Maja Meschede, “A Thousand Blows” costume designer
Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, “Étoile” creators
“Andor” star Kyle Soller on embracing risk
How to get cast as a background actor on “Saturday Night Live”
On the cover: “Party Girl”: Everett Collection/Alamy; “Friday Foster”: TCD/ Prod.DB/Alamy; “A Woman Under the Influence”: Photo 12/Alamy; “Orlando”: AJ Pics/Alamy; “Pulp Fiction”: Collection Christophel/Alamy
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You found your first acting job on Craigslist. What was that experience like?
I don’t know if you can do it now—you probably can, and it’s probably even more gnarly—but if you went on the Craigslist gigs section [back then], you could filter by auditions in your area. There was an audition looking for a kid to play the younger version of the lead singer in this local band, and it turned out to not be a trick, and it was great. But I can’t fully recommend doing that because I don’t know what Craigslist has done for other people.
What was the most nervous you’ve ever been before a director called “action”?
Every day I’m on set. [Laughs] No. Specifically, the last shot I ever did for “Stranger Things” was the craziest. That goes in the same part of my brain where, when I think about when we first started shooting the show, it all felt like a dream. It was so surreal, and I couldn’t really process it.
Do you have any advice for anyone trying to become an actor in the age of social media?
Right now, social media seems to be very important for getting roles, which I think is, quite frankly, complete bullshit. It seems to be a necessary evil. If you have the talent, you’ll find your people, and you’ll find the projects that end up working for you. I was a kid when “Stranger Things” came out, and I was much more into social media back then just because of the age that I was. Then, slowly, I started getting off social media, because I just think it’s not great for people’s general mental health.
INN WOLFHARD MIGHT HAVE WRAPPED PRODUCTION on the final season of Netflix’s megahit “Stranger Things” back in December, but he’s not quite done with the world of horror throwbacks. The 22-year-old’s latest project, “Hell of a Summer,” is a sleepaway camp slasher-comedy that feels like “Friday the 13th” with a Gen Z twist. Not only does Wolfhard star—it’s also his feature filmmaking debut alongside co–writerdirector Billy Bryk.
F‘‘At the end of the day, [acting] is only part of your life. It can’t be your whole life, or else you kind of stop being a person.’’
Here, he discusses shooting his last “Stranger Things” scene, his worst audition experience, and how he found his first-ever gig.
What’s your worst audition horror story?
When I was probably 11 years old, I went in for an audition to play a younger brother character in this movie that was shooting in Vancouver. I tripped up on a line, and the casting director was like, “Start again.” Because she was so stern, I then tripped up on the same line. And then she went, “Jesus Christ, are you OK?” super condescendingly. I remember telling her, “Not anymore, because you’re talking to me like this.” So this very judgmental local casting woman sort of ranted at me as an 11-year-old—which is super good for an 11-year-old’s confidence. She must have been very secure in herself to do that.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t go 100% all in. You’re in this really exciting part of your life where you’re so lucky to be getting flown around, and “Stranger Things” is really big. But at the end of the day, it’s only part of your life. It can’t be your whole life, or else you kind of stop being a person— or stop developing, at least. If I could go back, I’d force myself to take more breaks. But also, if I did that, I would probably not want to and shove myself away. So there’s nothing I could have done, really. I’d just try to drill into my head that the lifestyle of being a young actor is fun, but it’s not something you should live in 24/7.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length. To listen to the full conversation, visit backstage.com/podcasts.
THE GREEN ROOM
Filmmaking
The Microbudget Generation
Four inventive indie auteurs who are shaking up the industry
By Carlos Aguilar
●AS MUCH OF A TRIUMPH as Sean Baker’s “Anora” has been for independent cinema—winning both best picture at the Oscars and the Palme d’Or at Cannes on a $6 million production budget—it’s only one facet of America’s bold new filmmaking landscape. There are plenty of writers and directors making equally daring work for a fraction of that cost without the machinery of a
major distributor like Neon to elevate their work.
In recent years, more than a few movies created on the fringes of the industry have carved an unexpected path toward sizable audiences and critical recognition. And though it would be a stretch to call these projects mainstream successes, they’ve indeed stepped out of obscurity and into the limelight.
One such case is “The People’s Joker,” in which filmmaker-star Vera Drew explores her ow n experiences as a trans woman through a mixed-media fantasia that reimagines Batman’s fiercest foe. The content is as outrageous as its aesthetics are anarchic. Drew made the project for about $100,000 with the help of artists from around the world who created animated
sequences and backgrounds. Though the movie enjoyed a buzzy premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, subsequent screenings were canceled due to copyright issues with Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns the rights to the Joker. When Drew’s wildly ingenious parody finally got a theatrical release in 2024, it was viewed by eager audiences the world over.
Vera Drew in “The People’s Joker“
David Howard Thornton in “Terrifier 3”
Limited edition art for “The People’s Joker”
Distributed by the small but mighty Altered Innocence, the film gained momentum thanks to its artistic merits, positive word of mouth, and amped-up media coverage. To top it all off, Drew won the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Director, competing against productions with far more resources, as well as the New Generation Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
Then there’s “Hundreds of Beavers,” a wacky, delightful, “Looney Tunes”–esque silent slapstick comedy shot in black and white. The film chronicles the mishaps of Jean Kayak (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews), a down-on-his-luck 19th century applejack salesman fending off beavers in a snowy forest while courting the daughter of a local merchant. For added humorous effect, the non-human characters are played by people in animal suits.
The movie is the brainchild of co-writers Mike Cheslik (who also directed) and Tews. Dissatisfied with the offers they received after its 2022 premiere at Fantastic Fest, the Wisconsin duo opted to self-distribute on a $150,000 budget. “Hundreds of Beavers” went on to gross over $1 million at the box office, and almost
three years later, it continues to screen to sold-out crowds.
What these two movies lack in visual effects (both look endearingly, impressively handcrafted) they make up for in ingenuity. It’s easy to overlook what could be considered technical shortcomings given the sheer, against-all-odds enthusiasm that went into both—and that authenticity is a big part of the reason they’ve become fan favorites.
There’s no better blueprint for the potential of grassroots support than the “Terrifier” franchise, Damien Leone’s bonanza of extreme violence and gore, released between 2016 and 2024. Though not for those with qualms about seeing blood and mutilations onscreen, the films have amassed a cult following.
The third installment, “Terrifier 3,” was an enormous success, making almost $90 million worldwide on a $2 million budget; a fourth is currently in production.
Leone first gained attention from horror fans with his short films before making the first “Terrifier” with the help of an angel investor. He raised money to make the 2022 sequel via a crowdfunding campaign that exceeded expectations, bringing in a whopping $250,000.
Leone’s grotesque slasher flicks, which center on a murderous clown, are so graphic that they likely wouldn’t exist in their current form if they’d been made through more conventional avenues.
The “Terrifier” series is a prime example of why nontraditional funding and distribution models can be worth the added struggle for the sake of artistic freedom. In an era when studios are staking their futures on preexisting IP, it’s doubtful anyone would handle these types of projects with the same care as the people who created them.
Drew, Cheslik, Tews, and Leone have found viewers attuned to their wavelength by believing in their peculiar, niche ideas. For all the bleakness of the current entertainment industry, what these defiant storytellers have accomplished on their own terms proves that it’s still possible to forge a sustainable film career without sacrificing creative autonomy.
This shift hopefully signals to viewers that they can look to microbudget (and no-budget) indies to find voices that dare to express what large corporations can’t—or won’t— put onscreen.
FILM
A Mexico-Set Musical Finds Its Leads
By Jalen Michael
● AN ORIGINAL LATIN
American musical is headed to the big screen from director Kimberly McCullough (“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”) and screenwriter Nerris Nevarez-Nassiri. “No Te Olvides”—Spanish for “Don’t Forget”—follows a young Chicana woman who brings her grandmother back to the remote Mexican town where she was born before Alzheimer’s can take her memories. Xochitl Gomez (“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”) is headlining the film alongside pop star and telenovela actor Maite Perroni (“Rebelde”) as her disapproving mother. Production is set to start in the fall.
Xochitl Gomez
Ryland Brickson Cole Tews in “Hundreds of Beavers”
Risk and Reward
By Kyle Soller
Kyle Soller is currently starring on “Andor” as Imperial civil servant Syril Karn. Season 2 of Tony Gilroy’s “Star Wars” spinoff premiered last month on Disney+.
●AS A KID, I REMEMBER WANTING TO do everything. I was pulled in a lot of different directions and had many passions. I’m a middle child in a big family; for me, entertainment was a way to make people laugh and get attention. So when I stumbled into community theater, it felt really natural. It all made sense onstage. The challenge, for me, was learning how to stand still.
In the early 2000s, I did a summer school program at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art between my second and third year at William & Mary in Virginia. Being in London made me feel alive in a whole new way; it just felt like a natural next step. So I auditioned for the full course, and I waited for the phone call every night. When I got it, I dropped out of William & Mary and moved to London full time. I just jumped and didn’t look back. It felt very unpopular to be an American in London at the time, so I was struggling with an identity crisis. It wasn’t easy to find work; I had to figure out how to get the right agent and cultivate relationships. It was a really big struggle to begin with; I pretty much didn’t work for the entire first year after graduating. I started trying to hide my Americanness because I was only being seen for American roles. Things started to change when I auditioned at the Globe Theatre and just pretended to be English. I didn’t pretend to not be American in my everyday life, but I wondered if there was something going on where I needed to leave who I was behind in order to make it in London. I didn’t lie to anyone; it was just a choice I made.
If I could give advice to my younger self, I’d say to make friends with failure. It’s so hard to keep that candle burning, particularly given the current state of the industry. But I have to remind myself to keep taking risks and failing. You’re a channel for the creative spirit, and it needs to be able to move. Maybe that’s less advice and more Chicken Soup for the Soul.
That mindset of embracing risk is what prepared me for “Andor.” When we started filming the first season at the end of 2020, it was a very small, contained show; you’d be doing these really intimate scenes that felt almost like a Harold Pinter play. But then we got onto these massive sets, which were insane, and I realized that there was this huge international family that was so in love with and protective of this story. They welcomed me with open arms. But that meant going back to film another season felt like even more pressure.
Syril is a great character. Through him, Tony Gilroy is showing the banality of evil. He’s using the idea that this could be anybody who’s got a desk job, feels like an outsider, and is desperate to be loved. That’s a dangerous person to put into a dark behemoth like the Galactic Empire, which has a very straightforward reward system. If you help the organization exert more control, you ascend the ladder.
