Backstage Magazine Digital Edition: August 26, 2021 by Backstage

08.26.21

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Film Festivals 2021

Everything aspiring pros need to know about landing a coveted slot at

Sundance, Tribeca, TIFF + beyond

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Contents

vol. 62, no. 25 | 08.26.21

Cover Story

Submit to Scrutiny

Festival programmers and organizers on their best tips for filmmakers

page 14

The Green Room 4 The triumphant return of the Cannes Film Festival

5 This week’s roundup of who’s casting what starring whom

6 Phillipa Soo on “Hamilton” and coming full circle

Advice 9 CRAFT

So you’re going to a festival…

10 #IGOTCAST

Noah Yeboah

10 SECRET AGENT MAN

Let’s go to the movies!

Features 3 BACKSTAGE 5 WITH... BD Wong

8 MEET THE MAKER

Theo Dumont and Nicole Castro, HollyShorts co-founder and managing director

9 THE ESSENTIALISTS

Randi Kleiner, festival CEO

11 IN THE ROOM WITH Sharon Badal

12 A NEW LEAF

The return of TIFF means the return of film awards season

13 CINÉMA VÉRITÉ? MEET

VIRTUAL CINEMA Our awards editor on the second COVID-19–era festival season

22 FILM FESTIVAL CALENDAR

The dates you need to know for the 2021–22 awards season

Casting 16 New York Tristate 17 California 18 National/Regional Illustration by Natcha Donlao/shutterstock.com. Cover designed by Ian Robinson.

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Backstage 5 With...

BD Wong By Allie Volpe

BD Wong has done it all. On Broadway, his performance as Song Liling in “M. Butterfly” won him a Tony. On film, he’s a mainstay in the “Jurassic Park” franchise. On TV, he’s beloved for his portrayal of Dr. George Huang on “Law & Order: SVU.” Now, he’s flexing his comedic skills, returning for Season 2 of Comedy Central’s “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens,” on which he plays Nora’s father, Wally.

ILLUSTRATION: NATHAN ARIZONA/PHOTO: LEV RADIN/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

What advice would you give your younger self? What I would say is: Enjoy it more. I was very cerebral; I was very interested in making sure I did things right. It could’ve been a lot more fun…. Now, I’m a terrible prank person backstage, because I’ve gotten to the point that the work can be enhanced by the relationships you have with the other actors—and that includes your sense of humor with them and your bond with them. Don’t wait too long to start having fun. I saw other people having fun and I was afraid of it, because I was too serious about the work.

which I do a lot. I’ve been told, “Please don’t bring props,” because I used to bring a lot of props.

What is your worst audition horror story? I had an audition for the revival of “Into the Woods,” and I was not prepared for the fact that the room would have so many windows. I know that sounds crazy. I went in there, and there was a window across the street, and all these things were going on in it. There maybe was another rehearsal studio across the street. I remember being really distracted by the activity that was going on across the street when I was trying to concentrate. Usually, the nightmare auditions I’ve had had to do with distraction.

What performance should every actor see and why? I’m really into Michaela Coel and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. I’m into their self-generation, their writing, their acting. Sometimes your acting is even better when you’ve written the material for yourself, because you know exactly how complex it is. You know what that character is supposed to be and do and feel. Tell us about your first day on a professional set. I was a Fotomat boy in an episode of a TV show called “Simon & Simon”…. I was really nervous. The first take or the first rehearsal that you ever do when you’re nervous and you have no experience is terrible, because you’re on your own unless you happen to have somebody nearby who has the experience and is looking out for you. The world of filmmaking has its own language, and if you don’t know any of it, as I didn’t, you’re totally lost.

What’s the wildest thing you ever did to get a role? I wrote all of these weird verses to audition for the original cast of “Seussical.” I don’t know why I did it, but I had all these verses written because the material had holes in it, and I wanted to fill in the holes and create continuity. I really wanted that part, and I really wasn’t right for it. I went above and beyond,

“Don’t wait too long to start having fun. I saw other people having fun and I was afraid of it, because I was too serious about the work.”

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08.26.21 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! FACEBOOK.COM/BACKSTAGE

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Film Festivals

A Cannes-Do Attitude France’s preeminent film festival made a triumphant return By Emily Grossman

BACKSTAGE 08.26.21

for “Titane,” her gender-bending body-horror film about a woman (played by Agathe Rousselle) impregnated by a car. Ducournau sat patiently in the audience while the awards presentation proceeded before Lee and Sharon Stone presented her with the Palme d’Or at the end of the ceremony. Accepting the award, Ducournau said, “There is so much beauty and emotion to be found in what cannot be pigeonholed. Thank you to the jury for calling for more diversity in our film experiences and in our lives. And thank you to the jury for letting the monsters in.” Ducournau is only the

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ATTENDEES OF THIS YEAR’S Cannes Film Festival, which ran July 6–17 in the famed French seaside town, were making up for lost time. Following the cancellation of the 2020 fest, the 74th edition of Cannes signaled a relative return to normality for the international film community. This year’s jury was headed by Spike Lee, whose gaffe at the closing award ceremony lit up social media: The legendary director misunderstood the cards and announced the most major award, the Palme d’Or, at the outset of the evening. That prestigious honor went to French director Julia Ducournau

second woman in the history of the Cannes Film Festival to win its top award; the first was Jane Campion for “The Piano” in 1993 (which tied with “Farewell My Concubine” from Chen Kaige). The Cannes jury included Mati Diop, a French-Senegalese actor-director who made fest history two years ago when she became the first Black female director to be accepted into competition; her feature-directing debut, “Atlantics,” went on to win the Grand Prix. Rounding out the jury were Canadian-French singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer, American actor-director-screenwriter-producer Maggie Gyllenhaal, Austrian director-screenwriter Jessica Hausner, French actor-director-screenwriter Mélanie Laurent, Brazilian director-producer-screenwriter Kleber Mendonça Filho, and actors Tahar Rahim and Song Kang-ho, who hail from France

and South Korea, respectively. The jury announced a tie between two titles for the Grand Prix, the second-most prestigious award at the festival: “A Hero,” directed by Iran’s Asghar Farhadi, and “Compartment No. 6” from Finland’s Juho Kuosmanen. The jury awarded both “Ahed’s Knee” (Nadav Lapid) and “Memoria” (Apichatpong Weerasethakul) the Jury Prize in another tie, and gave the best director prize to Leos Carax for his musical film “Annette,” starring Marion Cotillard and Adam Driver. Finally, two honorary Palme d’Or prizes went to Cannes regulars Jodie Foster and Marco Bellocchio in recognition of their contributions to international cinema. After the year off, studio distributors came to this edition of Cannes excited to acquire as many projects as possible. Indie distributor Neon, which in 2019 led Palme d’Or winner “Parasite” to impressive awards season results (including the Oscar for best picture), may be trying to replicate that success; the studio acquired the winning “Titane” and Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World.” The latter film garnered a best actress award for Renate Reinsve, while best actor went to Caleb Landry Jones for his performance in “Nitram.” Amazon Studios also had a large presence at this year’s festival, having already scooped up the best director–winning “Annette” and Grand Prix winner “A Hero.” Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Classics picked up the other Grand Prix winner, “Compartment No. 6.” For the full list of Cannes winners and more on the fest, visit backstage.com/magazine.

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in-laws can make or break a relationship; but for the central couple in this Netflix feature, looking toward the future might mean frequent visits to the nearest prison. Ahead of a buttoned-up banker’s wedding day, he’s held up at work by a group of thieves known as the Ghost Bandits. While investigating the robbery, he starts to wonder whether the outlaws are in fact his future in-laws. Netflix has already attached Adam Devine and former James Bond Pierce Brosnan. Betty Mae is casting the project, directed by Tyler Spindel. Production on the romantic comedy is set to begin in October in Atlanta.

What’s Casting

on the story eventually offers Rosaline a healthier outlet for her jealousy. The film, directed by Karen Maine, had been floating around for several years before finding a home with Disney’s 20th Century Studios, which was previously an entity of Fox. Casting director Jeanne McCarthy isn’t beckoning actors from a balcony with declarations, but she has signed on Kaitlyn Dever, Minnie Driver, Bradley Whitford, Kyle Allen, Isabela Merced, and Sean Teale. The romantic comedy is set to start production in Italy shortly.

Wherefore Art Thou Rosaline? Disney is taking on a revisionist version of Shakespeare 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!

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MARGAUX QUAYLE CANNON

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.

Get cast!

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

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“Rosaline” A new name is about to join the plethora of adaptations of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” and she isn’t here in support of the scribe’s most famous lovers. Based on Rebecca Serle’s novel “When You Were Mine,” the new take on the classic tale features Rosaline, a minor character in the original play that drew the eye of Romeo before Juliet ever entered the picture. In Serle’s version, it’s through dating her that Romeo first spots Juliet at a ball. Spitfire Rosaline goes on the defensive, working to split up the two star-crossed lovers. But the revisionist take

“The Out-Laws” Clicking with prospective

THEATER

‘Funny’ Role for Feldstein By Casey Mink

“A Good Person” Morgan Freeman is about to give some sage advice to Florence Pugh in his next film. Pugh stars as a woman who finds herself trying to regain control of her life years after she was involved in a fatal car accident. Guidance comes from a surprising place when she strikes up an unlikely friendship with the man who would have been her father-in-law. As their bond grows, the woman becomes inspired by his advice and decides she’s going to lead a life worth living. Zach Braff is set to write and direct. Aibel/ Holbrook Casting has yet to attach any additional talent to the film. Production is set to start in October in New Jersey. For the latest news, check out backstage.com/resources to find thousands of production listings, casting directors, acting classes, agents, and more!

HELLO, GORGEOUS INDEED. BEANIE Feldstein, star of “Hello, Dolly!” and films like “Lady Bird” and “Booksmart,” has been tapped for the titular role in “Funny Girl” on Broadway. This will be the first-ever Main Stem revival of the Jule Styne, Bob Merrill, and Isobel Lennart musical. Directed by Michael Mayer, the production will feature a revised book by Harvey Fierstein and choreography by Ayodele Casel. Additional details are still to be announced, but performances will begin in spring 2022.

08.26.21 BACKSTAGE

Jasmine Cephas Jones, Phillipa Soo, and Renée Elise Goldsberry in “Hamilton”

toys and giving them voices and names and being all the characters. That gradually turned into being in my closet and going on GarageBand and recording little things and trying to make something cool. Here I was, back in a closet in front of a computer, making all the voices and playing all the characters.”

Backstage Live

What Will She Inspire Next?

Phillipa Soo talks her “Hamilton” Emmy nomination, audiobooks, and more By Rebecca Aizin

The following interview for Backstage’s video series Backstage Live was compiled in part by 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. EARLIER THIS MONTH, “Hamilton” Tony nominee Phillipa Soo added another to her growing list of Eliza Hamilton accolades: a Primetime Emmy nomination. And that’s not the only new and exciting development in the theater vet’s career. She’s also starring in upcoming Hulu series “Dopesick,” and she made her audiobook debut with “The Stand-In,” Lily Chu’s Audible Originals summer romance release. Soo recently joined us via Instagram Live to talk about it all.

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experience for her, but also for young artists. “I’m excited to see those young artists that [have] ‘Hamilton’ as something they can reference when they get older, say that was their jam growing up. I want to see what comes from that—the work and stories people create because they had something like ‘Hamilton’ as a touchstone to their creativity, their drive, and inspiration. I can’t wait to see what happens next.”

