Justin Huff, a CSA member since 2007 currently represented on Broadway with “The Color Purple,” “On Your Feet!,” and “Kinky Boots”—among others—wants every actor to know the importance of being prepared.
Current and upcoming credits: “The Color Purple” (current Broadway revival); “On Your Feet” (Broadway); “Kinky Boots” (Broadway & Nat’l Tour); “Newsies” (Nat’l Tour); “Diner” (Delaware); “Grease Live!” (Fox); “Magic Mike”
What do you do when you’re not working?
If I am not at home catching up on DVR with my husband, I am probably having dinner or drinks with a small group of my best friends. I also love traveling and exploring the country or world whenever given the chance.
How do you choose your projects?
As my colleague Rachel Hoffman stated in her September interview, in our office we often work in teams with one casting director as point on each project. However, the assignment of each project usually has to do with timing and the availability of our staff and previous working relationships with certain directors or producers or writers can play into how projects get distributed among us.
Before actual auditions, how does the casting process begin?
Usually through a creative meeting or conference call with the team, we are given a better understanding of their vision and understanding of how the story will be told. This is also when they communicate the requirements for each character or role as well.
What is the most common audition room mistake you see?
Not being prepared. Either for an appointment audition (where we the casting office call you in) or for an EPA or ECC.
What do you want every actor walking into your room to know?
I hope you book this! Also, have fun. Hopefully you have put in the prep work prior to walking into the audition room, so now enjoy what you are doing. That’s when I truly think the best work happens.
What makes for a successful audition tape?
A combination of everything I have said above. Also keeping in mind the technical elements of having a good camera which records high quality video and sound. Make sure you and the piano/accompanist track are equally balanced in terms of distance from the camera for sound purposes. We don’t want too much piano or too much you. Good lighting and waist up framing is usually best (unless it is a dance video audition).
What projects do you wish you’d worked on?
I am a huge Disney nerd, so I secretly would love to work on any and all Disney Theatrical properties that are turned into musicals for the stage.
In addition to open calls, where do you find new talent?
There isn’t a place where I’m not seeing people and thinking, I wonder if he/she sings or acts or dances? Some of my most common avenues though are classes that I teach, master classes with college students at various schools each year, EPAs and ECCs, seeing shows that our office doesn’t work on, and prescreens where I can see actors who were submitted and who I don’t know.
What is the best way for actors to impress you enough that you’ll bring them in for another project?
Be prepared! (Have I said that enough? Ha.) And be yourself. If you try to be what you “think” I want you to be, I promise you it rarely (if ever) works and more often than not, its pretty obvious.
How important is training versus experience to you?
I think that training is extremely important. You will have the rest of your life to audition and work, so let college or conservatory training be a safe place where you can take risks and try things out. Then if you realize that whatever choice you made didn’t work, there is much less risk. Plus, I think the sense of community and friendship that training with a group of people creates is so important in a big city and a business like this. Surrounding yourself with others who understand what you do is important when you’ve had a good or bad day.
What makes a casting session successful?
Seeing a day of talented actors and then having the team say, “We have a problem. Who are we going to cast? Everyone was fantastic!”
What advice would you give someone looking at casting as a career?
Start seeing and reading everything you can (theater, TV, films, etc.) regarding the entertainment industry. This will allow you to begin forming your own taste. This business is all about opinions and no one person is right, but knowing how to articulate your thoughts and opinion about a certain topic is what makes you a professional.
Inspired by this post? Check out our audition listings!