this includes, hands, feet, shoulders, chest, ankles, back of neck, behind the ear) Attach three photos without make up if possible: one selfie that shows your current hair length/color; one from the back to show current hair length; (women, make sure to show your hair in its natural state, no straightening, no blow drying, etc as these were not options back in the 1880’’s!) one waist up in plain clothes! (No filters, No hats, no sunglasses, Etc.) Women - confirm how many inches below the shoulder your hair is! Are you local to the NYC tristate area? General open availability from Mar. 25-May 7 [if you have any dates you are definitely not available, feel free to mention. Available for fitting from now until early April. Okay with general covid procedures. Women: confirm you are okay wearing a corset/ bustle. Okay working around atmospheric smoke. Women must have natural colors, no balayage, no undercuts, no wigs, no weaves, no braids, no ombre or unnatural looking highlights. Women must be okay with working in a corset, bustle and multiple layers as appropriate to the 1880s. Women must not have acrylic nails, gel polish, etc. Must have bare nails. Men must be okay getting an 1880s haircut (http://production.gwcnyc.com/thegildedagehmunotes.). Men must be comfortable being clean shaven for the shoot or if you have facial hair already, must be willing to have it altered in an 1880’s style. (http://production.gwcnyc.com). • SAG background rate is $178/8hrs.

‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ • Casting 1960s types for work on the

Emmy Award winning series, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”

• Company: Grant Wilfley Casting. Staff:

Jackie B, casting dir.

• Shoots Mar. 24 (with COVID-19 test Mar.

22 & Mar. 23) in NYC.

• Seeking—1960s Bar Patrons (all female

bar): female, 18+, all ethnicities, Women’s hair requirements are as follows: No fashion colors. No wigs. No weaves. No braids. No undercuts. No ombré or unnatural looking highlights. No roots if hair is colored. Hair must be above the shoulders, it cannot touch the shoulders. If hair touches shoulders, it will need to be cut by our hair dept. Gray hair on more mature women is great. No visible tattoos, for everyone: no tattoos on neck or handles. For men, no tattoos on elbows and down. For women, no leg, arm or shoulder tattoos. Must be comfortable working around atmospheric smoke. No wool allergies. • Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, email your name,

phone number, SAG-AFTRA or nonunion, all wardrobe sizes (Men: height, weight, jacket, neck, sleeve, waist, inseam, shoe. Women: height, weight, dress, bust, waist, hip, shoe), what forms of ID you can bring to set to fill out an I9, have you worked on the show

BACKSTAGE 03.18.21

before (if yes, when and as what), are you local to the tri-state area?; confirmation you are 18+, do you have any tattooes (this includes hands, feet, ankles, back of neck, behind the ear), Men: Are you okay getting a 1960s haircut if needed? Are you okay being clean shaven on the shoot date?, Women: What is the current length of your hair?; Does your hair touch your shoulders?; If your hair touches your shoulders, are you okay having it cut by our hair dept?; Do you have any highlights, undercuts, weaves, extensions, braids, bayalage or color in your hair? Or do you wear a wig? Email answers to all of the above and attach current, candid photos (Need to see current hair style and length. One photo should be full body) tmmm@gwcnyc.com with the subject line “Backstage Female Patrons.”

photo should be full body. Email all of the above to tmmm@gwcnyc.com with the subject line “Backstage Female Same Sex Couples.” • Pays $210/12hrs. plus $60 stipend for

COVID-19 test. SAG rates apply to SAG members.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Apply on Backstage.com. • In your note, include your location and

‘The Time Traveler’s Wife,’ Acting Double

availability over the next two weeks. Also, submit a 30-second self-tape video where you tell about your favorite Mother’s Day memory.

work on “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” an HBO series based on the novel of the same.

rights in Perpetuity + 1 Year TV. Prenegotiated option buyout of $1,000 for additional 3 years of TV.

• Seeking an acting double for ongoing

• Company: Grant Wilfley Casting. Staff:

• Pays $800 for Session fee plus Social

Melissa Braun, casting dir.

• Shoots May-Sept. in NYC. • Seeking—Acting Double: male, 18-45,

COVID-19 test. SAG rates apply to SAG members.

White / European Descent, acting double to perform opposite series lead on HBO’s “The Time Traveler’s Wife.” Seeking actor to double white male, 6’ tall, brown hair, fit build. Ongoing work throughout the season.

‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,’ Real Couples

com.

• Pays $210/12hrs. plus $60 stipend for

• Casting 1960s types for work on the

Amazon series, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”

Healthcare Tech Company Video

• Photo doubles are paid at SAG-AFTRA

company.

Jackie B, casting dir.

• Shoots Mar. 24 (with COVID-19 test Mar.

22 & Mar. 23) in NYC.

• Seeking—Real Female Same Sex

Couples: female, 18+, all ethnicities, must be real couples, as you must be okay being in close proximity to one another on camera (hugging, talking closely, dancing together, etc). Women’s hair requirements are as follows: No fashion colors. No wigs. No weaves. No braids. No undercuts. No ombré or unnatural looking highlights. No roots if hair is colored. Hair must be above the shoulders, it cannot touch the shoulders. If hair touches shoulders, it will need to be cut by our hair dept. Gray hair on more mature women is great. no visible tattoos, for everyone: no tattoos on neck or handles. For men, no tattoos on elbows and down. For women, no leg, arm or shoulder tattoos. Must be comfortable working around atmospheric smoke. No wool allergies. partner’s name, your phone number, you union status (SAG-AFTRA or nonunion), your wardrobe sizes (Women: height, weight, dress, bust, waist, hip, shoe), if you worked on season three and if so when and as what, confirmation you are local to the NY Tri-State area, Women: What is the current length of your hair?; Does your hair touch your shoulders? Do you have any highlights, undercuts, weaves, braids, bayalage or color in your hair? Or do you wear a wig? If your hair touches your shoulders, are you okay having it cut by our hair dept?, do you have any visible tattoos?, confirmation that you are 18+, confirmation that you and the person you submitted with are comfortable being in close proximity to one another on camera (hugging, talking closely, dancing together, etc), and attach current, candid photos. Need to see current hair style and length. One

Online Commercials & Promos

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to time@gwcnyc.

scale. Acting doubles are on SAGAFTRA Principal Contract.

• Company: Grant Wilfley Casting. Staff:

• Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, email your name and

mom of a big family, hard-working mom; for Mother’s Day, you deserve a good gift; and this year, you got one.

• Casting a video for a healthcare tech • Company: Blurry + Hinge. Staff: Daniel

Bellury, prod.-dir.

• Shoots in NYC and the surrounding

area.

National Commercials ‘Final Expense’ Commercial

• Casting three roles in “Final Expense,”

a commercial. Commercial will be :60 and :120-seconds in length which will be pre-scripted and provided prior to the shoot.

