Blog Stage - Acting in Film, TV, Theatre - Backstage

New York Auditions at a Glance – June 2-10

The following "Auditions at a Glance" calendar conveniently organizes projects by the date and day-of-the-week that the projects' auditions are taking place, to help you schedule your plans.

Click on any of the following links to see the casting and job notices related to the dates and project titles highlighted below.

California Auditions at a Glance – June 2-10

The following "Auditions at a Glance" calendar conveniently organizes projects by the date and day-of-the-week that the projects' auditions are taking place, to help you schedule your plans.

Click on any of the following links to see the casting and job notices related to the dates and project titles highlighted below.

Regional Auditions at a Glance – June 2-10

The following "Auditions at a Glance" calendar conveniently organizes projects by the date and day-of-the-week that the projects' auditions are taking place, to help you schedule your plans.

Click on any of the following links to see the casting and job notices related to the dates and project titles highlighted below.

Reality TV Casting Highlights - 5/31/11

Back Stage runs hundreds of casting notices every year for reality television shows, games shows, reality competitions, talk shows, documentaries, commercials, and multimedia projects and events seeking real people, hosts, contestants, and performers. And now with the help of our partner RealityWanted.com, we're pleased to bring you even more reality casting opportunities than ever before.  See below for some of this week's top reality casting calls and auditions.

You can find all of these casting notices and more in the Reality TV category on BackStage.com, at Twitter.com/RealityTVCast, and in Back Stage's new Reality TV Casting iPhone app.

Entertainment Industry Opportunities - 5/31/11

Every week Back Stage posts hundreds of casting notices and entertainment-industry opportunities in the BackStage.com Casting/Jobs Database. Check out the following sampling of 54 new notices — performance venues calling for talent, film festivals calling for entries, staff/tech/crew jobs, calls for scripts, casting workshops, competitions, open mikes, and more:

'Acting Lions' Launches in NYC

Acting teacher Penny Templeton's new book, "Acting Lions," promises to adapt the techniques of master teachers such as Stanislavski, Adler, Strasberg, Meisner, and Uta Hagen into "vibrant accessible tools for today's underrehearsed and overstressed actor" while exploring the nature and business of artistry.

An "Acting Lions" launch party and book signing will be held June 8, from 6-8 p.m., at The Drama Book Shop, 250 W. 40 St., NYC. And the second part and signing will be held July 6, from 6-10 p.m., at Penny Templeton Studio, 344 W 38 St., Ste 203, NYC.

City College Supporting New Haarlem Arts Theater

City College of New York (CCNY) is launching New Haarlem Arts Theatre (NHAT), a new professional theater company, in residence at Aaron Davis Hall. In addition to expanding CCNY's Department of Theatre and Speech and presenting more culture uptown, according to a released statement, the theater hopes to become among the best in the nation. One of the ways it plans to accomplish that goal is by giving aspiring CCNY artists the chance to work alongside theater professionals at NHAT.

Blockbuster to Use New Pricing Model

On Friday, Dish Network announced it will discontinue Blockbuster's current $4.99 three-day rental fee and will replace it with a $2.99 single-day rental price. Customers will also have the ability to rent movies for more days at 99 cents per day. Under this $2.99 fee, Blockbuster may offer new releases the same day they are available for purchase, reported Los Angeles Times.

Video: Back Stage at the SAG Foundation Presents 'Image for the Actor' with Sam Christensen

Curious about "image" and a successful career?  Unsure about what an image is and how to use the concept to develop marketing strategies and personalize auditions and performances?  Sam Christensen, recognized image expert and industry consultant will discuss why it is important—and necessary—to develop and market a unique, personal and authentic brand.

Sam Christensen has spent nearly forty years in the entertainment business grappling with the concept of image.  In this video, he will address topics such as:  What does the word image mean?  Why is image elusive, especially for the performing artist? How does an actor go about defining their image?  Is there a public and private image, or are they the same?  How does an actor define an acceptable public identity that honors their interior life and exterior perception?  How can image be translated into practical application from headshots to signature performance?  Is image easier for some than for others?  With versatility, range and bold choices valued as virtues for the actor, does a defined image create limitations or easier access?

Mr. Christensen will provide understandable examples, share practical career improvement applications, and help you better define your authenticity, value and  image.  Take a peek and then share this video with your friends!

Predict Tony Winners With Back Stage's Reviews Roundup

The Tony Awards are two weeks from Sunday, and it's time to start casting your ballots for the awards. Whether you're competing with your high school drama class or you have an annual Tony pool, here are some tips for how to predict the winners on Sunday, June 12. If all else fails or you're stuck in categories like lighting or sound design, just pick "Book of Mormon" or "War Horse." Whether you've seen the shows or not – and if you want to, get tickets before the Tony broadcast – they're certain to be the favorites. For all 39 acting nominees in the acting categories, see Back Stage's annual Tony Awards Voters Guide.

Best Play
"Good People." This well-made play is just a tad too well-made. I couldn't shake off the sense of having seen more of a thesis than a drama. – Erik Haagensen

"Jerusalem." Jez Butterworth's "Jerusalem" falls squarely in the tradition of works lionizing the charismatic, nonconforming outsider whose outrageous behavior masks a pure and noble heart that by contrast proves the mendacity of the society surrounding him... While nothing would make me happier than to be able to join in the chorus of hosannas, I sadly must report that I found the show to be three hours and 10 minutes of windy bollocks. – EH

"The Motherf**ker With the Hat." As its title indicates, Stephen Adly Guirgis' "The Motherf**ker With the Hat" is provocative and profane, but, just as those two asterisks blunt that title's immediate impact, the Broadway production of this raw, wild comedy-drama compromises the author's and director's vision. – David Sheward

"War Horse." Gloriously theatrical and almost unbearably moving, this stirring testimonial to the power of honest sentiment is a never-to-be-forgotten theatrical experience. – EH

Best Musical
"The Book of Mormon." "The Book of Mormon," the result of this unlikely four-way collaboration, manages to combine outrageous parody, solid storytelling, and sympathetic yet goofy characters. – DS

"Catch Me If You Can." Buried somewhere under all the 1960s TV variety-show flash and trash, there's an interesting story struggling to get out in the new musical "Catch Me If You Can."… The result is a busy, empty, by-the-numbers musical comedy that has to rank as the Broadway season's biggest disappointment to date. – EH

"The Scottsboro Boys." This look at a monstrous, racially motivated miscarriage of justice in the Depression-era South, staged in the form of a minstrel show, packs quite a punch. It’s a satisfying finale for the legendary songwriting team. – EH

"Sister Act." A ramshackle yet agreeable film comedy with plausibility issues has here become an even more ramshackle and outlandish musical comedy that consistently diminishes its source. - EH