Backstage Magazine Digital Edition: March 25, 2021

03.25.21

How

“Never Rarely Sometimes Always” became the 2021 Spirit Awards’ one to beat

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Riz Ahmed, Laid Bare The Oscar nominee lets us inside his head and his creative process

John Magaro’s

long journey to indie hit “First Cow” Everything you need to know about Film

Independent

5+ Pages OF CASTING NOTICES

HOSTED BY

melissa villasenor

TUNE-iN

Thursday, April 22, 10p E Airing exclusively on IFC and AMC+

Visit filmindependent.org to Learn how you can attend the first-ever virtual #SpiritAwards.

Download our Nominee Summary to use as a sample ballot.

Join Film Independent to vote for next year’s nominees.

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Contents The Green Room 4 “Mank,” “Minari,” and “Nomadland” lead the 2021 Oscar nominations

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

6 Samantha Logan talks “All American”

and learning when to say no to a job

Advice 9 CRAFT And…action!

10 #IGOTCAST

vol. 62, no. 10 | 03.25.21

Cover Story

Harnessing Cover HisStory Prospecting Superpower for Gold Riz Ahmed’s secret to becoming one of the foremost actors Your official guide to the of his generation? 2020 Oscar nominations page 16 Surrendering to the process page 12

6 Broadway’s audience boom 8 This week’s roundup of who’s casting what starring whom

10 Annie Murphy reflects on “Schitt’s Creek”

Advice 13 CRAFT Survive and thrive

Jill Galbraith

13 #IGOTCAST

10 SECRET AGENT MAN

Mark Beauchamp

Random thoughts

14 SECRET AGENT MAN

The power of intention

Features

Features

3 BACKSTAGE 5 WITH...

John Magaro

4 BACKSTAGE 5 WITH...

8 MEET THE MAKER

David Alan Grier

Eliza Hittman, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” writer and director

12 MEET THE MAKER

Cathy Yan, “Birds of Prey” director

9 THE ESSENTIALISTS

Heidi Ewing, producer, writer, and director

14 THE ESSENTIALISTS

Jeremy Woodhead, hair and makeup designer

11 IN THE ROOM WITH

Hannah Peterson

15 IN THE ROOM WITH

17 INDIE INDEED

Victoria Thomas

The 101 on Film Independent courtesy of its president, Josh Welsh

21 OUR DREAM BALLOT

And the 2020 Oscar SHOULD have gone to…

24 ASK AN EXPERT

Tony Rossi on staying motivated during dry spells

32 ASK AN EXPERT

Amy Russ on principal and background work

Casting 18 New York Tristate

Casting

21 California

22 New York Tristate

22 National/Regional

27 California 28 National/Regional

Riz Ahmed photographed by Stephanie Diani on Jan. 13 at Oceana Santa Monica in Santa Monica, California. Cover designed by Ian Robinson.

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The Green Room

Cover illustration by John Jay Cabuay.

Cover designed by Ian Robinson.

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Backstage 5 With...

John Magaro

By Allie Volpe

John Magaro has worked alongside some of the industry’s most notable directors in the course of his career, from Todd Haynes to Adam McKay. His most recent standout collaborator is Kelly Reichardt on her decorated indie “First Cow,” in which Magaro stars as a tender cook who concocts a plan to steal milk from a wealthy landowner’s cow in the early 19th-century Pacific Northwest. The film is up for best feature at this year’s Film Independent Spirit Awards.

What’s one performance every actor should see and why?

I remember seeing Sam Rockwell in [the 2010 Martin McDonagh play] “A Behanding in Spokane,” and he does this speech that’s probably six pages long. He captivated that theater and kept it alive every moment. To do that onstage, live and present, is probably one of the most challenging things to do, and he did it.

What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done to get a role?

A really unique audition is when I auditioned for “Unbroken,” which was this Angelina Jolie–directed movie about prisoners of war. One of the things she wanted you to do was act like you were in confinement. It was up to you what you were going to do; the amount of time you wanted to do it for was up to you.

She also wanted you to tell a story from your life that changed you or helped shape you into who you are. I ended up getting two friends of mine I’m really close to and really trust to tape it, as opposed to going in to a casting director. That way, we could set up a cage-type thing. They left the room, and I could really go there. Then I told a story about my father, who we’ve since lost, who had a lot of struggles in his life.

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How did you get your SAG-AFTRA card? When I first got to New York, [commercials were] how I was able to survive. After being fired from telemarketing, I was lucky to get a couple of commercials. I did a Verizon one and I did one for Cingular, which is a defunct cell phone company. That’s the job that got me my SAG card.

What is your worst audition horror story? There was this one thing I was going in for, and it was a director I had auditioned for [on] another film of his, and [I] didn’t get the part. New York casting offices, they’re really small, and you can often hear what’s going on in the room when you’re waiting. I already felt like this director didn’t really like me, and I didn’t feel like I was right for the part, either. I was the next person to go in, so I was sitting right outside the door. The casting director goes, “Next up is John Magaro.” And he goes, “Oh, him? He’s not right for this.” I went in, and all [I wanted] to do is be like, “Fuck you! I’m leaving!” I didn’t do that, obviously; I bit my tongue and I did the audition, all the while knowing I had no shot of getting it.

What advice would you give your younger self? I would say: Relax. You’re not doing brain surgery here. You’re just saying some lines, so calm down. Don’t let that anxiety warp your mind into thinking that this is going to screw everything else up for you, because it won’t. Just stay calm and have fun; you’ll make it through. And enjoy the experience.

“One of the things that we should all be so lucky to do as actors is get to live in the silence.”

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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!

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Yeri Han and Noel Cho in “Minari” Awards

Your 93rd Oscar Nominees Are…

This year, “Mank,” “Minari,” and “Nomadland” lead the pack for film’s highest honors

By Jack Smart

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“Mank” led the Oscar nominations tally with 10, including recognition for leading actor Gary Oldman and supporting actress Amanda Seyfried.

Echoing results of the preceding Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Producers Guild Awards—and a year of audiences largely watching films at home rather than in movie theaters—streaming distributors had a stronger showing than traditional studios. Netflix totaled a leading 38 nods (a significant increase from last year’s 24), followed by Amazon with 12.

Two women are making

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MELISSA LUKENBAUGH/A24

NOMINATIONS FOR THE Academy Awards were unveiled on March 15, signaling the final leg of an unusually elongated film awards race due to industry-wide COVID-19 disruptions.

There are eight contenders in the running for best picture, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ most prestigious honor: Amazon Studios’ “Sound of Metal,” Searchlight Pictures’ “Nomadland,” Netflix’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and “Mank,” A24’s “Minari,” Focus Features’ “Promising Young Woman,” Sony Pictures Classics’ “The Father,” and Warner Bros.’

“Judas and the Black Messiah.”

history in the Oscars directing category, which, across more than nine decades, has previously seen only five female filmmakers nominated—and never more than one in a single year. Emerald Fennell, the writer-director of “Promising Young Woman,” is the first woman to be nominated for a feature-length directing debut; meanwhile, Chloé Zhao, the multihyphenate behind “Nomadland,” is the first woman of color to be recognized in the category. If either takes home the statuette, she would be the second-ever woman to do so, after Kathryn Bigelow for “The Hurt Locker” in 2010. Overall this year, a record-breaking 70 women were nominated for a total of 76 nominations.

Also nominated for best director are Thomas Vinterberg for Danish film “Another Round,” David Fincher for “Mank,” and Lee Isaac Chung for “Minari.”

Earning recognition in the Academy’s original and adapted screenplay categories are

“Judas,” “Minari,” “Promising Young Woman,” “Sound of Metal,” “Chicago 7,” Amazon Studios’ “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” and “One Night in Miami,” “The Father,” “Nomadland,” and Netflix’s “The White Tiger.”

Notable in the Academy’s acting races this year are the high number of first-time nominees. The roster includes Seyfried, Vanessa Kirby for Netflix’s “Pieces of a Woman,” Riz Ahmed and Paul Raci for “Sound of Metal,” Maria Bakalova for “Borat,” Leslie Odom Jr. for “One Night in Miami” (who’s also nominated in the original song category for that film’s “Speak Now”), Lakeith Stanfield for “Judas,” and Steven Yeun and Youn Yuh-jung for “Minari.” Also on that list are Andra Day, whose performance in the title role of Hulu’s “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” joins the ranks of Oscar-nominated film lead debuts; and Chadwick Boseman, who’s being posthumously honored for Netflix’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

Former Oscar winners back in the running this year include Oldman, Frances McDormand for “Nomadland” (who’s also nominated in the best picture category as one of the film’s producers), Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman for “The Father,” and Viola Davis for “Ma Rainey.” (With four nods to her name, Davis is now the most Oscar-nominated Black actress ever.) Sacha Baron Cohen is among the list’s double nominees, for supporting actor in “Chicago 7” and adapted screenplay for “Borat.”

The ceremony will be held on April 25 and broadcast on ABC.

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in the wake of the civil rights movement. But after his training, Freeman becomes a more or less forgotten, tokenized employee due to the agency’s systemic racism. Lee Daniels is executive producing the pilot, which will be written by Leigh Dana Jackson and directed by Gerard McMurray. Billy Hopkins Casting is assembling actors for the project, and production will begin in May in Baltimore.

What’s Casting

which will be written by Liz Hannah and Patrick Macmanus.

Laura Rosenthal Casting has yet to name any other actors.

Production dates and locations are yet to be announced.

From Headlines to Hulu

A buzzy news story is getting a limited series order

“The Spook Who Sat by the Door” A story that takes place in the 1970s might not seem so far from current events in a new series adaptation. FX has picked up a pilot based on Sam Greenlee’s 1969 novel “The Spook Who Sat by the Door,” which had previously been turned into a 1973 film of the same name. The story follows Dan Freeman, the first Black CIA officer, who gets recruited

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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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.

“The Girl From Plainville” A headline-grabbing high school relationship gone wrong has inspired a limited series on Hulu. The streamer has ordered the project, an adaptation of a 2017 Esquire article

by Jesse Barron. It covers the

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true story of a teenage girl who encouraged her boyfriend to kill himself via text—Michelle Carter, who goaded Conrad Roy III into following through on his suicidal ideations. After the messages were exposed in the wake of Roy’s death, she was put on trial and convicted for the unprecedented and controversial charge of involuntary manslaughter. Elle Fanning, who will also serve as an executive producer, is signed on to star in the limited series,

TELEVISION

Natasha Lyonne Lands a Second TV Show

Get cast!

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

By Casey Mink

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“The Marsh King’s Daughter” Based on the Karen Dionne novel of the same name, this feature thriller adaptation will follow a woman with a traumatic past who’s trying to lead a normal life. After escaping imprisonment in the woods at the hands of her father, Helena and her mother are able to live in freedom. But after years of trying to put her past behind her, she learns that her father has escaped from prison and is determined to find her. Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith (“The Revenant”) are writing the screenplay, with Neil Burger directing. Betty Mae has been tapped to cast the project, which has attached Daisy Ridley as Helena. The survival story is set to start filming in June in Canada.

