• Thank You, 10 is an interview series brought to you by Audition Cat, an upcoming app with career management tools for the professional auditioning performer. Each article interviews an industry professional with a different experience and opinion about what the future of auditioning looks like. Through these conversations, we hope an image will appear about what’s next for the industry, and what it aspires to be. Have someone you’d like to be considered for an interview? Reach out to us Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Mirirai

Pronouns: She/her

Occupation: Sovereign Artist | Visionary Healer
Website: www.mirirai.com & www.ayedefy.com
Credits: “Black Mirror: Smithereens” “Russian Doll” If Pretty Hurts Ugly Must Be A Muhfucka

Getting to Know You

Who are you? What’s your artistic background / what started your journey into the arts?

I am a multi-dimensional artist. My mediums are usually theatre and television. What started me on this beautiful journey is a love for performing. I started as a baby dancer, and then an athlete/musician while growing up in Massachusetts. Having spent the majority of my adult life as an actor, I feel more aligned now to call myself an artist and return back to the full complexity of my artistry, which includes musical theater, dance, and writing. I like to be in the soup of collaboration. Making things with other human beings. I haven’t worked with an animal yet. Someday… But my background is mostly in devising collaborative theater and new play development, with a tinge of musical theatre.

When did you set out on your current career path?

When I got fired. 

Oh, okay! Do you want to dig into that? You don’t have to.

I’m only where I am now because I went and dug deeper into myself and who I am. I’m a performer and I am a storyteller. And it took me “getting let go” from a regional play in 2019 and being really confused and sad to get to where I am today. It was pretty traumatic. And I say “was” because I’ve grown. Then, I began an undefined journey of figuring out who I was without work. Flying out to Budapest in 2021 for an onset gig was the first time I’d been on set in two years. So it does feel like this current path that I’m on is perfect despite how grueling it was – and is – on my nervous system and on my sense of self-worth. Having given a lot of myself to an industry that had – unbeknownst to me – been whispering about the flaws in my character and then unceremoniously being forced out of a production, I was like, Gasp! “What do I do now?” And then I really had to give myself a bunch of ego deaths. Not because the ego doesn’t serve, but because I wasn’t understanding and cultivating the clearest, kindest, sovereign use of my power and my voice. I wasn’t seeing my own worth. And that’s a roundabout way to say, “I’m so glad I got fired and that my castmates sent me off with love and prayers”. It’s totally a villain origin story with a happy ending.

What is your “mission statement” as an arts professional? What drives you to continue in this industry?

I have guiding principles: I believe in integrity, love, and respect for all of the creatives. I think my guiding principle for saying yes to things right now, is that my spirit has to be moved by the story. The character that I’m being asked to play has to feel like there’s room for all the colors that I bring to my daily life to be brought to the screen or the stage. I will not compromise my mental or physical health for this career anymore. I also believe that we tell ourselves stories to live; ever since day one in the cave. Now we’re here in 2021. Many things have changed. A lot of things haven’t. I’m really invested in community and how we help our communities thrive by letting others tell their story and bringing those individuals – marginalized or otherwise – that are historically cut out of their own stories back into the narrative to say, “I know you’re there. You were there! They tried to erase you. But no, you were there!” I’m really about bringing light to a lot of the dark.

Within your artistic profession, what other industry roles do you work with most closely?

I’ve been a director, an assistant director, front of house staff, administrative assistant for various theater and nonprofit theater institutions, and a dramaturg. Usually, when I’m assistant directing, there’s movement involved. As an actor, I’ve worked closely with choreographers, dialect coaches, and musicians. I’ve also been a Producer and facilitator of short film projects. A lot of times myself and other creatives had to put together the resources to get folx to fund a project. When I started in New York, before I had an agent, I sold merch. It’s one of my favorite parts of my life, selling merchandise for Broadway theatres. Now I’m on an equity and inclusion committee working closely with executive leadership at institutions.

What do you wish was more widely understood about your profession?

That it’s a job. Back to getting fired! I know people are fired all the time, I knew that it was possible for me. And when it actually/finally happened to me without a clear reason… I had to work through my anger about that situation before seeing it now as a blessing in disguise.

We need rehearsal so that when we get ready to do the thing, whether we’re saying “action” on set, or first preview, we know what we’re doing. The job is to tell the story and the job is to keep each other safe, while we’re in the space, whether that space is a soundstage or at Playwrights Horizons. I want people to understand that this is work, and what I now believe is that auditions are unpaid internships. But I think when I come into a space where I am asking questions so that I can do my job, it has been perceived as, “I want to be right and I am unhappy here.” I just have a different way of working. I work differently than you, I have a different method. My method is not your method. You have a different process than I do. I think everyone kind of wants everything to be all neat and sweet and cute. And then we’re on a step and repeat saying “happy opening”. No, it’s a process. And then after opening, we still have to do the show. Especially if you’re talking about theater. Then I think what’s even more daunting is when you’re doing a film or a TV show, you can’t change anything after that. It’s done. So I hope you rehearsed! Because that’s it. That’s the end. It’s going to get edited and released. And I hope I gave them all the colors and left it all out there. And I trust that there was something on every single tape because I was prepared for work.

Auditioning and You

In your experience, what is the most common pitfall that actors make with auditions?

One of my pitfalls is not trusting my intuition, which reflects in my life, too. I’m a bit of a tryhard. Because I care. I try really hard to create full characters, even if I’m given 48 hours to put something on tape. My other pitfall is still learning how to say “no” to auditions because it either doesn’t excite me or I don’t want to create the time. Recently, a dream role came in to audition for and I just kept saying no when they kept extending the deadline because I just didn’t feel healthy. I didn’t really want to enter that character’s psyche. Which brings me to the pitfalls of actors in general. It’s like, how dare we say “no”? I actually think we would have a healthier industry if people asked the questions, “Does this really excite you?” “Do you really want to take this on?” Our collective pitfall is I don’t think we take care of ourselves enough because we’re so passionate about the craft and storytelling and we cut ourselves open for the chance to be seen, delve into a character, and get paid to do so. I no longer think we have to exist in that bleeding heart space in order to tell good stories.

Let’s talk about self-tapes! Self-tapes have become more and more common for auditioning actors, even more so during the pandemic. What do you like about self-tapes? What do you dislike about them?

Pre pandemic, I loved self-tapes. I really enjoyed them! I felt like there was freedom to throw 1,000 things at the wall. Look, we’re actors, we have to get used to looking at ourselves and liking what we do. And I think it’s a practice.