• Seeking—Laura: female, 26-34, all eth-

nicities, nonspeaking role. Female jogger running during a cinematic scene on the beach (in the Rockaways or another beach in the NYC area). Shoots at magic hour (4:30-6:30 p.m.). Must have own athletic wear and be able to send photos of your looks. Bea: female, 48-64, Middle Eastern, South Asian / Indian, Southeast Asian / Pacific Islander, nonspeaking role.

• Company: Maverick Media Group.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to daniel@blurryhi-

• Half day shoot TBD in Fairfield County,

• Pays $300 for two- to three-hour shoot.

Staff: Jared C., coord. CT.

nge.com.

• Seeking—Father: 50-65, Black /

African Descent. Son: male, 30-45, Black / African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial. Daughter: female, 30-45, Black / African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial. • Seeking submissions from CT. • Send submissions to jaredcass679@

yahoo.com.

• Include any relevant work. • Open to negotiations regarding pay.

Remote Spot For Popular Mother’s Day Brand

• Casting an at-home interview shoot for

a snappy Mother’s Day social/digital/tv ad. Note: Selected actors will receive an easy-to-use remote video kit as well as product from the brand. We will then conduct an interview+shoot b-roll using the kit and Zoom. • Company: Filmkraft. Staff: Paloma

Veinstein, casting dir.

• Remote interviews will be scheduled

starting Mar. 15, 2021. Note: Shoot will take approximately three-four hours plus one hour set-up. Location: Your home! Production will deliver product from the brand as well as the kit and pick it up after the shoot.

• Seeking—Delighted Mom: female, 33+,

you are a real-life super-hero AKA a mom; any kind of mom : older mom,

Stage Staff & Tech ‘Skeleton Crew,’ Stage Manager

• Seeking Equity stage managers for PSM

and ASM positions for “Skeleton Crew.” Synopsis: In 2008 Detroit, a small automotive factory is on the brink of foreclosure, and a tight knit family of workers hangs in the balance. With uncertainty everywhere, the line between blue collar and white collar becomes blurred, and this working family must reckon with their personal loyalties, their instincts for survival and their ultimate hopes for humanity. • Company: Manhattan Theatre Club.

Staff: Ruben Santiago-Hudson, dir.; Dominique Morriseau, writer; David Caparelliotis / Kelly Gillespie, casting.

• Rehearsals begin Nov. 16; previews start

on or about Dec. 21; runs Jan. 11, 2022Mar. 6, 2022. The plan is to produce this play in person at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in our 2021-22 season. • Seeking—Stage Manager: 18+. • Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, submit resume and

backstage.com

California casting

cover letter to SkeletonCrewEPA@ gmail.com with “PSM/ASM Submission” in the subject line. Submissions deadline is Mar. 18. • Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

(ASM) Equity LORT A+ Non-Rep Contract.

Southern California Plays ‘Barcelona’

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors of all ages, ethnicities, and genders for San Jose Stage Company’s upcoming virtual production of “Barcelona” by Bess Wohl. Local Bay Area actors particularly encouraged to submit. Synopsis: Late night in Barcelona. A drunk American woman goes home with a tall, dark stranger— an older Spanish man. What begins as a carefree one-night stand becomes an invitation to danger, as the personal and political intertwine. Over the course of a single night- by turns funny, sexy and surprising- “Barlecona” explores the gap between the fantasy of who we pretend to be and the truth of who we are. • Company: San Jose Stage Company.

Staff: Randall King, artistic dir.; Cathleen King, exec. dir.; Jeffrey Lo, dir. • Rehearses/records May 17-29; Pre-

Recorded Video Streaming: June 16-20, 2021.

• Seeking—Manuel: male, 50+, all ethnic-

ities, fifty-ish, sexy, elegant; Tall, dark and Spanish (Spanish/Castilian dialect required). Irene: female, 18-29, all ethnicities, young, American; a tourist. • Seeking submissions from CA. • All auditions will be online video sub-

missions. Due to COVID19, we are not holding any in- person auditions at this time. • For consideration, prepare a contem-

porary monologue totaling no more than two minutes. For Manuel audition, use Spanish/Castilian dialect. Ensure that your video recording is uploaded to a streaming service such as Youtube or Vimeo with all access permissions set to allow anyone with the video link access. Visit this form to submit your online video submission: https://zfrmz. com/wTuMqnyvF1yW7JK3z58x to fill out the audition form and submit your online video submission. Submissions deadline is Apr. 1. • San Jose Stage Company is committed

to equity, diversity, and inclusion in backstage.com

casting and uses a color and culturally conscious approach to casting. Actors of any race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexual orientation, age, and ability are encouraged to submit their materials and audition.

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

Agreement.

‘Joy and Pandemic’

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for “Joy and Pandemic” by Taylor Mac. Local Bay Area actors particularly encouraged to submit. The theatre plans to rehearse and perform this production in person.

going gets a little tough. Very chill, and sweet, leads with humor. Melanie Plachard: female, 30-39, Black / African Descent, mother of Marjory Plachard. Mentally and emotionally volatile. Attempting to raise her daughter solo while her husband is at war. Emboldened by the confluence of war, women’s suffrage enveloping her in the moment, she commits to herself to an extraordinary display of impulsive articulation and independence in an attempt to seize joy for the first time in her life. (Actor also plays Marjory Plachard in Act 3). Marjory Plachard: female, 30-39, Black / African Descent, daughter of Melanie Plachard, an internationally successful fine artist. Howard educated. Politicised. Self-actualized, extremely intuitive, gathers information through observation. A woman who says precisely what she means. Existentially in search of the mother she lost as a young girl. (Actor also plays Melanie Plachard in Act 1 and Act 2).

female, 35+, all ethnicities, lover of freedom and all its possibilities. Hater of rules and all their caprice. World traveler first.

No auditions will take place at Magic’s physical location.

‘Shoot Me When’

• Seeking submissions from CA. • All auditions will be video submissions.

• Company: MAGIC Theatre. Staff:

Loretta Greco, dir.; Sonia Fernandez, interim artistic dir.; Karina Fox, casting assoc.

• For consideration, indicate what role

you are interested in. Sides will be provided within two business days. In your video state your name and the role you are auditioning for. Videos should be emailed to auditions@magictheatre. org. Submissions deadline is Apr. 13.

• Rehearsals begin Aug. 24; runs Sept.

22-Oct. 10 in San Francisco, CA.