For the latest news, check out backstage.com/resources to find thousands of production listings, casting directors, acting classes, agents, and more!

THOUGH SHE’S CURRENTLY IN THE midst of shooting the second season of her hit Netflix series “Russian Doll,” Natasha Lyonne has signed on to lead another show: “Poker Face,” a mystery drama created by “Knives Out” filmmaker Rian Johnson. After some competition, Peacock has secured the project and given it a 10-episode order. This will be Johnson’s first small-screen foray; he’ll additionally write, direct, and executive produce the project. Lyonne will also serve as an EP via her production company, Animal Pictures.

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The Abesonites gotta stick together! He taught me so much—just learning to look at the subtext in each scene and each script, and really seeing the layers that are there and the meaning behind what you’re saying. And then, when that happens, it really flows, and you’re able to tap into this truth that is just human. It’s just human, and it’s honest. That’s really helped me throughout my career.”

The Slate

She’s Got It

Samantha Logan talks “All American” and the importance of training

Her advice to actors: Have fun, and know when to say no.

“It’s about saying no, too. I’ve had to say no to a lot of things that just didn’t resonate with me. I was like, ‘You know what?

The right thing for me is gonna

By Matthew Nerber

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

SAMANTHA LOGAN FELL IN love with theater when she moved to New York City at the age of 11, and she’s been following that dream ever since. She did commercials and workshops to “get my face out there,” and it paid off. After playing roles on “Teen Wolf,” “The Fosters,” and “13 Reasons Why,” Logan now stars as Olivia Baker on the hit CW show “All American,” which is currently airing its third season and has been renewed for a fourth. She sat down with Backstage to talk about her process, her new advice podcast, “We Got You,” and how she learned that rejection is just the universe setting you up for success.

She loves working on “All American” because of its messaging and cast.

“This is definitely one of my favorite projects that I’ve been

FILM

A ‘Bridgerton’ Breakout’s Next Big Role

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

Samantha Logan

She learned how to find subtext from her NYC acting coach. “[Character preparation is] really just breaking down the script and looking for the subtext.

One of my acting coaches—I put him on such a high pedestal: Anthony Abeson in New York.

For anybody who lives in the city and wants to go to an acting class, go to Anthony Abeson.

PHOEBE DYNEVOR, PERHAPS BETter known as Daphne Bridgerton on Netflix’s record-breaking hit “Bridgerton,” has lined up her next gig, leading “The Colour Room.” The original film from Sky will also star Matthew Goode and David Morrissey, among others. Claire McCarthy will direct the feature about a hugely popular ceramic artist in 1920s Britain, with a script from Claire Peate. Production is slated to begin later this month around Birmingham, with a release expected sometime this year.

COURTESY SAMANTHA LOGAN

By Casey Mink

a part of so far. Just the messages that we’re sending to the world, and also being a part of a predominantly Black cast—[it’s] so empowering. Just to be a part of these conversations and to get the positive feedback from our audience is exactly what I hoped for all along. I just wanted to be part of a project that I was passionate about [and] that was surrounded by so much love, and that’s exactly what ‘All American’ is.”

come. And I’m gonna believe in that.’ In this industry, you’re going to hear a lot of rejection as well. And that’s OK. That kind of builds character, and it also sets you on a path for success—because the universe is just lining you up for exactly what is meant for you. And just have fun! We’re telling stories!

It’s the arts! We’re having fun!

It’s not as serious as the industry tries to make it out to be sometimes. Have fun with it and play. We’re actors, man.”

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Eliza Hittman, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” writer + director

By Casey Mink

Sidney Flanigan in “Never Rarely Sometimes Always”

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the Independent Spirit Award for best feature, among other nods. Following Autumn (Sidney Flanigan), a small-town teen in need of an abortion, and the cousin who travels to Manhattan with her to get it (Talia Ryder), it is a story of resilience where there needn’t be any.

“The inspiration for the film came from the death of a woman in Ireland named Savita Halappanavar, who passed away after being denied a life-saving abortion,” Hittman says. “I asked myself: How far would she have had to travel to save her own life?”

Most of the film is set in and around the Port Authority Bus Terminal, an intentionally gritty, depressing mirror of the girls’ circumstances. “It’s like a purgatory in a way. But it’s warm,” Hittman says. “These

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characters are navigating these liminal spaces throughout the story that are never entirely safe. It’s not a vacation. They’re there to do this very specific thing, and while they may want to go see the Statue of Liberty, it’s not that kind of trip.”

In addition to the positive reception the film itself has received, rightful praise has also been given to its two young leads, with each receiving an Independent Spirit acting nomination. It’s a particularly astounding feat for Flanigan, considering she’d never acted in any capacity before this film.

“I’d met her years ago while working on a nonfiction film,” Hittman says of her lead.

“She wasn’t an actor—just a kid in Buffalo working at a supermarket. I had been sort of following her on Facebook, and

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COURTESY FOCUS FEATURES

THINKING BACK TO HER first feature, 2013’s “It Felt Like Love,” Eliza Hittman remembers being met with general apathy. “You know, the industry wasn’t interested in my voice,” she remembers. “I didn’t let it stop me.”

Though working on a tiny budget—“well under $100,000”— the process proved seminal for her filmmaking. “It was a very empowering experience to make something that was so far from the industry and so far from having a stamp of approval from gatekeepers,” she says. “It allowed me to find my voice and develop my sensibility.”

That sensibility is on full display in Hittman’s latest film, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” which debuted to rapturous acclaim in 2020 and has since been nominated for

she became a bit of a reference for the character. I asked her to audition, and she was phenomenal from the first audition.

It was a big risk to pull a real person out of their life and ask them to do this, but she’s a musician, and I always believe those kinds of skills and [the] desire to perform can translate from one medium to the next.”

Though Flanigan was up to the film’s steep task, Hittman wanted to provide additional care for an actor who was inexperienced and, more crucially, young. So she found and paid for a therapist to help Flanigan navigate the more challenging content, especially the scene from which the film’s title derives.

“I wanted her to have a space that wasn’t with me to be able to find support,” Hittman says.

“The themes that the film deals with are obviously very emotional and weighty, and she was doing something for the first time that was incredibly demanding.”

Notably, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” is one of two movies that premiered last year that follow a pair of teenage girls forced to travel a far distance to safely and legally obtain an abortion. The other, Rachel Lee Goldenberg’s “Unpregnant,” is a raucous buddy comedy; apart from their shared concept, the two pieces could not be more different. Hittman sees that fact in itself as progress.

“It’s good that people want to talk about the impact that these barriers have on people’s lives, and the distance that people travel is real,” she says.

“Why should we have to, as women, shroud our experiences and keep them secret? I think there’s this moment of people ripping away the veil.”

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Craft

And…Action!

THE ESSENTIALISTS

HEIDI EWING

By David Dean Bottrell

AUDITIONING FOR A MOVIE is a bit different than reading for TV or theater. First off, let’s clarify that there are many different kinds of films, from big Hollywood blockbusters to small indie features that may or may not ever be seen outside the festival circuit. Depending on the director’s experience and method of working, they may employ different methods of auditioning actors. It’s hard to know exactly what to expect.

That said, I believe there are a few skills that actors are universally expected to have when auditioning for a film. Here are seven tips that can help you land a film role.

Remember character immersion. Directors want character immersion, meaning that they don’t want you to act as this person—your job is to be this person. Make sure your audition is free of any kind of theatricality or performance energy, especially vocally. Strive to behave like a real person in a real situation.

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producer, writer + director

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Consider improv. Some directors will want to see some improvisation from actors, particularly if there are group scenes like family dinners, office meetings, etc.

In unscripted scenarios, actors need to exhibit a lively brand of freedom. Never strive for buttons or punchlines. Instead, tune into the character’s passion for whatever moment they’re currently living through.

Think about character history. In every form of auditioning, it’s important to remember that history creates behavior. When you’re speaking to another character in an audition, you’re speaking with someone whom you have some kind of history with—even if that history is only 60 seconds long. Make sure your interaction with them fully reflects whatever opinion you have formed of them.

Be present. All good acting requires being wholly and completely present. That simply means you should enter

HEIDI EWING started out making a documentary about her two friends—and she ended up with “I Carry You With Me,” her first scripted film, now nominated for the Spirit Awards’ best first feature.

Learning to direct actors came down to communication.

“That was my No. 1 fear: not being able to communicate to the actors what I wanted. But in the end, I really loved that process. I ended up including them; I would ask them their life story, [and] I would integrate things from their life into

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COURTESY FOCUS FEATURES

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the script; in rehearsals, we would change lines.

I allowed them to kind of come into their scenes.

Sometimes, I would alter the scene slightly based on something they had told me, so they felt that they had agency in their role.”

Stick to your guns as a first-time narrative filmmaker.

“A good story is a good story; emotion is emotion. You shoot for emotion, no matter what. That can be on an iPhone; that can be with an actor; that can be with a real person.

I would say I think it’s

the scene with a strong intention, and that you’re carefully watching and listening to see if you’re winning or losing when it comes to your goal. If you’re losing, do something about it.

Don’t stay in the safe zone. In my experience, many actors lose roles because they remain in the safe zone throughout the entire audition. When I teach, I always stress the goal of seeking an uncomfortable position. If you don’t genuinely feel stressed, pressured, or confused, you’re probably missing the point of the scene. If you’re truly standing neck-deep in an uncomfortable position, chances are something real can and will come out of you.

Remember scene structure. I’m shocked that more acting teachers don’t teach this very helpful truth.

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By Casey Mink

very easy to be insecure about the move [from documentary to scripted film], and you can get a lot of creativity beaten out of you that way. You have to go in with a lot of confidence. You’ve got to know what your vision is and stick to it.”

From the Greeks all the way down to whatever you’re currently watching on Netflix, all scenes have the same basic structure: Somebody wants something, and something goes wrong. When you look at the audition material, ask yourself: What goes wrong?

Practice working with a camera. All film auditions are taped or self-taped.

Unless you’re already very experienced, you must learn how to work with a camera, and that takes a little practice.

Make sure you get that practice. There are many excellent classes out there; find them and stay in them until you can walk out the door confident in your skill set. And if you land a big audition, consider working with a coach.

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Bottrell is an actor and Backstage Expert.

03.25.21 BACKSTAGE

culture +

Spotlighting the people and projects you need to know

#IGOTCAST.

Secret Agent Man

Random Thoughts SOME OF THE TOPICS I’VE wanted to address here don’t always add up to an entire column. Instead of hitting the delete key, I’ve decided to take a more potluck approach this week. So here are a few random thoughts I’ve been wanting to share: Sir Isaac Newton is a name that doesn’t come up much these days. If you don’t remember him from high school science, the dude is considered to be one of the most influential scientists of all time and a key figure in the scientific revolution. He made his bones by formulating three laws of motion that are still the foundation for modern physics.

Let’s focus on the first: the law of inertia. In simple terms, it states that an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion.