One of my dislikes right now for self-tapes is that I don’t feel like it’s a representation of the energy I bring to a space, especially having undergone immense spiritual and emotional growth. I can put on the makeup, change my hair, or change my clothes. There are so many variables and factors that contribute to an actor being that “Yes” to the folx on the other side of the table or Zoom screen. When I say yes to an audition, I think, “Yeah, it’s me!” Which isn’t to say that it can’t be someone else. Moreso, “Yeah, I could do this.” I’m not seeking validation asking “Can I do this role?” But sometimes with self-tapes, I don’t think they give us enough space to explore the characters. Sometimes you don’t get breakdowns. Sometimes you only get 24 to 48 hours. So right now, it still feels like there’s just a scarcity and a rush. For me, I want to be as clear as possible about what I say “yes” to.

As self tapes become more and more prevalent in the industry, for your profession, what are the main differences between in-person and virtual auditions? What advice do you have for actors who have less experience with virtual auditions?

My advice is to come in expecting that the old days will be behind [you]. To make sure that your virtual setup is exactly how you want it to be. And use the time in the virtual waiting room to really breathe. I think it’s breathing, understanding that there are now even more variables than before, and a lot of them have to do with technology. And those are the worst variables.

How do you expand your “network”? When you interact with a performer for the first time, what inspires you, and what are you looking for in this initial interaction/audition to convince you to bring them back?

I really gravitate towards people that I think artistically would label themselves as working class. Back to the whole, “it’s a job thing”… People who are able to understand that label in the spectrum of the performing arts, of the entertainment industry, have usually performed at least once in a blackbox somewhere off, off, off, off, off-Broadway. There is still this weird stigma towards community theater which my peers and I are trying to change. I believe that working-class artists can still occupy an elite Academy Awards esque space without compromising their ideals and dreams. And those are the people that I gravitate to and want to weave my web with.

I have worked in other service industries and I believe entertainment is a service and essential. One of my first jobs was sweeping movie theaters and selling popcorn; I’ve honestly done it all. Then during the pandemic, I made friends with my grocer (shoutout to Carmen from Smart & Final), because a part of me was like, “you know what, if the government doesn’t think I’m essential, maybe I’ll just work at the grocery store because there’s no shame in that.” I want to work with people who understand that paradox. But back to interactions with fellow performers; it’s mostly, “Can we party? Can we dance?” It’s really basic for me. I want to have a good time while telling stories.

Looking to the Future

What excites you about the future of the arts and auditioning in particular? What are your concerns?

I am not in such a delusion to think that I have all the answers. I don’t know. But I know that we’re slowly and steadily working towards something that excites us to be a part of. I’m thinking a lot about AA. And I have a lot of friends who are on their sober journey. I’ve been to one AA meeting. I have a deep love for people that are on that journey in that particular way. But the one step I’ve been thinking about a lot is “making amends”. I think we can truly make amends by building the future we want to see. By saying, “I actually cannot change the past, what I can try and do is build and give someone else the tools to do better.” To give someone else resources and to take a step back and say “no” or “I’m not healthy.” Personally, I don’t want to build a future where I’m just saying “yes” out of scarcity or ego only to get fired again…this time publicly.

I hope, I wish, and I’m excited by this feeling I have that people are gonna start getting “discovered” again by just being themselves. The world is going through some apocalyptic cycles right now so I have a feeling that people are going to be out there living their life, or tik-toking it, and get discovered on a beach somewhere and shoot into the mainstream…which as we’ve seen with the cult of celebrity has its pitfalls. As life-changing and exciting as that can be, it does concern me for the health of the individual and the craft of acting. I’ve kind of adopted my personal philosophy of “my life is my audition”, and for better or for worse I’ve gotten jobs from people looking at my Instagram. Anything is possible. That being said, – especially for those starting out – I want auditions to feel like safe spaces to express your perspective on character(s) and less to do with your follower count and audience reach.

Post-Pandemic, how prevalent do you think virtual auditions will be / what role will they play in the day-to-day casting process? Are there aspects of virtual auditions you’ve found that you prefer?

Accessibility. I think in-person auditions are primo but I also want everyone to have options. I think it’s cool that we’re finding new old ways (because Zoom has been around for a while, right?) to create access for those without the ease of coming into an audition. It also allows for the casting net to be wider.

Self Tape setups are a financial and technical obstacle for many in our industry. For those who either can’t afford or don’t feel confident in the technical knowledge to use self-tape equipment, what advice can you offer to give them the best audition?

Ask for help. I think we all need to be comfortable asking for help in all capacities. I think a lot of people are ashamed. I mean, in certain areas of my life, I do not ask for help. You know, I’m not holier than thou about it. But I’ve really learned this last year to just ask a friend… or Google man. There’s so much information. Heidi Marshall has an amazing blog. She’s amazing. And she’s such an advocate for actors, and artists of all levels. So I think it’s really just about shooting your shot. And saying, “Hey, I need help. I think you can help me.” Don’t downplay yourself. Just do it!

If you could rebuild the audition process however you’d want, what would it look like?

Say I’m the casting director. I’ve got the writer with me. I got the director with me. I ask the writer, “Top of your mind, who were you thinking of when you wrote this? Cool. Director, top five actors you thought of when you read this [script]?” Start there. Start at around 15 top-of-mind actors. And then after that 15, throw in a couple wildcards for good measure. Maybe ask the audition reader, “Do you have some friends that you think would want to do this play?” Then from there, open the pool to other ideas. What I’ve seen and experienced is that some casting offices make it seem like the pool is wide, when it’s not. So I think it’s high time we drop the illusion of nationwide searches for every project and begin with more clear and concise casting ideas that come from the creative team/lead artists.

The arts industry has inherent barriers to entry including but not exclusively race, socioeconomic status/background, gender, disability, and more. How do you think the industry should evolve to make it a more accessible, equitable, and intersectional space for all? Especially how can we apply this to the audition process?

So back to my 15, I think it would be really awesome to include someone that self-identifies as neurodivergent, a person that is “out” in terms of sexual orientation, and separately “out” in terms of mental health diagnoses. I’m here for people being like, “I’m high functioning depressive”, let’s go! It’s me…I am people. Have one person in that 15 who uses sign language, whether it’s American or otherwise, to see what it inspires in the actor and creative team. Even if the character is intended to actually vocalize those words, you can have subtitles. If the actor can sign and the audience can read, how amazing! It’s exciting to me to get creative in auditioning and casting. We’re behind. With race… we’re still talking about race. Personally, I know someone’s always gonna be writing a story about somebody Black. Whether I get hired or not is a different story.

