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Misguided Resumes

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:16:00 -0400

Hello, my friends!

Yes, I am still sorting through resumes in order to set up auditions for the Carolinian Shakespeare Festival. Now there have been over 1,500 submissions. As fast as I read them, more come in.

So, resumes are on my mind. I know that I have written about some of the following tips in this blog before and in “Zen and the Art of Auditioning,” but obviously they bare repeating.

I’m noticing that once in a while an actor thinks he will be clever by listing his credits in this order: Role, Play title, Company. Don’t do it, it’s not clever, it’s annoying. List in this order: Play, Role, Company.

When we are scanning through hundreds of resumes, if things are not in proper order, we may misread your credits and toss you out for not having what we are looking for - when you actually have it, just in the wrong order.

And while we’re at it, let’s discuss the third column, “Company.” I have long noticed a mistake young actors make of putting the name of the theater building in this column. If the name of the building and the name of the company are the same, this is fine. But, if the production company, who was your employer, rented the space, put down the name of the production company.

This third column lets us casting directors know who you have worked with and who we should check for a reference if we are considering hiring you. The janitor who answers the phone at a rental space will be of no help to you.

The other mistake I am noticing: a new trend to put down the name of the director in this column and leave out the company entirely. This is bad. How are we supposed to contact that director if we don’t know where he works?

Yes, by all means include the name of the directors you have worked with. If you can fit it, it would be best to set up four columns for your credits and include the director in her own column.

If you only list the director, and I don’t personally know the director, then this tells me nothing. I might try to google them to find out how to contact them. But chances are I will skip the resume entirely and move on - I still have 1,499 to get through.

That’s the last thing you want a casting director to do.

Okay, break’s over; back to sorting photo/resumes.

Dr. M.

“We don’t get no respect!”

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 10:48:20 -0500

Hello, my friends!

Over the years I have been often complimented on my patience and how nicely I treat actors in auditions. I fear that even my patience is limited. If you ever wonder why casting directors are such bitches, wonder no more. Just imagine how you would feel about the following.

I have now received over 1,200 actors’ submissions, and they are still coming in. Of that total it looks like 30% actually have the qualifications stipulated clearly in the ad. That is: Shakespeare training AND performance experience. The rest are hoping they will get by on good looks, I suppose.

Somehow, I just feel it’s disrespectful to the art form. Don’t you, as an actor, get pissed when a non-actor makes the assumptions that there is no work involved in acting, it’s just fun, and anyone can do it? You know what I’m talking about.

So, why would you be the same way about Shakespearean actors? It takes special skills and training to do any Shakespearean part. To do a leading part, which CARRIES the show, like Hamlet, Juliet, Rosalynd, Cleopatra, Beatrice or Benedict requires training AND experience. These are parts that will make or break a production and everyone in the cast is relying on you.

So, why would someone who has never done a production of Shakespeare, or a production of any kind (!), assume that they are ready to tackle a lead here? It’s like assuming you can play the title role in the opera Aida at the Met because you can carry a tune. (Okay, we’re not the Met, but you know what I’m getting at. And, even though we are a small company, does that give anyone the right to be disrespectful?)

I like to work with beginners, and I like to give young people a chance, but let’s get real. So, to all those people with limited training and experience: take a class with me and then we will talk.

I’m just saying...

Okay, break’s over; back to sorting photo/resumes.

Dr. M.

New Auditions

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:01:01 -0500

Hello, my friends!

Sorry I haven’t written in a while. My teaching schedule over the winter became so intense! My brain was fried.

With barely any time for recovery, I have now jumped into casting for Carolinian Shakespeare Festival’s next season. And once again I am reminded why I started this blog in the first place.

The ad for submissions was posted 3 days ago, emails have been flooding in. I must look at them all. What frustrates me is that the ad requested submissions from only actors with classical training AND experience. Yet, about a third of the people who have submitted themselves do not meet that criteria.

What does that tell me about them? They did not bother to read the ad, or are too stupid to understand it. In either case, they don’t sound like someone I would want to work with.

Now, of course, they may be using the “Shot-gun approach” - that is, spraying their shot in all directions, hoping it will hit something. Anyone in the business of hiring actors, or anyone else, will tell you that this is a waste of time. The most useful approach to getting a job is to do your homework and apply for the jobs you are most suited for.