Now, let’s apply some of this science stuff to your acting career. I believe your chances at

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success increase dramatically if you’re constantly moving forward. That means you should always be studying, practicing your self-tapes, creating content, and more. Sitting at home grumbling about the business will get you nowhere.

Be the object in motion.

I recently spoke to a line producer friend who works on a one-hour drama.

He’s the guy responsible for budgeting and scheduling.

Looking back over the last year, he explained how the pandemic has destroyed his bottom line. It turns out that COVID-19 safety protocols added about $400,000 to the cost of each episode. That makes his show less profitable and a target for cancellation.

Even worse, they had to shut down every time someone in the inner circle tested positive. I was shocked to learn that each day, the cast and crew sitting around doing nothing added

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By Jalen Michael Who says you can’t have fun while hustling? For JILL GALBRAITH, hard work and a good time go hand-inhand.

Don’t forget to enjoy your successes.

“Pretty much any opportunity to practice the craft, collaborate with other artists and create something new—and get paid to do it to boot—is an occasion I welcome with open arms. I would encourage [others] to apply to as many projects as possible and to enjoy the ride.”

Basic editing skills can go a long way.

“After much trial and error, I edited [a project] myself on iMovie. I highly recommend getting in touch with the basics of editing, especially if you want to create your own content. Film, after all, is an editor’s medium.”

Backstage is more than jobs; it’s a community.

“There is an incredible diversity of projects on Backstage, in all levels and facets of the industry. I would be remiss if I didn’t shout out my good friends at Pop Up Theater, Inc., all of whom I met through an audition from Backstage.”

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

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RAQUEL APARICIO

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Jill Galbraith

ILLUSTRATION: SPENCER ALEXANDER; GALBRAITH: ABIGAIL GORDEN

another $100,000 to the budget.

It also complicated my friend’s life in a major way, because those delays screwed up delivery dates, post-production costs went up, and they lost directors who had to move on.

His annual hiatus is almost here, and he’s looking forward to getting vaccinated and doing a great deal of drinking.

I’ve lost track of how many TV shows are out there.

The number is insanely high when you factor in network, cable, streaming, and a few other sources. My parents like to remind me of the good old days when there were only three networks, and everyone laughed when Fox announced it was going to be the fourth.

The misconception actors share is that this increase in production creates more opportunities. There’s some truth to that, especially if you’re high-end talent, but the working-class actor rarely sees the same benefits.

Why isn’t there more work if there’s more content? One of the reasons is the increase in competition between these shows. They need to attract eyeballs, and a lot of them do that by casting established and known actors. Another reason is that these productions are spread out all over North America, and the majority of roles are local hires in those cities. That means my clients get a shot at the large guest-starring roles that are cast out of Los Angeles, but they rarely get to read for the smaller parts.

By sharing these nuggets, I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

Now I can return to the usual irritants and frustrations that agents face on a daily basis.

Hooray for Hollywood!

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Spotlighting the people and projects you need to know

In the Room With

Hannah Peterson

Part of creating the world of “Nomadland” was casting real-life nomads, first-time actors, and other locals

By Elyse Roth

How do you ensure non-actors will come through authentically on camera? Part of it is a bit of a leap of faith. For me, it’s important to take videos with even just my iPhone very early on in conversations, just to have the presence of some form of a camera lens there.

You really get a sense from that how people present themselves [and] how natural they are with the idea of having a camera there. You can get a sense of how they’re going to be when there’s a bigger lens in front of them. So much of it is helping people understand how our production looks and works and understand the different roles, so that it can really melt away on set. Part of it is describing the process and seeing if they understand that.

RAQUEL APARICIO

ILLUSTRATION: SPENCER ALEXANDER; GALBRAITH: ABIGAIL GORDEN

WITHOUT ITS LEAD, FRANCES MCDORMAND, AND A FEW OTHER actors, “Nomadland” could be mistaken for a documentary at first glance. People portraying their authentic nomadic lives play major roles within the fictional film’s framework, and it’s that authenticity that draws the viewer into the story. To complete the world, filmmaker Chloé Zhao’s assistant, Hannah Peterson, immersed herself in the worlds of each filming location to find local actors who complemented the principal action onscreen. Her work was integral to ensuring the “real” element in the fiction existed in every layer of the film.

How did you end up doing local casting on “Nomadland”? It wasn’t originally the plan that I would work so closely with casting. It’s a testament to Chloé’s strength as a mentor— really discerning something that I could do. When they needed someone to go out and find some of the local casting to fill in the textures of what was

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credibility, you can just show “The Rider,” and people understand what you mean when you talk about the kind of film she wants to make.

already there with the script and the characters, I was working so closely with her and the story that it just made sense.

It’s honestly what I loved the most. Before and after that, I’ve worked as a casting scout for people who specialize in “real people” casting. It’s something that I feel really interested in and was natural to me.

What was your process like?

I would go out a few weeks before the production went to a location, because I didn’t have connections in these places.

At first, I just observed. I knew the kinds of characters I was looking for, but I was open to finding interesting people who could be in the fold. Eventually, I introduced myself to people I thought could be access points, who I thought could introduce me to the kinds of people I was looking for. Then, I started to talk to people. Once I was introduced, I was really forthright about what I was doing. It was easy to engage in conversations. Working with someone like Chloé, who has so much

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What advice would you give someone who wants to be part of a production filming in their region? Ask questions. It’s a twoway street. I really believe that the people who are participating as cast members in something should gain value from it.

Sometimes, that means being able to share your story and work with a filmmaker you trust who will really represent that story in an authentic way. You don’t have to understand film production to have those conversations. Just ask how people are wanting to represent your story and your community.

Want more?

Read the full interview at backstage.com/magazine

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Harnessing His Superpower FOR RIZ AHMED, THE KEY TO UNLOCKING any great performance is the practice of surrender. A given role’s preparatory work is done, the emotional life is built, and the character is right there waiting behind the veil; all he has to do is pull it back and let him take over.

“It’s about taking a leap of faith in yourself, in your partner, in this present moment, to carry you. And that is a kind of spiritual act, really—to believe that you are enough,” Ahmed reflects. “Because within you is everything, and within everything is you.

That’s a tenet of faith. It is interesting that so many spiritual traditions talk about surrender. I think of acting as a spiritual practice, and it’s about surrender.

“That’s why I always think that preparation isn’t about making decisions—it’s about exploring possibilities,” he continues. “And that’s why it’s really important not to get into a rut when you’re preparing, [and] to prepare in a way that makes you feel like you’re opening up possibilities rather than closing them down.”

To bear witness to the fruits of such surrender, look no further than Ahmed’s performances since making his feature film debut in the BAFTA-nominated “The Road to Guantánamo” just months after graduating from London’s Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. In the last 15 years, the 38-yearold British Pakistani performer has risen to the upper echelons of U.K. independent cinema, notching three British Independent Film Award nominations for best actor by 2012. He won an Emmy for his mainstream breakout on HBO’s limited series “The Night Of” in 2017, and dabbled in some of the biggest blockbuster properties of the last decade, including “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Jason Bourne,” and “Venom.” Today, he is the recipient of industrywide praise—and nominations for Oscar, Golden Globe, SAG, Film BACKSTAGE 03.25.21

Riz Ahmed’s secret to becoming one of the foremost actors of his generation?

Surrendering to the process

By Benjamin Lindsay Photographed by Stephanie Diani

Independent Spirit, and many more awards— for his work in Darius Marder’s grueling but gratifying “Sound of Metal.”

“Ideally, you go a bit deeper every time; you go a bit further every time; you learn something new every time,” Ahmed, speaking by Zoom from Los Angeles, says of his progression as a performer. “I was on this group call with Gary Oldman on one of these actor roundtables recently, and he was saying that impostor syndrome never leaves you. I would put it a different way: You never stop growing. You never stop going, ‘Ah, of course!

OK, that’s for next time.’ Which is the thrill of it, but it can also be tricky to accept.”

Ahmed first found his identity as a performer at an early age, more as a result of others’ guidance than of a love for the arts.

“I did always have that tendency to be a bit hyperactive—having too much energy and not knowing what to do with it or how to channel it,” he remembers. His mother, herself boasting a “larger-than-life personality,”

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nurtured her 8-year-old son’s impressions of Prince Charles and penchant for acting “like a clown at family gatherings” by signing him up for youth speech and drama classes.

“I was constantly trying to reenact films that I’d seen—it was ‘RoboCop,’ ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street,’ ” he remembers. “I’d be running around the house, jumping off the staircase, trying to create my own Jackie Chan movies.

Looking back, it kind of kept me from being thrown out of school, having that outlet.”

In high school, Ahmed began “getting into more trouble,” but he soon learned to channel his excess energy into performing onstage. “I just found it incredibly soothing to be able to go onto a stage and really let it rip,” he says.

“It was something that was very cathartic for me.” (That catharsis continues today in his acting, but also in his work as a rapper and musician via hip-hop group Swet Shop Boys and his solo studio efforts—most recently, 2020 concept album and short film “The Long Goodbye.”) backstage.com

“SOUND OF METAL”: AMAZON STUDIOS

“SOUND OF METAL”: AMAZON STUDIOS

The arts continued on an extracurricular and self-starting basis throughout his time studying philosophy, politics, and economics at Christ Church, Oxford University. But it was later, while studying at CSSD—rooting himself in the classic and foundational texts, teachings, and practitioners of the craft— when Ahmed the actor we know today began to take shape.

Part of that delay, he admits, is a result of feeling like he could never feasibly mine his passion for professional gain.

“One of the biggest obstacles to any journey, and one that you have to continually revisit and resurmount, is the obstacle in your mind which tells you that it’s not a realistic goal and it’s not something you can do,” Ahmed says. “I never thought I could [act] for a living—and nor did anyone else really tell me that would be a wise move, either, because you didn’t see a lot of people like me doing that.

“You internalize those messages from what you see on the screen, what you see in the culture. If you’re not reflected in the culture, you start to imagine that maybe you don’t belong in it. Absence is itself a very powerful message.”

Ahmed has spoken extensively over the years about how race often influences the roles that he and other nonwhite actors are afforded onscreen. He found ways early on to subvert the more frustrating tropes of Muslim representation in the 21st century; his “Road to Guantánamo” debut was a politicized account of those wrongfully detained

Those times when you’re reminded that you don’t control anything, there’s a creative breakthrough just on the other side of it. It’s that surrender; being reminded that you’re not in control is the artist’s greatest superpower.

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In “Sound of Metal” in the aftermath of 9/11, and fan favorite “Four Lions” satirized a group of incompetent terrorists in ways both cringe-inducing and hilarious. But what he’s referred to as the “Promised Land” of the actor, “where you play a character whose story is not intrinsically linked to his race,” was often in sight but out of reach.

As such, after working the U.K. indie circuit for the better part of a decade, he hit a ceiling. The larger career breakout he needed, both as a creative person seeking fulfillment and, more simply, as an actor needing to make financial ends meet, wasn’t coming. (His most hopeful prospect at the time, the first James Gandolfini–led iteration of “The Night Of,” fell through in the aftermath of its star’s passing.) So when the opportunity to meet with filmmaker Dan Gilroy came, thanks to some vague favors asked and strings pulled by his agent, Ahmed knew he had to go all-in.