• Seeking—Joy: female, 40-49, White /

European Descent, a survivor. Has put all her faith in Christian Science. Mother of Pilly and Charlie; married to Bradford. Charismatic, ingenious, warm, rigorous, and righteous. Sets impossibly high expectations for herself and others. Human. (Actor also plays older Pilly in Act 3). Pilly: female, 50-59, White / European Descent, alone. Still dutiful, warm hearted, trusting, funny and unarticulated. Has spent her entire adult life in service of Joy. Finds herself middle aged, with no life or identity to call her own. Frantically struggling with the tenants of her faith, and well honed denial, she alone cares for her dying mother but without the courage to confront issues head on. Makes do with intermittent phone calls from her estranged brother and the benign passive aggressive acts she can muster, unwilling to face her mother’s imminent demise and ill equipped to consider her own purpose and passion beyond Joy. (Actor plays Joy in Act I and II). Rosemary Eldridge: female, 60-69, White / European Descent, Bradford’s spirited mother. Financially comfortable. In the face of Women’s Liberation she remains headstrong, pragmatic-and skeptical of change. She can’t help but relish arguing in favor of her many opinions; it’s how she shows her love. Language and comedic chops needed. Pilly 20s: female, 18-29, White / European Descent, daughter of Joy. Utterly devoted to her Mother. Kind and loyal and dutiful. Sweetly geeky with intermittent bouts of sensitivity. Aware that survival is not a given. Physically: an unintentional clown. Language and physical comedic chops needed. Bradford: male, 40-49, White / European Descent, married to Joy. An educated painter who lacks any ambition. Accustom to tethering himself to strong women who will lead the way; has a tendency to disappear when the

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

Agreement.

San Francisco Playhouse 2020-21 Season

• Seeking video submissions from diverse

Equity actors of all backgrounds for the 2020-21 season. Actors submitting for general auditions may be considered for the World Premiere of “Shoot Me When,” commissioned by SF Playhouse, future readings, and future productions. “Shoot Me When” synopsis: When Jackie’s health takes a turn for the worse, her daughters take her to Tahoe for one last romp. Everything is going perfectly until Jackie picks up a lonely widower at a casino bar, shaking up the party and her own future plans. • Company: San Francisco Playhouse.

Staff: Laura Espino, casting dir.

• “Shoot Me When” Rehearsals begin

Mar. 30 via Zoom; in-person tech/film week begins Apr. 20; streams May 1-22. • Seeking—Jackie: female, 60+, all eth-

• Seeking submissions from CA. • For consideration, submit an audition

video of up to three minutes consisting of one or two contrasting monologues to lespino@sfplayhouse.org. Test your video to make sure it works. MP4 videos or a link to any video platform (e.g. Vimeo, Dropbox, YouTube). No password protected files. Submissions deadline is Mar. 26. • Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

Tier 5 Agreement.

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for the world premiere of Ruben Grijalva’s filmed play, “Shoot Me When.” Synopsis: When Jackie’s health takes a turn for the worse, her daughters take her to Tahoe for one last romp. Everything is going perfectly until Jackie picks up a lonely widower at a casino bar, shaking up the party and her own future plans. • Company: San Francisco Playhouse.

Staff: Susi Damilano, prod. dir.; Laura Espino, casting dir.

• Rehearsal begin Mar. 30 via Zoom; in-

person tech/film week begins Apr. 20; streams May 1-22. • Seeking—Jackie: female, 60+, all eth-

nicities, lover of life and all its pleasures. Hater of death and all its indignities. Dynamic individual. Len: male, 60+, all ethnicities, lover of law and all its order. Hater of secrets and all their lies. Aw-shucks gentleman first, former Douglas County Sheriff second. Ariel: female, 40+, all ethnicities, hater of complication and all it’s taken from her. Jackie’s daughter and caretaker. Gabrielle: female, 35+, all ethnicities, lover of freedom and all its possibilities. Hater of rules and all their caprice. World traveler first. • Seeking submissions from CA. • For consideration, submit a video audi-

tion using the sides of your choice (script and audition sides for “Shoot Me When” are available at https://www. dropbox.com/sh/iin4520e8prtmf3/ AAC9tZ56TnX1zcET-kFO28Caa?dl=0 to lespino@sfplayhouse.org. Submissions deadline is Mar. 26. Callbacks are TBD via Zoom. • Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

Tier 5 Agreement.

03.18.21 BACKSTAGE

casting California

Student Films ‘A Lunar New Year’s Eve’

• Casting “A Lunar New Year’s Eve,” a

student film. Synopsis: A daughter comes home for a Lunar New Year celebration, anticipating a good time with her mother, but it turns out to be an ugly argument related to her sexuality, culminating with a revelation of many secrets between mother and daughter that have been hidden for a long time. • Company: San Diego State University -

MFA Film Production Program - Midway Project. Staff: Ammie Nguyen Phan, writer-dir.-prod.; Javier Augusto Nunez, DP. • Shoots Apr. 16-18 on a SoundStage on

the SDSU campus in San Diego, CA. Note: COVID 19 regulations will be strictly enforced under the supervision of a certified Covid Compliance Officer on set at all time. • Seeking—Trinh: female, 25-35, Asian,

Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Southeast Asian / Pacific Islander, independent, strongly opinionated, has insecurities with men and relationships but doesn’t let anybody know about that. Mom: female, 40-55, Asian, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Southeast Asian / Pacific Islander, conservative, traditional (fluent in Vietnamese would be a plus), has concerns about her daughter but never tells her daughter what she knows and feels.

• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to midwayprodsdsu@

gmail.com.

• For consideration, submit resume,

headshots, and links to demo reel and previous project, and website or social media profiles. Submissions deadline is Mar. 20. Callbacks will be held the following week. • Pay TBD (stipend). Amount to be dis-

cussed upon inquiry.

‘The Winner’

• Casting “The Winner” a drama/horror

student film. Synopsis: A late 50’s exbeauty pageant/ shampoo mogul berates her younger self on the TV when rewatching her Miss America win, only to realize her younger self can berate back. A Chapman University student film. Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts is a top film school located in Orange, CA. Covid testing required. • Company: Chapman University Dodge

College. Staff: Tatum Lenberg, dir.; Lindsay Newland, writer; Sydney Edgecomb, prod.

• Shoots Apr. 23-25 in Orange, CA. • Seeking—Young Barb: female, 18-25,

all ethnicities, early 20’s, polished, brutally ambitious and critical, especially toward herself, but hides behind a presentation of sweetness and kindness; she has her life meticulously planned out with intense expectations for herself to inspire other little girls and become a CEO. Barb: female, 44-70, all ethnicities, ages 45+, all ethnicities; late 50’s, disillusioned shampoo mogul business woman and ex-beauty pageant winner; she’s obsessed with saving her looks, power-hungry, and takes

BACKSTAGE 03.18.21

joy in bringing down others to make herself feel higher.

a mid-point between the real world and the ethereal; she’s still learning from Lotus and Elvira; she reflects Reba’s feelings of doubt and inadequacy. Elvira (early-mid 20s, all ethnicities, female or non-binary): Elvira is goddess-like, a force to be reckoned with; possessing wisdom beyond her years, Elvira represents the independence that Reba craves.

• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to edgecomb@chap-

man.edu.

• Message me for audition information. • Credit, copy, meal and gas comp.

provided.