I never anticipated that we’d see a show that explored the bureaucratic side of the “Star Wars” universe. It’s so refreshing and relatable. But that’s exactly what Tony promised us at the beginning. He said, “We’re doing ‘Star Wars,’ but we’re doing our ‘Star Wars.’ ”
This essay is by Soller, as told to Theo Bosanquet.
Career Dispatch
Kyle Soller
Breaking Through
Radhika Apte Raises the Stakes
The Indian cinema star on leveling up in “Sister Midnight”
By Kerensa Cadenas
ESTERN AUDIENCES may not be familiar with her work (yet), but in her native India, Radhika Apte is a household name. Her enviable career includes roles in more than 60 movies and television series, as well as prolific theater work. Following a recent move to London, she’s ready to embark on the next chapter of her career—one that will include not only more acting work, but also writing, directing, and executive producing. That begins with Karan
WKandhari’s British indie comedy “Sister Midnight,” which hits U.S. cinemas on May 16. Apte stars as Uma, a restless Mumbai housewife who, trapped in an arranged marriage, decides to go against tradition and forge her own path. The movie debuted at Cannes last year and netted the actor a lead performance nomination from the British Independent Film Awards. Here, Apte talks about her struggle to break into the British film industry and why she’s taking more chances in her career.
How did you get involved in “Sister Midnight”?
A friend of mine was trying to get the project made, and she introduced me to Karan. I’ve been associated with the film for eight years now. I remember reading the script, and it was bonkers; I loved it. I thought that if it was made the way Karan envisioned it, then it would be fun. It could go wrong, because it’s quite risky; but I like to take a risk, because normally, you only get safe options.
What drew you to taking on a project that’s such a departure from your previous work? I wanted to do something new and different. I don’t get comedy roles offered to me very much; but the last couple of years have been different. I did a film in India that was a comedy and was received very well, but it wasn’t anything like “Sister Midnight.” And I’m about to do another one.
How did you prepare to play Uma? It’s such a rich role that straddles the line between comedy and drama.
Karan had a very specific vision, and he had a specific performance in mind. So the process was to understand what he had in mind and then do it. I normally intellectualize characters in the preparation part, and then I work with being present and relying on the homework. But he didn’t want the homework to be intellectualized, either; there was no backstory or finding out why this character behaves [the way she does]. It was more about how she does things, though she doesn’t know why she does them. It was quite difficult; but when I accepted that, it was hard to unlearn. It was quite light and playful.
What advice would you give actors who want to get a foothold in the industry?
I’m trying to break into the British film industry. And my understanding is that, in Britain, actors study acting, and then they get agents, and then that’s how they start auditioning. In India, it’s very different. When I went to Bombay, there were no casting directors. So I did a lot of theater, and then I got called for auditions. And my work abroad has also sort of happened because of that experience.
In this profession, I see people who are so desperate to make it, and I see their lives really deteriorate. From the outside, people think that I’ve gotten what I wanted because I’ve worked a lot in the last 15 years. But trust me—I didn’t. I still struggle most of the time to get roles. The advice I would give is that life is larger than being an actor, and you are bigger than being an actor. Love yourself first for who you are.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Radhika Apte
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Erin Doherty on “A Thousand Blows”
“I used a lot of reds and blues for Mary Carr. Blue is a regal tone. That’s part of her story, and her clothes get more and more blue as the story evolves.”
“When Mary and the other Forty Elephants dressed up to go to the West End to pretend they were ladies, I wanted to make sure the dresses did not fit properly—the waistline was too high, or the sleeves were too short or too long.”
“Something transformational happened when I put Erin in the corset; it made her walk differently, especially when she was trying to walk fast and with purpose.”
“The boxing shoes, gloves, and trousers were the most challenging part. There’s limited historical documentation.”
Morgan Hilaire, Hannah Walters, Doherty, Nadia Albina, Caoilfhionn Dunne, and Jemma Carlton
“The Forty Elephant ladies wear amazing, beautiful, jewel-tone colors that are really bright. It was important to me to design everything authentically, express the vibrancy and rebelliousness of these women, and make them look quite luminous.”
The Essentialists
Maja Meschede Costume Designer
By Emma Fraser
MAJA MESCHEDE SAYS SHE TREATS EVERY PROJECT “LIKE A painting,” and each new production as a blank canvas. Having worked on period dramas like HBO’s “Catherine the Great,” Simon Curtis’ “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” and David Ayer’s WWII-set “Fury,” the Costume Designers Guild Award nominee is now turning her attention to 1880s London with Hulu’s “A Thousand Blows.” On the series, Meschede uses fashion to contrast the boxing scenes that take place in the gritty East End and the glamorous West End.
As with his Netflix hit “Peaky Blinders,” series creator Steven Knight was inspired by historical figures of the era. The story follows Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby), a Jamaican man who immigrates to London in
“It was important that Stephen, Malachi, and all the other boxers were able to move and lift their knees. If you put them in a tight-fitting cotton garment, they wouldn’t be able to move, and the seams would rip; it would be a disaster.”
“Details like buttons, hooks, and bars are all elements that can make or break a costume.”
search of fame and fortune, then quickly finds himself thrust into the city’s bare-knuckle boxing world. Hezekiah’s talent catches the attention of Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), the ruthless leader of the real-life all-female crime syndicate the Forty Elephants, as well as fearsome boxing legend Henry “Sugar” Goodson (Stephen Graham).
To craft the costumes, Meschede drew from images of Victorian garments and her own archive of antique clothing. The Forty Elephants wear bold attire to aid in their pickpocketing schemes, whether it’s to blend into the crowd or distract their targets. And though fashion was strictly dictated by the etiquette of the time, the designer incorporated some surprising masculine elements into Mary’s wardrobe, such as pants beneath her sk irts. “I’m interested in the evolution of the human perception of beauty,” she explains.
The sprawling ensemble required extensive production support; Meschede says she utilized “up to three workrooms at a time and about 60 costume makers.” Here, she discusses her inspirations and methods for filling the show’s clothing racks.
These quotes have been edited for clarity and length.
Malachi Kirby
The Palladinoverse Goes Global With ‘Étoile’
By Esther Zuckerman
●WHEN WATCHING A series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, you can expect to see some familiar faces. If the Emmy-winning husband-andwife team behind the WB’s “Gilmore Girls” and Prime Video’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” like an actor, they tend to recruit them again and again. Their latest comedy, “Étoile,” which premiered last month on Prime Video, follows dancers from a pair of prestigious ballet companies—one in New York, one in Paris—participating in an international exchange program. (This marks the Palladinos’ second series set in the ballet world, the first being USA’s beloved but short-lived “Bunheads.”)
“Étoile” stars Luke Kirby as Jack McMillan, the stressed-out head of NYC’s Metropolitan Ballet. (The actor won an Emmy for his surly, emotional turn as legendary comedian Lenny Bruce on “Mrs. Maisel.”) Yanic Truesdale, who portrayed the hilariously acerbic concierge Michel on “Gilmore Girls,” plays a slightly less prickly assistant at the l’Opera Francais and Le Ballet National in Paris. And Kelly Bishop, who costarred on “Gilmore Girls” as imperious matriarch Emily Gilmore, plays a similarly demanding mother on the series.
How does Sherman-Palladino feel about working with this trio of loyal performers again?
“It’s a huge relief, because you know that what you write is going to happen.”
Fans know that the Palladinos’ style is incredibly specific: zippy, reference-dense dialogue that moves at the speed of light. It can be disorienting for some actors to join this world, but their longtime pals are old pros. “When you fall in love with people, you keep in
Luke Kirby on “Étoile”
Meet the Maker
‘‘ We had some actors who did dance, some actors who didn’t dance, and some dancers who had never acted. Everybody helped each other out.”
touch and you’re friends, and you look for ways to get them back into your life,” she says.
But they didn’t solely rely on their trusted mainstays, since the globetrotting story required an international ensemble versed in both acting and dance. It was all about finding the ideal person for each part. Sometimes that meant hiring French actors like Lou de Laâge or established ballet performers like David Alvarez, who played Bernardo in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” On “Étoile,” he portrays Gael Rodriguez, a rebellious dancer who returns to the Metropolitan Ballet after spending time on a farm. The show also features cameos from renowned dancers like Tiler Peck and Robbie Fairchild playing small parts tailored to their specific talents.
“The mixture of [performers] was really cool,” ShermanPalladino says. “We had some actors who did dance, some actors who didn’t dance, and some dancers who had never acted. Everybody helped each other out.”
The pivotal role of Geneviève Lavigne, Jack’s Parisian counterpart, went to Charlotte Gainsbourg. The creators consider themselves lucky that the pilot script ended up in the hands of the French British star, who’s known for her work in independent films like Lars von Trier’s provocative “Antichrist” and “Melancholia.” Gainsbourg rarely ventures into television work, much less productions based in the U.S.
“She just wanted to mix it up and do an American comedy. And she stepped into the battering ram which is our comedy, which is mile-a-minute. It was really a lot, but she never flagged,” Palladino says.
While the artistic directors of the respective companies
anchor the plot, the catalyst for their stories is Cheyenne Toussaint (de Laâge), an opinionated, impudent French star the Metropolitan Ballet recruits. Palladino describes the character as “our Johnny Rotten.”
“She’s someone who is never quite satisfied with anything,” Sherman-Palladino says. “So having achieved what she’s achieved, she’s looking around like: What else is there, and what’s next?”
It’s a ferociously difficult task that called for a French actor who could speak quickly in two different languages and come off as alternately graceful and threatening. To find the right performer for the role, the Palladinos and their regular CD, Cindy Tolan, turned to French casting director Juliette Ménager. The team was immediately impressed when she showed them de Laâge’s tape. “She was sensational—just calm as can be and in command,” Palladino recalls.
Though Cheyenne is the titular étoile (French for “star”), de Laâge wasn’t required to do all her own ballet sequences. However, she received training to help her approximate the movements of her double, prima ballerina Constance Devernay-Laurence. “It’s a lot for actors who aren’t dancers,” Sherman-Palladino says. “There
was a lot of: ‘You know I’m not a dancer, right?’ And we were like, ‘We know, we know; don’t worry about it.’ ”
However, some of the leads did execute the choreography themselves—including National Ballet of Canada alum Taïs Vinolo. The screen newcomer plays Mishi Duplessis, a naive soloist who leaves New York for Paris, where her overbearing parents are waiting.