The Oscar-nominated writer-director was sitting on the script that would ultimately launch Ahmed’s Hollywood career: “Nightcrawler.” Though Gilroy told the actor straight away that he was not a fit for the role of Rick, the assistant to Jake Gyllenhaal’s antihero photojournalist, he eventually warmed to the idea of looking at a self-tape. Soon after, Ahmed was invited to Los Angeles for a callback opposite the filmmaker and Gyllenhaal, who also produced the film.

“The moment he walked out of his audition for ‘Nightcrawler,’ having killed it, I thought to myself, That’s the genuine article right there. There’s no stopping that dude,” Gyllenhaal recalls of Ahmed’s audition. “I adore him and adore working with him.”

(The two reconnected in 2018’s acclaimed, if little-seen, “The Sisters Brothers.”)

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Ahmed says that seizing the opportunity to change the circumstances of his career goes back to that practice of surrender.

“I had to fly myself to L.A. for the callback, and that was, like, half of what I had in my bank [account]. So I had to bet on myself,” he remembers. “Those times are scary, and they can be really dark. But what I found, weirdly, is [in] those times when you’re reminded that you don’t control anything, there’s a creative breakthrough just on the other side of it. It’s that surrender; being reminded that you’re not in control is the artist’s greatest superpower.”

In addition to notching an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay and a Golden Globe nomination for Gyllenhaal’s performance, “Nightcrawler” earned Ahmed his first Film Independent Spirit Award nod and finally established his stateside staying power. He spent the next two years preparing for and filming “The Night Of,” this time starring John Turturro.

“A big part of the story of ‘The Night Of’ ​ was our connection, this intrinsic connection, and I think we just had that because we both approach things a certain way,” Turturro says of Ahmed. “He was really all-in; I saw him suffer [and] change his body. He’s very smart, he’s a real hard worker, [and] he’s got a lot of 03.25.21 BACKSTAGE

things he wants to say about where he’s from and how he looks—his cultural background.

He has a hunger to express himself…. I tip my hat to him.”

Today, Ahmed says the ways in which he expresses himself through his work differ from project to project, but he cites “The Night Of” as a turning point in that process.

“It’s kind of hard to describe, but I think I started exploring meditation more, and relaxation more, rather than text,” he explains. “And then after ‘Sisters Brothers,’ I feel like I hit another wall there, and I realized I needed to bring more of myself to my work, rather than box myself into the parameters of research.”

No matter the job, Ahmed’s three pillars to building a performance remain the same: his mind, his body, and his heart.

Step No. 1 is to “break it down with your mind—do the homework, do the research, understand what’s happening.” That means understanding the basics of each scene while being “careful not to allow that framework and those framing devices to limit it and put it in a box.”

No. 2 is to “put it in your body—dance it, shout it, sing it. Really work it out. Do it wrong. Let it do you. Let it do your body.”

That’s paired with hours of research, self-recording, and exploring a role’s physicality.

No. 3, he says, is “your heart, which is really about doing a little bit of digging within yourself, allowing the character to be that shovel that allows you to dig a bit deeper.” You must also situate the material in a reason for doing it at your current time and place. “What can you bring of your life and what can you bring of yourself to this that will be healing to you, and also be healing to others who see you in this?”

That third pillar, in particular, is on full display in “Sound of Metal,” perhaps Ahmed’s most demanding—and, in many ways, most personal—performance to date. He stars as Ruben, a heavy metal drummer and recovering addict who, after losing his ability to hear, checks himself into a rehabilitation center for the deaf, where he learns to grapple with his life anew. It’s now nominated for six Oscars, including best picture.

“There is a rarified group of actors who have the ability to play almost any character.

Riz is a shape-shifter,” Marder says of directing Ahmed, who also executive produced the project. Theirs was a tight, emotionally and physically demanding 25-day shoot.

Not only did the actor learn how to play the drums and communicate in American Sign Language before filming, but Marder enthuses, “He has the profound ability to access emotional specificity and nuance of character even when it would appear the furthest from his own experience.

“I once heard someone describe actors as having a garden of emotional truths that they can pull from. Riz’s garden is extremely expansive,” Marder continues. “He is the very rare talent who’s able to draw from vast, BACKSTAGE 03.25.21

perhaps infinite, varieties of truths that actually live within him and become alive and electric in his performances.”

Gyllenhaal echoes the sentiment.

“I believe freedom is on the other side of discipline; Riz is the personification of this idea,” he says. “He comes prepared, beyond.

Also, he’s obviously a wonderful lyricist and musician; I have always felt that a scene has the same elements as a piece of music—structure, rhythm, melody—and Riz approaches a scene he’s in like a gifted musician. He has studied, practiced, and has a thousand interpretations on hand…. Moreover, he is looking to learn, always—an intellectual.”

Next, Ahmed is starring in Michael Pearce’s sci-fi alien thriller “Invasion” with Octavia Spencer, which is wrapped and in post-production. Via his Left Handed Films,

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which just signed a first-look TV production deal with Amazon Studios, he hopes to continue amplifying the stories he wants to tell while also helping others tell theirs.

“I want to work with and empower and collaborate with some of these amazing, bold new voices that are coming up. People like Bassam Tariq, [who] made ‘Mogul Mowgli,’ or helping someone tell stories like ‘Flee,’ [Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s] animated documentary that just won at Sundance. Stuff that’s stretching culture a little bit.”

As far as the advice he’d leave young actors and creators hoping to make their voices heard, he says, simply, to “trust yourself, breathe, and surrender.”

“When you open yourself up like that and you breathe, you find it’s all there, all right there, if you can just ride the wave.”

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little-budget feature with credit cards or however you do it, you get into a festival like Sundance, you sell it to a [studio like] Searchlight, and your career is launched. That trajectory, which still exists, back then was the dominant [method]—what everyone aspired to. Now, it’s much broader. We’re supporting people who are forgoing that route and are going straight into doing episodic work, whether it’s for Netflix or Amazon, or are creating it totally independently on their own and then selling it, or people who are going into VR and gaming but have a background in original visual storytelling.

The other thing is [that] we are a community organization.

Unlike the Academy [of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences] or certain other organizations that are very selective and you have to be invited to join, Film Independent—we’re open access. Anyone can join, whether you’re a filmmaker or a film lover.

Indie Indeed

The 101 on Film Independent courtesy of its president, Josh Welsh

ILLUSTRATION: IAN ROBINSON; PHOTOGRAPH: JOE SEER/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

By Jack Smart FILM INDEPENDENT IS MORE THAN JUST THE ORGANIZATION BEHIND THE SPIRIT AWARDS, THE hippest beachside ceremony of each awards season. Founded by Gregory Nava, Anna Thomas, and other Los Angeles filmmakers looking to connect potential screen collaborators, the nonprofit first known as the Independent Feature Project/West has grown to include a global membership of around 8,000. This “organization by filmmakers, for filmmakers,” as FI President Josh Welsh calls it, is designed to foster and champion cinematic visions outside of the big-budget studio system.

Membership is available for a small yearly fee. It includes access to programs including Film Independent Presents, which offers year-round screenings; Artist Development labs, for selected filmmakers looking to produce their work; Project Involve, which offers hands-on filmmaking experience to underrepresented communities in entertainment; and networking events. Members also vote for the Spirit Awards; this year’s ceremony will be hosted on April 22 by Melissa Villaseñor. Welsh, a former actor who began as a Film Independent volunteer almost 20 years ago, sat with Backstage to discuss the nonprofit’s mission and programming, and to offer advice for filmmakers at any career level.

What does your work as president of Film Independent entail?

My role is running the organization [and] working with the staff and the board.

It’s a lot of fundraising—both pre-pandemic and definitely during—and managing the

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finances. And the Spirit Awards is our big tentpole event every year, where we celebrate the best of independent film.

What is at the core of Film Independent?

Our mission is quite simple: We

champion creative independence in visual storytelling. We support a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision.

In the early days, the term was “independent film.” The model was: You make your

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What advice do you have for early career film artists?

Be kind to yourself. It’s so hard just being a creative. Whether you’re an actor or writer or director, it’s brutal, it’s so competitive…. It’s a marathon; it takes years. The funny thing with independent film is you have these people who are perceived as an overnight success and, more often than not, that is not the case; they’ve been working for years.

And I would say: Join Film Independent. Join other organizations like it. You can’t underestimate the value of that.

It’s like a social community that you can be part of, and it’s fun.

There are parties, there are screenings, there are conferences that you can take advantage of.

You don’t know what’s going to come of it. I’ve seen countless examples…. The year that Chloé Zhao won a Spirit Award for her film “The Rider,” Frances McDormand was there with “Three Billboards [Outside Ebbing, Missouri].” They had a meeting immediately after the Spirit Awards where they came up with “Nomadland.” You never know.

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

Submit a Notice |

New York Tristate Plays ‘Merry Wives’

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for “Merry Wives.”

• Theater states: “The Public Theater is

committed to inclusive casting. For ‘Merry Wives,’ we are aggressively seeking actors of all abilities; disabled and non-disabled. All actors must have a facility with classical text, dialects and accents. Except where noted, we are particularly interested in dialects and accents connected to the most commonly spoken languages of West Africa.”

• Company: New York Shakespeare

Festival. Staff: William Shakespeare, playwright; Jocelyn Bioh, adaptation; Saheem Ali, dir.; Jordan Thaler, dir. of casting; Heidi Griffiths, dir. of casting; Kate Murray, casting dir.; Chalin Tulyathan, casting assoc.

• Rehearsals begin May 31; runs July

5-Aug. 30. Note: We are currently planned for a hybrid, at least in Week 1, of online and indoors and we are then planning for the remainder or rehearsals to be indoors. Traditionally, tech is the first time that we move outdoors.

• Seeking—Falstaff: male, 40+, Black /

African Descent, the only native New Yorker in this community. Much more taken with himself than anyone else is.

Bigger than life physically and in every other way too. A con-artist and thief with no money but plenty of plans to get some. He has a dazzling wit and can talk his way out of almost every situation and enjoys the sound of his own voice a lot. His main purpose in life is to indulge himself on food, booze and chasing women for which he needs money. He has no doubt of his attractiveness to women and intends to use his powers of seduction to get his hands on their husband’s cash. His vanity and outrageousness are only redeemed by a brilliant sense of humor and an ability to laugh at himself. A role for a master comic actor with great physical and verbal comedic skill.

Madam Nkechi Ford: female, 40+, Black / African Descent, West African

BACKSTAGE 03.25.21

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.