USC Graduate Film

• Casting a scene reading for a USC grad-

• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to womenarefromve-

uate film. Note: A Graduate Directing Class looking for two actors for a scene reading. The scene reading will be done live in front of the Directing cohort.

nuscasting@gmail.com.

• The first round of auditions will be done

using self-tapes. Callbacks will be conducted over Zoom shortly after. Callbacks over Zoom on Mar. 28 and 29.

• Company: USC Film & TV. Staff: B.

Wang, student dir.

• Runs TBD over Zoom. • Seeking—Devil: male, 18-30, all ethnici-

• Copy, credit, and crafty provided. Must

be willing to comply with COVID protocol including: getting tested before the shoot (tests will be provided or administered through the testing center for Chapman students), social distancing between cast/crew, temperature checks, following guidance from a COVID Compliance Officer, and wearing a mask when not on camera.

ties, the Devil on the Shoulder; must be comfortable over Zoom. Angel: male, 18-41, all ethnicities, the Angel on the Shoulder; must be comfortable over Zoom. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Apply on Backstage.com • No pay.

‘Women Are From Venus’

• Casting “Women Are From Venus,” a

student short film: In 1970s San Francisco, a passive housewife questions her marriage after embarking on a psychedelic journey with a trio of witchy hippies.

Scripted TV & Video

Media Arts (Chapman University). Staff: Maks Halpin, dir.; Macy Bernstein, prod.; Emma Wonsowicz, casting dir.

• Casting the fifth and final season of

HBO’s ‘Insecure’

• Company: Dodge College of Film and

HBO’s “Insecure,” which follows the life and times of Issa Rae living the single life in Los Angeles while looking for love and friendship.

• Shoots May 7-9 in Orange County, CA

(near Anaheim). Note: Cast must provide their own transportation.

• Company: DD Casting. Staff: Deedee

Ricketts, casting dir.

• Seeking—Reba: female, 25-35, late

20s-mid 30s, all ethnicities, stuck in a loveless lifeless marriage, Reba’s passion and vivacity has been resting dormant for years; she’s grown comfortable and complacent, relying on male validation to feel good about herself; when tripping on mushrooms, she rediscovers her urge to feel alive; must be comfortable performing a short simulated sex scene, no nudity required. Pat: male, 25-35, late 20s-mid 30s, all ethnicities, a matter-of-fact dentist and Reba’s husband, Pat is content with his monotonous daily life; he believes that people should fill their roles and perform their assigned duties; Pat loves Reba the only way he knows how, by providing for her financially; he has no interest in hippies or the counterculture movement; must be comfortable performing a short simulated sex scene, no nudity required; video reel submission recommended, but not required. Lotus/Woozy/Elvira: female, 18-26, read with the Woozy sides; we will be considering each performer for all three roles: Lotus (early-mid 20s, all ethnicities, female or non-binary): a warm, welcoming spiritual leader, Lotus exudes loving, maternal energy; she guides Reba through her drug trip, encouraging her to let go of the negativity in her life and embrace her independence; Lotus reflects the nurturer and the giver in Reba. Woozy (earlymid 20s, all ethnicities, female or nonbinary): a witchy, Stevie Nicks, “Black Magic Woman” type; Woozy represents

• Shoots in L.A. • Seeking—Babies/Twins: 18+, Black /

African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, seeking six-month- to nine-month-old babies to portray the baby of principal players. Must have a current entertainment work permit in the state of California.

• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to castinginsecure@

gmail.com.

• Hiring local talent only. • SAG-AFTRA scale for union. Nonunion:

$120/8 hrs.

Spec Commercials Mother’s Day Short

• Casting a spec drama commercial in

anticipation of Mother’s day.

• Company: Socks and Sandals. Staff:

Joshua Kellerman, dir.

• Shoots TBD date (one day shoot) in the

Bay Area, most likely Fremont.

• Actors must live in the Bay Area and

have their own transportation. Shoot will be COVID-safe, but we prefer talent who have been vaccinated for COVID-19.

• Seeking—Mom: female, 45-55, all eth-

nicities, a mom whose daughter is leaving her both an empty nester and and empty-houser after the COVID-19

pandemic. She is very resistant to her daughter leaving.It would be great if you have any old Hi-8 footage of you and your old boyfriend / husband doing fun and adventurous stuff in a tropical setting. Carrie (Daughter): female, 17-20, all ethnicities, a teen who has done her first year of school online. Her dad passed away from COVID, but she is preparing to leave her mom alone in the house and go to her sophomore year of college in person. She is excited to go, but conflicted about leaving her mom alone. Friend: all genders, 18-21, all ethnicities, Carrie’s friend who is going to college with her, there with a truck to pick Carrie up.

• Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • In your cover letter, note your availabil-

ity around the weekend of Apr. 17-18.

• One meal and $100 for a 6 hour shoot,

for all actors

Online Commercials & Promos Commercial For A Premium Dog Toy Brand - Comedy, Los Angeles • Casting a male actor between ages

25-35 for B-roll shots using electronics products. • Company: Simplimotion Inc. Staff: Pat

Rapeepat, CFO.

• Shoots in L.A./Orange County, CA. • Seeking—Lead: male, 25-35. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Pays $150/day, plus lunch, snacks, and

drinks provided.

Electronics Product B-Roll Shoot • Casting a male actor between ages

25-35 for B-roll shots using electronics products. • Company: Simplimotion Inc. Staff: Pat

Rapeepat, CFO.

• Shoots in L.A./Orange County, CA. • Seeking—Lead: male, 25-35. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Pays $150/day, plus lunch, snacks, and

drinks provided.

Paid Social Ad For Printer Company, Lifestyle Video Shoot

• Seeking a Mother (30-40) and son/

daughter (6-10) duo as actors for our upcoming printer shoot. Note: We will be showing the process the Mom takes to print photos and craft a home photo album for her family with this printer. The shoot will take place in a home setting around the SF Bay Area. We will only be casting a mother and son/daughter combo to adhere to Covid-19 guidelines for the talents to interact. Send recent photos of both mom and son/daughter (so we have the most recent and up-to-date headshots to share to the client). One day backstage.com

National/Regional casting

shoot planned for the first or second week in April. The shoot will likely take place during the week (MondayFriday) but has the opportunity to move to a weekend depending on the final logistics. Make note of this while applying. Must be able to provide your own clothing outfits for the shoot. Covid-19 guidelines will be followed during the shoot. • Company: Grow With Bamboo. Staff:

Stavro Victor, content prod.

• Shoots April TBD in a home setting in SF

Bay area, CA. Note: The shoot will likely take place during the week (Monday Friday) but has the opportunity to move to a weekend depending on the final logistics. • Seeking—Mother: female, 28-46, with

a child 6-10; send recent photos of both mom and son/daughter (so we have the most-recent and up to date headshots to share to the client). Child Actor: all genders, 6-10, (with mother age 28-46); send recent photos of both mom and son/daughter (so we have the mostrecent and up to date headshots to share to the client). • Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Send recent photos of both mom and

son/daughter (so we have the most recent and up-to-date headshots to share to the client).