Are people gonna be writing a story about someone with autism? And then is the person hired going to be someone with that lived experience? Although getting specific about race, ethnicity, and even sexuality is a wonderful and continued industry-wide goal, I think we can expand our view of what it means to be accessible beyond skin color and ethnic background. Personally, when it comes to the sexual orientation conversation, I still don’t know if I want my hiring to be dependent on if casting and the general public know who I may or may not be sleeping with. Alas, I do include my own ignorance in this conversation on evolving our industry. Let’s be real, despite being Zimbabwean, I can only name a few Zimbabwean actors. And even though my name is not household or what have you, I’m more interested in creating space for people who haven’t had half of the opportunities that I’ve had. Lastly, I have not yet played my own nationality. So although I can be a “diversity hire” in certain rooms, I sometimes get confused by what my role as an artist is supposed to be. Because I think “Man, I spent all this time learning all these other accents, not just trying to find my own. What is that about?” Does it come from a lack of opportunity or because I’m not waving the Zimbabwean flag at every audition I go to in order to enjoy the privilege of crafting a character irrespective of where I was born? I think the conversation is much deeper than the ones we’ve been having. But at least we’re having them!

Thank You, 10 is an interview series brought to you by Audition Cat, an upcoming app with career management tools for the professional auditioning performer. Each article interviews an industry professional with a different experience and opinion about what the future of auditioning looks like. Through these conversations, we hope an image will appear about what’s next for the industry, and what it aspires to be. Have someone you’d like to be considered for an interview? Reach out to us Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Michael Goddard

Pronouns: he,him

Profession: Talent Agent, CGF Talent, founded January 2012

Biography Questions

Who are you? What’s your artistic background / what started your journey into the arts?

Michael Goddard.  After studying Marketing in college, I started performing and acted professionally in Musical Theatre for 16 years.  I did Broadway, National Tours, a European Tour, a Cruise Ship and many regional theaters.

When did you set out on your current career path?

After that I started in the agency business and have been an agent for 15 years since 2006.  I always knew that becoming an agent would be a great marriage of my love for the art and my degree and understanding of Marketing and Business.

What is your “mission statement” as an arts professional? What drives you to continue in this industry?

As an arts professional I strive to help make the dreams come true for my many clients.  I’m extremely passionate and active in figuring out goals and dreams and creating opportunities for actors to walk into the right rooms.  I love when the business works correctly like a machine and allows everyone to do their jobs in the ways that they know how.

Within your artistic profession, what other industry roles do you work with most closely?

In my profession as an agent, we work closest with Casting Directors in order to create the opportunities for our actors to audition for projects.  We work closely with actors who we represent, and we work closely with General managers and producers to come up with the best deal possible for our clients.

What do you wish was more widely understood about your profession?

What I wish was more widely understood is that having an agent isn’t a guarantee invite into audition rooms.  It’s the actors job to always deliver in the audition room, to gain fans and bring their best work into every opportunity.  It’s my job to build business relationships with the casting directors and gain trust so that I can get you in the rooms.

Audition Industry Questions

In your experience, what is the most common pitfall that actors make with auditions?

Biggest pitfalls that actors make with auditions is when they self-sabotage the audition, they start to do the casting director’s job and talk themselves out of the roles.  They lose confidence and belief in themselves and that can be seen so clearly from the other side of the table.

Let’s talk about self tapes! Self tapes have become more and more common for auditioning actors, even more so during the pandemic. What do you like about self tapes? What do you dislike about them?

I like good self-tapes and I dislike bad ones.  I like that the actor has the chance to “get it right” on their own time, but I don’t like that there isn’t an opportunity to show your authentic self like when you used to walk in the room and really share your energy with casting directors and directors.

As self tapes become more and more prevalent in the industry, for your profession, what are the main differences between in-person and virtual auditions? What advice do you have for actors who have less experience with virtual auditions?

My adivce:  Get out of your head.  Give a full out performance of that character as you would do on your opening night or shoot date.  Don’t keep thinking about what you think that the casting director or director wants, and just give the performance.

If there was one piece of advice you’d give to any actor right before an audition or recording a self tape, what would it be?

Show what makes you special not what you think they think is special.

How do you expand your “talent rolodex”? When you interact with a performer for the first time, what inspires you, and what are you looking for in this initial interaction/audition to convince you to bring them back?

I’m looking for an actor who truly knows who they are and is so comfortable in their own body. To see an authentic artist is so inspiring and makes me excited to see what may be next for them.

Looking to the Future Questions

What excites you about the future of the arts and auditioning in particular? What are your concerns?

I’m most excited about arts and auditioning coming back and having more in person opportunities. The concerns I have are that many of the self-taping opportunities have been a reliable and successful way of auditioning. This can mean that self taping will probably be a larger part of our future than it was in our past.  Making art and auditioning is a collaborative experience so I’m excited about people making art in this world today as we’ve continued to process and experience so much life in 2020 and 2021.  I’m excited about opening the opportunities to be inclusive of all actors and telling stories that have never been told.

Post-Pandemic, how prevalent do you think virtual auditions will be / what role will they play in the day-to-day casting process? Are there aspects of virtual auditions you’ve found that you prefer?

Virtual auditions will definitely continue to be a part of the auditioning process.  People just need to get used to it, but nothing beats an in person meeting to really understand the energy of the artist.  Also direction and playing is always better in the room.

Self Tape setups are a financial and technical obstacle for many in our industry. For those who either can’t afford or don’t feel confident in the technical knowledge to use self-tape equipment, what advice can you offer to give them the best audition?

It doesn’t take a lot of money to make a good self tape.  It takes a lot of skill and brains. Figure out the lighting, figure out a background and figure out the sound.  This can all happen with an iphone.  Just do it smartly.  The excuse of money isn’t necessary (although it can be helpful) to create a great self-tape.

If you could rebuild the audition process however you’d want, what would it look like?

If I could rebuild the audition process — it would be me suggesting my actors for the jobs and then they would get them.  That would be my most favorite process ever!

The arts industry has inherent barriers to entry including but not exclusively race, socioeconomic status/background, gender, disability, and more. How do you think the industry should evolve to make it a more accessible, equitable, and intersectional space for all? Especially how can we apply this to the audition process?

The Arts industry needs to focus on telling new stories, creating new heroes and really finding the artists who are ready to tell them and create them.  Marketing and Business decision makers in the arts need to understand that there is a business and an audience for all of these different stories.  Expand their views and ideas and the industry as a whole will be very surprised, and will thrive like never before.

Thank You, 10 is an interview series brought to you by Audition Cat, an upcoming app with career management tools for the professional auditioning performer. Each article interviews an industry professional with a different experience and opinion about what the future of auditioning looks like. Through these conversations, we hope an image will appear about what’s next for the industry, and what it aspires to be. Have someone you’d like to be considered for an interview? Reach out to us Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

CELESTE DEN

Pronouns: She/Hers

Occupation: Actor/Producer

Links to Celeste’s Work:

WEBSITE

REEL

IMDB

Credits:

David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly at the Cort Theater on Broadway, directed by Julie Taymor

World Premiere of Jung Chang’s Wild Swans at American Repertory Theatre and Young Vic in London, directed by Sacha Wares

World Premiere of Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig’s The King of Hell’s Palace at Hampstead Theatre in London, directed by Michael Boyd

Getting To Know You

Who are you? What’s your artistic background / what started your journey into the arts?