New Yorker. Strong and independent which definitely has its challenges being the wife of a fiercely jealous husband. A great sense of ironic humor and resilience. She and her bestie, Ekua, are always the smartest people in the room and when she discovers an opportunity to outwit the men by humiliating one and proving herself to be a loyal and loving wife to the other, teaching her husband and Falstaff a lesson at the same time, it is just too good to pass up. And having a good time while doing it with a friend makes it all the more fun! You wouldn’t want to try and cross her or doubt her. Madam Ekua Page: female, 40+, Black / African Descent, West African New Yorker. BFF to Nkechi Ford. Funny. Smart. At first astounded and infuriated to be hit on, totally out of the blue, by Falstaff but once she realizes Nkechi has received the same seductive letter, it’s “Game On”. She is trusted and loved by her husband. A real talent for convincingly playing a role and doesn’t realize that she has passed it on to her young daughter who has learned a lot from her mother about how to make mischief and make a situation go the way she wants it to while having a lot of fun doing it. A good troublemaker with an excellent poker face. Mister Nduka Ford: 40+, Black / African Descent, West African New Yorker. Husband to Nkechi. He’s got status and money as well as respect from his friends and neighbors, but he has also got an almost pathological case of jealousy.

He’ll go to any lengths, including making a total fool of himself bydisguising himself, in order to try to discover from Falstaff whether he is right to be as paranoid as he is. The terror of his wife being unfaithful pushes him into wilder and wilder behavior. Not someone whodoes anything halfway. Manically driven. Turns himself into a pretzel to the point of ridiculousness. A role for a master comic actor with enormous energy as well as great physical and verbal comedic skill. Mister Kwame Page: 40+, Black / African Descent, West African New Yorker. Husband to Ekua. Father to Anne. An easier going guy than his friend Nduka. Good natured. Trusting. Enjoys a good laugh.

In comparison to Ford, he looks like “Husband of the Year”, but he has other problems. He has money but isn’t financially ambitious, especially for his daughter, who he just wants to find a good, solid match for and is dismissive of the match she wants for herself.

Casting picks of the week

BY LISA HAMIL

stage

‘Merry Wives’ Step into this updated NYC version of the Shakespeare classic

tv

‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ Turn back the clock in NYC in this HBO series

commercials

Printer Company Commercial Craft a photo album with your child in the SF Bay area, CA

stage

‘Shoot Me When’ Get out your guns in this San Francisco, CA Equity production

commercials

Remote Spot For Popular Mother’s Day Brand Celebrate your mom in this remote shoot in NY

Follows his wife’s advice in most things but when he tries to act behind her back, he is finally taught a lesson by his daughter. A decent man who is very comfortable in his own skin. Mama Quickly: 40+, Black / African Descent, West African New Yorker. Works for Dr. Caius and as everyone else’s messenger. She speaks English, it’s just that she mistakes a lot of what she hears and has a tenuous grasp of which are the right words to use. A rowdy and rebellious spirit who has a great knack for placing herself right in the center of the action. A go-between for hire for seemingly everyone, she doesn’t really care who she helps as long as she gets paid. A role for a master comic actor with great physical and verbal comedic

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skill. Anne Page: female, 20-29, Black / African Descent, West African New Yorker. Daughter to Ekua and Kwame Page. The ultimate bachelorette. Anne is the object of a lot of people’s attention and in the case of the men, one is more ridiculous than the next. She’s clever and certainly smarter than any of them (although that wouldn’t take much) but puts up with them, with the gift of a dry sense of humor. She’s not interested in any of her parents’ choices for her and hopes to gain their approval for Fenton, who she loves. A strong sense of agency despite her dutiful outward behavior. Doctor Caius: male, 40+, Black / African Descent, Senegalese New Yorker. A French speaking West African physician who is not fully in command of English and speaks with a very heavy French accent. Short tempered. Easily offended. Could use a session or two in an anger management class. Trying to woo Anne Page, supported by her mother, and doesn’t want to see anyone else moving in on her. Respected as the local doctor despite his irritable ways. A role for a master comic actor with great physical and verbal comedic skill. Shallow: male, 50+, Black / African Descent, West African New Yorker. A respected elder in the community who loves any chance to remind anyone and everyone of his social status. As a Justice of the Peace, he is seen by community members as a local judge, if also somewhat a little foolish. He hopes to get his nephew, Slender, married to Anne Page and at times takes over the courtship himself as his nephew is helpless at doing the job for himself. He thinks he is much cleverer than he actually is. Pastor Evans: male, 18+, Black / African Descent, West African New Yorker. As the local clergyman and teacher in the church school, he likes to be the neighborhood peace-broker.

A teacher who loves precise language and also correcting people when they screw up. Although they perceive him to be a bit of an outsider, he loves being involved and smack in the middle of the day-to-day lives of the people in the neighborhood. Tries to help Slender woo Anne Page which doesn ’t help him make friends with Dr. Caius. Smart if a bit befuddled. Fenton: female, 20-39, Black / African Descent, West African New Yorker. A rich girl who seems to have spent it all. She’s got a bit of a wild past and was originally attracted to Anne when she found out that the family had money but then genuinely fell in backstage.com

New York Tristate casting

love with her and wants to marry her although she doesn’t have her parents’ support because they think she is a gold digger. This role doubles with Simple. To be played as a man. Works for Slender. He’s a hardworking guy who has to put up with a lot from his witless boss. Slender: male, 20-39, Black / African Descent, West African New Yorker. Shallows’ nephew. Totally lost in the sauce. Rich but hapless and definitely not the sharpest tool in the kit. He relies on his uncle for everything which is a huge problem since his uncle is not much more with it than he is. Has zero idea how to talk to women and is unable to say anything but nonsense.

This role doubles with Pistol. His name says it all. A questionable character who hangs around with Falstaff. Willing to make trouble and talk smack to just about anyone who is willing to listen.

Female Understudy 1: 18+, experienced in handling classical text to understudy principal roles. To cover the following roles. Madam Page, Anne Page, Fenton.

Female Understudy 2: female, 18+, experienced in handling classical text to understudy principal roles. To cover the following roles. Madam Ford, Mama Quickly. Male Understudy 1: male, 18+, experienced in handling classical text to understudy principal roles. To cover the following roles. Mister Ford, Mister Page, Slender. Male Understudy 2: male, 18+, experienced in handling classical text to understudy principal roles.

To cover the following roles. Falstaff, Doctor Caius, Pastor Evans, Shallow.

Musicals

• Send submissions to aphasiacast-

• Send submissions to Jmurray1@Pride.

Bay Street Theater 2021 Season

• Read the script with a focus on pages 5

through 8. Auditions will take place Mar. 30 via Zoom.

• Include headshot and reel if you have

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for 2021 Season. Season includes: “The World Goes ‘Round” (John Kander, music; Fred Ebb, lyrics.

Rehearsals begin June 22; runs July 6-25); “Working” (Studs Terkel, book; Stephan Schwartz and Nina Faso, adaptation; Gordon Greenberg, additional material; Craig Carnela, Micki Grant, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rodgers and Susan Birkenhead, Stephen Schwartz and James Taylor, songs. Rehearsals begin July 13; runs July 28-Aug. 15); and “Camelot” (Alan Jay Lerner, book & lyrics; Frederick Loewe, music. Rehearsals begin Aug. 3; runs Aug. 18-Sept. 5).

• Company: Bay Street Theater. Staff:

Scott Schwartz, artistic dir.; Will Pomerantz, assoc. artistic dir.; John Sullivan, assoc. prod.-company mgr.

• All shows will rehearse and perform live

June 24-Sept. 5, 2021 in Sag Harbor NY. Performances will be in an outdoor tent venue with limited seating capacity. Bay Street Theater will meet and exceed all requirements and be in full compliance for reopening with all Equity and State of New York requirements.

• Seeking—Equity Actors: 18+, all

ethnicities.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, for your video audi-

tion prepare a contemporary monologue and choose 16 bars of music using your own accompaniment or use the accompaniment provide on the provided weblink provided below. Slate your name and the name of your audition piece. Include picture & resume attached to email. All submissions should be sent to www.baystreet.org/ page/2021-season- lort-epa-bay-streettheater/. Submissions deadline is Mar. 29.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, prepare video audi-

tion of a brief classical comedic monologue, preferably Shakespeare (use the opportunity to exhibit skills with the accents as described for the characters) and submit at https://airtable. com/shrRwiq4hS1nDIqmH. Submissions deadline is Mar. 30.

• The Public Theater is committed to

ensuring a safe return to theatrical production and to complying with state and local guidelines in addition to sector-specific parameters. The health and safety of all of our artists, staff, audiences, and the city is paramount to The Public.

• Pays $899/wk. Equity LORT Non-Rep

Agreement.

Student Films

• Safety guidelines have been developed

by the Public’s Onsite Safety and COVID-19 Compliance team in ongoing dialogue with those with expertise in institutional infection control practices, infectious diseases, and community health to ensure compliance with all state and local health guidelines, and to augment working practices during rehearsals, tech, and performances to minimize risk of SARS-CoV2 transmission among actors, crew, and other theater professionals. Safety measures may include but are not limited to social/physical distancing per CDC recommendations, mandatory COVID-19 testing at regular intervals, daily asymptomatic screening, mandatory use of PPE per CDC recommendation and an agreement to abide by community health pledge for the duration of the production (including rehearsals and tech).

‘Aphasia’

Contract.

• Seeking submissions from NY.

• Casting “Aphasia,” an experimental

short film for the Intermediate Narrative course at NYU. Synopsis: Aphasia follows Hayden as he searches through his subconscious for the memory/image of his brother’s face.

• Non-paying, food, coffee, and a copy of

the film will be provided. If cast members are union the producer will apply for a Student/Short Film agreement with SAG-AFTRA.

‘Beating Blind’

• Casting “Beating Blind,” a short follow-

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

• Company: Hofstra University. Staff:

Matthew Mayer, student; Justin Murray, prod.

• Shoots one day the weekend of Apr.

10-11 in either New York or New Jersey.

• Seeking—Otto: male, 30-60, White /

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

• Seeking submissions from NY and NJ.

Hofstra.edu. one.

• Meals and travel expenses will be cov-

ered on day of shoot.

‘Eyes’

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

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

• Company: Independent. Staff: Adrian

Kader, dir.; Shuni Chopra Dhar, prod.; George Du, DP. • Shoots in mid-May (May 14-16) in the

NYC area.

• Seeking—Paul: male, 22-27, a lonely

medical student with an affinity towards opthamology - the study of the eye; he is a nerd deep down, specifically into mythology; but tries to play it cool in front of his new girlfriend Anya; he is totally infatuated with her (and her eyes), and turns anxious and disturbed when he senses her disinterest. Anya: female, 22-27, a photographer and aspiring artist; she loves to try and see the world from unique, exciting points of view; for this reason she is interested in a variety of people - she doesn’t see Paul as

INCOME TAX SERVICE FOR THEATER PROS Attorney; Juilliard graduate; former Local 802 member; over 30 years of experience Professional expertise at rates that recognize Covid-19’s impact on the theater industry

• Staff: Spencer Hillman, writer-dir.;

Rachel Cheung, prod.; Clint Pang, DP.

• Shoots Apr. 17 between 7-10 p.m. at an

Upper East Side Art Gallery in NYC.

