True love, illicit lust, family ties, family conflicts, lifelong friendships, scheming betrayals, kidnappings, murders, weddings, royal coronations, amnesia, laughter, tears, envy, anger, youthful rebellion—the cascade of emotions and of crisscrossing plots and characters to be found on daytime drama call upon actors to reach for the complete spectrum of emotions.
And they must do so quickly.
Speed is the one consistent theme that emerges repeatedly in speaking with everyone involved with "soap opera," as daytime drama has long been informally referred to. The nickname springs from the fact that Proctor & Gamble originated the genre as a way to keep radio listeners so interested in the programming that they would "stay tuned" and hear the commercials for P&G's many soap-related products.
The first such show was "Guiding Light," which debuted on radio in 1937. That show is still with us, now on CBS-TV, and still sponsored by P&G, as is "As the World Turns." Many other television "soaps" have come and gone. Two others are now produced in New York—"All My Children" and "One Life to Live"—and there are six "soaps" produced in Los Angeles. These programs are avidly followed by fervent fans, who read up on their favorite characters and on behind-the-scenes show gossip in magazines and on extensive web sites, and who join active fan clubs.
So "stay tuned" they do. To keep it that way, the programs keep those cliffhanger plots coming day after day. That all adds up to plenty of work for actors.
And it's very hard work. "Every day is opening night," says agent Honey Raider, who, while handling the full gamut of genres, is known for her expertise in daytime drama. "It's like doing a new one-act play every day," agrees Rob Decina, casting director of "Guiding Light."
Raider points out that in theatre, rehearsals are held for weeks or months. Feature films are also shot over long periods of time. Even in the high-pressure world of prime time sitcoms or episodic television series, the entire team works on a show per week.
Frank Valentini, supervising producer and a director for "One Life to Live," points out, "A sitcom creates about 25 hours of programming per season. We do about 250 hours per season."
Every principal cast member Back Stage spoke with mentioned—uncomplainingly—the huge amount of rapid memorization. It's a basic. "Sometimes it's around 20 pages on a given day, but it can go up to 60 pages," says Susan Pratt, who plays Dr. Claire Ramsey on "Guiding Light" and has a long list of prior daytime credits. Further on, we'll get to how actors handle this high-speed script work. (Stay tuned!)
Actors with speaking roles report to the set at around 8-9 am, get their blocking instructions, go through one "dry rehearsal" with the director, break for makeup and wardrobe, head back to the set for a combination tech and dress rehearsal, and then tape the show. Occasionally, more than one show is taped on a given day.
Rebecca Budig, whose work portraying Greenlee Smythe on "All My Children" brought her a Daytime Emmy nomination this year as Best Supporting Actress, points out, "A lot of the scenes are intense. You have to leap directly into something like the moment a long-term romance breaks up. You often work one-on-one with another actor and have a lot of close-ups. Many times your scene is the climactic moment on one day's show and you may start the next day by picking it up right there at that highly emotional level. My scene study training proved to be important."
Honey Raider stresses that that is why, in choosing performers to send out for a given call in daytime drama, "I want a good actor. There's no doubt that looks do count in soaps. They rarely hire 'character types' unless there's a specific reason in the plot, but even so, we don't go after the so called 'hunky' male or pretty model if he or she can't act well."
She points out that some people believe daytime is "easy work." Gillian Spencer, a writer for "General Hospital" who was long a contract player on several "soaps" as well as an Off-Broadway actress, recalls that until the 1980s, actors often left daytime credits off their resumes.
"I think daytime acting is actually tougher," says Raider. "You have very little rehearsal time to establish scenes memorized quickly. They don't use teleprompters much. You have to be sharp, reliable, and damned good."
On any given series, there are "contract players" who are the ongoing principals. Throughout the season, many additional actors are cast in principal-level "day player" roles, which can be "recurring," as characters pop in and out of the lives of the ongoing cast, or may be simply one-day stints.
"Under-fives" are actors who literally have under five lines to speak—or less! According to AFTRA, if a principal character addresses an actor, and that line moves the story plot along—as it usually does in these streamlined scripts—the actor spoken to counts as an "under-five." They are not "principals." Many background actors ("extras") are also cast in soaps. Extras receive their blocking direction from the stage manager and do not attend the "dry rehearsal," but are there for all other aspects of the day's work.
As to the schedule contract players live with, Susan Pratt explains, "There are times when a storyline your character is involved with is on the front burner and you're there every day for long hours, but other times your character's plot moves to the back burner, and you may be called in only two or three days a week for shorter scenes." This is why she prefers daytime work to theatre at this point in her life, while she is raising her children.
