Photo by Liz Griffin

His performance of "Mack the Knife" concluded, Phil Cassese sat at a small table cradling a drink. "Tonight was a reminder for me of what I subject my actors to on a daily basis."

By day, Cassese is a senior commercial agent working out of TalentWorks' NY office. But tonight, he's taking part in "Dream Role," a monthly series at New York's 92YTribeca. It's not a role he's comfortable with.

"I've never been on a stage like that, with the lights shining and you can't see the audience. Performing [for me] always was pure torture," he says with a chuckle.

"Dream Role" started in July 2009 as an opportunity for actors to play roles they would normally be unable to do because of gender, race, or age. Over the ensuing months, it has evolved into the opportunity for an actor to take on any role desired, regardless of limitations or lack thereof.

But this month the creators of "Dream Role"—Sara Jo Allocco, Katina Corrao, and Glennis McMurray—decided to take the concept to a new level, and let the people who normally judge actors do the performing themselves. Participants were limited to casting directors, agents, writers and producers. 

Cassese jumped at the chance. "With the music background I have, I thought this sounded like fun."

Performances ranged from Lady Percy's monologue from "Henry IV, Part II," to Rent's "Light My Candle," to The Shirelle's "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" Pianist Frank Spitznagel provided accompaniment, as needed.

Creators thought the idea offered a great opportunity to flip the roles between employers and employees. But many of these industry pros have some performance credentials.



"We were struck by how many people we audition for and are managed by used to do what we do, and gave up that dream for another," said McMurray. "They watch actors every day of their lives and rarely get the chance to perform themselves."

Casting director Carrie Faverty falls into this category. "I used to be a performer, until about halfway through college when I decided I would rather be helping other actors work professionally," she said.

The three co-producers have done the show, with a different lineup every month, since the scheme emerged at a friend's bachelorette party.

"It started out as a seed of an idea, and now it has grown into something bigger than even we expected it to be," said co-producer Glennis McMurray. Part of that is the social component.

After the performance, patrons and performers alike gather around the bar at the back of the venue, get a couple of cocktails, and socialize. "The great thing about this show is that afterwards it becomes a social environment where it's not forced networking," said Corrao. "It's just networking."

But at its heart, "Dream Role" is about offering people a chance to tell the stories they want to tell the way they want to tell them.

In one of the night's highlights, Faverty described a strange one-night hookup she had with a handicapped man.  The next morning, the guy left her apartment so quickly that he forgot his crutch.

At a crucial moment, Faverty pulls out the abandoned crutch, then launches in a performance of Shirley Bassey's "As Long as He Needs Me."

"Why did I keep it?" she asked the audience. "Because it's a fucking awesome story—and it comes with a prop!"


"Dream Role" is every month at 92YTribeca, 200 Hudson St, New York, NY. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit www.92y.org/92ytribeca/ or http://www.glennismcmurray.com/Dream_Role/Home.html.

"Dream Role LA" will take place on March 9th at Upright Citizens Brigade. For more information, visit http://www.glennismcmurray.com/Dream_Role/Dream_Role___Shows.html.

Photos by Liz Griffin