TELEVISION

Dynevor Is Sticking to the Streamers By Casey Mink

Recording “The Stand-In” was a full-circle moment for Soo. “It came at a really great time. I

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

PHOEBE DYNEVOR IS MOVING FROM Netflix to Amazon. The “Bridgerton” lead has signed on to executive produce and star on “Exciting Times,” a series based on the debut novel of the same name by Naoise Dolan. The project will follow the story of a young Irish woman who teaches English grammar to wealthy children abroad. Along the way, she becomes involved in a love triangle with a male banker and a female lawyer. Details, including a production timeline and additional casting, are to come.

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Soo hopes that “Hamilton” was not only a formative

was traveling, shooting a show in Richmond. I had a couple weeks that I had free and was able to record this book and do it from the inside of my closet. It was a very humbling experience, because, at the end of the day, that’s kind of where it all started: me, as a kid, in my bedroom and my closet, playing with my

Rather than offering advice to her younger self, Soo wants to hear what advice her younger self would have for her. “If I had the opportunity to [talk to] my young self or ask something, I would ask her what she feels and what she thinks. I would turn to her and be like, ‘What advice do you have for me?’ There’s something that we’re all trying to search for that goes back to that desire and love and passion you have for storytelling and the work. Oftentimes, that’s the part that’s harder to access, because we’re adults. We’re trying to figure out how to make everything work in our lives, but ultimately, there’s this beautiful spark that lives within us as kids, whether it’s playing in the yard or being in the closet imagining playing all the characters. That’s where it all starts. So if I were to tell my younger self anything, it would be, ‘What can you tell me?’ ”

In The Envelope The Actor’s Podcast

Recent guests include: Hugh Grant, John Boyega, Nicole Byer, Aidy Bryant, & Maya Rudolph

For intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators, subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts!

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Meet the Maker

Theo Dumont and Nicole Castro, HollyShorts co-founder and managing director By Brandon Kirby

programming—the panels, the networking opportunities.

Theo Dumont, Nicole Castro, and Daniel Sol

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next level or to inspire you,” says Castro. When and how did HollyShorts begin? Theo Dumont: It was created by me and Daniel Sol to create a platform for filmmakers to get together, meet, get representation, get signed, and move their careers forward. [Daniel’s] brother owned a small theater called the Space Theater, and we started it there. There was a oneday event where we did a call for submissions, got 23 films, and showed all 23. It was an amazing energy. And it became a tradition…. This [festival] is devoted to the art form of short films. And then we like to party. Listen, it’s a serious thing. But in

the real world, when people can see each other—which is happening this year; it’s going to be live and in-person again, thank goodness—there’s a lot of knowledge-sharing, a lot of bonding. Nicole Castro: These filmmakers have spent a lot of money to make these films and submit them to our festival. We want to make sure that you’re having the best experience you can have for the money you’ve spent to come to our festival. We work hard to provide really incredible

“What’s the best lesson? It’s trying to capitalize on all of it. When you’re in the festival, it’s festival mode.” — THEO DUMONT

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DYLAN LUJANO

THE 17TH ANNUAL HollyShorts film festival, running Sept. 23–Oct. 1 in Hollywood, California, honors and celebrates the craft and creativity of the short film form. Co-founded by Theo Dumont as a passion project in a small theater, the Oscarqualifying event has exploded into a global festival with 6,000 submissions annually. Backstage asked Dumont and managing director Nicole Castro about what makes a short film impactful, and why festival attendees should never be afraid to say hello. “You don’t know [if] the person you’re speaking to might be somebody to bring you to that

What advice do you have for filmmakers who are creating shorts? TD: Keep it short and sweet. Get to the point. No long title sequence at the beginning—that’s a pet peeve of ours. You only have a certain amount of time to tell a beginning, middle, and end. The pacing is critical. Clear your music; you don’t want to have a copyright issue. Have a good time. Have fun. And then keep a budget in mind for festival submission. NC: Don’t be discouraged if you get a lot of rejections. Remember that the programmer’s opinion is subjective. So if you didn’t get into SXSW or Tribeca or a little festival somewhere that you’re sure 20 people have heard of, it doesn’t mean that you’re a horrible filmmaker; it doesn’t mean that you don’t have a good story. And always ask for feedback if you can.

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How can a film festival attendee get the most out of the experience? TD: What’s the best lesson? It’s trying to capitalize on all of it. When you’re in the festival, it’s festival mode. NC: Don’t be afraid to go to these events and speak to the person sitting next to you or the person standing there by themself, staring at their phone awkwardly. Everybody’s at the festival because you either have a project, you’re looking to connect, or you’re just an enjoyer of this whole experience. Right? You already have things in common; you’re all in the same place. So it doesn’t hurt to just say hello. Exchange a card!

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THE ESSENTIALISTS

RANDI KLEINER festival CEO

Since its founding, SeriesFest has supported emerging TV voices with initiatives such as independent pilot and digital short series competitions, table reads, and a “pitcha-thon” in which creators pitch to industry experts. Here, CEO RANDI KLEINER offers advice for episodic storytellers on how to break in. Networks are looking for your work. “I came from the film festival world and met different filmmakers who were creating independent episodic pilots, and that wasn’t really something I had ever heard of before. I

Craft

So You’re Going to a Festival…

DYLAN LUJANO

BERLINALE: DENIS MAKARENKO/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; KLEINER: COURTESY SERIESFEST

By Lana Veenker

EACH YEAR, THE BERLIN International Film Festival (or Berlinale) hosts hundreds of accomplished directors, producers, and screenwriters from across the world. In short, it’s a prime place to network and make new connections. Below are eight tips for how to network at film festivals according to actors from a dozen countries whom I met in Berlin. Attend the festival, if possible. If your film is accepted and you can afford to go, go! It’s an excellent opportunity to meet people in the context of your work. Relationships may form and doors may open. You’ll also feel like you have a reason for being there. You’re not just a hanger-on, but an integral part of the festivities. Figure out in advance whom you want to meet. Once you’ve committed, do some research. Which films

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will be screening? Who would you like to meet? Be realistic and read up on the smaller independent films. Chances are slim you’ll be hanging with Tarantino or Clooney, but an up-and-coming director whose work intrigues you could turn into a good contact. Some multilingual actors will even reach out to attending filmmakers to offer their services as translators. Get invited to the right events. Festivals occasionally post lists of major parties. If you contact the organizers early, you might score some invites. Seek out Facebook pages or other groups putting together parties and get-togethers. Join the conversation, and you may already have friends when you arrive. Do some sleuthing. Once you’ve touched down, identify where people hang out.

By Brandon Kirby would ask them, ‘Well, what do you do with it?’ They were like, ‘Well, we thought this would kind of be our calling card to break in’…. It just seemed like there was this hunger from the network and studio side for new and diverse content, but they didn’t really know where to get it.” SeriesFest lets you learn from the pros. “Attending panels is where you really get to understand what the landscape looks like by watching these pilots and getting to hear from the creators about how they got their stories made. That’s really important to me. [At our

Clock the fast food joint that’s closest to the main theaters. One actor said everyone from movie stars to producers zip over for a quick bite between screenings, and he’s met a lot of people this way. For longer conversations, hotel lobbies and bars are prime spots. Strike up a conversation. Certainly attend screenings of your own film, but check out others as well—and stick around afterward to chat. The best icebreakers are conversations about the movie you just watched—and it’s preferable to just talking about yourself. Perhaps you’ll click with someone or meet the filmmakers and cast. Hit up the panels and seminars as well. Learn from the pros and make friends at the same time. Enjoy yourself. Don’t just be on a mission to hand out or collect cards. The best exchanges happen when you’re being yourself, having fun, and taking the time to really get to know people.

seventh annual festival in June,] we had Jennifer Garner, Mark Duplass, and Ann Dowd. But we also had the founder of Wondery, Hernan Lopez. We had the chief business officer of YouTube, Robert Kyncl, as well as the head of Issa Rae’s ColorCreative, Talitha Watkins.”

Remember: You’re not the star. Festival parties are primarily for producers, directors, financiers, and distributors. Actors are there, but they’re not the main focus, so don’t impose yourself or hover. Be open to opportunities, but be aware of how you’re coming across, and always take a professional approach. If you’re desperate, they won’t take you seriously. Above all, don’t drink too much! Send follow-up notes. Once you’re back home, follow up with your connections. Depending on the contact, it might be appropriate to email them, add them to your social media accounts, or make plans to reconnect. Look for ways you can help your acquaintances rather than asking for things, and they’ll be more receptive to staying in touch.

Lana Veenker is a casting director, founder of Cast Iron Studios, and a Backstage Expert.

08.26.21 BACKSTAGE

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Let’s Go to the Movies!

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After consuming inhuman amounts of jambalaya, I met a terrific actor at the New Orleans Film Festival. The interesting part of this story is that he wasn’t even in one of the features that were being screened that year. This guy was in a 20-minute comedy that was part of the festival’s shorts program. I was the only agent in the audience, and when I approached him after the screening, the two of us hit it off. This was about three years ago, and I’ve been representing him ever since. I also met a talented young

[Festivals] are a fun way to check out a wild mix of movies with likeminded people. And when I go, I try to go as a fan, not as an agent.

Noah Yeboah

By Jalen Michael No matter where in the world you are, you can make your acting dreams come true. Just ask Caribbean-based performer NOAH YEBOAH. Your dreams are within reach. “When I was little, I would always grab objects around the house that [resembled] a microphone and pretend that I was a singer or a television host. Throughout the years, I’ve watched shows like ‘iCarly’ and ‘Victorious,’ and I’ve always wanted to be on TV like them. The acting art form is definitely my craft!” Backstage keeps you connected to the industry. “I keep coming back for notices because Backstage is the most reliable source to get real and unique auditions from anywhere in the world. The message feature allows casting directors and actors to communicate easily, rather than doing it through email.” Keep your eye on the prize. “Keep grinding and pushing! You may not get a response right away, but keep applying and trying. Directors will get to you. It’s frustrating, yes, but hold on. It’ll come.”

TO SEE YOUR SUCCESS story in print, tweet @Backstage using the hashtag #IGotCast, or email us at igotcast@ backstage.com.

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ILLUSTRATION: SPENCER ALEXANDER; YEBOAH: JUNETTE PETERS

I LOVE MOVIES. I’m the kind of person who enjoys French comedies directed by Jacques Tati on the same level as superhero offerings from Marvel Studios. To me, there’s no difference. This is why I love going to film festivals. These events are a fun way to check out a wild mix of movies with like-minded people. And when I go, I try to go as a fan, not as an agent. The problem is, there’s no place to check my agent hat while I’m there. That means I’m constantly on the lookout for actors who would make a great addition to my list. I tend to focus on the smaller films that showcase up-and-coming talent. It wouldn’t make sense to approach the leads in larger movies, because those people are usually established names.

#IGOTCAST.

RAQUEL APARICIO

Secret Agent Man

woman at another film festival during a projection malfunction. We were in the audience at a screening of a fascinating documentary when the lights came up. There was some kind of technical issue, so we had to sit there and wait for 30 minutes. During this unexpected break, I started chatting with the woman who was next to me. It turned out she was a working actor from Los Angeles who was there to support her producer friend who made the doc. Next thing I know, the woman admits how much she hates her agent, we exchange contact information, meet a few weeks later, and the two of us end up working together. In both stories, my love of film led to me being in the right place at the right time to meet and sign some promising talent. And as much as I love attending film festivals as a civilian, there are still times when my visits are strictly business. Let’s say one of my clients is in a film that’s being screened at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. That’s pretty close to home, so it’s my job to be there so I can lend emotional and professional support. I have to ensure that my client meets all the right people and is included in all the right interviews. It’s also my duty to buy the actor a drink if the audience doesn’t respond well to the film. My ego took a major hit during the last film festival I attended. I caught a half-empty screening of a microbudget movie that had a promising lead. When the lights came up, I introduced myself to the actor and explained that I would love to take a meeting. The kid laughed and said, “Sorry, dude. I’ve got CAA and WME fighting over me.” I shrugged and wandered off to see the latest offering from a transgender directing team in Lebanon. That’s the thing about these fests: They have a bit of everything, for everyone.

culture +

Spotlighting the people and projects you need to know In the Room With

Sharon Badal

The Tribeca Film Festival shorts programmer shares her process and her advice for filmmakers By Elyse Roth

What is your role in Tribeca’s programming? I am responsible for all the shorts programming— not just for the Tribeca Film Festival, but for any other initiatives we do outside the festival.