The Palladinos discovered the dancer when they caught her performance in a 2020 Amazon Christmas commercial. “We just dragged her out,” Sherman-Palladino recalls. “She’s never really acted before, but she’s just so smart and so sharp.”
Because of the bilingual nature of “Étoile,” the actors and creators worked together to shape the material: While the Palladinos coached the newbies on delivering lines, the French performers gave the creators guidance on proper pronunciation.
“The Palladinos are so respectful, because they like actors,” de Laâge says. “Someone who doesn’t like actors can’t take someone like me who is not perfect in a language. But they trust me; and when someone trusts you, you just want to be the best version of yourself.”
To transfer their style to French, the Palladinos needed an excellent translator who could handle all the wordplay. Unfortunately, the first few people they hired weren’t up to the task. “Every time we would have a script translated, one of the actors would come up to us and say, ‘This isn’t right; this is not what you guys want,’ ” Sherman-Palladino recalls. “We kept having to switch translators until we found Dany Héricourt, a great woman who stayed with us through the whole production.”
The French stars adapted remarkably well to the creators’ rapid-fire style. “French people talk so fast. It’s amazing; it’s fabulous,” Sherman-Palladino says. Sometimes, they even spoke too fast.
Initially, Ivan du Pontavice, who plays headstrong dancer Gabin Roux, sped through the dialogue without any pauses. “I was constantly asking him to slow down in the first episode,” Palladino recalls. “It was a learning curve, but it was fun; it was a challenge. We like challenges.”
These cross-cultural collaborations yielded something far more meaningful than perfect dialogue: an expanded Palladino family that now stretches from New York to Paris and beyond.
Yanic Truesdale and Charlotte Gainsbourg
In the Room With
Avy Kaufman
How the veteran CD brought “Death of a Unicorn” to life
By Kerensa Cadenas
●WHEN ALEX SCHARFMAN was preparing to direct his first feature, A24’s “Death of a Unicorn,” he knew exactly whom he wanted to put together the ensemble: Avy Kaufman. Over the course of nearly four decades, the Emmy winner has been the casting director on more than 150 films and TV shows, including critically acclaimed projects like “Brokeback Mountain,” “Babygirl,” “Succession,” and “Mare of Easttown.”
“Death of a Unicorn” is a stark departure from most of Kaufman’s past work. Scharfman’s horror-comedy kicks off when Elliot Kintner (Paul Rudd), en route to a wilderness retreat in the company of his teenage daughter, Ridley (Jenna Ortega), accidentally hits a unicorn with his car. When his wealthy employers attempt to exploit the creature’s magical properties, carnage ensues.
Scharfman needed a cast that could ground the film’s otherworldly premise in genuine human emotions. Though Rudd and Ortega were already attached when Kaufman came on board, the team wasn’t sure whether the latter’s busy schedule would prevent her from signing on. “I kept doing backup and backup and backup for Jenna, because we didn’t know if we had her,” the CD says.
To fill out the ensemble, Kaufman looked for actors who could pull off the movie’s unique blend of genres. That included Richard E. Grant as Elliot’s entitled boss, Odell Leopold; and Will Poulter, whom she’d previously cast on Netflix’s “Dopesick,” as his son, Shepard. “ ‘Death of a Unicorn’ is at the edge of farce and drama, and Richard and Will can do that,” she says. “My respect for these actors and the range they can give is phenomenal.”
But she found the perfect fit for the family matriarch, Belinda, in an unexpected place. “I had just seen Téa Leoni at the theater, and I got all excited. So I wrote to
Alex and said, ‘It’s got to be Téa,’ ” she recalls. Kaufman believes that assembling the perfect cast is “like making a recipe. I’m putting lists together, and I have pictures out, and I’m putting people next to people.” For “Death of a Unicorn,” she completed that recipe with actors who had proven comedy chops, including Anthony Carrigan (“Barry”) as the Leopolds’ beleaguered butler and Sunita Mani (“GLOW”) as a scientist tasked with testing the healing properties of the unicorn.
“Casting those roles was fun!” Kaufman says. “When I get excited, the actors also see it. If they didn’t, we wouldn’t be the kind of team that makes movies where we want them to end up.”
But the flurry of tasks that go into the process isn’t just about finding the right performers. “Our business is so funny,” she explains. “I say that because there’s a mixture of trust, insight, and studio [input]. There’s so much in that ball of casting.”
She relished the chance to collaborate with Scharfman. “He would get as excited as I would about certain ideas. It was a joy working with him,” she says. “He was very generous, and my job was to really get into his head and see how he wanted to tell this story.”
As a tried-and-true industry veteran, Kaufman has been in the trenches—and in the room—with countless performers over the years. Above all, she always strives to be gentle.
“I think it’s so hard to audition; it’s so hard to put yourself on the line,” she says. “My respect for actors is enormous. I know that when I go through rejection, I take everything personally.”
Her biggest piece of advice? Be prepared. “When you walk into the room, you should know the material. I don’t mean that you have to be off-book, but you should know the person you’re playing. So if I say, ‘Try it here, try it there,’ how is that person going to do that? Be as centered as you can.”
Téa Leoni, Richard E. Grant, Will Poulter, and Rudd
Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega in “Death of a Unicorn”
Darlings
18 performances that redefined the craft
By Eric Webb
●Legendary film performances can emerge from humble places. Big budget? Major studio backing? They’re nice things to have, sure. But many of cinema’s greatest performances were immortalized through the blood, sweat, and tears of independent filmmaking.
We’ve curated a list of essential turns in movies produced outside the major studio systems of their time. Each of these performances is singular, whether they represent historic milestones or had a seismic influence on the craft of screen acting. Most of all, they’re a testament to the creative freedom that actors can only find in indie cinema.
Charlie Chaplin
“The Gold Rush” (1925)
Directed by Chaplin
Produced by United Artists
● Want to learn how to use your body to tell a story? Watch any of this actorfilmmaker’s silent classics. “The Gold Rush,” one of Chaplin’s personal favorites, brilliantly demonstrates his artistic independence. In 1919, he co-founded United Artists in a bid to break away from the creative constraints of major studios. Chaplin’s first starring feature for the production company includes several of the Tramp’s most famous bits, including a whimsical dance with bread loaves and a literal cliffhanger that’s a piece of slapstick genius. His talent transcends words.
Rosaura Revueltas
“Salt of the Earth” (1954)
Directed by Herbert J. Biberman
Produced by Independent Productions
● Buried upon release amid the paranoia of the Red Scare, “Salt of the Earth” was independently produced by blacklisted Hollywood artists. Its powerful detractors branded this story about families in a New Mexico mining town fighting for fair working conditions as communist propaganda. Revueltas stars as Esperanza Quintero, a miner’s wife who finds fulfillment in the labor movement. The Mexican actor makes captivating character choices throughout, blooming from the closed-off posture of a downtrodden housewife into the bearing of a defiant, joyful revolutionary. But the role came at a steep personal cost: U.S.
Charlie Chaplin in “The Gold Rush”
Tilda Swinton in “Orlando”
immigration authorities wrongly arrested and deported Revueltas before production ended, forcing her to record the film’s narration from Mexico. Her performance endures as a bold expression of the political power of independent cinema.
Divine
“Pink Flamingos” (1972)
Directed by John Waters
Produced by Dreamland
● Fearlessness is a valuable quality for any performer to have, and Divine ate fear for breakfast. Born Harris Glenn Milstead, the late actor and drag queen is synonymous with Waters’ joyously filthy body of work. Bawdy, brash, and completely outrageous, Divine possessed a talent for pushing boundaries—particularly in the cult comedy “Pink Flamingos.” As Babs Johnson, the selfproclaimed “filthiest person alive,” he’s a walking obscenity, delivering shocking lines with a distinct Baltimore bleat and diving wig-first into murder, fornication, and literal dog feces. (Look it up.) Next time you get audition nerves, just ask yourself: What would Divine do?
Gena Rowlands
“A Woman Under the Influence” (1974)
Directed by John Cassavetes
Produced by Faces
● Cited by stars like Cate Blanchett as an inspiration, Rowlands changed the game with her raw, instinctual performances, particularly in films directed by her first husband, Cassavetes. The gold standard: her Oscarnominated livewire turn as the unstable Mabel Longhetti in “A Woman Under the Influence.” Rowlands is alternately fierce, sweet, pathetic,
and unsettling as a housewife whose mental health struggles strain her marriage with Nick (Peter Falk), a utility worker who’s ill-equipped— and often unwilling—to handle her outbursts. The volatile emotional honesty Rowlands accesses in the movie is still jarring to watch today.
Pam Grier
“Friday Foster” (1975)
Directed by Arthur Marks
Produced by American International Pictures
● This effortlessly badass actor was one of the first female action heroes in cinema history. She hit the scene like a shotgun blast in gritty crime flicks like 1973’s “Coffy,” a classic of the blaxploitation genre. “Friday Foster” is an undersung chapter of Grier’s filmography; among the roles she played in the ’70s, her performance in Marks’ film shines thanks to its depth. The titular character is a professionally driven, sexually confident model-turnedphotojournalist who busts a criminal conspiracy wide open. Grier’s got guts and glamour to spare, and she always gets the perfect shot, even when she’s dodging bullets. It’s a true star turn, and in a better timeline, “Friday Foster” would have catapulted her straight onto the Hollywood A-list.
Bruce Campbell
“The Evil Dead” (1981)
Directed by Sam Raimi
Produced by Renaissance Pictures
● Filmed with the help of friends, family, and makeshift camera rigs, this cult horror classic was a word-of-mouth success story. Raimi’s creative vision—not to mention an endorsement from Stephen King—had a lot to do with that, but so did Campbell’s turn as reluctant hero Ash
Williams. As foul demons possess his friends one by one, the square-jawed everyman spirals into survival mode. The actor’s performance is a symphony of anguished screams, bewildered stares, and spattered blood. Ash develops a penchant for one-liners in later installments of Raimi’s franchise; but the original makes it clear that Campbell’s scream-king technique was fully formed from the jump.
River Phoenix
“My Own Private Idaho” (1991)
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Produced by New Line Cinema
● In the 1990s, indie films exploded to the forefront of cinema, pushing a lot of envelopes in the process. Van Sant, one of several major auteurs to emerge from this era, provocatively merged Shakespeare’s Henriad with American street-hustler culture in “My Own Private Idaho.” The writer-director cast real-life pals Phoenix and Keanu Reeves as Mike Waters and Scott Favor, respectively, a pair of close-knit sex workers living on the fringes of society in Portland, Oregon. Phoenix, in particular, breathes life into the role of a narcoleptic lost boy searching for someone to call family. Watch the devastating scene in which Mike haltingly confesses his unrequited love for Scott by the light of a campfire. It’s a tender testament to the raw talent of an actor gone too soon.
