Auditions. We’ve all been there. Trying to channel your nervous energy into a productive adrenaline. Hoping to put your best foot forward. Wanting to make a great first impression. Anxiously waiting until your number is called. Finally, taking the stage for a minute or two, and giving it your best shot. Maybe you get another chance to read. Maybe even a callback. And then waiting … and waiting … and hoping and praying. Hopefully, you got the part, but more often than not, you didn’t. So, what went wrong? What, if anything, can you learn from this experience?

Auditions, The Acting LifeChristopher PetersonJune 12, 2020Tony Targan

Acting Under the Influence: Comedy or Tragedy?

Actors have a long association with alcohol. There are many famous actors with a history of alcohol abuse, including Peter O’Toole, Richard Burton, Errol Flynn, and Humphrey Bogart, to name just a few. Gerard Depardieu once famously claimed that he could drink up to 14 bottles of wine a day! But famous actors often live by a different set of rules. I wondered how community theater or regional actors would answer the question: Have you ever rehearsed or performed on stage while "under the influence"?

The Acting LifeChristopher PetersonMay 13, 2019Tony Targan

That’s Why They Call It “Casting”

As Casting Chair of my local community theater, I think a lot about the process of casting our shows. While the goal is always to find the ideal fit between auditioners and available roles, the reality is that we often have to compromise. Unlike Broadway, we usually don’t have the luxury of picking people who perfectly look the part, fit the age range, and have the exact vocal range suggested by the script or score. So, we make do with what we have. In a sense, casting is like fishing. We cast our line into the water by posting a carefully crafted audition notice. First, we get some “nibbles”; expressions of interest on Facebook. Then we see who we catch on audition day. Many are not “keepers,” and often we have to throw them back (gently) into the pond. But if we keep an open mind, we’ll often be pleasantly surprised by the talent we land.

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