RAQUEL APARICIO

ILLUSTRATION: SPENCER ALEXANDER; YEBOAH: JUNETTE PETERS

MANY FILMMAKERS’ FIRST FORAY INTO THE CRAFT WILL BE VIA short films. Whether they’re made in a college program or independently, there’s a lot you can do with your completed film, including submitting it to film festivals like the Tribeca Film Festival. TFF has a robust shorts program led in part by Sharon Badal, the vice president of filmmaker relations and shorts programming. In a festival that encourages storytelling across platforms, geographies, and genres, Badal goes into each year seeking out new filmmakers and ideas. During her tenure, she has acquired a deep well of knowledge and advice for filmmakers hoping to gain exposure through their work in shorts. Badal shares her process for selecting films, from submission to lineup, and what filmmakers should know before submitting and after being accepted into a festival like Tribeca.

What’s the process and timing for filmmakers to submit their work? Filmmakers need to do their due diligence in

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researching the right festivals for their film and budget. Look at the festival and its website. It’s not throwing darts at the dartboard and seeing which ones hit the bull’s-eye, because they all cost money and filmmakers don’t have an infinite budget. We have a solid team. I have a co-programmer, and I have seasonal staff that come on.

Most of them are programmers of other festivals, because we trust their eye. It gives us a much more global perspective. There are many voices that are being heard; it’s not just an American team of programmers. What do you do outside of the reviewing and selection period? The full-time programming team is traveling. We’re going to other festivals, we’re scouting films. We speak on panels. We meet other filmmakers; maybe the work they’re showing at a festival isn’t for us, but we make those contacts and keep in touch so that they submit their next work to us. What kind of submissions are you looking for? We are a New York festival, and there

are always different aspects of people that live in New York, so we like to have a New York shorts program. Some years it’s [documentaries], some years it’s narrative, and some years it’s a hybrid. It all depends on the submissions. We always have an animation program. There’s no one type of short we’re looking for. It’s all about the story. Without a good story, you can have the best cinematography, and it’s still not going to fly. Also, shorter is always better now. That sweet spot is somewhere between 12 and 18 minutes, because we spend over a month curating after we decide which films we want, because we don’t want to just plug them together. We create a journey through the program very specifically. We want a seamless transition, so we have always been very careful and very thoughtful in each program being curated. The filmmakers love that, because they feel like they’re part of an overall story. What is your No. 1 piece of advice for early career filmmakers? Tell the story you want to tell, and find your voice. Don’t try to emulate something or someone else. What we’re looking for is a familiar story told in different ways. Also, get as much feedback and advice on the film [as you can] before you submit it to festivals. Take your time.

Want more?

Read the full interview at backstage.com/magazine

08.26.21 BACKSTAGE

Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson in “Dune”

A New Leaf

The return of TIFF means the return of film awards season By Rebecca Aizin AFTER ADOPTING A HYBRID FORMAT LAST YEAR, THE 46TH Toronto International Film Festival is ready to open its doors and reclaim its rightful place as the world’s largest public film festival. Starting Sept. 9 and lasting for 10 days, TIFF will screen almost 200 films in its Official Selection and host live events with acclaimed industry guests.

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voices in the industry, TIFF plans to invite new critics who will represent diversity in race, gender, sexual orientation, and disabilities as part of its Media Inclusion Initiative, which is continuing for the fourth straight year. Though Canadian borders officially opened to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens on Aug.

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CHIABELLA JAMES

In-person screenings at some of TIFF’s iconic theaters— including the TIFF Bell Lightbox, Roy Thomson Hall, the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, and Festival Village in Ontario Place—will resume, with digital screenings also available through the TIFF Bell Lightbox. And in an effort to elevate underrepresented

9 (and will open on Sept. 7 for the rest of the world), press and industry screenings will still have a digital option for those unable to travel. The festival will also once again be broadcast in Canada by CTV and streamed to the rest of the world via Variety. The 2021 program will kick off with director Stephen Chbosky’s musical-turned-movie “Dear Evan Hansen,” the story of Evan (Ben Platt, reprising his Tony-winning role), an anxious high school senior caught up in a misunderstanding that leads to a journey of belonging and acceptance. “As TIFF

resumed this year in the wake of a pandemic that marked and changed all of our lives, we felt it was important to open this year’s festival with a film that connects to our shared humanity and that reminds us how deeply we need one another,” said TIFF executive director and co-head Joana Vicente in a statement. TIFF also announced the first list of films from the 2021 Official Selection, including 10 Galas and 22 Special Presentations. Galas will include Edgar Wright’s “Last Night in Soho,” while the Special Presentations list features highly anticipated films like Theodore Melfi’s “The Starling” and Éric Warin and Tahir Rana’s “Charlotte,” among others. “These films reflect passion, creativity, and break new ground to tell their stories,” Vicente said. “We’re honored to have them as part of TIFF 2021.” One of the most highly anticipated movies of the season, Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune,” starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, and Jason Momoa, will screen in IMAX at TIFF following its world premiere at the 2021 Venice International Film Festival. The movie has a personal connection to TIFF, as Villeneuve is Canadian. The fest’s closing night film will be “One Second” from Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou (“Raise the Red Lantern,” “Hero”). The film, described as a “love letter to movies,” delves into the story of how a traveling film projectionist and a prisoner on the loose connect through cinema. TIFF will also introduce Coast-to-Coast Screenings this year in an effort to encourage audiences to return to theaters. Screenings will occur for one night only in select locations across the country in hopes of invigorating people’s enthusiasm for upcoming film releases. “It’s been a tough year, and we’re so glad to be back,” said TIFF artistic director and co-head Cameron Bailey of the 2021 festival. “We’ve been inspired by the quality, range, and diversity of the films we’re inviting, and we couldn’t wait to give everyone an early glimpse.”

Cinéma Vérité? Meet Virtual Cinema Our awards editor on the second COVID-19–era festival season

By Jack Smart

FOCUS FEATURES

DEAR MOVIE BUFFS, You’re seeing a buzzy new film before most audiences get to…and the only audience is you. The smell of popcorn is drifting from…your microwave. The event begins not at a specified time and place but… by the click of your remote, whenever you feel like it, right in your home. It’s your very own virtual version of a film festival! And by this point in the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s an experience that industry types have become used to. Most of the festivals that kick off film awards season this time of year are currently putting together partially or entirely virtual programs. The Toronto International Film Festival, which in 2020 led the charge of recalibrating premieres to what I called “moviegoing experiences, just without the ‘going,’ ” is offering this year’s attendees remote and in-person options. As pandemic safety precautions continue to change on a waitand-see basis, industry events are smart to favor flexibility— and accessibility—as a year of virtual fests proved that fans and filmmakers everywhere can and will join in the fun. From my standpoint, the upcoming 2021–22 film awards season may be characterized as a response to 2020–21, which prioritized weathering a pandemic while figuring out how to recognize and reward still great (albeit more modest and independent) moviemaking. The lineup of the 2022 Oscars is still anyone’s guess. But considering how many blockbusters were pushed from last season to this one in hopes of appearing on the big screen, it’s safe to predict that bigger, showier fare will populate awards shortlists far more than usual—from movie musicals (“In the Heights,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “West Side Story,” “Tick, Tick…Boom!” and the musical-esque “Respect”) to sci-fi and fantasy spectacles

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(“Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Dune,” “The Green Knight”) to crowd-pleasers designed for a theatergoing experience (“A Quiet Place Part II,” “Candyman,” “No Time to Die”). The summer of 2021 has felt like Hollywood is at a crossroads. Behind us is last year’s awardwinning, intimate filmmaking that emerged amid the chaos, while ahead lies an aspirational return to a more typical film season. It’s been a period of shaky rollouts of those blockbusters I mentioned, many of which opted for a release both in theaters and on corresponding streaming platforms. This experimental

phase has made box office revenue data an even more dubious way of assessing a project’s success than it already was (not to mention Scarlett Johansson’s unprecedented move of suing Disney for breach of contract over its dual release of “Black Widow”). Maybe that’s where festivals can come in, providing a throughline between 2020 and 2021; if “Nomadland” can successfully ride Venice and Toronto premieres to top Oscar wins, and Netflix, Apple, and Neon can make record-breaking fest acquisition deals, all in the middle of a deadly pandemic, there’s hope that this season’s more prepared contenders can generate the buzz and recognition they deserve. Whether film distributors, press, and award voters see this fall’s festival programming in crowded theaters or from their couch, I believe the moviemaking ecosystem will survive—and maybe even thrive. Sundance’s

“CODA” and “Hive” may follow in the footsteps of last season’s breakthroughs “Minari” and “Promising Young Woman,” while any of the recent Cannes highlights (“Annette,” “The French Dispatch,” “Blue Bayou,” “Titane,” and more) could be this year’s “Parasite.” Keep an eye on the announcements from Academy Awards bellwether Telluride, which was one of the pandemic’s casualties last year. And as always, the audience award winners and buzzy premieres from the Toronto International Film Festival are bound to inform the imminent awards race; the last six best picture Oscar winners all screened at the festival. Change is the only constant, so I’ll keep checking in on the state of the industry, dear Backstage readers. Expect awards editor dispatches from TIFF—or, rather, “from” the fest, aka my living room. I’m off to get popcorn. Sincerely,

Jack

Justin Chon and Alicia Vikander in “Blue Bayou”

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out because it’s key, and we are a community. Sometimes people think, Oh, you guys are so busy. But we want to work with filmmakers and support filmmakers, because that’s actually what we do…. We’re all working together, and it is a wider community.” —Diana Sanchez, senior director of film, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

Audio can make or break your submission.

Submit to Scrutiny

Festival programmers and organizers on their best tips for filmmakers By Jack Smart SO, YOU’RE A FILMMAKER WITH A COMPLETED PROJECT READY FOR the big screen. Congratulations! Now it’s time to figure out the next step: submitting to film festivals. Whether you’re an established filmmaker with distribution already lined up or a newcomer hoping to find the right audience for your film, festivals are a crucial aspect of the moviemaking industry. To get you started, we asked programmers from Sundance, TIFF, and more: What should filmmakers keep in mind when submitting their projects to film festivals? (For even more advice, check out the Behind the Fest series on backstage.com/magazine, which features in-depth interviews with organizers and founders of festivals around the world.)

Find a story worth telling.

“We don’t program along thematic lines, but our program does reflect what’s preoccupying our cohort of global artists. They also reflect work that’s getting financed and made, and how the independent filmmaking community is imagining and creating its own

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future. When we encounter something new—a new voice, a new perspective, a new approach to storytelling—we know that we’ve found something special to support and share with our festival audiences…. Independent film is both a craft and an art form, and it takes hard work and discipline

and a willingness to take risks. Ultimately, you have to focus on finding a story worth telling and a vision for how to do so—and then stay true to them.” —Kim Yutani, director of programming, Sundance Film Festival

“Challenging and innovative submissions catch our attention. When evaluating submissions, we are checking the normal boxes of technical proficiency—audio is so important—as well as narrative consistency. In particular, for us, we are looking for stories that dive deeper into identity, and in particular the unique multicultural identity of being [part of the] Asian diaspora. This doesn’t mean only dark, dramatic explorations, but also joyful, funny, and romantic moments. We’d love to see more genre work coming from the community as well. While we started as a film festival, much of our programming aims to

Reach out to festival programmers for advice.