• Final pay TBD but $600 - $700 (for both

Mom and son/daughter combo) for a full day shoot and media/video use in perpetuity.

‘Small Facial Movements’

• Seeking four cast members to join the

latest video in a series with a major technology brand. The focus of this video is showing how facial gestures are used to control a computer interface. Looking for actors with a range of expressions and gestures. Note: Seeking San Francisco local actors, or actors able to self-report to San Francisco. • Production will be adhering strictly to

all COVID guidelines, wearing masks at all points, and social distancing when applicable. If chosen to move into the second round of casting, further details on the safety measures planned for this production will be provided. • Shoots on Mar. 24 in San Francisco, CA. • Seeking—Lead: 18-80. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Talent must include a recording of

yourself to be considered for this role. The direction for the video submission is as follows: • “Please record yourself performing

the following facial & hand gestures. Actions should be performed subtly, with minimal head movement. Moving cheek; wiggling nose; smiling; blowing/whistling; pursing lips; raising an eyebrow; long steady gaze; winking each eye; shifting eyes from side to side and up/down; shaking head from side to side; nodding; pointing with finger; small movements of index finger or thumb as if controlling an invisible computer mouse.” • Send submissions to josh@aslproduc-

tions.com or apply on Backstage.com.

• Pays $500 for the one day of shooting.

backstage.com

Print & Digital Modeling

• Pays $654/wk. Equity BAT Tier 3

• Pays $914/wk. Equity Bay Area Theatre

Product Modeling, Photo & Video Shoot

‘Joy and Pandemic,’ Stage Manager

• Seeking Stage managers for Magic

‘Shoot Me When,’ Stage Manager

Theatre’s world premiere production of Taylor Mac’s “Joy and Pandemic.” The theatre plans to rehearse and perform this production in person.

the world premiere of Ruben Grijalva’s filmed play, “Shoot Me When.” Synopsis: When Jackie’s health takes a turn for the worse, her daughters take her to Tahoe for one last romp. Everything is going perfectly until Jackie picks up a lonely widower at a casino bar, shaking up the party and her own future plans.

Agreement.

• Casting models to be featured in a

product promo on a white soundstage. Modeling job. No acting required. Shooting video and stills. Talent must have photogenic hands, as production will be shooting products being held and in use. • Staff: Derek D., coord. • Shoots two-four days in L.A. • Seeking—Cool Female Product Model:

• Company: MAGIC Theatre. Staff:

Loretta Greco, dir.; Sonia Fernandez, interim artistic dir.; Karina Fox, casting assoc. • Rehearsals begin Aug. 24; runs Sept.

female, 25-35, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, cool female model; cute and real. Not generic. Ethnically ambiguous or multiracial a plus. Must have photogenic hands for close-up product photography. African American Male Product Model: male, 25-35, Black / African Descent, has some character to his look. Not generic. Approachable. Handsome but not overly stylish. Must have photogenic hands for close-up product photography. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to casting@motion-

factory.com.

• Pays flat rate of $4,000 for video and

still shoot (needed two-four days).

22-Oct. 10 in San Francisco, CA. Dates are subject to change. The theatre plans to rehearse and perform this production in person.

• Seeking—Stage Manager: 18+. • Seeking submissions from CA. • For consideration, submit resume and

cover letter to Jackie Hill, Production Manager, at jackieh@magictheatre. org. Submissions deadline is Apr. 13. • Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimi-

nation. 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 submit. • Pays $831/wk. Equity Bay Area Theatre

Stage Staff & Tech ‘Barcelona,’ Stage Manager

• Seeking an Equity stage manager for

“Barcelone” by Bess Wohl. Synopsis: Late night in Barcelona. A drunk American woman goes home with a tall, dark stranger—an older Spanish man. What begins as a carefree onenight stand becomes an invitation to danger, as the personal and political intertwine. Over the course of a single night- by turns funny, sexy and surprising- “Barcelona” explores the gap between the fantasy of who we pretend to be and the truth of who we are. • Company: San Jose Stage Company.

Staff: Randall King, artistic dir.; Cathleen King, exec. dir.; Jeffrey Lo, dir. • Rehearses/records May 17-29; Pre-

Recorded Video Streaming: June 16-20, 2021. • Seeking—Stage Manager: 18+. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to production@the-

stage.org.

• For consideration, submit resume to

Randall King, Artistic Director, at production@thestage.org. Submissions deadline is Apr. 1.

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

Agreement.

San Francisco Playhouse 2020-21 Season, Stage Manager

• Seeking Stage managers for the

2020-21 San Francisco Playhouse season, including the world premiere of “Shoot Me When,” commissioned by SF Playhouse, future readings, and future productions. “Shoot Me When” Synopsis: When Jackie’s health takes a turn for the worse, her daughters take her to Tahoe for one last romp. Everything is going perfectly until Jackie picks up a lonely widower at a casino bar, shaking up the party and her own future plans. • Company: San Francisco Playhouse.

Staff: Laura Espino, casting dir.

• Rehearsal begin Mar. 30 via Zoom; in-

person tech/film week begins Apr. 20; streams May 1-22. • Seeking—Stage Manager: 18+. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to lespino@sfplay-

house.org.

• For consideration, submit resume and

cover letter to lespino@sfplayhouse. org. Submissions deadline is Mar. 26.

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimi-

Tier 5 Agreement.

• Seeking an Equity stage manager for

• Company: San Francisco Playhouse.

Staff: Susi Damilano, prod. dir.; Laura Espino, casting dir.

• Rehearsal begin Mar. 30 via Zoom; in-

person tech/film week begins Apr. 20; streams May 1-22.

• Seeking—Stage Manager: 18+. • Seeking submissions from CA. • For consideration, submit resume and

cover letter to Laura Espino at lespino@ sfplayhouse.org. Submissions deadline is Mar. 26. • Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

Tier 5 Agreement.

National/ Regional Plays ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for possible replacements in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Company states: “We are committed to rehiring our 2020 Midsummer cast but are open to seeing auditioners for future work or as replacements should any of the actors cast in 2020 have to bow out.” • Company: Indianapolis Shakespeare

Company. Staff: Diane Timmerman, Indy Shakes exec. artistic dir.; Lauren Morris, prod. dir.; Ryan Artzberger, assist. dir. • Rehearsals begin June 28; runs July

22-24 and July 29-31 outdoors and in person in Indianapolis, IN. • Seeking—Equity Actors: 18+, all

ethnicities.

• Seeking submissions from IN. • For consideration, prepare a one-min-

ute Shakespeare monologue video audition and submit to diane@indyshakes.com.