My name is Celeste Den, I’m a performer and occasional dabbler in producing. My artistic background is Theatre. What started me in performance was a one act play at the end of my senior year in high school. I still remember the feeling of letting go in that audition – the rediscovery of a childlike sense of play. The opening night of the one act was my 18th birthday, and it went perfectly. I remember when the lights blacked out, and everybody started applauding, I looked up in the dark and thought “Well, this is fucking IT!” And when I went to college a couple months later, I was like “Okay…Theatre!” but having never taken a Theatre class I didn’t know anything. I didn’t know what upstage was, what downstage was, I didn’t know what scene work was, I didn’t know anything. I was just like “I’m a Theatre major now. This is what I’m gonna do.”

When did you set out on your current career path?

Pretty much as soon as Theatre was in my consciousness – feeling like this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. From day one at my undergraduate, I got involved in every aspect of Theatre making, not just the acting bit. I took classes in set construction, lighting, costumes, props – you name it – and did production hours for all of them. I wanted to learn everything. I assistant stage managed and was able to observe the rehearsal process that way before I was ever cast in a mainstage show. I also got super involved with the student producing organization – acting in them, yes, but also producing them and producing events for the organization.

I was also lucky that there was a regional theater by my undergraduate school, a small LORT D theater. I went to see shows there. I started to meet the people there. I did a dramaturgy internship at that regional theater which evolved into assisting the Artistic Director as well as a few weeks of company managing. It gave me a lot of insight into what a life in professional Theatre might look like.

What is your “mission statement” as an arts professional? What drives you to continue in this industry?

Those are questions I come back to regularly, and the answers continue to evolve. I don’t know that I’ve ever had a particular “mission statement” other than “I want to be an actor.” But then I became an actor, luckily a working one, and was like “and now what?” I started because I loved it. It gave me a sense of belonging and a sense of being able to contribute, regardless of socioeconomic background or race. It was a way for me to examine myself – the way I relate to myself, to other people and to the world. All fairly self serving reasons to be honest. At some point though, I started to ask “What greater purpose does it serve? How am I being of service? There’s got to be more than just making myself feel good, right?” The answer I keep coming back to –  although to some extent it can sound like just a sexy grant proposal soundbite, but it doesn’t make it any less true – is that storytelling – hearing stories and telling stories – is the best and maybe only way to practice empathy, and to generate empathy where there may not be any. I firmly believe that. And it may not be brain surgery and I may not be saving the world from climate change and other disasters, I may be only playing pretend for a living, but I think on a human to human, cellular level, there is no greater service I can provide than to move someone intellectually, emotionally, spiritually – giving them insight into a perspective that they didn’t have access to before, or reflecting and validating someone’s experience of life and making them feel less alone. That’s an invaluable service to humanity, I think.

But I’ve also recently come to realize the flip side, which is that it can’t just be all about the greater service either – it still has to be tied in with what it does for me. So I literally went all the way around. I went from “I do it just because I love it” to “No It has to have a greater meaning!” to “No, no, no, it has to be both. It has to be both simultaneously.” Otherwise, why bother?

As someone who’s worn many different hats in the industry, what are the roles you most identify with?

On most things I put: Actor/Producer, though to be honest I feel mad imposter syndrome calling myself a Producer. Firstly, it’s been a while since I’ve done any producing, and secondly the projects I’ve produced have been so eclectic – from a large scale concert for a string quartet to radio commercials, non-scripted TV shows to 99 seat musical theatre workshops to a site specific play in my house. I’ve tried a little bit of everything throughout the years, so I really feel more like a jack of all trades than anything else.

I think I just really enjoy being part of the creative process and getting things done – the feeling of accomplishment. I’ve found that the difference between Theatre and Screen work is that, as an actor, you’re not really let into the creative process much for Film and TV unless you’re there from the beginning as a series regular/one of the main characters. The only time I’ve felt the same “work family” feeling that I love most about Theatre while in the Film and TV industry was when I worked in production. I’ve never felt it as a co-star or guest star on set. I’d love to feel confident enough to just call myself a CREATOR one day.

What do you wish was more widely understood about your profession?

Speaking specifically to acting – it requires a lot more nuanced skill than non-industry people think it does. There are definitely those folks who have a light inside them and are super charismatic and they can get off the bus in LA and be like “I’m an actor now!” and make it as a huge star. But if you’re not one of those people or – let’s face it – someone who’s won the genetic lottery, acting is a fucking hard skill. Actually, even for those super shiny people it still takes dedication and hard work. In fact, it’s taken me a long time to even feel comfortable calling myself an “artist” because to me acting feels like a blue collar craft or trade. Maybe because I’m from Theatre to me it feels like a thing that you roll up your sleeves to do with your whole body, and you need the hours and years of training to develop the skills to do it well. So it really bothers me when people don’t think you need to learn how to act or put in the work. I mean no one is saying “I love brushing my teeth, I’m really good at brushing my teeth. Minnesota is a state with great dental health, I’m going to go to Minnesota, and now I’m a dentist!” You can’t just do that. I feel like people underestimate the amount of craft it takes.

Auditioning and You

In your experience, what is the most common pitfall that actors make with auditions?

Trying to do it “right” is the biggest pitfall that I can speak to personally. Thinking that what you have to do is go in and give them what they want, instead of going in and doing your thing.

Let’s talk about self tapes! Self tapes have become more and more common for auditioning actors, even more so during the pandemic. What do you like about self tapes? What do you dislike about them?

I love tapes. I’ve loved them forever. A lot of my big Theatre gigs started with initial self tapes which then led to follow up in person callbacks. Some jobs were booked off tape alone – for Theatre and TV – and this started back in 2011 so I’ve been doing tapes for a LONG time. It’s how I’ve managed to grow a healthy Theatre career while based in LA. Sometimes for big auditions I will do two sessions. I’ll do a casual first session just to kind of see what I’m doing, so I can watch it and be like “That thought transition doesn’t quite connect…is there a stronger perspective I can have in this moment…ah I should cheat my face more towards camera there and lift my eyeline a bit.”  And then I’ll give myself at least another 24 hrs to digest before I do the final tape.

It’s a catch 22, really. I love that I can do as many takes as I want until I get one I’m super happy with, but it also means I can fall into a bad habit of doing too many and they are all only slightly different. So now I’m still letting myself record my rehearsals as much as I want, but when it’s time to tape, I only give myself 3-5 takes.