“It’s important for filmmakers to not be shy about writing to programmers. I meet some people who say, ‘I don’t want to bug anybody,’ but that’s our job. My job is to help you navigate this world. It’s to find new voices, so every year there are. We need to put them together because there are some exciting stories. I think it’s important for people to reach

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SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL: PURERADIANCEPHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; TIFF: ATOMAZUL/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

“When submitting to festivals, do your research. Look at the programming of that festival and think, Would my film belong here? Don’t blow [your] submission budget on the A-list festivals and ignore the smaller ones, where your film probably has a better chance of being accepted.” —Kevin Monahan, artistic director, Boston Underground Film Festival

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: RON ADAR/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Consider submitting to smaller festivals.

meet Asian diaspora storytellers wherever they are.” —Wynton Wong, programming manager, Asian American International Film Festival

Familiarize yourself with the festival’s “vibe.”

“We throw a wide net, in fishing parlance. We allow and are willing to cultivate visions. One of our areas is called ‘independent visions.’ We have no issues walking outside the normal parameters. And we do! We are willing to look at films that teach us something—either teach us something technically or storywise, because of course it’s all about the storytelling—or a lot of it is. Something that stretches our limitations…that makes us stand in other people’s shoes. I think that’s really a big part of it. And not just trying to understand the human story, but perhaps to understand different ways of

presentation.” —Mark Famiglio, co-founder and president, Sarasota Film Festival

Know which festivals encourage new filmmakers.

“The one thing that we definitely look for is the perspective—even if a film may be a bit rough around the edges, but it has really clear insight into the LGBTQ experience, and really speaks to what we think our audiences will look to. There’s also, of course, emerging LGBTQ artists that may not have screened anywhere else. We definitely take [that] into consideration, because we understand the robust platform that NewFest has to launch careers.” —Nick McCarthy, director of programming, NewFest

Organizers often prioritize talent over perfection.

“We’re trying to discover, expose, and promote filmmakers at their first or second film…. We want every type of filmmaker and every type of budget represented in the lineup. So even if a film has maybe some weakness here and there but we see talent there, we try to do the right thing…. When you have an opportunity, you evaluate it—one, two, three—and you take it. If you have a good movie, that movie is going to make it regardless of what you’re going to do. If that movie was meant to have a life, that life will explode sooner or later.” —Marco Ursino, executive director, Brooklyn Film Festival

Robert De Niro at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival

Don’t make something you assume festivals might want.

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: RON ADAR/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL: PURERADIANCEPHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; TIFF: ATOMAZUL/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

“We give each and every film entered into our festival equal and full consideration. Your film will be reviewed by two different people from our enthusiastic cadre of AAFF volunteers—folks who love and attend the festival and can’t get enough of the films we show. They are on the lookout for the AAFF vibe, range, and visual and philosophical aesthetic. We are an experimental and avant-garde festival, so we are looking for films that push the medium beyond the mainstream techniques, subject matter, and aesthetics.” —Leslie Raymond, executive director, Ann Arbor Film Festival (AAFF)

Consider what your film offers or teaches audiences.

“In terms of submitting to festivals and making sure that you stand out, it’s important to trust your own voice and your unique experience. We see a lot of films that don’t work because people tried to make something they thought everyone else would like, or they tried to kind of edit themselves, or they think something will be perfect for Tribeca. But they should make something that’s perfect for them. And that’s the stuff that we really do respond to, that has personality and uniqueness.” — Cara Cusumano, director and vice president of programming, Tribeca Film Festival

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08.26.21 BACKSTAGE

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

Submit a Notice |

New York Tristate Musicals ‘Masquerade’

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for roles in “Masquerade: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.” Note: All Stage Manager positions have been filled. Interested stage managers may submit resumes for future consideration. Synopsis: One of the most successful musical theater composers of all time takes audiences behind the scenes in “Masquerade!” This NY premiere features stories and songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s remarkable life and celebrated work. A funny and warm musical portrait and a concert for the theater, offers an intimate look at Lloyd Webber’s five decades in the spotlight and beyond, from his quirky family and bohemian youth in London to the creation of such smash hits as “Jesus Christ Superstar,”“Evita,” “Cats,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Sunset Boulevard” and many more. You’ll hear new and sometimes unexpected interpretations of his best-loved songs and rediscovered gems. Presented in Special Arrangement with The Really Useful Group LTD. • Company: White Plains Performing Arts

Center. Staff: Andrew Lloyd Webber, music; Antoinette DiPietropolo, dir.choreo.; Stephen Ferri, music dir.-exec. prod.

• Rehearsals begin Sept. 20 (rehearses in

NYC 10 a.m.-6 p.m.); runs Oct. 8-24 (four performances/week) in White Plains, NY. • Seeking—Equity Actors: 18+. • Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, submit all materials

via this link: https://airtable.com/shr8Xaubxu6zfWHQi Submissions deadline is Aug. 27.

• Prepare no more than a one-minute cut

of a song by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Make sure the song shows vocal range and style showing both contemporary vocal styles and legit MT if possible. We have provided a few options with accompaniment at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9ehdiovknt9fj32/ AACA5b76mjU6f_9YpUWEHHCia?dl=0

BACKSTAGE 08.26.21

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. that you can use should you want to, but are happy to hear anything from his catalog that you are familiar with if that is easier using your own accompaniment. 1. Videos must be uploaded to (YouTube, Vimeo etc) and sent as a link. No password protected videos etc. 2. Include headshot and resume (In one file not separate files) 3. Record in landscape format. Smaller file size preferred. 4. In your recording, slate your name 5. Make sure we see you head to toe and with as little movement from the camera as possible. 6. Accompaniment should be played on a separate device and be sure there is no editing, effects etc. to your vocal recording.

Casting picks of the week BY LISA HAMIL

stage

‘A Christmas Carol’ Become a better person in St. Louis, MO

‘Billions’ Show me the money in NYC for this Showtime long-running series

• For questions, email auditions@wppac.

com

• In person Callbacks will be held Sept. 9.

Actors will be notified by email if we would like to see them for a callback/in person audition. Sides and music will be distributed before and at callbacks.

musical

‘Masquerade’ Disguise yourself in this White Plains, NY Equity production

• 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.

film

• Pays $476/wk. plus pension/health.

1920’s Hollywood Film Join an Oscar Winning director and star-studded cast in Los Angeles, CA

‘The Sound Of Music’

chorus call

Equity LOA ref LORT Contract.

‘The Sound Of Music’ Climb every mountain in Northport, NY

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for principal roles in “The Sound of Music.”

• Company: Harborside Productions LLC.

Staff: Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, book; Richard Rodgers, music; Oscar Hammerstein II, lyrics; Richard Dolce, prod. artistic dir.; Vic DiMonda, assoc. prod. dir.; Matt Kunkel, dir.; Beth Crandall, choreo.; Scott Wojcik, Gayle Seay, Holly Buczek and Courtney Hammond (Wojcik/ Seay Casting), casting.

Chorus Calls ‘The Sound of Music’

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for chorus roles in “The Sound of Music.” • Company: Harborside Productions LLC.

Staff: Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, book; Richard Rodgers, music; Oscar Hammerstein II, lyrics; Richard Dolce, prod. artistic dir.; Vic DiMonda, assoc. prod. dir.; Matt Kunkel, dir.; Beth Crandall, choreo.; Wojcik/ Seay Casting, casting. • Rehearsals begin Oct. 25; runs Nov. 11,

2021-Jan. 3, 2022 in Northport, NY.

• Seeking—Male & Female Ensemble:

20-50.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • For application instructions and mate-

rial visit https://wscasting.com/ the-sound-of-music-theengeman-epaand-ecc-submission-info/. • Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

Contract.

Feature Films ‘Next Stop Christmas’

• Casting “Next Stop Christmas,” a

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

• Rehearsals begin Oct. 25; runs Nov. 11,

2021-Jan. 3, 2022 in Northport, NY.

• Seeking—Maria Rainer: female, 18-35.

Captain Georg von Trapp: male, 35-45. Max Detweiller: 30-45. Elsa Schrader: female, 35-45. Mother Abbess: female, 40-50. Liesl von Trapp: female, 16.

• Pays $457/wk. Equity LOA ref COST

Contract.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • For application instructions and mate-

Christmas family film for Hallmark Channel. • Company: Synthetic Cinema

International. Staff: H. Greer, coord.

• Shoots Aug. 22 in Norwich, CT. • Seeking—Pedestrians: all genders, 8+,

all ethnicities, Seeking Actors for the entire run 1-3 days of work between Aug. 22 and Oct. 22. • Seeking submissions from CT. • Send submissions to HBGCasting@

gmail.com.

• To be invited to specific roles for your

type, you must visit: https://hbgcasting. com/join-our-database/. • You must have a car to self report and

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

rial visit https://wscasting.com/ the-sound-of-music-theengeman-epaand-ecc-submission-info/.

be local to the East Coast. If you have joined the database within the last two years, no need to re-join. • Pay TBD.

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California casting

Scripted TV & Video ‘Billions’ S6, Kids

• Casting children for season six of

“Billions,” the Showtime series.

• Company: Grant Wilfley Casting. Staff:

Nikita GWC, senior casting assoc.

• Shoots Sept. 1, 2, or 3 in NYC. • Seeking—Non-Union Kids, Ages 12-17

yrs: 12-17, all ethnicities, to portray private school students at a school fair. • Seeking submissions from NJ and NY. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Note: This will be exterior work and a

night shoot (filming until 12:30 a.m. for minors). All minors must have valid NY child performer work permit and trust account.COVID testing will be the day before the shoot date. (Guardian must also receive COVID testing.) Be advised that ‘Billions’ has adopted a mandatory vaccination policy. Zone A employees (eg. background actors) must be fully vaccinated in order to be employed on this production. Such a requirement is subject to reasonable accommodations, as required by law, for individuals who cannot be vaccinated due to disability or sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance. Any requests for exemptions must be vetted by ViacomCBS prior to employment. (This applies to minors as well as guardians.). • Pays NU bg rate $165/10 hours and NU

COVID testing stipend $60.

‘Empires’ Extras

• Casting nonspeaking extras for

“Empires” a miniseries for a major cable network. • Company: Barbara McNamara Casting.

Staff: Barbara McNamara, casting dir. CSA.

• Shoots Aug. 16-Sept. 3 in Newark, New

Jersey. Schedule tbd. Note: Must selfreport. Must be fully vaccinated. COVID testing prior to working on set. • Seeking—Men: 20-50, Black / African

Descent, White / European Descent. • Seeking submissions from NY. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Pays $210/12 hrs.

‘Neighbors’ Web Series (Season 2)

• Casting season 2 of “Neighbors.” • Production states: “’Neighbors’ is an

award-winning web series that celebrates love, friendship, people of color, and the queer experience! • Company: Cocoa Dusted Media. Staff:

Josca Moore, coord.

• Rehearses and shoots Oct. and Nov.;

meet and greet and cast table read Sept. in NYC.