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

tion. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment

03.18.21 BACKSTAGE

casting National/Regional 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 submit.

newcomers are encouraged to apply. This is an awesome opportunity for rising young stars of YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

• Note: If self-taping for the role of Bean

• Pay provided.

minimum was $348).

of Ivy and Bean, and girls aged 11-14 for the role of Nancy. • See the attached self-tape materials,

• Equity LOA ref. LORT, salary TBA (2019

Feature Films ‘Headwaters’ (Working Title) • Casting “Headwaters” (working title),

an ensemble family drama in the vein of Steppenwolf Theatre-Esque stage plays (think August: Osage County). Synopsis: The film takes place in one location: a large lake house in northern Wisconsin. As the five characters work through their differences, they desperately seek approval and support from one another. One character has already been cast and is not listed below. • Company: Monkey Studios and Little

Lake Productions. Staff: Ben Senior, writer-dir.; Claire Cohen, prod.; Robbie Petrie, DP.

-- feel free to be very loose and free physically, to have everything about Bean’s physical vibe match her wild and free-spirited personality.

• Seeking girls aged 6-8 for leading roles

and the link below for instructions on how to submit self-tapes. Note: Send submissions ASAP -- final deadline is March 22, 2021.

Short Films

ivy-bean-casting/

• Casting “Sky.” Synopsis: An insecure

• http://nancynayorcasting.com/

‘Sky’

• Production is committed to inclusive,

woman who left her family after a car accident that nearly killed her daughter returns home seeking forgiveness on her daughter’s birthday.

diverse casting. For every role, submit qualified performers, without regard to age, sex, ethnicity, disability, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by law unless otherwise specifically indicated.

• Company: Savannah College of Art and

Design. Staff: Kerbi Slusser, dir.; Mahalia Latortue, prod.; Vishvesh Bakshi, DP.

Nancy McManus, casting assoc.; Tasha Ward, casting asst. • Shoots summer 2021. All sets will be

Covid compliant with the highest levels of available protection.

• Seeking—Ivy: female, 6-8, all ethnici-

on the beloved “Ivy + Bean” children’s books by Annie Barrows. These movies will be produced by Firelily Films and distributed by Netflix. Synopsis: When 7-year-old Ivy moves into the neighborhood, 7-year-old Beab at first thinks that they will never be friends. But oh boy, was she wrong! Ivy turns out to be the best friend that anyone could ever have. They are united in having wildly over-active imaginations and a dual chemistry. When Bean learns that Ivy is a witch-in-training, they team up to cast a spell on Bean’s bossy older sister, Nancy, that will make Nancy dance forever.

ties, 7 years old, is a quiet, neat, and well-behaved girl who loves to read and has very deep thoughts. However, Ivy also has an exceptional imagination. She’s studying to be a witch and spends time memorizing her spell book and making potions. Ivy has great ideas but until now they mostly stayed in her head and then she meets Bean and realizes she has found a 7-year-old soulmate who will help her put those ideas into action. Together they will have so much more fun than either of them had separately…LEAD. Bean: 6-8, all ethnicities, 7 years old, she is exuberant, boisterous, loud and joyful. She leaps out of bed every morning ready for a new adventure. Whether it’s digging a Pit of Doom in her front yard or plotting to prank her sister Nancy, Bean’s the kind of kid who makes things happen, which is why everyone wants to play with her. Initially, Bean labels Ivy as “BORING!” but when Bean realizes that Ivy has a vivid imagination and is training to be a witch, Bean knows she has found her 7 year old soulmate... LEAD Note to Bean self-tapers: Feel free to be very loose and free physically, to have everything about Bean’s physical vibe match her wild and freespirited personality. Nancy: 11-14, all ethnicities, 11-14 years old, Bean’s older sister, she isn’t exactly grownup…but she thinks she is. She loves buying clothes, chatting on the phone to her friends and putting on mom’s make-up…but most of all she loves bossing 7 year-old Bean around, especially when mom isn’t there. She rarely wants to play games with Bean anymore although the truth is that she sometimes misses the fun they used to have - but she would never admit it…SUPPORTING.

search throughout the United States and Canada to find the next young stars to play the lead roles of Ivy and Bean as well as Bean’s older sister Nancy. Both those with acting experience and total

and go to http://nancynayorcasting. com/ivy-bean-casting/ to find out how to submit.

• Table read over Zoom in April or May;

in-person rehearsals in June; shoots July 2-14 in Phelps, WI.

• Production states: “The shoot will take

place in a large lake house in northern Wisconsin. Lodging will be in the same house. Each actor will be provided with their own private room. A negative Covid-19 test will be require 48 hours before departure on July 2nd. Any and all cast/crew who are eligible for vaccination are required to be vaccinated.” • Seeking—Elena Morgan: female, 65+,

White / European Descent. John Morgan: male, 45-55, White / European Descent. Jack Morgan: male, 11-17, all ethnicities. Olivia Morgan: female, 30-50, all ethnicities. • Seeking submissions from IL. • Send submissions to clsy.cohen@gmail.

com.

• Confirm you are available for the full

shoot dates (July 2-14).

• Pays standard Union rate ($206/day) for

SAG-AFTRA Micro-Budget Agreement. Travel, lodging, and meals provided.

‘Ivy + Bean,’ Open Call

• Casting a series of three features based

• Nancy Nayor Casting is conducting a

BACKSTAGE 03.18.21

• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Apply on Backstage.com. • See the attached self-tape instructions

Willing to talk rates. No participation fees.

‘Phantasmagoria’

• Casting a short voiceover for

“Phantasmagoria” an NYU student experimental horror short about a man losing his mind over a figure from his past.

• Company: NYU. Staff: Matilda Saell, dir.

Rachel Cheung, prod. Elenore Wang, prod.

• Record from home; director can be on

call while you read if that is helpful.

• Seeking—Neil’s Mother (Voiceover):

female, 35-65, the late mother of the main character; he hears her voice when he finds and reads a letter from her.

• Shoots the weekend of Mar. 19-22 in

• Seeking submissions worldwide. • Send submissions to phantasmagori-

• Seeking—Sky: female, 6-12, White /

• Talent will not be paid but will be pro-

Ball Ground, GA.

• Company: Nancy Nayor Casting. Staff:

• Travel, meals, and lodging provided.

European Descent, eight years old, Skylar is a representation of Emily’s guilt and a figment of Emily’s imagination; she wants every reason not to forgive Emily but slowly warms back up to her.

• Seeking submissions from GA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Credit, meals, crafty, and a copy of the

film will be provided.

ashort@gmail.com.

vided a copy of the film and recording sessions.

Scripted TV & Video ‘The Chinese Tourist’

• Casting “The Chinese Tourist.”

Student Films ‘Bohemia’

• Casting “Bohemia,” a short film follow-

ing a series of strange goings on in a campus town, encompassing navigating a world of reference, architectural theory, Elvis impersonation, radical direct action, and the filmmaking process.

• Company: Days I Was Lost. Staff: Adrian

Anderson, dir.; Dillon Toole, DP; Patrick Gray, exec. prod.