What is worse, it makes it really hard for the screener to find the people who actually do have the proper qualifications because they have to sort through so much dreck. So, these Shot-gunners are making things worse for you!

Then, there are those who say “Well, I have training, just not experience. So, I will apply.” Sorry, but it does not work. When I look at that, I say: Well, why hasn’t he done Shakespeare, if he trained in Shakespeare? It must not have took.” The truth is, just because you paid to take a course or had a week of Shakespeare in under-grad, it doesn’t mean you learned anything. (I have learned this from bitter experience!)

Okay, that is my rant for the day. Sorry to be so negative! Please, all you great actors with training and experience in Shakespeare, I want to see you! Apply! Here is the ad:
http://casting.backstage.com/jobseekerx/viewjob.asp?jobid=TYHW8IAcTMxdHBFUL3hsIkeeS%2Bs%2F

Cheers!
Dr. Mary

“Love it!/Hate it!” 4

Sun, 4 Dec 2011 11:58:28 -0500

Hello, again!

Once again, I want to continue my latest series of blogs called “Love It/Hate It ” You can go back and catch up by clicking here and here. We will wait for you.

Just to remind you, the material presented here is not just from my own experience but from my many colleagues, directors and casting directors, who answered my surveys. They were asked: What is one thing you see actors do at auditions that you really like? And what is one thing you see actors do at auditions that really drives you crazy?

And again, the survey answers were anonymous and sometimes they contradict each other. Many of them had similar things they love. (That makes it easy for you.) But some of them disagreed sharply on things they hated. So, take it for what it is worth.

Directors were asked:
What one thing do you see actors do often in auditions that drives you crazy?
What one thing do you see actors do in auditions that you really like?

Answer:
“I love it when actors make big choices. I don't even care (so much) if they are wrong choices, as long as I can see the ability to convey an intention clearly with an understanding of the character. This is much more important than "distracting wardrobe" or if I'm seeing "Hermia" from MIDSUMMER for the eight time.”

“I hate it when actors fail to tell a story. This includes people who have ‘performed’ lists, olde-timey radio ads, and poorly edited cuttings from obscure plays. I need to see an arc!”

Hope that helps. Again, many thanks to my fellow directors who supplied the answers to this survey.

Thanks, also, to the actors who took part in my monologue and Shakespeare workshops this fall. You are all so talented! I loved working with you and look forward to working with you again, soon. Happy holidays!

Good luck with your auditions today.

Cheers!

Dr. M.

“Love it!/Hate it!” 3

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 11:52:07 -0500

Hello, again!

Today I want to continue my latest series of blogs called “Love It/Hate It ” You can go back and catch up by clicking here and here. We will wait for you.

Just to remind you, the material presented here is not just from my own experience but from my many colleagues, directors and casting directors, who answered my surveys. They were asked: What is one thing you see actors do at auditions that you really like? And what is one thing you see actors do at auditions that really drives you crazy?

And again, the survey answers were anonymous and sometimes they contradict each other. Many of them had similar things they love. (That makes it easy for you.) But some of them disagreed sharply on things they hated. So, take it for what it is worth.

Directors were asked:
What one thing do you see actors do often in auditions that drives you crazy?
What one thing do you see actors do in auditions that you really like?

Answer:
“I don't think it's very effective when an actor asks you a lot of conceptual questions before they do their audition.
I don't think it's so helpful when you ask an actor to make an adjustment and they reply, ‘I just did that.’ or ‘That's what I was doing.’

I love it when an actor just dives in and tries whatever you ask them to do. Remind your readers that sometimes and actor will come in and completely land an audition, but I will give them some random direction just to see if they will work with me (and by extension, the rest of the cast.) I know it's a silly adjustment, I just want to see how they respond to any adjustment. So I like it when someone just goes for it. I'll usually explain myself after.”

LEARN A LOT & HAVE FUN! MY SHAKESPEARE WORKSHOP:

There is still space for 3 people in my Shakespeare Morning Intensive on Dec. 4. This is a 4-hour workshop, from 10 to 2, and will cover basics but will mostly focus on having fun with the language and exploring character for one Shakespeare speech. It’s a very good workshop for those who are intimidated by Shakespeare or have not yet had a chance to study his work. It is also a good workshop for those who have some experience to brush up their Shakespeare. And, it is only $20! Click here to sign up.

Good luck with your auditions today.

Cheers!

Dr. M.