• Seeking—Robert: male, 28-35, White /

European Descent, gay, a natural born lover, but a fighter when he needs to be. Warm, charming, a deep thinker. An all-around good guy. Lives in Brooklyn with his long-time boyfriend, Brandon. Levell: male, 25-35, Black / African Descent, bisexual, asmooth, taller, “keep it real” kind of guy. Swaggy, sensible with some edge. A big flirt when he wants to be – borderline toxic at times. Discovering who he is by being open to new things and backstage.com

people. Javi: male, 25-35, Latino / Hispanic, bisexual, the guy next door type who’s not afraid to put himself out there. Independent, able to say so much without speaking. Getting to the truth of who he is. Lives in NJ with his girlfriend Lauren. Melody: female, 21-30, Black / African Descent, lesbian, artsy, grounded, and real. Dressed with a blended style of fem meets baggy hipster. An artist with a phenomenal singing voice who lives with her girlfriend, Aubin in Brooklyn. Aubin: female, 21-30, Black / African Descent, Latino / Hispanic, lesbian, free spirit, bold, a constant giver of love. A heels girl at heart with a flirtysensibility. An event planner and entrepreneur who lives with her girlfriend, Melody in Brooklyn. Trevor: male, 25-35, Black / African Descent, gay, understanding, honest, sweet – but has some bite when he knows what he wants. Easy to talk to and a good listener with a soulful energy. More than meets the eye. Cole: male, 25-37, all ethnicities, gay, a charming, book loving cutie who takes each day as it comes. Not afraid to go for what he wants, even with complete strangers.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to admin@moderne-

Student Films

• Pays $400 for the day. Meals will be

‘Any Other Time’

pic.com.

provided.

• Casting “Any Other Time,” a student

film.

• Synopsis: A college freshman searches

Stage Staff & Tech NYC Ballet Costume Shop, Stitcher • Seeking a stitcher for immediate

employment with NYC Ballet. Job states: “Please no ‘Fashion Designers.’ Full time, union position; 35 hours a week. A sewing test will be required at the in-person interview, applicants should be ready to demonstrate various sewing techniques and bodice making.” • Company: New York City Ballet. Staff: J.

Cintron, coord.

• Works in NYC. • Seeking—Stitcher: all genders, 18+, all

ethnicities, excellent sewing skills; machine and hand sewing. Excellent dressmaking, and/or tailoring, and cutting skills. Experience with ballet costumes and stretch, chiffon, organza, and tulle fabrics is essential. Good communication skills. Good organization and time management skills. At least two years professional costume shop experience required.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to casting@cocoad-

ustedmedia.com.

• Submit your headshot and resume.

Official audition appts will be sent out on a rolling basis. Stay tuned.

• To watch season 1 of “Neighbors” visit

https://www.youtube.com/c/ CocoaDustedTV

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to MHappel@

• Pay TBD, comparable to SAG Ultra Low

Budget). Stipend. All meals provided.

NYCBallet.com.

• For consideration, email your resume,

references & portfolio, referencing “Stitcher” in the subject line to: Marc Happel, Director of Costumes, at MHappel@nycballet.com and Jarod Lewis, Costume Shop Manager, at JLewis@nycballet.com.”

Demo & Instructional Videos

• Pay TBD.

Southern California

Suicide Prevention Training for Clinicians

• Casting a training video for clinicians

working with suicidal patients, using telehealth. • Company: ModernEpic. Staff:

ModernEpic, production studio.

• Shoots Sept. 8 and 9 in Gowanus,

Feature Films

Brooklyn, NYC.

• Seeking—Amira: female, 30-50,

Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Middle Eastern, South Asian / Indian, a mental health clinician whose longstanding client, Nicole, is currently experiencing a peak in suicidal ideation; Amira is using telehealth to communicate with Nicole. Nicole: female, 30-37, White / European Descent, lives with her partner Gabriel; she has been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and has struggled with suicidal ideation in the past; in this scene she is speaking to her long standing therapist, Amira, who she likes and trusts. Gabriel: male, 30-40, Latino / Hispanic, is Nicole’s partner; he has been patient and supportive throughout Nicole’s illness and is worried about her not getting the support she need.

1920’s Hollywood Film With Oscar Winning Director/Cast • Casting Hollywood’s biggest film,

directed and written by an Oscar winning director featuring a star studded cast.

• Company: Paramount Studios. • Fittings TBD in Hollywood; shoots TBD

• Company: Emerald Pictures. Staff:

Ryan Printy, dir.; Thomas Shin, prod.; Bo-Yu Chen, DP.

• Shoots Oct. 15-17 (3 full days) in L.A. • Seeking—Emily: female, 18-24, White /

European Descent, a small town girl in a big city. Independent and decisive, she moved across the country for college. Despite her own self-confidence, she is naive and ignorant to big city life, and the not so neighborly people that come with it. When an innocent night out turns into a nonconsensual attack, Emily is left traumatized and terrified to tell her parents. She attempts to deal with her depression and lack of support on her own.Short to average height, petite, with a warm and genuine expression that is not prepared for the impending trauma.Preferred skills: Crying, acting into a phone. Charlotte: female, 30-50, all ethnicities, a licensed Doctor of Psychology and Professional Clinical Counselor for Emily’s university. She is a strong and confident woman that is used to being the smartest person in the room. She has been in her current role for quite some time and is extremely experienced. Students that see her hail her ability to comfort and advise them, as well as her notion to tell it like it is, rather than beat around the bush. Average height, healthy, with a strong and confident gaze that commands the room. Ashley: female, 18-30, Emily’s best friend, but Emily is not Ashley’s best friend. Ashley has dozens, even hundreds of friends and has always been a social butterfly. She is from the city and knows how to play the game. She loves attention, especially from boys, but never commits to just one. She has taken Emily under her wing and plans to give her the true “college experience”. Emily doesn’t understand how anyone could not want to get with her friend Alex. Of course, she never would, they go back to far, but he’s such a catch for a “girl like Emily”.A sharp and fierce tone. Think “Mean Girls” or “Gossip Girl.” • Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to rprinty@lion.lmu.

edu.

• Pays $150 plus travel per day for per-

formers; $75 plus travel for a half day of voiceover work.

in Los Angeles, CA.

‘Incoming Mail’

ders, 18+, all ethnicities, 1920’s Types, shorter hair for women; no buzzed heads on men; fitting required; all cast members must be vaccinated on this project.

Thesis film (Production #213-4804001). Logline: When a Hollywoodwannabe senior in 1985 stops receiving pen pal letters from her future self, she and her best friend are zapped through a magical mailbox to 2015 –– confronted by a future full of robotic vacuums, “clap-on” lights, and much less glamour than she expected.

• Seeking—1920’s Movie Goers: all gen-

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

goers@gmail.com.

• Pays $120/8 Nonunion.

for justice and healing in the wake of her sexual assault, but a lack of evidence and support from her friends is leaving her desperate and alone.

• Casting “Incoming Mail,” a USC Senior

08.26.21 BACKSTAGE

casting National/Regional • Company: USC School of Cinematic

‘Phantom of the Opera’

• Shoots Sept. or 12, Sept. 18-19, Sept.

dent film with a horror twist on the classic tale. Set in Los Angeles in the late 1940s, at a modern opera company.

Arts. Staff: Kendall Huff, prod.; Lindsay Wolf, prod.; Ellery Marshall, dir. 25-26, and Oct. 2-3 in the Los Angeles, CA area.

• Seeking—Clementine: female, 18-23,

all ethnicities, (17) magnetic, Miss Center Stage, a talented actress and she knows it; she’s the most supportive and affectionate friend to Ava... when she remembers she should be; going into her senior year, she’s ready to just grow up and join the big leagues in Hollywood, causing her to forget this year could be her last with her best friend; it’s spun in her head that to be successful in Hollywood, she has to be willing to leave her small world; lately, though, she’s struggling to ignore the guilt she feels about leaving her best friend in the dust. Ava: female, 18-23, all ethnicities, (17) free spirit, garage rocker, impressive air guitarist; she doesn’t like to take herself too seriously and is always lightening the mood with a joke; while she’s Clementine’s #1 fan and is not one to brag about her own musical talents, Ava secretly wishes Clementine recognized that she isn’t the only one with a bright future; the more Clementine pulls away from her, the more alone and anxious Ava feels, knowing she has no real plan for the future. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • USC SAG-Agreement: allowed to work

for USC students under SAG contract. No payment will be received.

‘Out Like a Light’

• Casting “Out Like a Light,” an AFI visual

essay. This film is a noir/sci-fi/horror about a young woman entranced by a mysterious light while alone in her room at night. • Company: American Film Institute

Conservatory. Staff: Morgen Whiteman, dir.; William Serri, prod.; Olivia Kimmel, cinematographer.

• Shoots Sept. 12 in North Hollywood, CA. • Seeking—Lily: female, 20-27, all eth-

nicities, the young woman entranced by the light. No dialogue. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to mwhiteman@afi.

edu.

• No pay. Meals and compensation for

mileage provided. SAG-AFTRA Student Film Agreement.

‘Paper Airplanes’

• Casting “Paper Airplanes,” an AFI visual

essay.

• Company: AFI. • Rehearses Aug. 29; shoots Sept. 9. • Seeking—Child: all genders, 5-12, all

ethnicities, send headshots and any video materials if possible. Looking to find a child who is young and full of wonder but able to communicate loss and maturity. If possible, also looking to work with the parent. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com • Looking to cast a parent-child combo if

possible. Auditions will be held between Aug. 23-29 over Zoom. • Meals, copy, and credit provided.

BACKSTAGE 08.26.21

• Casting “Phantom of the Opera,” a stu-

• Company: University of Southern

California. Staff: Vivian Ip, student.

• Online and in-person rehearsals; shoots

in October, possibly into November, in L.A.

Online Commercials & Promos

Theme Parks & Attractions

Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s International Campaign

• Seeking submissions for scare actors

• Casting international promotional/

for Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights 2021.

• Company: CKE Restaurants Holdings,

Halloween Horror Nights performance dates: Sept. 7, Sept. 9-12, Sept. 15-19, Sept. 22-26, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, Oct. 6-10, Oct. 13-17, Oct. 20-24, and Oct. 26-31.

commercial campaign for Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s international locations. Seeking eight-10 male/female talent, all ethnicities, 18-34 years old. Production to take place in Orange County CA.

• Seeking—Dancer: all genders, 18-50,

all ethnicities, any ethnicity, all genders. Seeking dancers for scenes in the “play within the film” of an adaptation of “Phantom of the Opera.” Scenes will range from townspeople dancing to writhing demons to more classical ballet. Style will be rooted in ballet but use some contemporary and mid-20th-century modern vocab (Martha Graham meets Agnes de Mille). Send self tapes of either performance or class video, a basic across the floor grand allegro combination or 16-32 bars of lyrical ballet turns, port d’bras, leaps.

Inc. & Hey Guy Media. Staff: Cameron Penn, prod.; Sarah Gehri, CKE international marketing dir.; Megan Love, CKE international marketing manager. • Shoots Oct. 18-19, 2021 in Orange

County, CA.

• Seeking—Millennial / Gen Z: all gen-

ders, 18-34, all ethnicities.

• Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Production will ask you to consume food

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

and/or drink on-camera and products may not be gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan or dairy-free. Consider any food allergies or concerns prior to submitting. Contacting production or CKE directly will automatically eliminate you from consideration. Backstage or agency submissions only. Final selections and offers to be made by mid-September 2021.

ity for the entire month of October and first week of November. Include selftape with submission. Perform the specified actions for the role. • Copy, credit, and meal provided. SAG

student waiver.

‘The Silent Water’

• Production states: “$550/daily rate

(+10% for agency clients). 10-hour day, excluding travel to/from set and meal breaks. Production will provide on-set meals, craft service, parking and some wardrobe. All talent to receive digital copies of all content. Note: rate includes 3-year global buyout (from first use) of all media, include promotional, outdoor, trade, internal, corporate, social and digital (paid and unpaid). Rate is non-negotiable.”