• Shoots Mar. 22-Apr. 2 in Burlington, VT. • Seeking—Rachel: female, 18-25, all

ethnicities, an architectural student who goes on a date with lead Charlie, and later kidnaps him as part of a radical group lead by the mysterious Mr. Wise; funny, quick, cynical. Mr. Wise: all genders, 36+, all ethnicities, a mysterious leader of a radical group who isn’t sure if he is a great cult leader, or great at playing the part of one; slow, mysterious, cold. Eliza: female, 18-25, all ethnicities, an aspiring literature student keen to share her knowledge, no matter how pretentious. Additional Protestors: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, several needed; students and general townspeople fed up with the direction art is going in. William: male, 37+, all ethnicities, an older, jaded history professor working at a record store; cynical, dry, aloof. Library Assistant: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, a frustrated library patron. • Seeking submissions from VT and MA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Note your availability and ability to

travel to shoot locations in Burlington, VT or Boston, MA (note: only for Rachel and Mr. Wise roles).

Synopsis: Studying abroad in America and living at a birth tourism house, a rebellious Chinese girl whose education is sponsored by her rich boyfriend decides to cut herself off from the world she comes from. The Chinese Tourist is a Boise State University student created narrative television show.

• Company: Boise State University. Staff:

BSU Casting, casting dir.

• Shoots May 12-27 in Boise, ID. • Seeking—Cherry: female, 18-22,

Asian, constantly feeling alienated in her own home, she struggles to find a place within her culture and discover what she truly wants out of life leading to imbalances in her relationships; must be Chinese. Jade: female, 18-22, Asian, a Chinese study abroad student working to complete her education, but not without strings attached; she acts with a sense of entitlement to appease the traditions of her culture, but struggles against her inner desires to create a life of her own. Mrs. Liu: female, 30-40, Asian, an indelicate, tough love woman that holds her own within a room; she is working to create a better life for her unborn child; must be Chinese. Cherry’s Mom: female, 30-45, Asian, a hardworking and traditional woman disillusioned by the realities of middle class America, who now runs an illegal birth tourism business; must be Chinese. FengFeng: female, 16-20, Asian, Jade’s younger sister; must be Chinese. LuLu: female, 16-20, Asian, Jades’ younger sister; must be Chinese. VISIT BACKSTAGE.COM/CASTING for full character breakdowns, script sides, and more casting notices

backstage.com

National/Regional casting

• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to bsucasting2021@

gmail.com.

• This is a low budget University produc-

tion. Some pay.

Online Commercials & Promos Backstage Paid Social Ad

• Casting a female actor/host to promote

Backstage in a paid social media ad. This role is all about personality, looking for someone with natural comedic timing who is comfortable going off the cuff and improvising when necessary. This actor will be reading through a script and talking to the camera about the benefits of Backstage, the process of using Backstage, and why others should use Backstage. Seeking talent with previous acting and talking to camera experience. • Company: Grow With Bamboo. Staff:

Stavro Victor, content prod.

• One day shoot during the last week of

March or early April during the week (Monday-Friday). Shoots in Seattle, WA or San Francisco, CA depending on final shoot logistics. Must be applying from SF or Seattle for this production. Travel will not be compensated for out-ofstate applicants. • COVID-19 guidelines will be followed

during the shoot.

• Seeking—Female Host/Actor: female,

21-35, all ethnicities.

• Seeking submissions from CA and WA. • Send submissions to stavro@growwith-

bamboo.com.

• Must submit a headshot. Reels are a

plus.

Cyberthreat PSA

logue on the vulnerability of banks to digital threats and hackers. Synopsis: A young professional at a community bank unintentionally opens the bank to a threat. After a ransom is demanded, the young professional breaks the news to a seasoned executive.

• Rate is TBD between $850 for a full day

shoot and media/video use in perpetuity.

Bio Tech Company Ad Spot

• Casting one nonspeaking role in an ad

spot for a bio tech company.

prod.

backstage.com

• Company: Atlanta Decoded. Staff:

• Episodes are recorded and filmed TBD

in a southwest Atlanta, GA studio. • Seeking—Host: 18-29. • Seeking submissions from GA. • Send submissions to info@atlan-

tadecoded.com.

• If interested, submit any reels or clips

of you interviewing.

• Pays $150/per episode. One-two epi-

sodes will be recorded each month as talent is booked.

• No rehearsal; LA studio or Remote; date

is TBD and flexible.

• Seeking—Young Professional: male,

30-35, any ethnicity. An entry-level, skilled, and aspiration young professional. Seasoned Executive: male, 50-65, any ethnicity. An experienced and thoughtful corporate executive.

• Seeking—Lead Person In A Male/

Female Couple: all genders, 18-35, all ethnicities, attractive Male/Female couple who both have long and lovely hair; you will both try high-end hair products and react; shoot involves getting in a shower together, covered by bathing suits, and having fun with the products, as well as showing off and reacting to your lovely locks after using the products.

• Seeking submissions from TX. • Send submissions to jeffwalkerfilm@

gmail.com.

• Casting online only. Record yourself

delivering the short monologue below. Submit your self-tape, headshot, and contact info.

that edge I used to have, I’ve, I’ve become this craggy, shitty, writer. I used to build worlds and atmosphere and soul. Characters used to open their hearts to me, they used to share their deepest secrets…I would open up my heart to them and listen like their therapist, jotting down what they so desperately needed to say to the world…I was their medium.”

Joseph Pearlman, celebrity acting coach.

‘Saint Oscar Romero’ Animated Short

• Casting four nonspeaking roles in a dig-

• Casting voiceover talent for an animated

short film about Saint Oscar Romero. Synopsis: This is a retelling of the story of St. Oscar Romero, who preached about the church caring for the poor during protests and national/social unrest in El Salvador in 1980. The story ends with Romero being shot and killed while performing Mass, and the script is read as if the speaker is Romero himself.

• Company: Lemonlight. Staff: Steph

• Shoots at a corporate office in NYC. • Seeking—Psychiatrist: male, 50-60, all

ethnicities. Anesthesiologist: male, 35-45, all ethnicities, 40 years old. Good-looking. Nurse: 28-34, all ethnicities, 30 years old. Good-looking. Patient: female, 36-44, all ethnicities.

Ruthie Mason, prod.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to Steph@lemon-

light.com.

voiceover role. Must speak as if you were Saint Oscar Romero. Tonally passionate and dramatic.

• Submit headshots. Reels are welcome. • Pays $150/5 hrs.

Doggie DNA Commercial

• Seeking submissions worldwide. • Apply on Backstage.com. • To be considered, must submit a

• Casting actresses (ages 25-35) in a web

commercial for a dog DNA company. Actresses must be comfortable with dogs. Improv/comedy experience a huge plus. All shapes, sizes, and ethnicities welcome to audition.

recording of the provided script (see the notice on Backstage.com).