Tilda Swinton
“Orlando” (1992)
Directed by Sally Potter
Produced by Adventure Pictures, Lenfilm Studio, Mikado Film, Rio, and Sigma Film Productions
● It’s hard to choose a standout role from Swinton’s huge body of indie work. Something
George Dunn and Gena Rowlands in “A Woman Under the Influence”
River Phoenix in
“My Own Private Idaho”
Wendell Daughtery, Parker Posey, and Dwight Ewell in “Party Girl”
from the early films of her friend Derek Jarman? Her post-millennium metamorphosis in Lynn Hershman Leeson’s “Teknolust”? Ultimately, we picked her shapeshifting performance in this adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s groundbreaking 1928 novel “Orlando.” Swinton stars as the titular character, a watchful, romantic Elizabethan nobleman whose life spans centuries, sexualities, and—thrillingly—genders. It’s a delicate fourth wall–breaking performance that’s marked by curiosity about identity and the passage of time, courtesy of an all-star cinema chameleon.
Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, and John Travolta “Pulp Fiction” (1994)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Produced by Miramax, A Band Apart, and Jersey Films
● Though the whole ensemble of this Tarantino film helped to make it a popculture phenomenon, Travolta, Jackson, and Thurman endure as icons of 1990s cinema. Travolta’s performance as sensitive hitman Vincent Vega rescued his career from decline. As his foulmouthed partner Jules Winnfield, the prolific Jackson roars with Bible-quoting intensity. And sporting a black bob, Thurman beguiles viewers as mob wife Mia Wallace right up until the moment when her self-destructive tendencies lead to catastrophe. Has anyone ever conveyed so much sexual tension by doing the twist?
Parker Posey
“Party Girl” (1995)
Directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer
Produced by Party Productions
● Long before she was popping Lorazepam on “The White Lotus,” Posey was the indie “it” girl of Generation X, playing witty, off-kilter characters with an iconoclastic sense of style in films like “Clockwatchers” and “The House of Yes.” But no role captured the mood of the era quite like Mary, the nightlife-loving ne’er-do-well she brought to life in “Party Girl,” the first movie in history to premiere on the internet. Mary swans about at underground raves while begrudgingly working a day job as a library clerk. But before long, she finds herself swooning over the Dewey Decimal system. Posey’s performance captures the directionless passion of Gen X in all its messy beauty. (Her vintage couture wardrobe isn’t bad, either.)
James Duval
“Nowhere” (1997)
Directed by Gregg Araki
Produced by Blurco, Desperate Pictures, Union Générale Cinématographique, and Why Not Productions
● Araki’s Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy— “Totally F***ed Up” (1993), “The Doom Generation” (1995), and “Nowhere”—is the wacky, nihilistic, sexy scream of the New Queer Cinema movement. And at the heart of all these colorful, anarchic films is a guileless performance from Duval. Across the three installments, each Mya Taylor and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez in “Tangerine”
Uma Thurman and John Travolta in “Pulp Fiction”
of his characters live in the eye of desire, both wanting and wanted. In “Nowhere,” he plays Dark, an angsty young man wandering Los Angeles amid a covert alien invasion, all while yearning for a mystery boy (Nathan Bexton) and brooding over the eternal teenage certainty that he’s “totally doomed.” With his surfer-esque vocal lilt and the floppiest haircut ever committed to film, Duval coaxes wholesomeness from Araki’s subversive world.
Heather Donahue
“The Blair Witch Project” (1999)
Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez
Produced by Haxan Films
● With one snot-streaked close-up, Donahue lit the fuse of an entire genre. Myrick and Sánchez famously shot this faux-documentary on a $35,000 budget. It went on to gross $250 million at the box office, kicking open the door for every found-footage horror film that followed. Its small cast improvised their dialogue and shot “Blair Witch” themselves; but it’s Donahue who became the face of the movie—and even a quarter-century later, it’s easy to see why. The fictionalized documentarian persona she crafted (also named Heather Donahue) is headstrong and arrogant as she unwittingly leads her crew into ruin at the hands of mysterious occult forces. The actor leaves it all onscreen right up until the movie’s disturbing ending, offering a tear-soaked, sleep-deprived performance that’s entirely convincing.
Laura Dern
“Inland Empire” (2006)
Directed by David Lynch
Produced by Asymmetrical Productions, Camerimage, Fundacja Kultury, Inland Empire Productions, StudioCanal, and the Tumult Foundation
● Surrealist mastermind Lynch, who died in January, formed close connections with many of his actors—including Dern. Her early roles in the filmmaker’s “Blue Velvet” (1986) and “Wild at Heart” (1990) remain irresistible portraits of innocence lost. But as tortured actress Nikki Grace in “Inland Empire,” which would prove to be Lynch’s final feature, she unleashes a performance that’s an avant-garde tour de force. Because the filmmaker wrote the script over multiple years and shot the scenes on the fly, Dern has said she didn’t even know what the movie was about during production. That worked in her favor, however. As a haunted movie production plunges Nikki into increasingly nightmarish realms, her identity begins to fracture. Dern plays these abject mutations with a sense of fear, confusion, and mania. Her bizarre, disturbing performance is a fitting monument to one of cinema’s most fruitful collaborations.
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor “Tangerine” (2015)
Directed by Sean Baker
Produced by Freestyle Picture Company, Cre Film, Duplass Brothers Productions, and Through Films
● In his best picture acceptance speech at the 97th Academy Awards, writer-director Baker saluted independent filmmaking. That spirit of resourcefulness and creativity shines through in
the frenetic “Tangerine,” which he shot entirely on an iPhone. Rodriguez and Taylor brought their improv skills and real-life experiences to this tale of two transgender sex workers having a very bad Christmas Eve on the streets of Hollywood. Rodriguez is a tidal wave in leopard print as Sin-Dee Rella, sweeping bystanders into her quest for revenge against her cheating boyfriend. As her bestie Alexandra, Taylor grounds Sin-Dee’s chaos in grace. When she sings Victor Herbert and Glen MacDonough’s “Toyland” to a neary empty bar, you can hear Alexandra’s life story in every note. Together, these two actors elevated the representation of Black trans women on film.
Mahershala Ali
“Moonlight” (2016)
Directed by Barry Jenkins
Produced by A24, Plan B Entertainment, and Pastel
● Every powerhouse starts somewhere. Though A24 had already made a name for itself as a taste-defining distributor, “Moonlight” was the company’s inaugural in-house producing endeavor. Jenkins’ coming-of-age masterpiece went on to win best picture at the Academy Awards, as well as best supporting actor for Ali, making him the first Muslim Oscar winner in history. He turns in a miraculous performance as Juan, a drug dealer who becomes a father figure to the movie’s young protagonist, Chiron (Alex R. Hibbert). Ali holds his character’s hardness and softness in spellbinding tension, particularly in an unforgettable moment when he tenderly, protectively holds Chiron afloat in the Atlantic Ocean.
Laura Dern and the cast of “Inland Empire”
Things Next The
Six indie filmmakers to keep an eye on
By Esther Zuckerman
EARLIER THIS YEAR, SEAN BAKER became the most prominent independent lmmaker in the world when his latest feature, Neon’s “Anora,” took home ve Oscars, including best picture. The writer-director also went down as the only person in Academy history to win four individual awards for the same lm in a single ceremony. His runaway success makes us wonder: Who’s the next Baker? Here’s a look at six indie auteurs whose stars are on the rise.
The Future Oscar Winners
Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar
● “Anora” wasn’t the only indie lm to turn Academy voters’ heads this year. There was also the A24 prison drama “Sing Sing,” directed by Kwedar and co-written by Bentley; the lm earned three Oscar nods, including for best adapted screenplay. This is the pair’s third feature collaboration following 2016’s “Transpecos” and 2021’s “Jockey.” A fourth, “Train Dreams,” is hitting theaters later this year.
Bentley and Kwedar’s adaptation of Denis Johnson’s 2011 historical novella follows the life of railroad worker Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton) across the rst half of the 20th century. Chronicling his loves and sorrows as the country changes around him, the lm is at once intimate and epic. It’s perfectly in line with the themes of Kwedar and Bentley’s previous projects, which gracefully explore the in uence of American institutions on the people who keep them a oat. Here’s hoping moviegoers will welcome these poetic lmmakers into the mainstream.
The Gross-Out Queen
Emilie Blichfeldt
● With 2024’s “The Substance,” lmmaker Coralie Fargeat proved that disgusting feminist body horror has a place at the Oscars. But Norwegian lmmaker Blichfeldt may give that gorefest a run for its money with her feature debut, “The Ugly Stepsister.” This truly nasty spin on “Cinderella” centers not on the titular orphan, but on her muchmaligned stepsisters.
In a bid to gain the approval of her demanding mother (Ane Dahl Torp), the teenage Elvira (Lea Myren) goes to extremes to win the hand of the handsome Prince Julian (Isac Calmroth). This includes ingesting a tapeworm and undergoing medieval plastic surgery—to horrifying results. Blichfeldt proves that she’s not afraid to go there, delivering some of the most revolting imagery ever committed to the silver screen. You’ll gag, scream, and ultimately rejoice in the fact that you’ve found your new favorite horror lmmaker.
Greg Kwedar
Clint Bentley
Annapurna Sriram
Eva Victor Neo Sora
Emilie Blichfeldt
Hayato Kurihara and Yukito Hidaka in “Happyend”
Felicity Jones and Joel Edgerton in “Train Dreams”
Adam Lundgren, Lea Myren, and Cecilia Forss in “The Ugly Stepsister”
The Futurist
Neo Sora
● This Japanese American filmmaker has an impressive pedigree: He’s the son of actor and Oscar-winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. (Last year, he released a documentary about his late father called “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus.”) Sora’s feature narrative debut, “Happyend,” suggests that he might be the perfect auteur to capture the spirit of our uneasy times. The film premiered at 2024’s Venice Film Festival and was subsequently picked up by Metrograph Pictures. Set in the not-so-distant future, the story follows a pair of teens as they grow increasingly wary of the surveillance technology that’s been newly installed at their Tokyo high school, putting a strain on their friendship. Sora couches this tender coming-of-age story in eerie speculative fiction.
