Fans of Leslie Knope, get ready! Amy Poehler and “Parks and Recreation” co-creator Mike Schur have reunited for Peacock’s “Dig.” Poehler and Schur (“The Good Place,” “A Man on the Inside”) co-created the comedy, which marks their first collaboration since “Parks and Recreation.” “Dig” is set to premiere on the NBC streamer Nov. 23.
What might it take to land a role on the series? Let’s…dig in.
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According to Peacock, “Dig” is about four women, each at a pivotal point in life, working at an archaeological site in Greece. The women “uncover a long-buried secret with the potential to rewrite history” and suddenly “find themselves at the center of a high-stakes international conspiracy.” The 10-episode series was adapted from Kate Myers’ 2023 novel “Excavations.”
Season 1 of “Dig” stars:
- Amy Poehler as Elise
- Geraldine Viswanathan as Dylan
- Antonia Thomas as Clare
- Fina Strazza as Patty
- Hugh Laurie as Neville
Kayvan Novak, Jon Pointing, and Bonita Friedericy are also slated to guest star.
Theo Park remains the only primary casting director attached to this project. With titles like “Ted Lasso” and “Paddington” under her belt, Park brings years of experience wherever she goes—and the London-based CD always knows where to go to find new talent.
“I’m really interested in comedy, so I look to the standup scene. I’m also really interested in looking outside the normal route for young people, and we’ll do that by going to the National Youth Theatre; or there’s this great group called Open Door that encourages actors from less privileged backgrounds. There are lots of entities like that, where you can actually get in touch with them and see what they’ve got,” Park shared with us. “Just looking outside of people who already have agents is really good and really exciting.”
As for what leaves a lasting impression with the CD, Park says it’s about timing. “The main thing that makes my ears prick up or makes me take notice is timing—using the right beats and hitting the joke, [and] finding the joke and hitting it,” she said.
But as Park noted, crickets after an audition isn’t always the casting team’s fault. Just as actors often wait on pins and needles after reading or submitting a self-tape, she, too, can be left hanging for some time. “We get a lot of silence, too,” she explained. “Sometimes we’re chasing and chasing for feedback from the producers, but the producers are busy, and they just can’t get around to seeing the tapes yet. Actors probably don’t realize that it’s hard for us to get some answers, as much as we want to. It’s in our best interest to get them their feedback as soon as possible.”
Ultimately, Park doesn’t care too much about your background; she’s primarily focused on whether or not you can carry the role. “There are certainly some projects where the creatives are interested in people having classical training, for reasons of the material itself,” she noted. “I may seek out those people [actors who have been to drama school]. But generally, it doesn’t bother me whether you’ve trained or not. It’s [about] whether you’re right for the part.”
Peacock has not yet renewed “Dig” for a second season, so there are no auditions available at this time. But it’s always a good idea to practice your comedy skills if you’re hoping to get noticed for a show like “Dig.” And remember that working with a professional acting agent will help you level up in all areas. You might find our guide on how to audition for Peacock useful as you prepare.
Put yourself out there. Not booking any auditions? Park wants aspiring actors to use social media to their advantage. “Film something and stick it on YouTube…. Social media is so big now. You can get a retweet, and suddenly thousands of people are watching your sketches or whatever. It doesn’t have to be a sketch. It could be anything—a monologue, whatever you want to do,” she said. “Just film something, stick it out there, get on social media, and tweet it. That could be the best thing to do.”
Embrace what frightens you. What we want isn’t always what we get, and as Thomas told us, sometimes what’s meant to be just might scare the heck out of you at first. “The things I was scared of for one reason or another have been the best opportunities for me. To be frightened is a good thing. It pushes you to create in a way that you might not do when you’re comfortable,” she explained. “It’s definitely a marathon and not a race. Sometimes when that might feel frustrating, it’s probably for the best. Once you start getting the bigger opportunities, you’re ready for them.”
Accept every opportunity. Auditions don’t always pan out, but it pays to meet the people in the room as you never know what the future holds. Poehler told the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, “Even if you’re not right for the part, it’s so helpful to meet actors that way and be like, they’re great. And you really do remember them. And that happens all the time…. You start to get to know actors in that way. So, even an audition that doesn’t feel like it’s the right fit is still an opportunity, I think, just for the person to get to know you. Any good producer, director remembers that performance and that person, whether or not it’s the right fit.”
Learn your lines. Above all else, Thomas advises actors to be ready. “You don’t want to be going in there and feeling underprepared because they don’t want you looking down at a piece of paper, they want to see your face. I always try to prepare where I know my lines enough but I haven’t rigidly prepared a performance so I’m open to what the director might throw at me,” she shared. “Drama school was really great because they made up these mock auditions quite a lot. By the time I got out doing proper auditions, it didn’t feel like quite a daunting thing. They always made sure the panel at school was particularly stern. Most of the time in the real world, people have been nicer.”