The biggest drawback is definitely not getting immediate feedback or that little bit of redirection in the room that might make the difference in your interpretation of the material. For TV shows that have been running for a while you can easily get a foundation for that world from old episodes, but if you’re auditioning for a new project there’s only so much research you can do. You can research the creatives, production company, network/studio etc. but otherwise you’re just making choices in the dark if it’s just you and your camera. This is why having a casting director who can give you a bit of guidance and insight is worth making your way through LA traffic to be in the room. I also miss making that personal connection with the casting office and the people.

As self tapes become more and more prevalent in the industry, for your profession, what are the main differences between in-person and virtual auditions? What advice do you have for actors who have less experience with virtual auditions?

I mean, the main difference is that now we as actors are responsible for the tech. We’ve traded the commute for the tech set up. I’ve done fewer live virtual auditions than I’ve done self tapes but I set up for them in pretty much the same way. The only thing I find a little awkward is being in the “waiting room” when everything is ready to go and I’m in frame and just waiting there. I don’t know when the session will suddenly turn on and I don’t want them to find an empty frame or catch me doing some weird warm up so I feel a bit stuck there.

The biggest piece of advice I have for actors who are really new to virtual auditions is to not be afraid of the tech. Do the best you can to make sure they can see and hear you, and you can see and hear them. That’s it – just start there. With practice you can slowly figure out how to make the process more comfortable for yourself.

Self tapes might have been around for a while but virtual auditions are so new for fucking everyone – on both sides, so if you don’t know what to do just ask. If you need to adjust your camera setup after the audition has already started and they have to watch you move the camera, it’s fine. It’s fine. All good. Don’t sweat it. We’re all just figuring it out.

If there was one piece of advice you’d give to any actor right before an audition or recording a self tape, what would it be?

Do whatever you want. Honestly, if you’re confident that you’ve done all the preparation you can beforehand, then do whatever the fuck you want. Trust it. Be free.

How do you expand your “network”? When you interact with a performer for the first time, what inspires you, and what are you looking for in this initial interaction/audition to convince you to bring them back?

I’m not great at networking honestly…I tend to attach myself to people I’ve gone to school with or worked with or have some sort of shared experience with. Otherwise I’m pretty terrible at making lasting relationships with strangers. The only way I know how to grow my network is by working and I didn’t do ANY Theatre in 2020 so now I’m like “I have no new friends!” Usually I’m drawn to people who are capable of removing their personal ego from the process. If someone can have their version of fun during the process, and they’re open, that’s the kind of energy that makes me go, “ok you’re dope let’s be friends.”

Looking to the Future

What excites you about the future of the arts and auditioning in particular? What are your concerns?

Let’s be positive. I’m excited that there is a lot of initiative in making the arts more equitable. But we’ll see. Because, as it is, how many people of color can afford to continue in this field? So that’s what I’m excited about and my concern. And specifically, as it pertains to auditioning, I’m excited for there to be more perspectives on the other side of the table. Everyone from producers to writers to showrunners to casting directors…people of color, women of color in those positions who can see different perspectives of the same story. I would really like that to be a trend that continues instead of falling apart because we cannot afford it economically.

Mostly I’m just hoping that we continue to carve out more room for complex characters and intersectional perspectives on storytelling. Besides being beyond tired of the pervasive White lens, I’m also tired of the generalization of black and brown experiences. Our stories don’t always have to be rooted in oppression or immigration or trauma or violence – they are definitely a part of our cultural inheritance but they don’t define our experiences. I’m still waiting for a character that speaks to all the aspects of who I am. Most of what I go out for are characters that may be similar to me in personality, but I have yet to come across any material that reflects my personal journey.

Have you thought about creating something yourself? That speaks more to your experience? Personally?

That’s what I’m trying to do right now. Failing very spectacularly at it, but I’m just gonna keep plugging away because what else am I gonna do? Keep waiting around for someone else to create a platform that can showcase me the way I want? Knock on doors for jobs the rest of my life? No thanks.

Post-Pandemic, how prevalent do you think virtual auditions will be / what role will they play in the day-to-day casting process? Are there aspects of virtual auditions you’ve found that you prefer?

I think it will be a combination of both virtual and in person. For 1st reads, whether it’s for film/tv or commercial, why not do it virtually? But for callbacks, and definitely by the time you get to something like a chemistry read, I should hope they bring us in the room. I don’t even mind a 1st audition for Theatre virtually as long as callbacks are in person. I’m sure beyond the efficiency aspects in terms of creative process, there are economic forces that will dictate what combination of the two we will experience in the future.

I think virtual auditions can, in part, make opportunities more accessible in terms of casting a much wider net in an actor search, but we also have to acknowledge that there are people who don’t have access to the hardware, the knowledge of the tech, or even adequate internet connection. I don’t know that the process can ever be as inclusive or equitable as we want it to be. But, speaking selfishly, virtual auditions and self tapes mean I can make travel plans, live my life, without always needing to stay in town just in case I get an audition.

Self Tape setups are a financial and technical obstacle for many in our industry. For those who either can’t afford or don’t feel confident in the technical knowledge to use self-tape equipment, what advice can you offer to give them the best audition?

Don’t sweat it too hard. If they can see you, if they can hear you – that’s all you need. Don’t feel like you can’t do your best if you don’t have fancy 3 point lighting or a thing on your wall to let you pull down different backdrops. I mean, if you’re into that, if that’s your hobby, if you have the resources – great, go for it. But pretty much every single person I’ve ever heard from has said “At the end of the day, if the acting and the essence are what they’re looking for, it doesn’t matter how you fucking filmed it.”

Just be smart about the things that you can do. But don’t sweat the tech – focus on the acting. Literally, the only things you have to worry about are “Can they see you? Can they hear you?” If you’re not technically savvy AT ALL – like, you’re so analog you don’t know how to use a smartphone then…I don’t know. Get somebody to help you, I guess.

If you could rebuild the audition process however you’d want, what would it look like?

If I had the answer I would have already reinvented it and be a millionaire. I guess for me, whatever makes everyone work smarter not harder, would be great, as long as we can keep encouraging more humanity so everyone feels like the system, process, space, etc. allows them to feel safe enough, free enough to do their best work.

The arts industry has inherent barriers to entry including but not exclusively race, socioeconomic status/background, gender, disability, and more. How do you think the industry should evolve to make it a more accessible, equitable, and intersectional space for all? Especially how can we apply this to the audition process?

I would get a Nobel Prize if I had an answer to this question.

For so long now the doors to opportunities, to the process of how things get made, to where the money comes from – to basically the access of knowledge – has been closed. Most of us are just wandering around in the dark looking for a door but we don’t even know what the door looks like much less how to open it. Thankfully that’s shifting but, you know, will it ever be truly inclusive and equitable? I don’t know.

