Photo Source: Steven Koernig
Apprentice Program
We need really good actors so we look to see, Have they been in shows in college? Have they been in shows in high school? But even more important than that is, Are they expressing an interest in doing things other than acting? If they’re not interested in taking class, and if they’re not interested in helping contribute to the festival in other ways, I don’t think it’s a good fit. I look for people who are really enthusiastic about being a part of a larger team. And I love that when people can point to experiences in their life that don’t have to do with theater or at least don’t have to do with acting.
It’s also a lot about how professionally they put together their application. Can they express themselves as writers? Are they sending a professional-looking photo and not something they took off of Facebook? I think you can smell where the passion comes from even on paper. And the letters of recommendation count for a lot because you can tell from their department head, who usually writes the letter, what kind of a role they have had in their school. And then it always helps if they can sing and play instruments. The more well-versed the capabilities the better.
For more information and to download the application, which is due in March, visit www.wtfestival.org.
Non-Equity Company
They need to be a really capable actor, and they need to be a good fit for the roles we have on hand. They have to be right for the role, just like any other casting process, but then they also need to be somebody that is not going to be the source of a lot of drama. Somebody who can live together with us for three months in dorms and contribute good energy to the group. That’s really, really important. If you have someone who has a bad attitude, it poisons the well really fast. The energy’s contagious here. If somebody starts sabotaging that, it travels fast.
I also look for people who I think will grow a lot. I’m not really looking for people who are super super polished. I’m looking for people who have a lot of raw talent and potential and hopefully have a good instrument and some good props so we’re not building them from the ground up. I love when I can see the growth over the course of the summer. Jenny [Gersten] advised me to look for diamonds in the rough. People who are really interesting and you have a great gut feeling about, even if you can’t see their type or where they would fit in in the casting scheme in a more general sense.
Auditions for the non-Equity company are usually take place in New York in April. Check BackStage.com for the notice. Visit www.wtfestival.org for more information.
