Queens, N.Y.-based actor Samantina Zenon joined Backstage six months ago and has since booked gigs like the play “Zooman and the Sign.”
Better late than never.
“I have been using Backstage for maybe six months. I signed up sometime last year, because I liked reading the different articles about show business, but I never subscribed.... Now I’m glad I did.”
Backstage is now part of her daily routine.
“I go on Backstage every day. I have [also] been attending a few theater productions’ auditions at the Equity office, because they are also posted on Backstage.”
Fellow actors: Take advantage of your materials.
“My advice to finding success in the acting market: First, build your résumé and have a reel. Having a reel will book you a lot more jobs. I see the difference between now and when I was submitting without any reel. Also, use the note space to let the casting director know a little bit about you. Keep it short and sweet, but tell them about your personality, some projects you have worked on, and even some classes you are taking.... Use the note section. It matters.”
Backstage gets her the roles she wants.
“The notifications [keep me coming back] because I customized my profile to get notified for specific roles. I look for roles that are paid, relatable, and can challenge me to work harder on my craft. I also like the articles with people in the business, such as casting directors.”
Her character and audition were both fiery.
“[In ‘Zooman and the Sign,’] I portrayed a character name Grace Georges. She is bold, fiery, and wants everybody to respect their community. At the audition, I did a monologue that was similar to the character’s description, and I got a callback a couple of days later to come read for the character. The director had me read a few times so I could get the right motivation. I followed her direction and a week later, I received an email about my interest in the production.”
‘Zooman’ was a thorough and fruitful experience.
“[Working on ‘Zooman’] was very different from my past experiences. The director, Zenzele Cooper, had us spend a lot of time building and relating to our characters. We also did a lot of research on where the play took place [and] on the time period, which was in the 1980s. It was a pleasure working with the Weeksville Heritage Center.”
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