• Contract confirms first initial recording

and a subsequent five rounds of revisions if necessary.

• Company: Jamtron. Staff: Becca

Dobyns, dir.

Audiobooks & Podcasts

All CDC-recommended COVID-19 guidelines will be adhered to on set.

quirky, funny dog moms for web commercial. Must be comfortable with dogs. Improv/comedy experience a huge plus. All shapes, sizes, and ethnicities welcome to audition.

‘Follow404,’ Podcast Host

• Casting a host for “Follow404,” a new

podcast from Atlanta Decoded featur-

• Seeking participants for a free

• Records remotely. • Seeking—Oscar Romero: male, 40+,

Animation & Video Games (Voiceover)

Digital Ad for Bio Tech Company

Backstage Actor’s Toolkit: Acting Coach Joseph Pearlman Seminar

• Company: Coronation Media. Staff:

union, all media buyout.

• Pays $550 flat rate for one-day shoot.

Workshops & Classes Backstage workshop: Backstage Actor’s Toolkit: “Cultivating a Confident Mindset to Get Cast With Celebrity Acting Coach Joseph Pearlman.” Note: This is an educational opportunity. This is not an audition, a “pre-read,” nor does it guarantee future employment. Are you hoping to boost your confidence around your acting craft? Do you know you have more potential than you’re currently tapping into with your auditions? Submit to be on camera and work with celebrity acting coach Joseph Pearlman as he takes you inside the mindset of successful actors who consistently get cast. He’ll be touching on how to cultivate bravery in both your career and acting choices, why you must stop trying to people-please, and how to trigger an avalanche of career momentum and booking work by embodying the highest, most confident, version of yourself to book work. This event will be live-streamed. Be prepared to consent to being recorded and potentially have the recording shared on Backstage’s website and YouTube page.

• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Pays $250/flat per person for non-

• Script: “I’m out of touch…lost that pulse,

• Seeking—Dog Mom: female, 20-38,

light.com.

• Staff: E. Kennedy, supervising casting

hours; date TBD) in the DFW area.

• Shoots one half-day in London. • Seeking—Patient: all genders, 30-45,

• Seeking submissions from England. • Send submissions to Steph@lemon-

• Casting real couples who both have

• Shoots one day in late Mar.-Apr. (ten

• Shoots Mar. 26 in the Boston, MA area. • Note: Must be local to the Boston area.

all ethnicities, patient/visitor. All ethnicities.

Hair Products Promo, Couples With Long Hair

prod.

• Company: Lemonlight. Staff: Steph

Hall, production mgr; small crew.

• Pays $3000 buyout.

• Company: Paperlyte. Staff: J. Walker,

Hall, coord.

this small part of the script for us to reference: “Oh hey! Yes I’m an actor, and while it may look like I’m lounging around, in reality, I’m applying to countless acting roles with Backstage!”; “Backstage has taken the process of applying to acting jobs and made it easy! “; “Apply to jobs that match your criteria, communicate directly with the casting director AND land your next job. YES!! [excitement]!; “Sign up today and start applying to roles!….[ slight pause] “or don’t sign up and leave the opportunities to me!”.

Kendall Kylls, prod.

long hair for a hair products. Note: Shoots either remotely or in studio in Los Angeles, depending on talent.

• Send recent photos of yourself (so pro-

• Submit of video of you reading through

• Include resume/reel and experience

with dogs. Auditions by self-tape, callbacks via Zoom.

• Casting a 60-second PSA with no dia-

ital ad on therapeutics for a bio tech company.

duction has the most-recent and up to date headshots to share to the client).

ing interviews with Atlanta’s top online influencers.

com.

• Pays $200/5 hrs.

• Share previous examples of talking to

camera when applying to this role.

• Seeking submissions from MA. • Send submissions to becca@jamtron.

• Company: Backstage Magazine. Staff:

• Runs remote (from home); workshop

runs Mar. 23 at 3 p.m. EST/12 p.m. PT/ 8 p.m. UK on Backstage.com. • Seeking—Actors: 18+, 18+ who are

seeking feedback on their acting craft from an acting coach. • Seeking submissions from . • Apply on Backstage.com. • This is for actors 18+ who are seeking

feedback on their acting craft from an acting coach. In your cover letter, tell us about the specific intention you’d like to cultivate in your acting career. (Ex. Do you want to book an indie film? Would you like to improve your confidence when delivering monologues? etc.), how long you’ve been acting, and anything else you think we should know about you! Be sure to have a headshot and a demo reel uploaded on to your Backstage profile. • No pay. Free workshop from Backstage.

03.18.21 BACKSTAGE

Ask An Expert Agents Auditions Film Headshots Television Theater Unions Voiceover

Does your hairstyle matter when you audition?

—@shakira_smith2003

Our Expert

*Submit questions for our Experts on Backstage’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts, or via our forums page at backstage.com/forums! The views expressed in this article are solely that of the individual(s) providing them, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Backstage or its staff.

BACKSTAGE 03.18.21

backstage.com

ILLUSTRATION: MARGARET RULING/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; JACKSON: COURTESY CHARIS JOY JACKSON

Charis Joy Jackson is a casting director, actor, director, and producer.

Your audition starts the moment you walk into the room—or, if it’s a self-tape, when your video begins. Many people think the only element being considered is the scene you perform, but that’s not true. Casting directors take advantage of every interaction with an auditioner—at least, I do. I look for how you present yourself and how you interact with those in the room. If it’s a self-tape, I watch your communication etiquette. So, yes, your hairstyle definitely matters, too. Here’s an example: I was holding auditions for the lead role of a charming businessman in a feature film. I scoured talent websites, hand-picking actors I thought looked the part. When an actor showed up with messy hair, wearing sweats, I wondered if it was the same person I saw in his headshot. I tried to look past it, but his clothes and hair were so unnecessarily unkempt that it was difficult to see him as a suave businessman. Even the director made a comment after the actor left, saying they wished he’d taken more care with how he looked, because it was hard to see him as the character and to know if he even wanted the part. Your hair is going to change all the time depending on the role. Something that can help is to have a neutral hairstyle when applying for a range of roles. You may have heard not to dress in a costume for an audition; it’s the same with your hair. You can suggest a character with what you wear and how you style your hair, but it’s good to avoid a wild hairstyle. There is an exception! If you’re currently in a role and you can’t change your hairstyle, and it happens to be a bit bolder and an audition pops up, please still go. Make a note to the CD that you’re in a project and can’t change your hair yet. This will work in your favor, because it shows that you’re a working actor and you are willing to change your hair for a role. Whatever your hairstyle, remember to have fun with the audition. Your love for acting and passion for each chance to perform comes through and contributes to the CD’s decision.

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Join American Airlines and Stand Up To Cancer in our mission to help make everyone diagnosed with cancer a long-term survivor. Donate $25 or more and you’ll receive 10 American Airlines AAdvantage® Miles for every dollar you give.

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