The Provocateur
Annapurna Sriram
● You might recognize Sriram from Showtime’s “Billions” and NBC’s “The Blacklist.” But her filmmaking debut, “Fucktoys,” which won a Special Jury Award at SXSW in March, is proof that those gueststar gigs were just the beginning of a much weirder and wilder career. Sriram stars as AP, a sex worker in the aptly named Trashtown who embarks on an odyssey to get the funds she needs to break a curse that’s been placed on her. Shot in 16 mm, “Fucktoys” is a dreamy, strange, shocking piece of camp cinema that’s extremely frank when it comes to sex. Sriram provokes viewers with her surreal saga, showcasing a bold vision that sets her up for future success.
The Multihyphenate
Eva Victor
● This year’s biggest indie breakout is Victor, who wrote, directed, and stars in “Sorry, Baby.” Her buzzy feature debut was quickly picked up by A24 after taking home the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. Victor turns in a warm, ragged performance as Agnes, an academic who’s left reeling in the aftermath of a sexual assault at the hands of her mentor (Louis Cancelmi). Her screenplay deftly balances tragedy with wry humor, and her director’s eye is nuanced and surprising. It’s the type of project that has universal appeal while also feeling incredibly specific to its creator’s voice and vision. It will be interesting to see what’s next for Victor, who primarily worked as an actor before “Sorry, Baby.” Will she continue performing, or do more work behind the camera?
Annapurna Sriram in “Fucktoys”
Eva Victor in “Sorry, Baby”
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New York Tristate Play
Capital Repertory Theatre
• Seeking Equity actors for Capital Repertory Theatre’s 2025-26 LORT season. Season includes “Becky Nurse of Salem” (Sarah Ruhl, playwright; Margaret E. Hall, dir. Rehearsals begin Sept. 2; previews Sept. 26-28; runs Sept. 30-Oct. 19); “Murder for Two: Holiday Edition” (Kellen Blair, book-lyrics; Joe Kinosian, book-music; Scott Weinstein, dir. Rehearsals begin Nov. 7; previews Nov. 28-30; runs Dec. 2-28); “Archduke” (Rajiv Joseph, playwright; Blanka Zizka, dir. Rehearsals begin Feb. 17, 2026; previews March 6-8; runs March 10-29); “Dodi & Diana” (Kareem Fahmy, playwright; Michael John Garcés, dir. Rehearsals begin March 31, 2026; previews April 24-26; runs April 28-May 17); and “Mystic Pizza” (Sandy Rustin, book; Amy Holden Jones, storycharacters; Martha Banta, dir. Rehearsals begin June 16, 2026; previews July 10-12; runs July 14-Aug. 9).
• Company: Capital Repertory Theatre. Staff: Philip Morris, CEO; Miriam Weisfeld, Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, artistic dirs.; Margaret E. Hall, assoc. artistic dir.; Stephanie Klapper, CSA, casting.
•Rehearses and runs in Albany, NY.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities.
•Equity Principal Auditions will be held May 12 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (break, 1-2 p.m.) at Pearl Studios (500), 500 8th Ave., New York City, NY 10018-6504.
•Audition Room: 310; Holding Room: 311. EPA Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be provided.
•Those unable to attend the in-person audition may submit headshots/ resumes. Mail them to Casting, Capital Repertory Theatre, 251 N. Pearl St., Albany, NY 12207.
•Prepare 1-2 minute comedic or dramatic monologue from a contemporary play or (for those who’d like to be seen for “Mystic”), a brief cut of an up-tempo pop song no more than one minute. Sheet music in the correct key (the
accompanist will not transpose).
Headshot/resume stapled together.
• Capital Rep is committed to equitable and inclusive casting in all productions of its season. We actively seek actors of all races, cultural backgrounds, abilities, gender identities, and gender expressions to audition.
•Professional Pay. Pays $839/wk. plus pension and health. Equity LORT D NonRep Contract.
‘Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors’
•Casting Equity actors for roles in “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors.”
•Company: Straz Center for the Performing Arts. Staff: Gordon Greenberg, Steve Rosen, dirs.; Geoff Josselson, CSA, casting dir.; Gemma Josephine, casting dir.
•Rehearses Aug. 26; runs Sept. 16-Oct. 26 at Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, FL.
• Seeking—Track 1: male, 18-35, all ethnicities. Track 2: female, 35-55, all ethnicities. Track 3: female, 18-35. Track 4: male, 35-55, all ethnicities. Track 5: male, 18-35, all ethnicities.
•Equity Principal Auditions will be held May 1 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (Lunch 1:302:30 p.m.) at Pearl Studios (519), 519 8th Ave, New York City, NY 10018.
• Studio J holding, Studio K audition.
•EPA Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be provided.
•Prepare a short comedic monologue in a British dialect. Bring picture/resume, stapled.
•If you are unable to attend the EPA and would like to submit, visit the following link: https://forms.gle/ hsqvThbU4ytuBDRi8
•Professional Pay. Pays $750/wk + per diem, health, pension, travel and housing. Equity Independent Theatre Contract.
Shadowland Stages
•Casting Equity actors for roles in Shadowland Stages 2025 Season. Season includes “I’m Not Rappaport” (Herb Gardner, writer; Neil Pepe, dir. Rehearsals begin May 6; runs May 30-June 29); “King James” (Rajiv Joseph, writer; Jammie Patton, dir. Rehearsals begin June 17; runs July 5-20); “Waitress” (Jessie Nelson, book; Sara Bareilles, music-lyrics; Brittany Proia, dir. Rehearsals begin July 8; runs July 25-Aug. 24); “Darker The Sky, Brighter The Stars” (John Cariani, writer-dir. Rehearsals begin Aug. 12; runs Aug.
29-Sep. 14); “Becoming Dr. Ruth” (Germain, writer; Stephen Nachamie, dir. Rehearsals begin Sep. 2; runs Sep. 19-Oct. 5); “Proof” (David Auburn, writer; Brendan Burke, dir. Rehearsals begin Sep. 23; runs Oct. 10-26.).
• Company: Shadowland Artists Inc. Staff: Brendan Burke, artistic dir.; Brittany Proia, dir. of “Waitress.”
•Season rehearses and performs in Ellenville, NY.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: all genders, 18-99, all ethnicities.
•Equity Principal Auditions will be held May 3 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (break, 1-2 p.m.) at Shadowland Theatre, 157 Canal St., Ellenville, NY 12428-1503.
•EPA Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be provided. No appointments necessary. First come, first served. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.
•For dramatic auditions, prepare a brief monologue. For musical auditions, prepare a brief song. An accompanist will be provided. Bring your headshot and resume stapled together.
• For more info visit www.shadowlandstages.org
•Professional Pay. Pays $482/wk. minimum Equity SPT 3 Contract.
‘House Of McQueen’
•Seeking Equity actors for roles in “House Of McQueen,” a play. Special Note: This is an Ensemble piece and with the exception of the performer playing Lee, all performers will be asked to take on multiple roles in the play.
• Company: Alexander McQueen LLC. Staff: Rick Lazes, prod.; Darrah Cloud, writer; Rick Lazes and Seth Koch, idea by; Sam Helfrich, dir.; Reed Ridgley, Anthony Francavilla (Form Theatricals), general mgrs.; Jamibeth Margolis, casting dir.; Meredith Hoddeson, casting assoc.
•Rehearses July 14-Aug. 10 at Open Jar Studios; tech runs Aug. 11-17; previews run Aug. 18-7 (5 press performances); opens Sept. 9 at The Manor at Hudson Yards, Cornelius, NC.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: 18+.
•Equity Principal Auditions will be held May 1 from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (lunch, 1-2 p.m.) at Actors’ Equity New York Audition Center, 165 W 46th St., 16th Fl., New York City, NY 10036.
•EPA Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be provided.
• Prepare two short, contrasting contemporary monologues of no more than two-minutes total. Show range
and versatility. Also, bring a headshot and resume stapled together.
•Local NYC area actors are encouraged to audition. The producer is committed to diversity and encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to audition. All Equity stage managerial positions have been filled.
•Professional Pay. Pays $1439/wk. Equity Off Broadway (Cat. E) Most Favored Nations Contract.
General Staff + Crew
‘Punch’
• Seeking submissions from Equity stage managers for positions in “Punch.”
• Company: Manhattan Theatre Club. Staff: James Graham, playwright; Adam Penford, dir.; David Caparelliotis, Kelly Gillespie, Joe Gery, casting dirs.; Malaika Fernandes, casting assist.
•Rehearsals begin Aug. 5; previews begin Sept. 9; runs on or about Oct. 1-mid mid-December in NYC.
• Seeking— Stage Manager: 18-99.
• Seeking submissions from NY.
• For consideration, submit a resume to smjobs@mtc-nyc.org. Submissions deadline is Aug. 1.
•Professional Pay. Pays $2839/wk. (SM; Pays $2329/wk. (ASM). Equity LORT Non Rep A+ Contract.
Musical
‘Death Becomes Her,’ B’way, Dancers
•Seeking Equity chorus dancers for future replacements in the Broadway production of “Death Becomes Her.”
• Company: Now A Warning Production Services Corp. Staff: Lowe Cunningham, creative prod.; Christopher Gattelli, dir.-choreo.; Marco Pennette, book; Julia Mattison, Noel Carey, music-lyrics; Mary-Mitchell Campbell, music supervisor; 321 Theatrical Management, general mgr.; The TRC Company, Kevin MetzgerTimson, CSA, casting; Mark Myars, resident dir.-choreo.; Frankie Ramirez, casting assoc.; Amy Quanbeck, dance captain.
• Currently running at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in NYC.
• Seeking— Ensemble Dancers: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities.
•Equity Chorus Calls will be held May 15 at 10 a.m. (lunch, 1-2 p.m.) and at 2 p.m. at Pearl Studios (500), 500 8th Ave., Holding room - Studio 314, New York City, NY 10018.
•Holding room - Studio B. ECC Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be provided.
•Bring whatever footwear (flats or heels) you feel most comfortable in, and appropriate dancewear that shows off your line. Bring a hardcopy headshot and resume stapled together.
•Professional Pay. Pays $2,638/wk. Equity Production (League) Contract.
‘Grease’
•Casting Equity chorus performers for the ensemble of “Grease.”
•Company: Entertainment Live Events LLC at North Shore Music Theatre.
Staff: Kevin P Hill, producing artistic dir.-dir.-choreo.; Matthew Chappell, assoc. prod.-casting dir.; Milton Granger, music dir.; Robbie Cowan, accompanist.
