Candice Gordon…Got the Part

After years of being a Back Stage subscriber, Candice Gordon was thrilled to land the lead role of Diane Harris in "What If?," an Off-Off-Broadway production at Manhattan's Chernuchin Theatre. She got the audition after director Omar Moore saw her online profile on BackStage.com. "I received two phone calls in the same week from directors who had found my profile on BackStage.com and were interested in auditioning me for a role," Gordon says. According to Moore, the content and quality of Gordon's online profile made him confident that she was a good candidate for the role. "Her look was what I was looking for," he says. "Her pictures were very well done, her profile was what I was looking for. She had qualifications for the role I wanted her to play. When she came to the audition, everything just fell into place."

After being asked to prepare a monologue for the audition, Gordon decided to take a risk and went with a new one she had just started working on. "I was in the process of learning a new contemporary comedic monologue and thought I'd test it out. It was risky, but it paid off. I felt really strong about the material and it ended up being a good demonstration of what I might bring to the character," she explains.

Having a background in dance and theater, Gordon was primarily pursuing work as a dancer until a few years ago, when she decided to focus more on acting. Her first professional gig as an actor-dancer was a Broadway revue show for Royal Caribbean productions; other credits include "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and a series of promos for TV Land and Nick at Nite. She believes that her role as Diane in "What If?" has helped give her more confidence to pursue leads. "I have always believed in my talent, but I needed to feel the gravity of being the lead in a production," she says. "While every project depends on the performance of the entire cast, there is a certain responsibility that the lead character can't help but feel. I took that seriously and saw it as an opportunity to not only color my performance with bold and honest choices, but I also felt a responsibility to the overall success of the production."

Gordon continues to hone her craft and seek out projects that will test her boundaries. She hopes to gain experience in theater, television, and film. A strong support system, as well as a sense of balance, keeps her grounded as she braves the uncertainty of the entertainment business. "My friendships, especially, are an invaluable part of my life and they provide a safe zone to celebrate, vent, and contemplate. Second to that is balance. I try not to go to any extremes in my life," she says. "There is a time and place for everything. I just try and keep things in perspective."

Has Back Stage helped you get cast in the past year? We'd love to tell your story. Be in the weekly column by emailing casting@backstage.com for New York or bswcasting@backstage.com for Los Angeles with "I Got the Part" in the subject line.