For most of my life I’ve thought the solution was: we need the predominantly able-bodied cisgender white males in power to point us to those doors that they’ve had access to for forever and show us how the locks work, how we can get a key made, where the hitches and squeaks are, and give us tips on how to walk through it without it caving in on us. We need that allyship, we need them to make room for other perspectives and educate the others in their community to do the same. To a certain degree I still think that’s true, but that’s because my default is learning how to operate within the system that already exists. I’m not good at generating my own material (though I’m working on it) – I was trained to play the game. But now with the ever evolving platforms for storytelling, the innovative narrative voices coming from all different communities – unapologetically nuanced and specific in their perspectives – there are people inventing their own games left and right and that’s hella inspiring. I think about it a lot – whether we should just be like “You won’t let us eat at your table? Fine. We’re all gonna go over here and make our own table and you’re not invited.” I really, optimistically, maybe naively, would just fucking love it if it was just one big fucking table that everyone sat at. But, you know, if their table won’t make any space, all we can do is go make our own. Maybe it’s a combination of both.

Thank You, 10 is an interview series brought to you by Audition Cat, an upcoming app with career management tools for the professional auditioning performer. Each article interviews an industry professional with a different experience and opinion about what the future of auditioning looks like. Through these conversations, we hope an image will appear about what’s next for the industry, and what it aspires to be. Have someone you’d like to be considered for an interview? Reach out to us Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Sammi Cannold

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Occupation: Theater and Film director

Link to Sammi’s work: www.sammicannold.com

Recent Press:

Playbill Feature – Dori Berinstein and Sammi Cannold at Work on Theatre Reopening Documentary, Featuring South Korea’s Phantom and More

Credits:

Forbes 30 Under 30 in Hollywood & Entertainment

Evita (New York City Center)

Ragtime (on Ellis Island)

Getting to Know You

Who are you? What’s your artistic background / what started your journey into the arts?

My name is Sammi Cannold and I’m a theater and film director. My journey into the arts started early as I was fortunate to grow up in a theater/film/tv family — my mom produces theater and directs film and my dad produces tv and film. So, I was always around storytelling and, in a way, it was expected that I would go into the ‘family business.’ That makes it sound a bit clinical though and really, I think I decided to go into the arts, because being around it so much as a kid, it was hard not to fall in love with stories and storytelling.

When did you set out on your current career path?

If I trace it back, I think it was when I was in a summer arts program in my town when I was 13 and we were doing a production of Joseph that I was in. The head of the arts program, who was also directing the production, had to be in too many places at once, so he would leave the room and when he did, would leave me in charge for reasons I still don’t know. So, I started telling the other kids where to go on stage and ultimately, he credited me as the director of the production and hired me the next two summers to ‘direct’ You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and Annie. I don’t think it would be accurate to call that ‘directing’ necessarily and I’m sure whatever I did on all three shows was not particularly great, but it certainly gave me the idea early that directing was something that I could pursue and wanted to pursue. Ultimately, I didn’t seriously pursue it until I got to college and started directing for one of the student theater groups on my university’s campus.

What is your “mission statement” as an arts professional? What drives you to continue in this industry?

I don’t have a specific mission statement per se, but I guess I try to navigate everything from a place of passion for the work and wanting to make an impact. What that impact is can change from project-to-project: sometimes it’s about helping an audience work through something, sometimes it’s about inspiring an audience to action, etc., but I always try to make things that have an impact beyond my own artistic interests.

Within your artistic profession, what other industry roles do you work with most closely?

As a director, I feel so lucky in that I get to work with basically everyone! Directors touch almost every corner of a production, so I would wager that we get the most collaborators of any position other than perhaps the PSM. So it’s hard to say whom you end up working with most closely — sometimes it’s your leading actor, sometimes it’s the PSM, sometimes it’s the associate director, sometimes it’s a designer, sometimes it’s the music director, sometimes it’s the choreographer, sometimes it’s a producer, and so on. But most of the time, it’s all of the above and then some.

What do you wish was more widely understood about your profession?

Directing–particularly directing large-scale musicals–is so much about crisis management and problem solving. I say this mostly for people who are interested in pursuing careers in direction, because I think it catches a lot of us off-guard when we start helming larger productions. Yes, a lot of directing is about the art on stage and a lot of it is about leading a rehearsal process, but a massive percentage of it is being presented with problems and having to fix them. And these problems can range from having to make peace between two actors who don’t get along, to figuring out how to work with a designer who’s not meeting deadlines, to figuring out how to find a middle ground when your audience is complaining the theater is too cold and your actors are complaining that it’s too hot. And then because I work a lot in site-specific theater, I get thrown a lot of problems that are very idiosyncratic — i.e. we need to take a ferry boat to get to the performance site, but this musician has severe sea-sickness, etc. But I’ve come to actually love the problem-solving aspect of the job — it keeps you on your toes and is a bit like a detective game. I think learning to love the problem-solving and coming into the room every morning ready for problems to be thrown your way is the only way to really be happy in a job that’s so defined by constant curve-balls.

Do you have any problems that come up consistently in your work on every or most projects? If yes, do you think the issue is systemic or something else?

Not really. Because every project is so different and has such a different slate of challenges. I’d say, in terms of broad categories — time management and the balance between art and commerce are always major areas of focus — not necessarily problems — but challenges.

Auditions and You

In your experience, what is the most common pitfall that actors make with auditions?

This is a very specific one, but it’s one I notice all the time: actors not having comprehensive books. I tend to understand if an actor is not as prepared as I’d hope they’d be on material provided by the creative team, because oftentimes, there are unrealistic preparation periods, massive amounts of material given, or extenuating circumstances in an actor’s life (including other auditions and callbacks or rehearsals/show schedules) — I always trying to remember that actors are not being paid to audition, so while they’re trying to put themselves in the best possible light, sometimes that’s harder than at other times.

That said, every auditioning musical theater actor can and should have a comprehensive book, because that preparation can happen outside of audition and callback timelines and is evergreen/helps in any situation. So often in auditions, I’ll ask an actor if they have something ‘more pop-y’ or ‘more legit’ in their books and the answer will be no. In that case, they’re shooting themself in the foot, because those questions are fairly standard and easy to prepare for. And I’m only asking them in hopes of helping the actor try to show a side of themself that I believe they have in them and would help them get the role, but they haven’t yet shown.

Let’s talk about self-tapes! Self-tapes have become more and more common for auditioning actors, even more so during the pandemic. What do you like about self-tapes? What do you dislike about them?