•Rehearsals begin July 29; runs Aug. 13-24 in Beverly, MA.
• Seeking— Equity Chorus Performers: 18+.
•Equity Chorus Calls will be held May 5 at 9:30 a.m. (singers), at 11:30 a.m. (singers; lunch, 1:30-2:30 p.m.), at 2:30 p.m. (dancers) and at 4:30 p.m. (dancers) at Ripley-Grier Studios (520), 520 8th Ave., New York City, NY 10018-6507.
•Holding room, 16D; audition room, 16FG. ECC Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be provided.
•Singers, prepare 16 bars from a song of your choice. You may sing from the show if you’d like. An accompanist will be provided. Bring dance attire, headshot/résumé, and your book.
•Dancers, prepare 16 bars from a song of your choice. You may sing from the show if you’d like. An accompanist will be provided. Bring dance attire, headshot/résumé, and your book.
•For more info, visit www.NSMT.org.
•Professional Pay. Pays $1,005/wk plus travel and housing provided. Equity COST Contract.
Syracuse Stage and Syracuse University 2025-26 Season
•Casting Equity actors for roles in the Musicals for Syracuse Stage and Syracuse University’s 2025-26 Season. Season includes: “The Hello Girls” (New Adaptation. LORT C. Peter Mills, musiclyrics; Peter Mills and Cara Reichel, book; Cara Reichel, dir. Rehearsals begin Aug. 12; runs Sept. 12-28) and “Disney’s Frozen” (U/RTA. Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, music-lyrics; Jennifer Lee, book; Amy Corcoran, dir.; Marjorie Failoni, choreo.; co-produced with the Syracuse University Department of Drama. Rehearsals begin Apr. 14, 2026; runs May 15-June 21, 2026.).
• Staff: Melissa Crespo, assoc. artistic dir.
•Season runs in Syracuse, NY.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: 18+.
•Equity Principal Auditions will be held May 12 from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (break 12-1 p.m.) at Actors’ Equity New York Audition Center, 165 W 46th St, 16th Fl, New York City, NY 10036.
•EPA Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be provided. Prepare a one one-minute contemporary monologue and a maximum 32-bars of a song (bring sheet music). An accompanist will be provided. Also, bring your headshot and resume stapled together. Some roles will be understudied.
•Professional Pay. Pays $1051/wk. (LORT C) and $1070/wk. (URTA - Tier IV) Equity Non-Rep LORT C and URTA - Tier IV Agreements.
Southern California Play
‘Lend Me a Tenor’
•Casting an Actors’ Repertory Theatre Of Simi’s production of Ken Ludwig’s farcical comedy, “Lend Me a Tenor.”
•Company: Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi. Staff: Jan Glasband, Casting Producer; Beth Stockton, Director.
•Rehearses on or about May 20-June 21 at ARTSpace Black Box Theater; runs June 27-July 20 (no performance on July 4) at ARTSpace Black Box Theater in 2956 School St., Simi Valley, CA.
• Seeking— Maggie: female, 23, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, White / European Descent, Maggie is the idealistic, young daughter of Henry Saunders, the blustery General Manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company. She is almost affianced to Max, Saunders’ flustered assistant, but has not outright accepted him, yet.
Maggie loves Max, but is a huge fan of Tito Mirelli, the world-famous Italian tenor, and has been dreaming about having a fling with him during his short stint with her father’s opera company. Tito Mirelli: male, 35-45, Latino / Hispanic, White / European Descent, Must sing well/Tenor, Italian Accent. Tito Mirelli is a famous, Italian tenor, known to his fans as “Il Stupendo”. He is hired by Henry Saunders, the General Manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera House, to perform the title role in their high profile production of Pagliacci. Tito arrives at his hotel late for his only rehearsal before the big show and feeling unwell, with his fiery wife Maria in tow, and proceeds to wreak havoc upon Saunders’ plans by irresponsibly eating and drinking too much and -after instigating a huge fight with his wife -- devolving into an emotional mess. Max: male, 25-32, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, White / European Descent, Must sing well/ Tenor. Max is the overworked, underappreciated assistant to Henry Saunders, the high-strung General
Manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company. Saunders is also the father of Max’s almost-fiance, Maggie. Max has proposed to Maggie, but hasn’t gotten a definitive “yes” to his proposal -- she is anticipating one last, dreamy fling before settling down. Max is disappointed by Maggie’s rejection, but still loves her and aspires to be impressive in her eyes. Henry Saunders: male, 45-60, White / European Descent. Maria: female, 30-40, Latino / Hispanic, White / European Descent, Italian Accent. Maria is the wife of the famous Italian tenor, Tito Mirelli. She is fiery and emotional, equal parts devoted to Tito and disgusted by his narcissism and his infidelity. She serves as the play’s catalyst for mayhem when she decides to leave Tito before his American debut performance in Pagliacci. Diana: female, 28-35, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, White / European Descent, Non-Singing. Diana is the sexy, star soprano in the Cleveland Grand Opera Company’s production of Pagliacci, and will stop at nothing to advance her career. It’s no secret among the company that she is willing to sleep with anyone to get what she wants: fame and fortune. Bellhop: all genders, 28-40, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Latino / Hispanic, White / European Descent, American, can speak/sing Italian. The Bellhop works at the hotel where Tito Mirelli, the famous tenor visiting from Italy, is staying. He is a huge fan of Mirelli, and is extremely and comically persistent in trying to get his autograph. He dislikes Saunders, General Manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, who gives him a cheap tip for bringing up the bags at the beginning of the play. The Bellhop pops in and out of scenes throughout the show and adds to the general mayhem when he delivers an order of champagne to Mirelli’s room, ordered by Diane, Mirelli’s sexy co-star, but mistaken by Maggie, Saunders’ daughter, as a gift from Mirelli. Julia: female, 40-55, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, White / European Descent, Julia is the chairman of the Cleveland Opera Guild, and acts as the right hand to Saunders, General Manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company. She also serves as a confidant for Maggie, Saunders’ daughter. Julia is over the top in mannerism and dress, and loves to be a part of all the goings on at the opera -- including any backstage drama. She is a huge fan of Tito Mirelli, the famous Italian tenor who has come to Cleveland to star in the company’s production of Pagliacci.
• Seeking submissions from CA.
• Send submissions to jgartdept@ sbcglobal.net.
•No Pay.
‘Paranormal Inside’
•Casting Equity actors for roles in “Paranormal Inside.”
•Company: East West Players. Staff: Lily Tung Crystal, artistic dir.; Jeff Liu, dir.; Prince Golmolvilas, playwright; Allen Lucky Weaver, casting dir.
•Rehearsals begin Sept. 8 or 9; tech starts week of Sept. 29; runs Oct.
9-Nov. 2 in LA, CA.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities.
•Equity Principal Auditions will be held May 4 from 12-4 p.m. at East West Theatre, 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
•EPA Procedures are in effect for this audition.
• Prepare a one-minute contemporary monologue. Bring in dramatic monologue for the roles of Max and Delia, or comedic monologue for the roles of Bincy, Ethan, Tasha, and Somboon. We kindly ask to refrain from reaching out to the creative team personally. Doing so will take you out of consideration from the casting process. Send all casting inquiries to casting@eastwestplayers.org. Callbacks May 9 (12-8 p.m.).
•Professional Pay. Pays $586/wk. Equity SPT 5 Contract plus health and pension.
Musical
‘Frozen’
•Casting Equity chorus dancers for “Frozen.”
•Company: 5 Star Theatricals. Staff: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, music-lyrics; Jennifer Lee, book; Anthony Lucca, music dir.; Cindy Murray, prod.-5-Star Theatricals exec. dir.; Yvette Lawrence, dir.; Anthony Lucca, music dir.; Cheryl Baxter, choreo.; Richie Ferris and Michael Donovan, casting dir.
•Non-Equity Rehearsals begin June 14; Equity rehearsals being June 17; runs July 11-20 in Thousand Oaks, CA.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: 18+.
•Equity Chorus Calls will be held May 1 at 10 a.m. (lunch, 1-2 p.m.) and at 1 p.m. at Madilyn Clark Studios, 10852 Burbank Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601-2508.
•ECC Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be provided.
• For consideration, come prepared to dance. Also, if asked to stay and sing, prepare a short song that is appropriate to the style of the show (you may sing from the show). An accompanist will be provided. Also, bring your headshot and resume stapled together. Local LA area actors are encouraged to audition. Actors must be fully vaccinated.
•Professional Pay. Pays $726/wk. Equity LOA Contract (Ref. to COST).
Social Media Ad
UGC and Paid Social Ads, Casting Professionals/ Freelance
• Seeking Casting Producers, Casting Directors, Casting Assistants, Street Scouters, and Talent Scouts with experience working with content creators, influencers, and actors in the world of paid social and UGC.
Professionals who know how to find talent beyond the use of casting
casting National/Regional
platforms or industry software. They should have their own lists or know where to scout through alternative means. Will be asked to find real partners, both content creators, who know how to speak to camera, showcase products, and interact intimately with each other, while also finding or being able to access demanding locations on their own. Searches and their results must be demonstrable, with auditions, reels, content tested on social media, and photos of the locations shared.
•Company: READY SET. Staff: Alex Stiegwardt, Head of Casting.
• Works April-May in Los Angeles, CA.
• Seeking— UGC Casting Producer: 18+.
UGC Talent Booker: 18+.
• Seeking submissions from CA.
• Apply on Backstage.com.
•For consideration, apply with any proof of your professional skills.
• Will make temporary freelance project partnerships.
•Professional Pay. Estimated Payment: $200.00-$500.00 per day (Estimated Duration: 5 Days)
National/ Regional Play
Arvada Center for the Arts
•Casting Equity actors for roles in Arvada Center for the Arts 2025-26 Season. Season includes “The Mousetrap,” (Lynne, Collins, dir.; Equity LORT B contract; rehearses Aug. 7; runs Sept. 5-Oct 12); “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill,” (Christopher PageSanders, dir.;Equity LORT B contract; rehearses Aug. 28; runs Sept. 26-Nov. 2); “Disney’s Frozen,” (Kenny Moten, dir.; Alec Steinhorn, musical dir.; Taeler Cyrus, choreo.; Equity LORT B contract; rehearses Oct. 23; runs Nov. 21-Jan 4, 2026); “Romeo and Juliet” (Lynne Collins, dir.; Equity LORT B contract; rehearses Jan. 15; runs Feb. 13-March 29); “Come from Away,” (Kenny Moten, dir.; David Nehls, musical dir.; Jessica Hindsley, choreo.; Equity LORT B contract; rehearses Feb. 26; runs March 27-May 10).