• Casting “The Silent Water,” a student

film produced by Loyola Marymount University. Project length: 8-10 min. Logline: Coming to a therapy session, a woman believes in her delusion that her dead husband talked to her through a fish. Tone: Fantasy, Romance. • Company: Loyola Marymount

University. Staff: Y. Gong, dir.-casting. • Rehearses TBD; shoots Sept. 18-19 in

Los Angeles, CA.

Digital Project, Los Angeles Talent Currently Wearing Braces

• Seeking—Alison: female, 20-30, all

ethnicities, a baker. She doesn’t have large ambitions, and all she wants is to enjoy life with her friends and family. Jeff is not only her husband but also her best friend forever. She depends on his companionship a lot, especially after her mom passes away. Diana: female, 30-40, all ethnicities, Diana is a psychiatrist. She looks quiet and understanding. Her job is to evaluate if patients are suffering from mental disease, but she also tries to understand them and help them go through all the pain. Gretchen: female, 20-30, all ethnicities, Gretchen is Alison’s friend. Compare to Alison, she is the more rational one. She takes care of Alison when she immerses in the grief and tries to help her go through the trauma. Jeff: male, 20-30, all ethnicities, Alison’s husband. They have known each other since college and have experienced so many things together. He understands her insecurity and always supports Alison with his accompany and love.

• Seeking Los Angeles talent currently

wearing braces for digital project. This is an in studio project for a teeth straightening company. Talent will be showing unhappily eating certain kinds of foods like soups, meatballs, beans, pasta Action idea: could have talent playing around with the plate of food in a dissatisfied way. • Company: TubeScience. Staff: Sarah

Furlong, coord.

• Shoots Sept. 15 in downtown LA. • Seeking—Talent With Braces for Teeth

Straightening Project: all genders, 18-35, to do the following: Shots of someone unhappily eating certain kinds of foods like soups, meatballs, beans, pasta. Action idea: could have talent playing around with the plate of food in a dissatisfied way. • Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to casting@tube-

science.com.

• $250 all media buyout.

• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to ygong@lion.lmu.

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

edu.

• Day rate and meals. (Lead $50/day,

Support $30/day)

Halloween Horror Nights 2021, Scareactor Application

• Company: Universal Studios Hollywood. • Rehearsals slated for end of August;

• Seeking—Scareactor: all genders, 18+,

all ethnicities, performers who meet the following requirements: 6’1”+.Also seeking 5’6”-5’10” who can portray the following characters: The Bride of Frankenstein from the 1935 Universal film; Poppy Hill from the 2018 Netflix series “The Haunting of Hill House;” and Olivia Crain from the 2018 Netflix series “The Haunting of Hill House.”

• Seeking submissions from CA. • For consideration, visit bit.ly/2021HHN. • All performers hired for the positions

will be covered under the terms and conditions of a collective bargaining agreement with the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA).

National/ Regional Plays ‘A Christmas Carol’

• Casting Equity actors for roles in “A

Christmas Carol.”

• Company: Repertory Theatre of St

Louis. Staff: Hana Sharif, artistic dir.dir.; Charles Dickens, writer; Michael Wilson, adapted by; Harriet Bass and Gama Valle (Bass/Valle Casting, casting dirs. • Rehearsals begin Nov. 2, 2021; runs

Dec. 3-23 in St. Louis, MO. Note: All performers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as defined by the CDC (i.e., more than 14 calendar days following receipt of a final dose of an FDA or World Health Organization authorized or approved vaccine) by Nov. 2. Any actor requiring a medical or religious exemption must provide written documentation for the exemption during the hiring process. • Seeking—Scrooge: male, 50-69, all

ethnicities, he/him, a person of color. The miserly, grumpy owner of Scrooge and Marley’s, an accounting office. He is both quirky and dangerous. Should have a sense of humor. Note: The role might require flying. This is negotiable. Bob Cratchit: male, 30-49, all ethnicities, he/him, a person of color. Hardworking, ind-hearted clerk to Scrooge. Cratchit struggles to keep his family afloat financially, but always maintains an optimistic disposition. He is a good person who values love and backstage.com

National/Regional casting

charity. Spirit of Christmas Past: female, 18+, all ethnicities, she/her, any age (18+), doll-like, a person of color. An apparition who takes Scrooge on a tour of previous Christmases. Doubles with Bettye Pidgeon, a doll vendor, and Old Josie, who runs a sweatshop by the shipyards. Has an air of regality with a dry, sarcastic humor. Has some heat under her, that she can turn on when she so chooses. She can also be warm and brighten the world with her energy. Note: This role might require flying. This is negotiable. Spirit of Christmas Present: 18+, all ethnicities, any gender, any age (18+), a person of color, fullbodied. A majestic apparition who guides Scrooge through visits to his acquaintances’ Christmas celebrations. Doubles with Bert, a fruit vendor. Burning energy. Has a great sense of power, both physically and vocally. Jovial, but can loom into darkness. Not sentimental. Pragmatic. Note: This role might require flying. This is negotiable. Mrs. Cratchit: female, 30-59, all ethnicities, she/her, a person of color. A fierce protector of her family. Warm and nurturing. Pragmatic. Responsible for all family matters. Doubles with Mrs. Fezziwig, a jovial woman. • Seeking submissions from MO. • Auditions will be self-tape. In person

callbacks will be held Sept. 13 and Sept. 14. For consideration, submit an electronic photo/resume to bassvallecasting@gmail.com. Performer will be invited to send a video submission after their materials are reviewed. Submissions deadline is Aug. 27. • Bass/Valle Casting encourages people

of all races, ages, ethnicities, abilities and gender identities to apply. From Repertory Theatre of St. Louis: We are actively seeking performers of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, body types and abilities for all roles. We are committed to anti-racism and antioppression practices in all areas, including casting. We acknowledge histories of systemic exclusionary practices and will continue to dismantle barriers to theatre- making and to auditioning for actors of all races, ethnicities, national origins, gender identities or expressions, body types, and abilities. • Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

Rep Contract.

‘London Suite’

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for “London Suite.”

• Company: Theatre Workshop of

Nantucket. Staff: Justin Cerne, dir.; Emily Dunn, company mgr.

• Rehearses Aug. 25-Sept. 8; runs Sept.

9-25 in Nantucket, MA.

• Seeking—Brian: 35-50, a successful

Welsh novelist. Billy (Cast): 18+, Brian’s manager, who is attempting to run away backstage.com

with all of Billy’s money. Mrs. Semple (Cast): 18+, Lauren’s mother who agrees to go on a date with a man that was set up by herdaughter. Lauren (Cast): 18+, Sharon Semple’s daughter; pushy and thinks she knows what is best for her mother. Diana Nichols (Cast): 18+, a famous Hollywood actress who divorced her homosexual husband, although she willalways love him. Grace (Cast): 18+, Diana’s assistant; put together. Sidney Nichols (Cast): 18+, Diana’s ex-husband; he needs money from her to help pay for his partners’ cancer treatments. Mark Ferris (Cast): 18+, husband to Anne; his back goes out trying to find their Wimbledon tickets and chaos ensues. Anne Ferris (Cast): 18+, wife to Mark; a bit frantic. Mrs. Sitgood (Cast): 18+, hotel manager, trying to get the Ferris’ to change suites. Dr. McMerlin (Cast): 18+, doctor who is sent to attend to Mark but his back also goes out. Bellman (Cast): 18+, sent to find the Wimbledon tickets, young and oblivious.

• Season rehearses and runs in Ashland,

atrenantucket.org.

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

OR.

• Seeking—Equity Actors: 18+. • Seeking submissions from OR. • For consideration, prepare two con-

trasting monologues: one Shakespeare and one contemporary, no more than four minutes total. You may choose to sing using the accompaniment for “We Dance” provided at https://osfashland. box.com/s/pq4tcr8k3brdgvjorrggk4qi8u0avp9t or select a song of your choosing using your own accompaniment, in place of a monologue if you prefer. Submit your video link along with a headshot (JPEG ) and resume (PDF) to https://bit.ly/3s8qX7i. Submissions deadline is Aug. 26. • In accordance with Actor’s Equity

Association recommendations in response to COVID- 19, OSF is requesting video audition submissions in place of holding in-person auditions.

• OSF believes in diversity and represen-

tation in casting and encourages actors of all ethnicities, races, gender identities, ages, and body types, as well as performers with disabilities, to audition.

• Seeking submissions from MA. • Send submissions to auditions@the-

• For consideration, prepare the sides

provided at https://drive.google.com/ drive/folders/10JMLC 0mXAiws7YnBbIXOiS2387zQAvX7? usp=sharing. If you do not have your own reader, a 2-3 min monologue in the style of Neil Simon will work and submit to auditions@theatrenantucket.org. Submissions deadline is Aug. 27.

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

• Pays $1,096/wk. (pending union negoti-

ations) Equity LORT B+ Non-Rep Contract.

Theatreworks Colorado Springs 2021-22 Season

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for roles in the 2021-2022 season. Season includes “Witch” (Jen Silverman, writer; Caitlin Lowans, dir. Rehearsals begin Aug. 24; runs Sept. 16-Oct. 10); “Every Brilliant Thing” (SPT4; Duncan MacMillan with Jonny Donahoe, writer; Marisa Hébert, dir. Rehearsals begin Nov. 2; runs Nov. 27-Dec. 29); “Elliot: A Soldier’s Fugue (SPT-4; Quiara Alegría Hudes, writer; Julio Agustin, dir. Rehearsals begin Jan. 4, 2022; runs Jan 27-Feb. 13); “The Bluest Eye” (SPT-4; Lydia Diamond, adaptation; Toni Morrison, novel as source material. Rehearsals begin Mar. 29, 2022; runs Apr. 21-May 15); and “Twelfth Night” (SPT-4; William Shakespeare, writer; Kathryn Walsh, dir. Rehearsals begin June 14, 2022; runs July 7-31).

• Pays $416/wk. Equity SPT Contract.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2022 Season • Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for roles in Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s 2022 season. Season includes “Once on This Island” (Lynn Ahrens, book-lyrics; Stephen Flaherty, music; Lili-Anne Brown, dir. Rehearsals begin Feb. 22, 2022; runs Apr. 12-Oct. 30); August Wilson’s “How I Learned What I Learned” (Tim Bond, dir.; Steven Anthony Jones, featured. Rehearsls begin Feb. 8, 2022; runs May 3-July 30); “Unseen” (Mona Mansour, writer; Evren Odcikin, dir. Rehearsals begin Mar. 2, 2022; runs Apr. 12-July 31); “The Tempest: (William Shakespeare, writer; Nicholas C. Avila, dir. Rehearsals begin Mar. 22, 2022; runs June 1-Oct. 15); “Revenge Song” (Qui Nguyen, writer; Robert Parker Ross, dir. Rehearsals begin Mar. 23; runs June 2-Oct. 14); “King John” (William Shakespeare, writer; Rosa Joshi, dir. Rehearsals begin June 21, 2022; runs Aug. 17-Oct. 29) and “Confederates” (Dominique Morisseau, writer; Nataki Garrett, dir. Rehearsals begin June 28, 2022; runs Aug. 23-Oct. 29).

• Company: Theatreworks Colorado

Springs. Staff: Elena Hansen, prod.; Caitlin Lowans, dir.

