You already know Backstage is the go-to for any and all information pertaining to your craft. But now, you have the chance to get in on the action with the Backstage Community Forum. Here, you can engage with others in your industry, as well as teachers, experts, and, yep, even agents and casting directors. Below are some of this week’s most interesting new topics; drop a reply or post a new thread. Either way, fire up that keyboard and get involved right here!
Looking for actors to do remote scene work with?
“In Backstage’s April 13 Zoom seminar with casting director Julia Flores, she was asked by someone in our digital audience if websites should have recorded monologues in addition to a demo reel. Flores had a surprising response: “I’m not a big fan of monologues,” she said, whispering to the camera.
“ ‘When are you gonna do a one-person show? Because that’s what a monologue is,’ she continued. ‘I just had an idea pop up in my head when you said that: Maybe it might be kind of cool, instead of doing monologues for your websites, maybe it’d be cool to do scene work for your website, and not show the other person, but just [have it] like you would in an audition. I think personally, I would find that far more helpful because 99.9% of what you do as an actor is about connection right? And when you do a monologue, you’re not really connecting. I mean, you are with that person. But it’s not the same.’ From there, actor Krystal Clark sounded off in the comments: ‘I liked her idea of scene work for clips on one’s website…. Would anyone be interested in doing virtual scenes? Be each other’s reader, good practice, more clips.’
“So as promised, for those of you who are interested in connecting and potentially trying out some virtual scene work with one another, Backstage has made this post to allow you to connect and stay in touch in addition to our Zoom seminars and programming on the Slate. Comment below with what you’re looking for and see if you can find some like-minded actors wanting to connect for some remote practice! Who knows, maybe you can even put it up on your website, per Flores’ suggestion. Happy acting!” —BuellerFerris
Résumé and coronavirus cancellations?
“Hi,
“I have had one show cancelled and one postponed as a result of COVID-19. Should the cancelled show remain on my résumé? It was to be my first Equity Contract and my first non-musical so it would kind of show versatility but I will never do the show, so I am not sure if it is OK to list it.
“Thank you so much!” —frustratedlatina
Summer 2020 seasons cancelled due to COVID-19:
“This list has been sourced from Backstage, Facebook, and theaters’ personal websites. Please comment any new cancellations below:
“Arkansas Repertory
Broadway At Music Circus (Sacramento)
Bucks County Playhouse (Addams Family)
Crane River Theatre
Dallas Theater Center
Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival (The Rev Theatre Company)
Guthrie Theater
MCC Theater
Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre
New London Barn Playhouse
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts (Thingamajig Summer Rep)
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
Porthouse Theatre
Post Playhouse
Princeton Festival
Reagle Music Theater
Saint Michael’s Playhouse
Seven Angels Theatre
Shawnee Summer Theatre
St. Vincent Summer Theatre
Tecumseh
The Lost Colony
The Prizery
Totem Pole Playhouse
Weathervane Playhouse (Ohio)
Weston Playhouse” —ElderMcKinley
Get live details from people at real auditions and callbacks on Audition Update!