• Seeking—Sarah: female, 25-32, seek-

ing actors able to portray: Sarah: female lead; a painter aged 25-35.

Hayden seeks out Sarah to find answers in relation to his brother’s suicide; Sarah is enigmatic with melancholic eyes; she is just as broken as Hayden, searching for answers with none to be found; her grief has overwhelmed her to a point where she feels almost empty inside, although she hopes to regain a sense of peace.

• Pays $1008/wk. Equity LORT B Non-Rep

backstage.com

ing17@gmail.com.

19

03.25.21 BACKSTAGE

Call now; then scan or mail your information to save time and stay safe; we can “meet” by phone or on Zoom

Don Aibel, Esq. 145 West 57th St, 10th floor New York, NY 10019 (212) 765-7532 Fax: (201) 767-5583 don@aibeltax.com

casting New York Tristate a long term, committed relationship; Anya has beautiful, striking eyes that Paul is obsessed with.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to adskader@gmail.

com.

• Meals, transportation, and any accom-

modation will be covered by production.

‘Only Child’

• Casting “Only Child,” an NYU graduate

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

• Company: NYU Tisch. Staff: Carlos

Cagin, dir.

• Shoots Mar. 27-29 in NYC. • Seeking—Ash: male, lead; 10-14 to

play 12; embarrassed that he still sleeps in his parents room; discovers a text on his dad’s phone and just wants to know the “truth” about his parents’ relationship; self-reflective; reserved; observant; sensitive. This role is really about watching, listening and wondering; first round of auditions will be done through self-tapes; do one take to introduce yourself and tell us about a time that you really wanted to know something, but weren’t sure how to ask, be free and use the opportunity to tell us about yourself; five min max per tape.

Required media: headshot/photo; self-tape. Cheryl: female, supporting; 30s-50s; a mother who knows she agreed to a complicated marriage but can’t help but be hurt by it and worries how it might affect her son. First round of auditions will be done through self-tapes; tell us about a time you knew something about a person and weren’t sure whether or not to share it with someone you love, you don’t have to divulge the secret, but tell us why you chose to tell or not tell the person. Required media: headshot/photo; self-tape. David: male, 34-50, supporting; 30s-50s; male; a father who deeply loves his family and tries to keep his sexual proclivities private; as his secret starts to come out, he only suppresses it deeper. First round of auditions will be done through self-tapes; do one take introducing yourself, and tell us about a time you’ve kept a secret about yourself from someone you love, you don’t have to divulge the secret, but tell us why you chose to share or not share it with that person. Required media: headshot/photo; self-tape • Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to carlos.cagin@nyu.

edu.

• Self-taping required to audition.

• No pay.

BACKSTAGE 03.25.21

‘The Funeral’

genders, 18-30, all ethnicities, 18+ to play high school students; shoots in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area. Actors to Play Strung Out, Skinny, Junkies: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, shoots March/April in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens.

Breakdancers with Experience: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, shoots in March/April 2021 in NYC, Queens, Brooklyn. 1960’s Car Owners: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, only submit if you own a 1980s vehicle and available to work in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area.

Street Musician With Own Instrument: 18+, all ethnicities, note what type of instrument you play in your submission. Shoots in the NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area.

• Casting “The Funeral,” for NYU.

Synopsis: Daisy and Ivy steal and play with their grandfather’s army medal at his funeral in an effort to avoid dealing with his death.

• Company: NYU Grad Film. Staff: Nada

Bedair, dir.; Aliea Clark, prod.

• Shoots Apr. 5-7 in East Village,

Manhattan. Note: One rehearsal day will be held in advance of the shoot.

• Seeking—Ivy: female, 7-13, all ethnici-

ties, Daisy’s precocious cousin who helps steal a memento of their grandfathers’ which they (respectfully) play with - remembering him in their own way. Daisy: female, 7-13, all ethnicities, Ivy’s cousin who follows her cousins’ lead in steal a memento of their grandfathers’ which they (respectfully) play with - remembering him in their own way. Mother: female, 35-60, all ethnicities, ideally the mother of Ivy or Daisy, who notices that the girls stole the trophy and gently scolds them.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Submit recent photos, and selfies to

romancandlebg@gmail.com. Have sizes ready.

• Pays SAG-AFTRA day rates. COVID test-

ing provided.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, submit a headshot to

‘The Time Traveler’s Wife,’ Acting Double

• Reimbursement for travel within reason

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

nadabedairproduction@gmail.com. and meals during production.

• Seeking an acting double for ongoing

• Company: Grant Wilfley Casting. Staff:

Melissa Braun, casting dir.

Scripted TV & Video

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

Staff: Todd Feldman, casting dir.

White / European Descent, acting double to perform opposite series lead on HBO’s “The Time Traveler’s Wife.”

Seeking actor to double white male, 6’ tall, brown hair, fit build, 20-45 age range. Ongoing work throughout the season. Shoots May-Sept. in NYC. SAGAFTRA Principal Contract.

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

com.

‘Black Gumball’ Season 2

• Casting various roles in season two of

“Black Gumball,” a Netflix series.

• Company: Roman Candle Casting.

• Shoot dates TBD in NYC. Mostly evening

• Seeking—Actors with 1980s Hair

Styles or Timeless Styles, Nothing Too Modern: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, shoots March-April 2021.

1980’S Car Owners: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, only submit is you own a 1980s vehicle and available to work in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area.

Hungarian Tourist Types: all genders, 18+, White / European Descent, Works April 2021 in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area. Actors with Cool Hair Styles: 18+, with cool hair styles like mohawks, colored hair, shaved sides etc.; shoots March/April 2021. Squash Players with Experience: all genders, 18+, note your skill level in your submission. Children Ages 0-17: all genders, 0-17, all ethnicities, available for shoot in March/April in NYC. Must be comfortable with COVID testing. Actors to Play Pregnant Women: all genders, 25-45, all ethnicities, if you are pregnant, note how far along in your application.

Hippie Women Types: female, 18+, all ethnicities, shoots March/April in NYC. Athletic Fit Gym Types: 18-45, all ethnicities, shoots March/April in NYC and Brooklyn. Real EMTs with Experience: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, shoots March/April in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens area. Actors to Play Goth Types: 18+, all ethnicities, with your own Goth attire and style/make-up. Actors 18+ to Play Young High School Types: all

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

• Photo doubles are paid at SAG-AFTRA

scale. Acting doubles are on SAGAFTRA Principal Contract.

Untitled Netflix Series

• Casting various background roles for

untitled Netflix series.

• Company: Roman Candle Casting.

Staff: Todd Feldman, CD.

• Shoots TBD dates (March/April) in the

NYC area.

• Seeking—Eccentric Artist Types - With

Cool Styles / Cool Hair, Etc- Mohawks, Colored Hair, Shaved Sides, Etc Filming Mar/ April 2021: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities, upload recent selfie to profile so casting can see your current looks. New Born Babies - Approx 0-3 Months, 9-11lbs - Filming in NYC, BK Queens, Staten Island: all genders, 0+, White / European Descent, send to anyone you know with a baby that matches the description. They can email submissions to rccopencall@ gmail.com. Subject line “Baby Casting.”

Include recent photo, Baby Name, DOB, height and weight, parent name and number.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Apply on Backstage.com.

• Recent photos only. Selfies are great.

Casting does not submit headshots to directors.

• SAG project. Nonunion roles and SAG

waivers if eligible.

20

National Commercials ‘Final Expense’ Commercial

• Casting three roles in “Final Expense,”

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

• Company: Maverick Media Group.

Staff: Jared C., coord.

• Half day shoot TBD in Fairfield County,

CT.

• Seeking—Father: 50-65, Black /

African Descent. Son: male, 30-45, Black / African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial. Daughter: female, 30-45, Black / African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial.

• Seeking submissions from CT. • Send submissions to jaredcass679@

yahoo.com.

• Include any relevant work.

• Open to negotiations regarding pay.

Remote Spot For Popular Mother’s Day Brand

• Casting an at-home interview shoot for

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

• Company: Filmkraft. Staff: Paloma

Veinstein, casting dir.

• Remote interviews will be scheduled

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

• Seeking—Delighted Mom: female,

33+, you are a real-life super-hero AKA a mom; any kind of mom : older mom, mom of a big family, hard-working mom; for Mother’s Day, you deserve a good gift; and this year, you got one.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Apply on Backstage.com.

• In your note, include your location and

availability over the next two weeks.

Also, submit a 30-second self-tape video where you tell about your favorite Mother’s Day memory.

• Pays $800 for Session fee plus Social

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

Online Commercials & Promos Healthcare Tech Company Video

• Casting a video for a healthcare tech

company.

• Company: Blurry + Hinge. Staff: Daniel

Bellury, prod.-dir.

• Shoots in NYC and the surrounding

area.

backstage.com

California casting

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

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

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

nge.com.

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

USA Today Branded Content • Seeking authentic parent/child duo

with an interesting student loan story for branded content video.

• Production states: “In partnership with

a national advertiser, we will be shooting a video that shares one parent/child duo’s student loan journey. How did the parent help their child understand their budget for higher ed? How did this inform their decision of a school, major and career path? How did they help them take out loans to pay for school?

How did they help them understand the repayment process? We’ll interview both parent and child (ideally father/ son, as mother/daughter has been covered) to learn about their higher education experience and how student loans and parental support made it possible.”

• Company: Gannett, Inc. (USA Today).

Staff: Dominic Galeano, visuals prod.

• Shoots TBD date in NY. • Seeking—Parent: male, 30+, all ethnici-

ties, parent/child duo with an interesting student loan story for branded content video. Parent should ideally be a father, have some expertise in financial space. Child should be a current student or recent graduate (if alumni, ideally with job in their field). Mother/ son or father/daughter duos will be considered, too. Child: all genders, 18-38, all ethnicities, parent/child duo with an interesting student loan story for branded content video. Parent should ideally be a father, have some expertise in financial space. Child should be a current student or recent graduate (if alumni, ideally with job in their field). Mother/son or father/ daughter duos will be considered, too.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • Send submissions to dgaleano@usato-

day.com.

• For consideration, submit headshots of

you and your child. Note: This is a “real people” casting, not an acting job.

Submissions that do not match the specs will not be considered.

• Pay provided.

Stage Staff & Tech Bay Street Theater 2021 Season, Stage Manager

• Seeking Equity stage managers for

2021 Season. Season includes: “The World Goes ‘Round” (John Kander, music; Fred Ebb, lyrics. Rehearsals begin June 22; runs July 6-25); “Working” (Studs Terkel, book; backstage.com

Stephan Schwartz and Nina Faso, adaptation; Gordon Greenberg, additional material; Craig Carnela, Micki Grant, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rodgers and Susan Birkenhead, Stephen Schwartz and James Taylor, songs. Rehearsals begin July 13; runs July 28-Aug. 15); and “Camelot” (Alan Jay Lerner, book & lyrics; Frederick Loewe, music. Rehearsals begin Aug. 3; runs Aug. 18-Sept. 5).

munity health pledge for the duration of the production (including rehearsals and tech).