• Season rehearses and performs in New

Albany, OH. Note: The productions that may have student matinee performances and only submit yourself for consideration for those production if your schedule will offer the flexibility for you to perform during school hours. • Seeking—Equity Actors: 18+. • Seeking submissions from OH and CO. • For consideration, submit by emailing

with the following information in the body of the email and/or in the introduction of your video: 1. Name; 2. Union

• Company: Oregon Shakespeare

Festival. Staff: Joy Dickson, casting dir.

status; 3. Vaccination status; 4. Whether you are local to Colorado Springs; 5. Link to an unlisted YouTube video with two contrasting pieces of no more than two minutes total (If you wish to be considered for “Twelfth Night” or “The Tempest,” submit a piece in verse); 6. What role(s) for which you’d like to be considered to theatreworks@uccs.edu. Submissions deadline is Aug. 27. • Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

Note: The SPT-4 rehearsal week is 30 hours.

Musicals ‘Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story’

• Seeking video submissions from vacci-

nated Equity actors for roles in “Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story.” Synopsis: “‘Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story’ tells the true story of Buddy’s meteoric rise to fame, from the moment in 1957 when “That’ll Be the Day” hit the airwaves until his tragic death less than two years later on “the day the music died”. The show features over 20 of Buddy Holly’s greatest hits including “That’ll Be The Day”, “Peggy Sue”, “Everyday”, “Oh boy”, “Not Fade Away”, “Rave On” and “Raining in my Heart”, plus Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba” and the Big Boppers “Chantilly Lace.” • Theatre states: “Florida Studio Theatre

is working towards becoming a more anti-racist and inclusive theatre. FST is thus committed to developing a work environment that is reflective of the diverse world that it serves. People who share this belief are encouraged to submit.”

• Company: Florida Studio Theatre. Staff:

Alan Janes, writer; Jason Cannon, dir.assoc. artist; Catherine Randazzo, movement; Richard Hopkins, prod. artistic dir.; Sydney Scott, casting & hiring intern. • Rehearsals begin Oct. 12; runs Nov. 3,

2021-Jan. 2, 2022 with a possible extension through Jan. 14 in Sarasota, FL. • Seeking—Equity Actors: 18+, eight

actors will be cast to create tracks to cover all the roles; must be vaccinated.

• Seeking submissions from FL. • All auditions will be held electronically.

Callbacks will be held in-person in New York City the week of Sept. 6. • For consideration, submit resume and

unlisted link to casting@floridastudiotheatre.org. Submissions will only be accepted from 9 a.m. Aug. 25 to 6 p.m. on Aug. 26. Anything sent outside of the range will not be considered. • Preparation Instructions: Prepare a

brief song in the style of the show, not to exceed three minutes, or visit our website at https://www.floridastudio-

08.26.21 BACKSTAGE

casting National/Regional theatre.org/casting for sheet music and an MP3 of the following cuts of songs for the following parts: • Soprano Part - “Why Do Fools Fall In

Love?”; Alto Part - “Shout”; Tenor Part “Oh Boy” Bass Part - “Chantilly Lace”; If the character you are submitting for plays an instrument, also demonstrate that skill, preferably with self-accompaniment. Slate your name at the top of the audition & upload to an Unlisted YouTube link. • Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

Contract. Florida Studio Theatre is an established LORT D, Equity regional theatre in Sarasota, FL. Great artistic environment. Equity Contract with competitive, negotiable salaries.

‘The Marvelous Wonderettes’ • Seeking video submissions from Equity

singer/actor/dancers for “The Marvelous Wonderettes.”

• Company: Little Theatre On the Square.

Staff: Therese Kincade, dir.; Andy Hudson, musical dir.

• Rehearsals begin Oct. 25; runs Nov.

5-14 in Sullivan, IL.

• Seeking—Cindy Lou: 18-28, prom

queen. Mezzo Soprano/Belt E3-F5. Missy: 18-28, controlling over achiever. Soprano G3-A5; w range floating high vocals and belting throughout the show. Betty Jean: 18-28, class clown and tom boy. Alto with strong low range D3-E5. Suzie: 18-28, happy go lucky, ditzy blonde. mezzo Alto G3-E5. Excellent part singer. • Seeking submissions from IL. • For consideration, submit a video audi-

tion where you sing a 50’s/60’s uptempo song of no more than two minutes or submit the cut of “Hold Me, Thrill Me” with the accompaniment provided at http://www.thelittletheatre. org/auditions/. Send your headshot, resume, and video submission to therese@thelittletheatre.org. Submissions deadline is Aug. 27. • Pays $541/wk. Equity SPT 8 Contract.

Village Theatre 2021-22 Season

TYG. Submissions deadline is Sept. 7. Video Preparation Instructions: To be considered for “The Book Club Play,” prepare a short comedic monologue. To be considered for the musical(s) in the season, prepare two songs that demonstrate your vocal and storytelling abilities. You may use songs of your own or use the accompaniment provided at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xxifpkk8518pbug/AACXu6R5Q1IC1nuZT9LUEUPa?dl=0. Submit a link to your audition, we will not accept submissions of large video files. • Village Theatre is an equal opportunity

employer, and we strongly believe that when we center equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism we will inspire creativity, innovation, and a deeper level of storytelling. We value diversity, including the diversity of thoughts, perspectives, and life experiences. We are committed to building a community that brings an open and inclusive culture. We celebrate, support, and thrive in our diversity and are on an endeavor to create an equitable workplace for all. We encourage members of the global majority, women, non-gender binary, trans individuals, and people with disabilities to submit. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply. Village Theatre is on an active journey towards becoming an anti-racist and equitable organization and are looking for individuals who are passionate about supporting a space that centers this commitment. To read more about these commitments visit: https://villagetheatre.org/deia/

• Rehearses on or around Nov. 6-7;

shoots Dec. 18-20 and possibly Dec. 21 in the Pacific Northwest.

• Seeking—Guy: male, 18-60, Ethnically

• Pays $839/wk. Equity Special

Agreement.

‘We Need a “Little” Christmas’

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for “We Need a ‘Little’ Christmas.”

• Company: Little Theatre On the Square.

Staff: Therese Kincade, dir.; Andy Hudson, musical dir.

• Rehearsals begin Nov. 22; runs Dec.

• Rehearses and performs in Issaquah,

theatre.org.

https://airtable.com/shrt72cQrwwvbn-

BACKSTAGE 08.26.21

• Seeking—Male 1: male, 18+, strong

• Seeking submissions from IL. • Send submissions to therese@thelittle-

• For consideration, either submit a video

of a Christmas song of your choice of no more than two minutes or use the accompaniment and music provided at http://www.thelittletheatre.org/audi-

‘Reckless Spirits: A Queer BIPOC Metaphysical Comedy’

Vivian Hua, dir.-co-writer; Lisa Sanaye Dring, co-writer.

• Company: Village Theatre. Staff:

• Seeking—Equity Actors/Singers: 17+. • Seeking submissions from WA. • For consideration, submit video at

Short Films

• Company: REDEFINE Media LLC. Staff:

singer/dancer/actor for an MC type of role; strong tapper. Female 1: female, 18+, strong singer with belt/dancer/ actor for an MC type of role; strong tapper. Female Ensemble 1, 2 and 3: female, 18+, strong dancer/singers who can tap. Male Ensemble 1, 2 and 3: male, 18+, strong dancer/singers who can tap.

WA.

portation provided. Equity SPT 8 Contract.

buddy comedy featuring two BIPOC best friends of Asian and Latinx descent: Yvette, a neurotic therapist, and Syd, gender-fluid performance artist. Led by a series of meaningful coincidences into an uncanny new world of psychics, spells, and spirits, the charmingly flawed protagonists must rely on the strength of their shared bond to escape the wily charms of an up-andcoming cult leader.

3-19 at at The Little Theatre On The Square in Sullivan, IL.

Jessica Spencer, casting dir.-artistic assoc.

• Pays $541/wk. plus housing and trans-

• Casting “Reckless Spirits,” a hyperreal

• Casting Equity singers/actors for roles

in Village Theatre 2021-22 Season. Season includes “Songs for a New World” (Rehearsals begin Dec. 13; runs Jan. 12-Mar. 13, 2022); “The Book Club Play” (Rehearsals begin Feb. 1; runs Mar. 2-May 1); “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” (Rehearsals begin Mar. 22; runs Apr. 20-Jun. 19); and “Raisin” (Rehearsal begins May 10; runs Jun. 8-Jul. 21).

tions/ for the first 36 bars of “All I Want For Christmas is You.” Also send your headshot and resume with the video to therese@thelittletheatre.org. Submissions deadline is Sept. 3.

Ambiguous / Multiracial, White / European Descent, a handsome, relaxed-looking LA-type in his early 40’s, Guy is the charming cult leader and founder of NWAGOWADOL, whose dark intents are masked by his charisma. A man with immense magickal abilities, Guy is a “dreamwalker” and manipulative “spider,” keen to use his psychic talents to prey upon an unsuspecting Yvette. Dashiki: male, 18-80, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, White / European Descent, despite being far from West African descent, Dashiki is an ethnically misguided lackey in the NWAGOWADOL dream cult who insists on donning a dashiki during all of his daily activities because it gives him “spiritual” comfort. He loves the garment so much he even decided to become reborn and renamed himself after it. In the past, he wore white dreads. Dream Cult Member / Lightkeeper: all genders, 18-80, all ethnicities, member of the NWAGOWADOL dream cult, which is all about New Age love and light, though a sinister darkness lies beneath their surface. Obsessed with their handsome, charismatic cult leader and will do anything to see him succeed in converting minds. Handsome Patient: 18-30, Asian, Black / African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Indigenous Peoples, Latino / Hispanic, Middle Eastern, South Asian / Indian, Southeast Asian / Pacific Islander, youthful and can make a clean-cut therapist swoon. No lines. Elderly Patient: all genders, 60+, all ethnicities, elderly and scared of a mean therapist. Recoils in fear. Innocent Patient: all genders, 22-60, all ethnicities, shocked person who looks on wide-eyed as her therapist begins bawling in front of her. Yvette: female,

22-35, Asian, An early 20’s straightlaced Japanese-American therapist who is addicted to green juice, health food, and fancy manicures, Yvette seems to “have it all” in the traditional sense. Yet while talented and disciplined in many ways, Yvette’s secret is that she is terrible at her job, yet won’t leave her structured life... until a dream cult finally beckons. • Seeking submissions from WA and OR. • Auditions will be held Sept. 5. For con-

sideration, submit a cover letter of interest along with a reel to vivian.redefine@gmail.com. If possible, explanation of connection to subject matter is desired; it will go a long way towards capturing our attention. • Seeking candidates local to the Pacific

Northwest Region for all roles.

• SAG-AFTRA Short Project status. Pays

$250 per day for Yvette, $175 per day for Guy, $100 per day for Dashiki, and payment TBD for background roles.

‘The Impossible is Possible Tonight’ • Casting “The Impossible is Possible

Tonight.” Synopsis: This 15 minute short film takes place in 1970 in time when life was good... or was it? In this film we follow Mona Rey (mid 20’s) a struggling singer song writer. She’s trapped in a toxic abusive marriage with affluent business mogul Kallan Synder (late 20’s) who has a habit of taking out his most recent loss on the tennis court on her. Mona’s sister Zel Rey (mid 20’s) helps Mona come up with a plan to leave Kallan and escape to the Maldives. We watch as their plan unfolds, with a few hiccups along the way Mona and Zel make the impossible possible. • Company: Hzea. Staff: Arcane Haze

Boles, dir.; Rui Dong, DP; Joy Sahyoun, AD; Camryn Jamal Lee, prod.

• Rehearses TBD; hoots Oct. 20-26 (night

time filming) in Los Angeles, CA.