I like that self-tapes can open up an audition process to actors from anywhere. On Evita at City Center, we had actors sending in tapes from many different countries in South America and Europe and it was so exciting to be able to widen our search beyond whoever was able to physically be in New York.

That said, I don’t like that self-tapes create a situation in which an actor can obsess over and tailor their performance so that we’re only seeing what they think we should see. There’s something really wonderfully raw about being in the room with an auditioning actor — and I don’t mean that in the sense of catching their mistakes. More the opposite — that you find beautiful things in a performance when it’s not manufactured and on top of that, you learn a lot about a person both from how they perform when put on the spot and also how they operate in a room/when speaking directly to you vs. through a screen.

As self-tapes become more and more prevalent in the industry, for your profession, what are the main differences between in-person and virtual auditions? What advice do you have for actors who have less experience with virtual auditions?

I think the difference is fairly straightforward: you don’t get to make a connection with the actor and vice versa — the actor doesn’t get to make a connection with you. Unless it’s over Zoom instead of self-tapes, I suppose, but I’ve only ever done that once and it was tricky because of a poor connection and whatnot.

In terms of advice, I guess I’d say — don’t let the fact that you’re doing this digitally flatten the more personal aspects of how you’d normally audition. If you’re someone who normally comes into the audition room with a lot of warmth, for example, bring that with you into the virtual audition room as well. We so badly want to know who you are and what makes you special and the virtual space can really make that tricky if you approach it too clinically.

If there was one piece of advice you’d give to any actor right before an audition or recording a self-tape, what would it be?

“Hang on tightly, let go lightly.” That’s not mine — it’s Anne Bogart’s theory that she talks about a lot in relation to directing, but I think it applies really nicely to auditioning as well. Come into the room holding tight to the choices you’ve decided you’re going to make with your material and being ready to make those choices with confidence and commitment, BUT also, be ready for something that the creative team or casting director says to cause you to let go lightly of the choices you’ve made. I find it most impressive and most telling in terms of providing intel on an actor’s dexterity when they can flip on a dime in an audition and make a completely different choice than the one they came in with.

How do you expand your “network”? When you interact with a performer for the first time, what inspires you, and what are you looking for in this initial interaction/audition to convince you to bring them back?

It really depends on the show and the role. I think actors get tired of hearing that adage that we really are rooting for you when you come into the room and so desperately want you to be the right person, but it’s true!

I think I’m often also surprised by who the right person is. I may go into an audition room with a certain conception of who I’m looking for and then someone will come and knock the socks off their audition and totally change that. So, sometimes it’s that they sang the material in an extraordinary way I’d never heard before, sometimes it’s that they had a take on the character that made it fresh and interesting, and so on.

I think also something that a lot of early-career actors usually don’t know is — if you’re auditioning for the ensemble of a Broadway or Broadway-sized show, we’re almost always looking–usually predominantly except in dance calls–at whether or not you can cover a principal role or multiple principal roles. The web of coverage on a show of that size is so complex that the majority of the ensemble usually has to be able to go on for a principal. So, if you think you fit a certain principal role description, it helps to make choices in your audition that might help us to realize that.

Looking to the Future

What excites you about the future of the arts and auditioning in particular? What are your concerns?

I’m excited to get back, but concerned about so much! I’m majorly concerned about access, especially when it comes to auditioning. It was hard enough to get into the room before all this and now we’re facing a situation in which there will almost certainly be a whole new level of capacity limits in terms of who and how many people can be in the room — particularly for dance calls. So, I’m concerned about what that means for newcomers.

What do you think is the most likely outcome to address this? More dance calls? Shorter dance calls so more people can get seen?

It’s a great question and neither solution is ideal, because every call costs money and time and a shorter call could make it such that a dancer can’t fully demonstrate what they’re capable of or doesn’t get enough focus at the front of the room/the creative team doesn’t learn enough. I think the former is the lesser of two evils all things considered though. I hope someone somewhere has a third solution that magically solves it all.

Post-Pandemic, how prevalent do you think virtual auditions will be / what role will they play in the day-to-day casting process? Are there aspects of virtual auditions you’ve found that you prefer

I think that virtual auditions will certainly be more prevalent, especially because so many members of our community have now spread out across the country and the world even. I hope that that will allow us to provide more access, but at the same time, I worry that it will become a crutch that will reduce our ability to be in the room with actors for that all important chemistry test — both for our benefit and for the actor’s benefit.

Self Tape setups are a financial and technical obstacle for many in our industry. For those who either can’t afford or don’t feel confident in the technical knowledge to use self-tape equipment, what advice can you offer to give them the best audition?

I personally don’t really care about the aesthetic quality of one’s self-tape setup for exactly the reasons you mention. I think where it becomes tricky is in relation to sound; obviously, for singers, you want to make sure your voice sounds the same way it would in the room, and I know that can be pricey and tricky.

I think I’m probably not the right person to give advice on this as I’m not familiar with the ins and outs of a self-tape setup, but I guess from a practical perspective, I’d suggest borrowing equipment from others to the extent possible if you feel yours isn’t going to put you in the best possible light.

If you could rebuild the audition process however you’d want, what would it look like?

One thing that I don’t like about the system is the practice of asking actors to prepare a lot of material and then only asking them to perform some of it. I understand why that happens — if a creative team learns what they need to learn on the first cut and time is tight, hearing the other two isn’t necessarily a productive use of time. But I think we have to ignore that impulse and always hear all the material, because I hate the idea of an actor preparing material and then us not honoring that preparation. So, I think we also need to think more critically about what sides we give an actor ahead of a callback so that we’re not claiming hours of their lives for nothing.

The arts industry has inherent barriers to entry including but not exclusively race, socioeconomic status/background, gender, disability, and more. How do you think the industry should evolve to make it a more accessible, equitable, and intersectional space for all? Especially how can we apply this to the audition process?

I think this answer needs a whole novel written in response to it — and not by me! But because I’m in a position of power by virtue of being a director who hires people, it is something I think about a lot, particularly this year. So, I’ll answer specifically in relation to the audition process.

I’d say most importantly — I think we need to open up the pool. The oft-heard ‘well we didn’t cast an actor of color, because no actors of color came in’ just doesn’t fly. It is incumbent on us–those with hiring power–to do the outreach to the performers and communities that we are hoping to see in our rooms, because in many cases, they have received the message time and again that our rooms are not places that are welcoming to them. It’s our job–not theirs–to change that.

Do you have any changes you plan on implementing in your own process that might help other directors on that path?

Yes! I’ve been thinking a lot about putting the onus on myself to get to know actors beyond those who are making it into the audition room — by seeing more work in educational settings, seeing more work outside of New York City, keeping an eye out for actors who are putting out their own work online, etc. And then on a project-by-project basis, working with paid consultants or specifically chosen casting directors who are familiar with amazing performers who don’t get called in as much as they should.