•Company: Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities. Staff: Lynne Collins, artistic dir.-dir. (The Mousetrap and Romeo and Juliet); Kenny Moten, casting dir.-dir. (Frozen and Come From Away).
•Rehearses and runs at Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities in Arvada, CO.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: 18+.
•Equity Principal Auditions will be held May 4 from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (Lunch 1-2 p.m.) at Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada, CO 80003-3448.
•An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.
•For an audition appointment, visit arvadacenter.org/auditions.
•For musicals, prepare a song(s) in the style of the show(s) you are interested in. Total length should be no more than 2 minutes.
• For plays prepare two short, contrasting monologues of no more than oneminute each. If auditioning for both prepare a one minute short song and a 1-minute monologue. All should bring a photo and resume and your book of music if singing.
•Professional Pay. Pays $1144/wk, Equity LORT B contract; pays $839/wk, Equity LORT D contract. Equity LORT Non-Rep.
Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’
•Casting Equity actors for roles in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” All roles will be understudied.
•Company: Fireside Theatre. Staff: Rehearsals begin July 7; runs July 24-Sept. 7 at Fireside Theatre in Fort Atkinson, WI.
•Doug Wright, book; Alan Menken, music; Howard Ashman, and Glenn Slater, lyrics; Mary Ehlinger, musical dir.; Heather Patterson King, dir.; Kristyn Pope, choreo.; Ed Flesch, prod.;.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: 18+.
•Equity Principal Auditions will be held May 5 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (break, 1-2 p.m.) at Actors’ Equity AssociationChicago Member, 557 W Randolph St 1st, Chicago, IL 60661.
•EPA Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be provided.
•Prepare a short song in the style of the show. Singing from the show is fine. Bring your picture and resume, stapled together.
•Professional Pay. Pays $785/wk. Equity Dinner Theatre Contract.
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Season
• Casting Equity actors for roles in The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis 20252026 Season. Some roles will be understudied. Those with intersections in BIPOC, PGM, and LGBTQIA+ are encouraged to apply. Season includes “The Cottage” (Sandy Rustin, writer. Loretto-Hilton Center Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre, LORT B $1091/wk. (protected status.) Rehearsals begin Aug. 12; tech begins Aug. 29; first preview Sep. 3; runs Sep. 5-28); “TBD” (Emerson Studio Theatre, LORT D $799/ wk. (protected status.) Rehearsals begin Sep. 30; tech begins Oct. 17; first preview Oct. 22; runs Oct. 24-Nov. 16); “Emma” (Kate Hamill, adaptation; Jane Austen, novel. Loretto-Hilton Center Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre, LORT B $1091/wk. (protected status.) Rehearsals begin Nov. 11; tech begins Nov. 28; first preview Dec. 3; runs Dec. 5-21); “Primary Trust” (Eboni Booth, writer. Loretto-Hilton Center Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre, LORT B $1091/wk. (protected status.) Rehearsals begin Jan. 13 2026; tech begins Jan. 30; first preview Feb. 4; runs Feb. 6-March 1); “Gypsy: A Musical Fable” (Aurthur Laurents, book; Jule Styne, music;
Stephen Sondheim, lyrics. LorettoHilton Center Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre, LORT B $1091/wk. (protected status.) Rehearsals begin Feb. 17; tech begins March 13; first preview March 18; runs March 20-April 12.).
•Company: Repertory Theatre of St Louis. Staff: Kate Bergstrom, Augustin family artistic dir.; Delaney Piggins, artistic prod.; Matthew Cox, artistic associate.
•Season rehearses and performs in Saint Louis, MO.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities.
•Equity Principal Auditions will be held May 3 from 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (break, 2-3 p.m.) at Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63103-1006.
•An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.
•For an audition appointment, visit: https://forms.gle/ TyaGP4Axw2cGhw5eA.
• Prepare two contrasting monologues not to exceed 3 minutes total. If you would like to be considered for Gypsy, prepare one monologue and a 32-bar cut of a traditional musical theatre song with clearly marked sheet music. An accompanist will be provided.
•For more info visit repstl.org
• Professional Pay. Pays $799/wk. minimum Equity LORT D Non-Rep contract. $1091/wk. minimum Equity LORT B NonRep contract.
Sparkfest 2025 Play Readings
• Seeking submissions from Equity actors for roles in SparkFest 2025 Play Readings. Readings include “Rotations of the Sky” (Joseph D. Valdez, playwright; Rhiana Yazzie, dir.); “The Fish” (Madeline Sayet, playwright); and “Stuck in Honolulu” (Lee Cataluna, playwright).
• Company: Amphibian Stage Productions. Staff: Jay Duffer, artistic dir.; Elizabeth Kensek, managing dir.; Ally Varitek, assoc. prod.; Alex Voeller, assist. prod., Evan Woods, marketing dir.; Madeline Sayet, Joseph D. Valdez, Lee Cataluna, playwrights; Rhiana Yazzie, Maddox Pennington, R. Réal Vargas Alanis, dirs.
•Rehearses and runs at various times between June 14-22 in Fort Worth, TX.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities.
• Seeking submissions from TX.
• Su bmit video submissions at https:// airtable.com/appebEhjAKrg8BibU/ shrJoOO3a3UXfFgH1. Preparation: Submit a short contemporary monologue, either comic or dramatic. Do not exceed 2 minutes. Video submissions will be accepted through May 4 by midnight.
• Callbacks will begin as early as May 7, 2025. Callbacks are virtual and by appointment only.
• Rehearsals are scheduled during the daytime and evenings. Performed readings will take place in the evenings on weekdays and daytime/ evenings on weekends. A full festival schedule can be found on the website https://www.sparkfestfwtx.com/
•For more info, go to www. amphibianstage.com
• Professional Pay. Pays $12/hr. (rehearsals); pays $35/performance (two for each production). Equity SPT Contract.
‘The Game’s Afoot’
•Casting Equity actors for roles in “The Game’s Afoot: Holmes for The Holidays.”
•Company: Theatre Arlington Inc. Staff: Cherly Denson, dir.; Steven D Morris, exec. prod.; Maria Leon Hickox, production mgr.
•Rehearsals begin Nov. 3 (Mon.-Fri. evenings 6:30-10 p.m. and Sat. mornings); runs Dec. 5-21 (Thu.-Sat., 7:30 p.m. and Sun. 2 p.m.) in Arlington, TX.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: 18+.
•Equity Principal Auditions will be held June 14 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at Theatre Arlington, 305 W Main St., Arlington, TX 76010-7115.
•An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.
•For an audition appointment, email Maria at maria@theatrearlington.org. No video submissions. Arrive at least 15 minutes early with your headshot and resume. Audition sides will be available on the website to read as well.
•For more info, visit Theatrearlington. org.
•Professional Pay. Pays $323/wk. Equity SPT 1 Contract.
‘Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors’
•Casting Equity actors for roles in “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors.”
•Company: Straz Center for the Performing Arts. Staff: Gordon Greenberg, dir.; Summer Bohnenkamp/ Straz Center for the Performing Arts, prod.; Ellen Rusconi, prod. GM.
•Rehearsals begin Aug. 26; runs Sept. 16-Oct. 26 at The Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa, FL.
• Seeking— Equity Actors: all genders, 18+, all ethnicities.
•Equity Principal Auditions will be held May 5 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N MacInnes Pl, Tampa, FL 33602.
• Audition location: Rehearsal Hall / Entrance: Stage Door. An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.
•Prepare a short, comedic monologue in a British dialect. Bring picture/resume, stapled. If the talent is unable to attend the EPA and would like to submit, visit the following link: https://forms.gle/ hsqvThbU4ytuBDRi8. Note: All stage management positions have been filled.
•Professional Pay. Pays $750/wk. Equity Independent Theatre Contract plus per diem, health, pension, travel and housing.
Feature Film
Feature Film Concept
•Casting Lead roles for a proof-of-concept shoot toward developing a feature film.
• Company: Walk With Walker Limited. Staff: Abayomi Oniyide, prod.; Jamal Walker, writer-cir.
•Rehearses and shoot in East London.
• Seeking—Reece: male, 18-25, Black / African Descent, Cocky, really believes that he is God’s gift to the world. Wants to be the centre of attention. Good with girls, loves his friends, and would do anything for them. Get jealous quickly, funny, sarcastic, and a go-getter. Doesn’t take disrespect well. Kai: male, 18-25, Black / African Descent, Grown up with respect, loves his family and friends. Funny, talented, and gets on with everyone. He is normally the one in the group to keep the peace. Wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and run the barbershop. Kadeem: male, 18-25, Black / African Descent, Normally seen to be the cool and calm one in the group. Dependent on his friends more than others because of family issues at home. Always ready to joke around and go on adventures. Wants the best for him and his friends and would do anything to put them in a better position.
• Seeking submissions from England.
• Send submissions to Abayomi.oniyide@ walkwithw.co.uk.
•Professional Pay. Estimated Payment:
£120.00 (Estimated Duration: 8 Hours)
Spec Commercial
Hair Care Brand UGC Campaign, Male Duos
•Casting two male friends—or gay partners comfortable portraying close friends—with strong on-camera chemistry for a UGC campaign with a leading hair care brand.
•Talent must be able to film together and have experience creating content using a cellphone.
•Company: READY SET. Staff: A S, casting dir.
•Talent works remotely.
• Seeking—Male Duo: 20-30, all ethnicities, You’ll portray two close friends. One has been using the brand’s products and seen a big improvement in his hair—now he’s recommending them to his friend, and also giving the recommendation a shout-out to their “Instagram followers.”Great chemistry is key—the exchange should feel casual, fun, and believable.
• Seeking submissions nationwide.
• Apply on Backstage.com.
• If possible, include any previous UGC ads you’ve participated in. Additionally, kindly submit a recent photo of you and your friend together with your application.
•Professional Pay. Estimated Payment: $500.00
•Additional: Pays $250 for each of the actors.
Photography / Stills
FastPanel adv Photoshoot
•Seeking models for “Be in the Frame –Shoot with Greg Watermann,” a
photography portfolio. This is for building a visual story with Greg Watermann, one of the most iconic photographers out there. It’s about showing up, moving through the space, and looking like you were born to be in that frame.
