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those kinds of showcases aren’t happening either right now.
Harriet Bass
The veteran CD of the New York stage and beyond regularly looks to college showcases to find burgeoning talent By Elyse Roth
ILLUSTRATION: SPENCER ALEXANDER; JOHAL: COCO JOURDANA
RAQUEL APARICIO
HARRIET BASS IS A FIXTURE IN THE NEW YORK THEATER SCENE, with additional credits across regional theater, film, and television. She keeps close tabs on students graduating from acting programs and has diligently attended showcases going all the way back to her first day in casting. It’s her job to find new talent; and when showcases went digital in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, she adapted to that, too. Describe your experience with virtual college showcases this year and last. In my many years of casting, I went to all the showcases, because it’s my job to look for new talent. Before the pandemic, there were probably 30 showcases in a season. Virtual showcases—I find that I don’t watch as many of them as I actually went to. I think, for introducing these new students to the theatrical crew—agents
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and casting directors—that the in-person showcase has to come back. I don’t get any interaction with the actor. In many of the showcases, the scene partners are not in the same room, so you don’t see how well people can relate to each other or what their stage presence is. There’s a lot missing. I think these kids who have spent four years training deserve that we get a bigger, better, and more
realistic impression of who they are. Where else do you find fresh talent? During the pandemic, my only introduction to new actors has been virtual showcases. It’s not just schools; various groups like Actors Connection and Actors Launchpad used to invite me to meet their students and to conduct a workshop. Now, I’ve conducted online workshops, and I’m meeting people that way. I am still meeting people, but not nearly like I would if I was going to showcases. And I will go to showcase productions of people that I’m interested in, like Off-Off-Broadway. But
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What advice do you have for actors graduating into the industry right now? When theater returns, they’ve got to get themselves into some of these Off-Off-Broadway shows [and] get themselves into some of these networking group classes. But none of that is happening right now. The only avenue people have is the Zoom meetings, and my advice to these kids is to try to get in touch with all these networking companies that are all over New York and involve themselves in the virtual workshops. Then, do everything they can just to get a New York show, so we can see them. I’ve got to see their work. Keep on auditioning for me. Because I’m auditioning on tape now, I have opened my doors to many more people than I would in live auditions. I post what I’m casting on my website; I’m not secretive about it. How can someone get into your virtual audition room? If people want to audition for me now, a good, convincing email to me that says why they should be in on this audition will get them a taped audition. When live auditions were happening, I couldn’t do that because I can only bring in 15 people per role for my directors. With virtual auditions, someone who may not be on my radar, I can give them a shot on tape. I absolutely will see people without agents. I only do union shows, and I will see people who are nonunion. I will see any good actors.
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Read the full interview at backstage.com/magazine
05.13.21 BACKSTAGE