• Seeking—Mona Rey: female, 21-40, all

ethnicities, a 25-year-old taurus, she is a witty and compassionate singer song writer who is invested in world peace, an enigma with such grace and beauty, she is trapped with her wretched misogynistic business mogul boyfriend, she needs out but doesn’t know how; this role requires a scene where Mona gets her butt slapped; will require to deal with harassment. Zel Rey: female, 18-40, all ethnicities, a 23-year-old multi race queen with an energetic passion for earth, she has bodacious personality, is musically inclined, and the sister of mona; she is seeing mona for the first time in a while; she is also a singer song writer and filmmaker who has always had it out for Kallan; Zel hates the war and loves the Beatles; this role requires you to sing and play an acoustic guitar. Kallan Synder: male, 21-40, White / European Descent, a dashing 28-year-old business mogul with the world swinging by his balls, he is smart, egotistical, and disgustingly charming, and he has an ugly habit of losing his cool on his wife; he is white, freckles, and has a lovely chiseled jaw line. Police Officer 1: male, 25-60, all ethnicities, as one of the police officers you will be arriving to the scene in a 1970s police cruiser with guns drawn and all; Kallan backstage.com

National/Regional casting

is paying you under the table and you cannot let anything happen to your lovely bonus. Police Officer 2: male, 25-60, all ethnicities, as one of the police officers you will be arriving to the scene in a 1970s police cruiser with guns drawn and all; Kallan is paying you under the table and you cannot let anything happen to your lovely bonus. Police Officer 3: male, 25-60, all ethnicities, as one of the police officers you will be arriving to the scene in a 1970s police cruiser with guns drawn and all; Kallan is paying you under the table and you cannot let anything happen to your lovely bonus. Police Officer 4: male, 25-60, all ethnicities, as one of the police officers you will be arriving to the scene in a 1970s police cruiser with guns drawn and all: Kallan is paying you under the table and you cannot let anything happen to your lovely bonus. Police Officer 5: male, 25-60, all ethnicities, as one of the police officers you will be arriving to the scene in a 1970s police cruiser with guns drawn and all: Kallan is paying you under the table and you cannot let anything happen to your lovely bonus. Police Officer 6: male, 25-60, all ethnicities, as one of the police officers you will be arriving to the scene in a 1970s police cruiser with guns drawn and all: Kallan is paying you under the table and you cannot let anything happen to your lovely bonus. Fight Choreographer: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, you would be helping choreograph the fight sequences with the director, director of photography and actors/actresses. Stunt Coordinator: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, you would work side by side with the fight coordinator to choreograph stunts and sequences with the director, director of photography and actors/actresses. • Seeking submissions nationwide. • Send submissions to a.boles@student.

nyfa.edu.

• Free meals and snacks will be provided.

Reality TV & Documentary ‘The Real Magic Mike’ Nonscripted Series, Background

• Seeking Background for various severs

in “The Real Magic Mike,” an unscripted reality TV show. • Company: Triple Threat Casting. Staff:

Susan Salgado, casting dir.

• Shoots August in various locations in

Las Vegas. Note: Must be Las Vegas local. Must be fully vaccinated by the time of filming.

• Seeking—Background Performers: 21+,

all ethnicities, must be Las Vegas locals; must be 18+ for scenes including (but not limited to) Pool Parties (swimwear shots), Club /Lounge vibe (cool.hip, sexy), Focus Groups (nice casual chic), Cafe (nice casual chic). • Seeking submissions from NV. • For consideration, submit photos

(headshot and body shot) and contact number to vegascastingextras@gmail. com. backstage.com

voice actors who speak Russian for these roles. Grandmother/Witch for Russian Folktale: female, 40+, seeking an older female actor (40s+) to voice a grandmother/witch in a Russian folktale. Seeking Russian voice actors who speak Russian for these roles. Misc. Characters for Louisiana Creole Folktale: female, 15+, looking for a young female actor (20s-30s) and an older female actor (40+) to voice multiple roles in a Creole folktale. Prioritizing actors who can speak either Louisiana Creole/Kouri-Vini, or Louisiana French.

• Pays $100 min./day; varies depending

on role.

Online Commercials & Promos HealthCare.Gov Project

• Casting a commercial for HealthCare.

Gov.

• Seeking submissions worldwide. • Send submissions to emily@wonderme-

• Company: Genuine Casting. Staff:

Genuine Casting.

dianetwork.com.

• TBD. • Seeking—Healthcare.gov Users: 19-35,

• Audio to be used in a podcast.

all ethnicities, all genders; people who have used HealthCare.gov to sign up for a health plan. Production states: “Must have used HealthCare.gov in 2021 [2/15/21-8/15/21] to sign up for a new plan or re-enroll/re-evaluate old plan.”

begin Feb. 8, 2022; runs May 3-July 30); “Unseen” (Mona Mansour, writer; Evren Odcikin, dir. Rehearsals begin Mar. 2, 2022; runs Apr. 12-July 31); “The Tempest: (William Shakespeare, writer; Nicholas C. Avila, dir. Rehearsals begin Mar. 22, 2022; runs June 1-Oct. 15); “Revenge Song” (Qui Nguyen, writer; Robert Parker Ross, dir. Rehearsals begin Mar. 23; runs June 2-Oct. 14); “King John” (William Shakespeare, writer; Rosa Joshi, dir. Rehearsals begin June 21, 2022; runs Aug. 17-Oct. 29) and “Confederates” (Dominique Morisseau, writer; Nataki Garrett, dir. Rehearsals begin June 28, 2022; runs Aug. 23-Oct. 29). • Company: Oregon Shakespeare

Festival. Staff: Joy Dickson, casting dir.

• Season rehearses and runs in Ashland,

Stage Staff & Tech

• Seeking submissions from AZ, TX, LA,

AL, FL, MI, OH, NC, WV, IN, OK, MT, UT, KS, MO and WY.

‘Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,’ Stage Manager

erp.com.

Manager for “Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story.” Theatre states: “Florida Studio Theatre is working towards becoming a more anti-racist and inclusive theatre. FST is thus committed to developing a work environment that is reflective of the diverse world that it serves. People who share this belief are encouraged to submit.”

• Send submissions to research@genuin-

• Seeking a vaccinated Equity Stage

• Must submit via online form: https://

form.jotform.com/212223851332142. • Pays up to 5,000 maximum flat rate.

Shapewear Brand, Wedding Dress Models • Seeking talent that has been recently

married or will be getting married to model in their wedding dress. Would like the talent to wear shapewear that is provided and do a review on the product plus model the product before putting on the wedding dress. Must be comfortable talking on camera.

• Company: Florida Studio Theatre. Staff:

Alan Janes, writer; Jason Cannon, dir.; Catherine Randazzo, movement; Richard Hopkins, prod. artistic dir.

• Rehearsals begin Oct. 12; runs Nov. 3,

2021-Jan. 2, 2022 with a possible extension through Jan. 14 in Sarasota, FL.

• Staff: J. Rumley, talent prod. • Remote shoot - can be located any-

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

where in the US.

• Seeking—Female Talent: female,

25-40, all ethnicities.

casting@floridastudiotheatre.org or mail to Alexa Doggett, Casting & Hiring Coordinator 1241 North Palm Ave., Sarasota, FL 34236. Submissions will only be accepted from 9 a.m. Aug. 25 to 6 p.m. on Aug. 26. Anything sent outside of the range will not be considered.

• Seeking submissions nationwide. • Apply on Backstage.com. • Pays $200/day. Will be a remote shoot.

Audiobooks & Podcasts

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

Children’s Sleep Podcast Based on Russian & Louisiana Creole Folktales • Wonder Media Network is seeking

voiceover actors for a children’s sleep podcast based on folktales. Episodes are primarily in English, but voice actors must be able to speak a few phrases/ sentences in the folktale’s respective language of origin. Share samples of your work to be considered.

• Pays $911/wk. Equity LORT D Non-Rep

Contract.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2022 Season

• Company: Wonder Media Network.

• Seeking Equity stage managers for

Staff: Emily Rudder, chief of staff.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s 2022 season. Season includes “Once on This Island” (Lynn Ahrens, book-lyrics; Stephen Flaherty, music; Lili-Anne Brown, dir. Rehearsals begin Feb. 22, 2022; runs Apr. 12-Oct. 30); August Wilson’s “How I Learned What I Learned” (Tim Bond, dir.; Steven Anthony Jones, featured. Rehearsls

• Records remotely. Talent must have

access to professional studio and/or equipment. • Seeking—Narrator, Princess & Misc.

Characters for Russian Folktale: female, 15+, seeking a young female actor (20s-30s) to voice multiple roles in a Russian folktale. Seeking Russian

OR.

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

https://bit.ly/3jLGMgt or mail to Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer St., Ashland, OR 97520. Submissions deadline is Aug. 26. • Pays $1454/wk. (pending union negoti-

ations) Equity LORT B+ Non-Rep Contract.

Theatreworks Colorado Springs 2021-22 Season

• Seeking Equity stage managers for

roles in the 2021-2022 season. Season includes “Witch” (Jen Silverman, writer; Caitlin Lowans, dir. Rehearsals begin Aug. 24; runs Sept. 16-Oct. 10); “Every Brilliant Thing” (SPT-4; Duncan MacMillan with Jonny Donahoe, writer; Marisa Hébert, dir. Rehearsals begin Nov. 2; runs Nov. 27-Dec. 29); “Elliot: A Soldier’s Fugue (SPT-4; Quiara Alegría Hudes, writer; Julio Agustin, dir. Rehearsals begin Jan. 4, 2022; runs Jan 27-Feb. 13); “The Bluest Eye” (SPT-4; Lydia Diamond, adaptation; Toni Morrison, novel as source material. Rehearsals begin Mar. 29, 2022; runs Apr. 21-May 15); and “Twelfth Night” (SPT-4; William Shakespeare, writer; Kathryn Walsh, dir. Rehearsals begin June 14, 2022; runs July 7-31). • Company: Theatreworks Colorado

Springs. Staff: Elena Hansen, prod.; Caitlin Lowans, dir.

• Season rehearses and performs in New

Albany, OH. Note: The productions that may have student matinee performances and only submit yourself for consideration for those production if your schedule will offer the flexibility for you to perform during school hours. • Seeking—Stage Managers: 18+. • Seeking submissions from OH. • For consideration, submit resume to

theatreworks@uccs.edu. Submissions deadline is Aug. 27. • Equity encourages performers of all

ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to submit. • Pays $488/wk. Equity SPT 4 Contract.

Note: The SPT-4 rehearsal week is 30 hours.

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

08.26.21 BACKSTAGE

2021–22 Awards Season Film Festival Calendar June 2021 JUNE 9–20

Tribeca Film Festival

July 2021 JULY 6–17

JULY 29–AUG. 1

Cannes Film Festival Sundance Film Festival: London

August 2021 AUG. 18–25

Edinburgh International Film Festival

September 2021 SEPT. 1–11

Venice International Film Festival

SEPT. 2–6

Telluride Film Festival

SEPT. 9–18

Toronto International Film Festival

SEPT. 24–OCT. 10

New York Film Festival

October 2021 OCT. 6–17 OCT. 13–24

BFI London Film Festival Chicago International Film Festival

January 2022 JAN. 6–17 JAN. 20–30

Palm Springs International Film Festival Sundance Film Festival THENATCHDL/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

March 2022 MARCH 2–12

BACKSTAGE 08.26.21

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

backstage.com

The Slate

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.

BACKSTAGE

Backstage Magazine Digital Edition: August 26, 2021

Articles inside

National/Regional

CINÉMA VÉRITÉ? MEET VIRTUAL CINEMA

This week’s roundup of who’s casting what starring whom

MEET THE MAKER

A NEW LEAF

IN THE ROOM WITH

The triumphant return of the Cannes Film Festival

BACKSTAGE 5 WITH