• Seeking—The One in the Photo: 18-24, Join a one-day lifestyle shoot with legendary Greg Watermann. You’ll move, vibe, and pretend you don’t see the camera, while being absolutely seen. No lines, no acting. Just presence, energy and a face the algorithm won’t forget.
• Seeking submissions from FL.
• Apply on Backstage.com.
• For consideration, in submission indicate experiences as a model.
•Professional Pay. Estimated Payment:
$488.00 (Estimated Duration: 8 Hours)
•Additional: Photos for AI generation if approved by the model, additional $100 per photo. Travel covered if needed; edited selects for your portfolio; food, vibes, full crew, good energy.
Other UGC
Stride Foot Health Company
•Seeking content creators to promote a popular foot health company in the States.
•Company: growthcure. Staff: Gaz Jangani, Creative Producer.
• Shoots remotely.
• Seeking—Dad/Older Male: male, 30-60, Black / African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Indigenous Peoples, Latino / Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian / Pacific Islander, to play the dad or an older man who is struggling with foot fungus. Must show feet in the video. Any possibility to film with a family member in the video as a relative is a huge bonus. Daughter: female, 18-35, Black / African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Indigenous Peoples, Latino / Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian / Pacific Islander, to play the daughter of the male lead who is struggling with foot fungus. Any possibility to film with your actual father will be a huge bonus! Dad must be comfortable with showing feet in the video. Daughter Lead: female, 18-40, Black / African Descent, Ethnically Ambiguous / Multiracial, Indigenous Peoples, Latino / Hispanic, Middle Eastern, White / European Descent, to play the daughter of the male lead who is struggling with foot fungus. Any possibility to film with your actual father will be a huge bonus. Dad must be comfortable with showing feet in the video.
• Additional: Products will be sent to your house to take footage with.
General Staff & Crew
Great Lakes Theater Festival
•Seeking crew for “Belong,” a feature film (BFI, BAFTA, Film4 and BBC targeted). Note: Production will be shooting in 8K, 422 Pro Res Raw on cinema grade equipment, (all equipment provided) for a final down-sampled 4K delivery image for theatrical and streaming distribution.
•Company: SM Films. Staff: Sikander Malik, Writer-Director.
• Shoots in Northumberland, Woking (UK), and Morocco. Note: Remote calls via Microsoft Teams to begin. And then in-person meetings across the UK.
• Seeking—Producer: 18+. Director of Photography (DoP): 18+. Camera Operator: 18+. Assistant Director (1st AC): 18+. Production Designer: 18+. Costume Designer: 18+. SFX Make Up Artist: 18+. Key Grip (Camera and Lighting): 18+. Gaffer (Lighting Director): 18+.
• Seeking submissions nationwide.
• Apply on Backstage.com
•For consideration, send a short introduction about yourself. Feel free to include any work you’ve previously produced or been involved in.
•Deferred Pay. This is a self-funded low budget production focussed on producing a 20-30min short film to attract investors for the feature film. You will get all on-set expenses covered (food, accommodation and national and international travel), an official IMDb listing and full credit; submission to top-tier international film festivals, you will work to work with professional-grade equipment (Sony FX3, FX6, Burano, Anamorphic Lenses).
Great Lakes Theater Festival
• Seeking Equity stage managers for Great Lakes Theater Festival 2025-26 season. Season includes: “Sunday in The Park with George” (Victoria Busser, dir.; Matthew Webb, music dir.; Jaclyn Miller, choreo. Rehearsals begin Sep. 16; tech Sep. 21; runs Sep. 27-Oct. 12.); “Dial M for Murder” (Sara Bruner, dir. Rehearsals begin Oct. 14; tech: Oct. 19; runs Oct. 25-Nov. 9); “A Christmas Carol” (Sara Bruner, dir. Rehearsals begin Nov. 11; tech Nov. 22; runs Nov. 28-Dec. 21, 2025); “The Heart of Robin Hood” (Rehearsals begin Jan. 13, 2026; tech Feb. 1; runs Feb. 6-March 1); “Macbeth” (Rehearsals begin Feb. 11; tech March 13; runs March 20-April 4); and “Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B” (Rehearsal March 31; tech April 19; runs April 24-May 17).
•Company: Great Lakes Theater Festival. Staff: Lauren Marousek, artistic assoc.; Matthew Webb, music dir.accompanist; Tamara French, company mgr.-monitor.
•Works in Cleveland, OH.
• Seeking— Equity Stage Managers: 18+.
• Seeking submissions from OH.
• For consideration, submit a resume to cathro@idahoshakespeare.org or Great Lakes Theater ATTN: Nicki Cathro, 1501 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115.
• Professional Pay. Pays $1364/wk. Equity LORT Non-Rep (LORT B) Contract.
‘Magdalene,’ Stage Manager
•Seeking Equity Stage Managers for newest play by Mark St. Germain, “Magdalene,” directed by Keira Naughton at Chester Theater Company in the Berkshires.
•Company: Chester Theatre Company. Staff: Kiera Naughton, dir.; Mark St. Germain, playwright.
•Rehearsals begin May 27; runs June 19-29 at Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA.
• Seeking— Equity Stage Manager: all genders, 18-99.
• Seeking submissions from MA.
• For consideration, submit a resume and cover letter by email to Chris@chestertheatre.org. Submission deadline Apr. 29.
•Professional Pay. Pays $725/wk. (Stage Managers) and pays $637/wk. (Assistant Stage Managers) Equity SPT 6 Contract.
Studio Theatre Season
• Seeking submissions from Equity Stage Managers for Studio Theatre’s 2025-26 season. Season includes “The Heart Sellers” (Lloyd Suh, writer; Danilo Gambini, dir. Rehearsals begin Aug. 26; runs Sept. 24-Oct. 26, potential 2-week extension); “Mother Play” (Paula Vogel, writer; rehearsals begin Oct. 14; runs Nov. 12-Dec. 21, potential 2-week extension); “Octet” (Dave Malloy, writer; David Muse, dir. Rehearsals begin Dec. 9; runs Jan. 14-Feb. 22, 2026, potential 2-week extension); “Purlie Victorious” (Ossie Davis, writer; rehearsals begin April 7, 2026; runs May 6-June 14, potential 2-week extension); “Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen” (Marcelo dos Santos, playwright; Matthew Xia, dir. Rehearses and runs TBD.); and “Jonah” (Rachel Bonds, playwright; rehearsals begin Feb. 2; tech Feb. 27; previews March 4; runs March 8-April 5, potential 2-week extension).
•Company: Studio Theatre. Staff: Danilo Gambini, associate artistic dir.; Gursimrat Kaur, artistic prod. fellow. •Rehearses and runs in Washington, DC.
• Seeking— Equity Stage Managers: 18+.
• Seeking submissions from DC.
• For consideration, submit your resume and cover letter to both Jeffery Martin, director of production, at jmartin@studiotheatre.org; and Madison Bahr, assistant production manager, at mbahr@studiotheatre.org.
•For more info, visit www.studiotheatre. org.
•Studio Theatre will provide reasonable accommodation to individuals who request it in advance. Accommodation requests may include but are not limited to Large Print Materials, Social Narratives, and ASL Interpretation. Email casting@studiotheatre.org with any questions.
•Professional Pay. Pays $1180/wk. (SM); $1030/wk. (ASM); Equity LORT D NonRep contract.
Ask an Expert
How can I get cast as a background actor on “Saturday Night Live”?
● REMEMBER THAT VIRAL
“SNL” sketch featuring Ryan Gosling and Mikey Day as Beavis and Butt-Head? Its success was partly due to “SNL” cast member Heidi Gardner, who, caught off guard by her costars’ hilarious transformations, completely broke character. But maybe the most remarkable thing about it is that none of the extras behind her so much as cracked a smile.
It’s all part of the assignment for the show’s roster of background actors, who fill out scenes set in nightclubs, waiting rooms, press conferences, and other settings while working alongside some of the funniest comedians and celebrities in the world. If you’re interested in joining the background cast, here’s where to start.
Finding the path to Studio 8H
One of the easiest routes is to sign up with an agency that works directly with NBC; it also helps if you’re based in New York City. Though acting experience is encouraged, it isn’t essential.
Jami Simon is best known for her recurring roles on HBO’s “High Maintenance” and the web series “Riding the D With Dr. Seeds.”
Tom Godfrey has appeared in “The Operation” and on “Law & Order.” He has also worked in TV and radio sportscasting, and is the former commissioner of the Broadway Show League.
“Equity has a monthly production list that used to include contact information for principals and background casting directors, but there are also listings in the trade papers,” says Jami Simon. The actor has appeared in “SNL” sketches like “Appalachian Emergency Room,” as well as bits filmed in and around the Big Apple. Simon landed the gig when she met an “SNL” casting director at a seminar at Actors Connection.
Tom Godfrey got cast as a background actor on the show after he grew tired of the rigors of pilot season in L.A. and returned to NYC, where he previously worked on soap operas and as a puppeteer for the Department of Cultural
Affairs. “I did more workshops in New York, one of them being with the casting director for extras on ‘SNL.’ And through him, I made it onto the show,” he says. He’s since appeared on “SNL” episodes hosted by A-listers like Beyoncé and Jon Hamm.
“Like everyone who’s been there, you’re thrilled to be at 30 Rock,” Godfrey continues. “It’s a great job, and you’re going to be live. And that’s lifeblood for an actor.”
What to expect once you’re in Simon says that being an extra on “SNL” is an especially great gig for actors looking to retain union health insurance and keep their instruments sharp. She does, however, caution that the show’s live component makes for an intense production schedule.
“Background actors would generally go Thursday or Friday for rehearsal and to wardrobe,” she says. “Location shots were usually Friday, and on Saturday, we would have skit rehearsals. There was a supper break, then they’d run the show for an audience at 8 p.m.”
Because not all sketches make the cut, she adds, “If they keep
your skit, your hours depend on the running order. But actors are paid the same whether or not their skit makes it to air.”
Despite the hectic action behind the scenes, Simon says that the vibe among the background performers is professional and productive. “You’re focused on your work and character, and in rehearsals, you hear the material several times.”
Perhaps that’s why these actors are able to maintain such straight faces. “I never saw an extra ever break character, no matter how often the principals did,” Godfrey says.
Tip for success
Whatever you do, Godfrey warns, don’t tell anyone in the cast if you think something isn’t landing. “A woman on set for Friday rehearsals decided to tell one of the cast members that what he was doing wasn’t funny,” he recalls. “Even worse, she went up to Lorne Michaels and made suggestions as to how the show could be made better. Needless to say, she was not back with us on Saturday!”