Thank You, 10 is an interview series brought to you by Audition Cat, an upcoming app with career management tools for the professional auditioning performer. Each article interviews an industry professional with a different experience and opinion about what the future of auditioning looks like. Through these conversations, we hope an image will appear about what’s next for the industry, and what it aspires to be. Have someone you’d like to be considered for an interview? Reach out to us Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Dominque Kelley

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Occupation: Choreographer/ Dancer

Link to Dominique’s work: 

Dominique’s Choreography Reel

Credits:

Choreographer for Mariah Carey’s “Magical Christmas Special”

Choreographer for DCPA’s “Oklahoma!”

Choreographer for “Masked Singer”

Getting to Know You

Who are you? What’s your artistic background / what started your journey into the arts?

My name is Dominique Kelley, originally from Bridgeport, CT, and I’m a choreographer, dancer, educator, and consultant. I played basketball, football, tee-ball, went to the museum weekly, but nothing held my attention like dance. My earliest memory of dance infatuation was trying to learn Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video but being horrified by the zombie and werewolf transformations. My mother told me I would take my arm and block out the top of their bodies from view so I wouldn’t see their faces but still try to learn the choreography to the best of my ability.

When did you set out on your current career path?

I was discovered by Savion Glover and Dianne Walker when I was 12 years old. My mother “encouraged” me to bring my tap shoes to their performance and pulled some strings so I could show them my steps. Shortly after, they sent out an APB to all the dance competitions in my area and located me through one of my dance teachers at the time, Liza Minelli. I auditioned and booked my first job doing the European tour of “Black and Blue”, thus starting my dance career.

What is your “mission statement” as an arts professional? What drives you to continue in this industry?

My mission statement is “train it until you gain it” instead of “fake it ‘til you make it”. I love to train in many different genres of dance and inspire others to keep learning and research as many aspects of the business as possible. My goal is to empower others to enter the industry as prepared as possible while feeling empowered to maintain their artistic point of view.

Within your artistic profession, what other industry roles do you work with most closely?

I love working with non-dancers. Whether actors, recording artists, athletes, or even the laymen: I enjoy translating pedestrian movement into dance pedagogy. I love educating educators also. My platform is inclusion and decentralizing white supremacy in dance as well as body positivity, mental health support, and body maintenance. Growing up, many trauma responses were “chalked up” to a rite of passage and I try my hardest to dispel that myth.

What do you wish was more widely understood about your profession?

Ironically, being a choreographer is the most competitive job in the world. There are few that can actually sustain a living from just choreographing alone. The pool of choreographers is soo small so whenever you do see someone who can thrive doing this profession deserves acclaim.

Auditions and You

In your experience, what is the most common pitfall that actors make with auditions?

The most common pitfall that actors make with auditions is a twofer for me. Preparation is key as well as being present in the moment. Memorizing sides, researching the role, warming up, arriving on time are all important to getting into the room with confidence. After you are inside, that’s where you have to drop into character and leave all the nerves outside. Sometimes, I love to give actors notes to see how they can modify their reading, abandoning all the things they’ve rehearsed before they got there.

Let’s talk about self-tapes! Self-tapes have become more and more common for auditioning actors, even more so during the pandemic. What do you like about self-tapes? What do you dislike about them?

I love watching self-tapes because I see the best of the auditioner. One can look their best, sound their best, and do as many takes as necessary until one feels comfortable with the final product. I dislike not seeing the person in the room and getting a sense of their vibe and energy. You can’t get or give immediate feedback nor get a sense of how quickly the actor can adapt to situations which can be a bummer.

As self-tapes become more and more prevalent in the industry, for your profession, what are the main differences between in-person and virtual auditions? What advice do you have for actors who have less experience with virtual auditions?

The advice I have for people who have less experience with virtual auditions is ask for help. Many tv/film/musical theater actors you’ve seen have gotten hired for work from a self-tape. In an ever-changing world that is becoming more and more technically advanced, don’t get left behind and lose out on work that you would be perfect for. If you are someone who likes to prepare and do it one time, then do that. Do a “one and done” and send that.. After making sure you’ve checked the frame and audio first of course.. haha.

If there was one piece of advice you’d give to any actor right before an audition or recording a self-tape, what would it be?

Breathe… literally breathe. Oxygenate your brain. Slow down your pulse. Take deep cleansing breaths. Quickly meditate and go for it.

How do you expand your “network”? When you interact with a performer for the first time, what inspires you, and what are you looking for in this initial interaction/audition to convince you to bring them back?

I only try to expand my network by being myself and having an honest, human interaction. Although it sounds cliche, asking people about themselves and finding common ground leads to better interactions instead of boasting, bragging, and “schmoozing”. We see right through it… And by we… I mean me… When I interact with a performer, I like honesty and confidence. Whether it’s a good day or a bad day, I love to know and see how it affects your performance and point of view in and out of the audition room.

Looking to the Future

What excites you about the future of the arts and auditioning in particular? What are your concerns?

What excites me about the future of auditions is the thought of it coming back. The pandemic has tested everyone’s patience and perseverance so the thought of a long audition process seems like a birthday party at the moment. The reservations I have about auditions in the future are fielding expectations, especially for people not computer savvy in front of and behind the camera.

Post-Pandemic, how prevalent do you think virtual auditions will be / what role will they play in the day-to-day casting process? Are there aspects of virtual auditions you’ve found that you prefer

I believe we will keep the virtual audition process because now no one has to actually go into an office to hold the audition. Not only can people film from home but the creatives casting do not have to leave the luxury of their homes to hire talent. I enjoy virtual auditions because I can cut my audition time in half. When holding dance auditions, they can last 10 hrs. Virtually, I can take less time and get through more auditions.

Self Tape setups are a financial and technical obstacle for many in our industry. For those who either can’t afford or don’t feel confident in the technical knowledge to use self-tape equipment, what advice can you offer to give them the best audition?

Use your cellphone. Find a clean wall behind you. Invest in a ring light with a stand if you don’t feel comfortable with someone in the room filming you. We can see through the environment if you give a riveting performance. Remember, we want you to be wonderful and get the job. We have the same goal… To hire you.

If you could rebuild the audition process however you’d want, what would it look like?

I would love to find more avenues to source marginalized communities into the room to be seen. It starts there.

The arts industry has inherent barriers to entry including but not exclusively race, socioeconomic status/background, gender, disability, and more. How do you think the industry should evolve to make it a more accessible, equitable, and intersectional space for all? Especially how can we apply this to the audition process?

I believe we need to meet people where we are. I have no clue how to do so but I will support the cause wholeheartedly. As someone who was found by unconventional means, I’m all for it. The more the merrier. No actor left behind…