• Pays $1202/wk. Equity LORT B Non-Rep

Contract.

Southern California

• Company: Bay Street Theater. Staff:

Scott Schwartz, artistic dir.; Will Pomerantz, assoc. artistic dir.; John Sullivan, assoc. prod.-company mgr.

Grijalva’s filmed play, “Shoot Me When.”

Synopsis: When Jackie’s health takes a turn for the worse, her daughters take her to Tahoe for one last romp.

Everything is going perfectly until Jackie picks up a lonely widower at a casino bar, shaking up the party and her own future plans.

• Company: San Francisco Playhouse.

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

• Rehearsal begin Mar. 30 via Zoom; in-

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

Plays

• All shows will rehearse and perform live

June 24-Sept. 5, 2021 in Sag Harbor NY. Performances will be in an outdoor tent venue with limited seating capacity. Bay Street Theater will meet and exceed all requirements and be in full compliance for reopening with all Equity and State of New York requirements.

San Francisco Playhouse 2020-21 Season

• Seeking video submissions from diverse

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

• Seeking—Equity Stage Manager: 18+.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, submit materials to

www.baystreet.org/page/2021-seasonlort-epa-bay-street-theater/ Click on the provided link on the webpage to submit your resume and cover letter.

Submissions deadline is Mar. 29.

• Pays $1077/wk. Equity LORT Non-Rep

Contract.

‘Merry Wives,’ Stage Manager

• Company: San Francisco Playhouse.

Staff: Laura Espino, casting dir.

• Seeking Equity stage managers for

• “Shoot Me When” Rehearsals begin

“Merry Wives.”

Mar. 30 via Zoom; in-person tech/film week begins Apr. 20; streams May 1-22.

• Company: New York Shakespeare

Festival. Staff: William Shakespeare, playwright; Jocelyn Bioh, adaptation; Saheem Ali, dir.

• Seeking—Jackie: female, 60+, all eth-

• Seeking—Stage Manager: 18+.

• Seeking submissions from NY. • For consideration, email resumes to

nicities, lover of life and all its pleasures.

Hater of death and all its indignities.

Dynamic individual. Len: male, 60+, all ethnicities, lover of law and all its order.

Hater of secrets and all their lies.

Aw-shucks gentleman first, former Douglas County Sheriff second. Ariel: female, 40+, hater of complication and all it’s taken from her. Jackie’s daughter and caretaker. Gabrielle: female, 35+, all ethnicities, lover of freedom and all its possibilities. Hater of rules and all their caprice. World traveler first.

• The Public Theater is committed to

house.org.

• Rehearsals begin on or about May 31;

runs July 5-Aug. 30. Note: We are currently planned for a hybrid, at least in Week 1, of online and indoors and we are then planning for the remainder or rehearsals to be indoors. Traditionally, tech is the first time that we move outdoors.

maxwellfriedman@publictheater.org.

Submissions deadline is Mar. 30.

• Seeking submissions from CA. • Send submissions to lespino@sfplay-

ensuring a safe return to theatrical production and to complying with state and local guidelines in addition to sector-specific parameters. Safety guidelines have been developed by the Public’s Onsite Safety and COVID19 Compliance team in ongoing dialogue with those with expertise in institutional infection control practices, infectious diseases, and community health to ensure compliance with all state and local health guidelines, and to augment working practices during rehearsals, tech, and performances to minimize risk of SARS-CoV2 transmission among actors, crew, and other theater professionals. Safety measures may include but are not limited to social/ physical distancing per CDC recommendations, mandatory COVID-19 testing at regular intervals, daily asymptomatic screening, mandatory use of PPE per CDC recommendation and an agreement to abide by com-

• For consideration, submit an audition

video of up to three minutes consisting of one or two contrasting monologues to lespino@sfplayhouse.org. Test your video to make sure it works. MP4 videos or a link to any video platform (e.g.

Vimeo, Dropbox, YouTube). No password protected files. Submissions deadline is Mar. 26.

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

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.

• Pays $753/wk. Equity Bay Area Theatre

Tier 5 Agreement.

‘Shoot Me When’

• Seeking video submissions from Equity

actors for the world premiere of Ruben

21

• Seeking—Jackie: female, 60+, all eth-

nicities, lover of life and all its pleasures.

Hater of death and all its indignities.

Dynamic individual. Len: male, 60+, all ethnicities, lover of law and all its order.

Hater of secrets and all their lies.

Aw-shucks gentleman first, former Douglas County Sheriff second. Ariel: female, 40+, all ethnicities, hater of complication and all it’s taken from her.

Jackie’s daughter and caretaker.

Gabrielle: female, 35+, all ethnicities, lover of freedom and all its possibilities.

Hater of rules and all their caprice.

World traveler first.

• Seeking submissions from CA. • For consideration, submit a video audi-

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

• Pays $753/wk. Equity Bay Area Theatre

Tier 5 Agreement.

Student Films ‘The Winner’

• Casting “The Winner,” a drama/horror

short Chapman University student film.

Synopsis: A late 50’s ex-beauty pageant/ shampoo mogul berates her younger self on the TV when rewatching her Miss America win, only to realize her younger self can berate back. Covid testing required.

• Company: Chapman University Dodge

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

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

ethnicities, ages 18-25, all ethnicities; early 20’s, polished, brutally ambitious and critical, especially toward herself, but hides behind a presentation of sweetness and kindness; she has her life meticulously planned out with intense expectations for herself to inspire other little girls and become a CEO. Barb: female, 44-70, all ethnicities, disillusioned shampoo mogul business woman and ex-beauty pageant winner; she’s obsessed with saving her looks, power-hungry, and takes joy in bringing down others to make herself feel higher.

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

03.25.21 BACKSTAGE

casting National/Regional The Host: male, 26-62, the sexist host of a 70’s beauty pageant. He’s an older guy, who thinks he’s a charmer, but really just puts all the women in the pageant on edge. Lots of personality.

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

man.edu.

• Credit, copy, meal and gas comp.

provided.

Stage Staff & Tech

son. She is excited to go, but conflicted about leaving her mom alone.

Friend: all genders, 18-21, all ethnicities, Carrie’s friend who is going to college with her, there with a truck to pick Carrie up.

San Francisco Playhouse 2020-21 Season, Stage Manager

• Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com.

• In your cover letter, note your availabil-

• Seeking Stage managers for the 2020-21

ity around the weekend of Apr. 17-18.

San Francisco Playhouse season, including the world premiere of “Shoot Me When,” commissioned by SF Playhouse, future readings, and future productions.

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

• One meal and $100 for a 6 hr. shoot, for

all actors.

Scripted TV & Video HBO’s ‘Insecure’

• Casting the fifth and final season of

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

• Company: DD Casting. Staff: Deedee

Ricketts, casting dir.

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

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

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

gmail.com.

• Hiring local talent only.

• SAG-AFTRA scale for union. Nonunion:

$120/8 hrs.

Spec Commercials Mother’s Day Short

• Casting a spec drama commercial in

anticipation of Mother’s day.

• Company: Socks and Sandals. Staff:

Joshua Kellerman, dir.

• Shoots TBD date (one day shoot) in the

Bay Area, most likely Fremont.

• Actors must live in the Bay Area and

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

• Seeking—Mom: female, 45-55, all

ethnicities, a mom whose daughter is leaving her both an empty nester and and empty-houser after the COVID-19 pandemic. She is very resistant to her daughter leaving.It would be great if you have any old Hi-8 footage of you and your old boyfriend / husband doing fun and adventurous stuff in a tropical setting. Carrie (Daughter): female, 17-20, all ethnicities, a teen who has done her first year of school online. Her dad passed away from COVID, but she is preparing to leave her mom alone in the house and go to her sophomore year of college in perVISIT BACKSTAGE.COM/CASTING for full character breakdowns, script sides, and more casting notices

BACKSTAGE 03.25.21

Online Commercials & Promos

• Unpaid. Contracts TBD.

‘Phantasmagoria’

• Casting a short voiceover for

Tier 5 Agreement.

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

‘Shoot Me When,’ Stage Manager

Rachel Cheung and Elenore Wang, prods.

• Company: San Francisco Playhouse.

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

• Rehearsal begin Mar. 30 via Zoom; in-

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

• Seeking—Stage Manager: 18+.

• Seeking submissions from CA. • For consideration, submit resume and

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

• Pays $914/wk. Equity Bay Area Theatre

Tier 5 Agreement.

National/ Regional

• Seeking submissions from CA. • Apply on Backstage.com • Send recent photos of both mom and

www.gardenbarberproductions.co.uk

tion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to submit.

the world premiere of Ruben Grijalva’s filmed play, “Shoot Me When.”

Synopsis: When Jackie’s health takes a turn for the worse, her daughters take her to Tahoe for one last romp.

Everything is going perfectly until Jackie picks up a lonely widower at a casino bar, shaking up the party and her own future plans.

Black / African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Indigenous Peoples, Latino / Hispanic, Middle Eastern, South Asian / Indian, Southeast Asian / Pacific Islander, actor age 28- 46 (w/ child 6-10); send recent photos of both mom and son/daughter (so we have the most-recent and up to date headshots to share to the client). Child Actor: all genders, 5-10, Asian, Black / African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Indigenous Peoples, Latino / Hispanic, Middle Eastern, South Asian / Indian, Southeast Asian / Pacific Islander, age 5-10 (with mother age 2846); send recent photos of both mom and son/daughter (so we have the mostrecent and up to date headshots to share to the client).

hotmail.co.uk.

Student Films

• Seeking an Equity stage manager for

• Seeking—Mother: female, 28-46, Asian,

18+.

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

• Pays $914/wk. Equity Bay Area Theatre

Stavro Victor, content prod.

• Shoots mid-late April TBD in a home setting in SF Bay area, CA. Note: The one day shoot will likely take place during the week (Mon.-Fri.) but has the opportunity to move to a weekend depending on the final logistics. Make note of this while applying. Covid-19 guidelines will be followed during the shoot.

• Works in the U.K. • Seeking—Screenwriter: all genders,

• For more info about the company, visit

• Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimina-

• Company: Grow With Bamboo. Staff:

Staff: R. Johnson, coord.

• Rehearsal begin Mar. 30 via Zoom; in-

• Seeking—Stage Manager: 18+.

• Seeking submissions from CA. • For consideration, submit resume and

daughter (6-10) duo as actors for our upcoming printer shoot. Casting states: “We will be showing the process a Mom takes to print photos and craft a home photo album for her family with this printer. We will only be casting a mother and son/daughter combo to adhere to Covid-19 guidelines for the talents to interact. Would love to feature and printout any home photos from your family over the past two years to be used for the printout images for the photo album. Must be able to provide your own clothing outfits for the shoot.

• Company: Garden Barber Productions.

• Seeking submissions nationwide.

• Send submissions to reediipopsicle@

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

• Seeking a Mother (30-40) and son/

Productions and Distribution are looking for their next great feature project.

