Casting

I worked with the wonderful Joanna Merlin, a top casting director. As her assistant I helped find just the right actors for projects and I was really happy to be part of her team. I also went on to help cast "Beaches" and "Field of Dreams," when she recommended me to another casting director. So casting was something I was drawn to. To which I was drawn.... God, grammar. Anyway, back to Ms. Merlin...

Just some of her credentials, so you know she's no hack! (From michaelchekov.org):

Joanna Merlin, a student of Michael Chekhov, is an actor, teacher and former casting director. She teaches regular workshops at the Actor's Center, the American Conservatory Theatre, the Manhattan School of Music, and is a faculty member of New York University's graduate acting program. She is the recipient of two Casting Society of America Artios Awards for casting Bertolucci's The Last Emperor and Sondheim's Into the Woods. As Harold Prince's casting director, she cast the original Broadway productions of Sondheim's Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, as well as Evita and On the Twentieth Century. Other film casting includes three Merchant/Ivory films.

She has written a great book called "Auditioning - An Actor-Friendly Guide." Now, like every other actor in the world, I have pored over all the "how to get cast" books and this one is superb. It is very accessible to understand, easy to read, and written by someone who has been on the other side of the audition table.

She makes it clear that any audition is a chance to act, not a terrifying trial of gaining approval. She explains exactly what she looks for in an actor's audition, and these practical, "actable choices" give you the tools to work on when you get before the casting directors. They help you concentrate, do the work, and forget you're being scrutinized. Then it can even be enjoyable. Yes.

I won't go into more detail because it's much better laid out in this stimulating, encouraging read.

If you're at all interested in learning how to audition better, buy this book.