If you have a great screenplay, get in touch, send us a synopsis and copy of your finished screenplay. All submissions will be treated in complete confidence and remain the property of the author unless otherwise agreed. We will not share or disclose any information or content with anyone outside of Garden Barber Productions and Distribution in regard to any screenplays submitted without prior agreement.”

• Company: San Francisco Playhouse.

Staff: Laura Espino, casting dir.

Commercial for Printer Company, Paid Social Lifestyle Video Shoot

• Company states: “Garden Barber

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

• Record from home; director can be on

call while you read if that is helpful.

• Seeking—Neil’s Mother (Voiceover):

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

• Seeking submissions worldwide.

• Send submissions to phantasmagori-

ashort@gmail.com.

• Talent will not be paid but will be pro-

vided a copy of the film and recording sessions.

Scripted TV & Video Comedic/Sci-Fi Brand Video for Tech Company • Casting two speaking roles for “EA

-Lieutenants,” humorous sci-fi videos for a tech company. The videos are designed to resemble a Star Trek-type look. Think campy Space Balls style.

Comedic talent is preferred. The videos will be used for web and emails. There are speaking lines.

• Company: Clum Creative. Staff: Ernie

Farabaugh, dir. of marketing services.

Feature Films

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

Production Company, Screenwriters

• Final pay TBD but $1,000 - $1500 (for

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

• Seeking screenwriters for a production

company.

22

• Shoots Apr. 1-2 in Cleveland, OH. • Seeking—Leftenant: all genders, 18-30,

all ethnicities, a speaking role.

Rightenant: all genders, 18-30, all ethnicities, a speaking, supporting role.

• Seeking submissions from OH. • Apply on Backstage.com.

• For consideration, indicate in your

backstage.com

National/Regional casting

cover letter if you have any comedic experience so we have a better idea of your humor.

record high-quality video content with good lighting and sound.

Only submissions via Backstage.com will be considered for roles.

• Seeking submissions nationwide.

• Send submissions to Kelly@growwith-

• Note: Do not contact studio directly.

• All-in pay is $500-$1,100 per person,

per day, depending on experience. This all-in payment includes day rate, usage, full buyout, any applicable agency costs, travel, etc.

• Seeking—Actor for Social Media Ad: all

genders, 18+, all ethnicities. bamboo.com.

• Submit a UGC video that includes your

name and your experience landing your first gig, role, or job through Backstage.

• Pays $150 to use footage in perpetuity.

constantly feeling alienated in her own home, she struggles to find a place within her culture and discover what she truly wants out of life leading to imbalances in her relationships; must be Chinese. Jade: female, 18-22, Asian, a Chinese study abroad student working to complete her education, but not without strings attached; she acts with a sense of entitlement to appease the traditions of her culture, but struggles against her inner desires to create a life of her own. Mrs. Liu: female, 30-40, Asian, an indelicate, tough love woman that holds her own within a room; she is working to create a better life for her unborn child; must be Chinese.

Cherry’s Mom: female, 30-45, Asian, a hardworking and traditional woman disillusioned by the realities of middle class America, who now runs an illegal birth tourism business; must be Chinese. FengFeng: female, 16-20, Asian, Jade’s younger sister; must be Chinese. LuLu: female, 16-20, Asian, Jades’ younger sister; must be Chinese.

• Seeking submissions nationwide.

• Send submissions to bsucasting2021@

gmail.com.

• This is a low budget University produc-

tion. Some pay.

• Casting incidental or background char-

Christian Dessler, casting.

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

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

• Casting a 60-second PSA with no dia-

prod.

• Company: Christian Dessler. Staff:

hours; date TBD) in the DFW area.

• Zoom recordings will be held based on

availability.

• Seeking—Young Professional: male,

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

• Seeking—Incident Voice Male: 18-60.

Incidental Voice Female: 18-60.

• Seeking submissions nationwide.

• Send submissions to cd247151@gmail.

com.

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

• For consideration, submit your voice

over reels.

gmail.com.

• Copy of the final project will be

provided.

• Casting online only. Record yourself

delivering the short monologue below.

Submit your self-tape, headshot, and contact info.

Corporate & Internet Videos (Voiceover)

• Script: “I’m out of touch…lost that

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

National Pet Week 2021

• Casting narrators for our yearly

National Pet Week video to be posted on YouTube. This video will celebrate the human animal bond we share with our pets. It also serves as a reminder to care for our pets as best as possible.

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

Hair Products Promo, Couples With Long Hair

• Company: American Veterinary

Medical Association. Staff: Matthew Zingale, video prod.

• Casting real couples who both have

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

• Records remotely, talent must have

access to professional quality home studio. Recordings needed no later than Mar. 31.

• Staff: E. Kennedy, supervising casting

prod.

Online Commercials & Promos Backstage, ‘My First Gig’ Digital Campaign

• Casting digital ads for Backstage to be

used on social channels.

• Creative strategist states: “We’re look-

ing for personality so have fun with this.

We want to hear how Backstage has helped you transform your career to help inspire others to dive in. If chosen, this will be the final video footage used.”

• Company: Bamboo Technologies. Staff:

Kelly-anne Murphy, creative strategist.

• Shoots remotely. Talent must be able to

backstage.com

Veterinary Medical Association visit avma.org. To view last year’s video visit https://youtu.be/40b5NdPKLhM.

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

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

BSU Casting, casting dir.

‘Jade in the Gardens’ Animated Project, Incidental Voices

• Company: Paperlyte. Staff: J. Walker,

Cyberthreat PSA

• Company: Boise State University. Staff:

• For consideration, include a note about

acter voices ranging from customers to wanna-be villians for an animated series, “Jade in the Garden,” which the producer plans to pitch to networks. Logline: “In a realm of fantasy where childhood memories grant you superpowers, a quirky yet embittered 24 year college grad Chloe reconnects with her old life through the aid of her sidekick pal Rengari, learning about her past, powers, and destiny for better and for worse.”

‘The Chinese Tourist’

• Casting “The Chinese Tourist.”

Animation & Video Games (Voiceover)

• No rehearsal; LA studio or Remote; date

• Seeking—Narrator 1: all genders, 18+,

is TBD and flexible.

for multiple voices for pet owners. You will be expressing your love for everything that your pet has done for you.

Narrator 2: all genders, 18+, multiple voices for pet owners. You will be expressing your love for everything that your pet has done for you. Narrator 3: all genders, 18+, multiple voices for pet owners. You will be expressing your love for everything that your pet has done for you. Narrator 4: all genders, 18+, multiple voices for pet owners. You will be expressing your love for everything that your pet has done for you.

Narrator 5: all genders, 18+, multiple voices for pet owners. You will be expressing your love for everything that your pet has done for you.

• Seeking—Lead Person In A Male/

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

• Seeking submissions nationwide.

• Apply on Backstage.com.

• Pays $250/flat per person for non-

union, all media buyout.

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

• Seeking submissions worldwide.

• Send submissions to mzingale@avma.

org.

23

your recording capabilities and turnaround time in your cover letter. Only submissions through the site will be considered. No unsolicited contact.

Audition required to be considered.

• For more info on the American

• Audio to be used in a video to be posted

to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s YouTube channel.

E-Learning (Voiceover) Audio E-Course Host Instructor

• Seeking an audio E-Course host/instruc-

tor for American Military News. American Military News reports daily on issues related to the U.S. military, global foreign affairs, current events and cultural topics. Audio E-Course Host Instructor will narrate e-learning courses in audio formats to be released to the general public. These are not live courses.

• This is a remote opportunity with team

communication through chat services, video meetings, and emails. AMN needs someone to learn the material and host and instruct courses in audio format.

• Company: American Military News.

Staff: Madyson Waters, project assist.

• Records remotely. Materials will be

provided.

• Seeking—Audio E-Course Host

Instructor: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities.

• Seeking submissions nationwide.

• Send submissions to info@american-

militarynews.com.

• For consideration, submit resume,

statement of why you want to work with American Military News and a statement on why you think you’d be a good E-Learning Host, including any hosting experience. Note: See full job details in additional materials.

• Pay TBD. Audio will be used online for a

course provided by the company.

Audiobooks & Podcasts ‘Follow404,’ Podcast Host

• Casting a host for “Follow404,” a new

podcast from Atlanta Decoded featuring interviews with Atlanta’s top online influencers.

• Company: Atlanta Decoded. Staff:

Kendall Kylls, prod.

• Episodes are recorded and filmed TBD

in a southwest Atlanta, GA studio.

• Seeking—Host: 18-29.

• Seeking submissions from GA. • Send submissions to info@atlan-

tadecoded.com.

• If interested, submit any reels or clips

of you interviewing.

• Pays $150/per episode. One-two epi-

sodes will be recorded each month as talent is booked.

03.25.21 BACKSTAGE

Ask An Expert Acting Auditions Film Headshots Television Theater Unions Voiceover

Q:

How do I stay motivated when I haven’t been getting roles as frequently as I’d like?

—@littigemma

Our Expert Tony Rossi is an actor.

part of “Hamilton.” Kevin Hart had trouble paying his rent when he first started out in comedy. John Krasinski had trouble getting an audition after “The Office” ended.

If you want to stay motivated, expose yourself to as many actors’ stories as possible.

Read Backstage and listen to its podcast, “In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast.”

Read actors’ biographies or listen to the audiobooks. The more exposure you have to others, the less you’ll feel like something is wrong with you.

Finally, go easy on yourself. We’re taught everything about acting, monologues, and auditioning, but very little about mindset and emotions. Actors are emotional people. It’s why we’re so good at what we do! But it also makes us very vulnerable when hardship inevitably arises. You’re likely doing much better than you think. Don’t beat yourself up.

When you eventually start booking, you just might be one of those motivational success stories yourself. *Submit questions for our Experts on Backstage’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts, or via our forums page at backstage.com/forums!

The views expressed in this article are solely that of the individual(s) providing them, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Backstage or its staff.

BACKSTAGE 03.25.21

24

backstage.com

ILLUSTRATION: MARGARET RULING/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; ROSSI: COURTESY TONY ROSSI

Great question! Before we start talking about motivation, let’s address why we don’t book roles in the first place. In a previous Backstage Experts article, I wrote about why we should never assume that we know why we were or weren’t cast. I believe assuming is just that: assuming. It’s not based on fact, and it’s often based on speculation. Unless you hear it firsthand, you never really know why you weren’t cast. Try not to beat yourself up over things that are just your assumptions. Just because you weren’t cast doesn’t mean you aren’t talented.

Next, let’s consider getting some actual feedback. Lulls in auditions happen to everyone—even the best of the best. But it’s not a bad idea to get feedback on things like your materials or your acting technique itself.

Let’s also talk about exposure. A common theme with actors is that when we’re not booking, we think there’s something wrong with us. One way we can fix this is by exposing ourselves to the lives of other working actors whom we all know and love.

In actuality, a lot of super successful people have gone through adversity themselves: Leslie Odom Jr. was considering quitting acting shortly before he was invited to be a

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!

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