Landing the Roles
Every "soap" has its own casting director, who consults closely with the producers in the massive search that goes into seeking contract players. The show's casting director also takes charge of the ongoing search for day players. Each show has its own associate or assistant casting director who hires the "under-fives" and background actors.
At the contract player level, the search is a major endeavor, with auditions held in both New York and Los Angeles, according to Julie Madison, casting director for "One Life to Live," and to "Guiding Light" 's Rob Decina.
"I'll see well over 300 actors initially for most of those roles," says Decina. "They'll get four to seven pages of sides to learn." After the field is initially narrowed, he explains, "Those under consideration will be screen tested—with a cast member—performing a scene from the show on a set using three cameras. All of this can take weeks. The executive producer will see them. Actors may have to come back several times."
When this search begins, Breakdown Services (a company that provides just what its name implies—the service of sending casting "breakdowns" out into the professional world) sends descriptions out to agents of what "type" and what characteristics the part calls for. Julie Madison says, "The actors seen for contract role auditions are a mix of those sent by agents and those recommended by someone I know who was impressed by an actor's performance."
Laurence Lau, who recently assumed the role of lawyer Sam Rappaport on "One Life to Live," began to work in "soaps" after ABC's vice president for daytime noticed his performance on the television movie "The Best Little Girl in the World." Lau was flown to New York to test for the contract role of Greg Nelson on "All My Children." He played that role for several years and has also been a principal on the now defunct "Another World."
Each program's casting director also conducts the auditions for "day players." "I see around 75 actors for a recurring role," says Decina, "and five or six for a one-time day player part." Both Madison and Decina look for actors who make strong choices and who quickly establish who their characters are. This ability is a must in view of the high speed and ensemble nature of daytime dramatic work. Both casting directors stress that, for these same reasons, they also look for flexibility and an ability to take direction. On the set, performers will have to be able to respond on the spot to a director's notes or sudden script changes.
Kristina Sisco, who plays Abigail Williams on "As the World Turns" (and was a 2001 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Young Actress on a Drama Series), observes, "It's important for actors who hope to be cast to be persistent without being over-the-top. It may not be you they didn't 'like' if you didn't land the role. There may be some other reason for their decision."
Madison agrees. "Many times I've called people I remember from a prior audition who impressed me, but weren't right for the role I had to cast. If something comes up later that they are more suited for, I'll remember them and get in touch."
Decina takes note of an actor's training. "I like to see that a performer has studied theatre in college or has a master's degree."
Madison, on the other hand, pays little attention to formal training. "I want to see if they are natural and have some pizzazz. I like to see people bring their own style to a role. I like it if people have other daytime experience, but I'll notice theatre experience."
Contrary to widespread belief, the actors sought are not necessarily all young. "There are extended family storylines spanning generations," Madison points out. There is more ethnic diversity in today's daytime dramas, with both African-American and Latino actors cast. Veteran actor Miriam Colon, founder of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, is a contract player on "Guiding Light" as part of an ongoing storyline involving a Latino family. And actress-singer Leslie Uggams is a principal on "All My Children."
Madison explains, "There's an ebb and flow in the demand for casting new actors. It depends on the plots. Sometimes nothing is available for a while. Then a script will call for several day players, or a new storyline will require new contract players. Or someone leaves and we need a replacement."
All the more reason for the persistence that Sisco recommends.
"Under-Fives" and "Background"
The great acting teacher Stanislavsky said, "There are no small parts." Elias Tray of "All My Children," and LaMont Craig of "As the World Turns," both of whom cast "under-fives" and background players, strongly agree. Both see these actors as crucial to the scenes of which they are a part.
"I paint a picture in my mind when I'm casting something like a restaurant scene," says Tray. "The people seen there give a sense of reality to the principals' work. They ground the scene and make a major difference."
Craig observes, "There are people who look down on doing extra work. I think they're wrong. When you're on the set, you learn a lot. You see firsthand how it all works. You have an opportunity to establish yourself with us as a reliable professional. I try to use people again if they've proven to be good to work with and I try to upgrade actors who do solid background acting to 'under-five' spots.
"You may get to network with people who work with the show. And you can acquire valuable information from other background players about auditions and contacts."
Daytime dramas often call background players back repeatedly, as the plots take place in small towns. It stands to reason that if the principals eat in a given restaurant regularly, the same waiters will be working there. This holds true for many settings' employees and even for party scenes. Upgrades are not an everyday event, but they do happen. Mike Babel was cast on "As the World Turns" in an extra spot as a bartender. He was called back for that role a few times. One day, the plot called for the bartender to speak.
"A subplot grew up around a valuable bracelet left in the bar," says Babel. "I became an 'under-five' when some characters stopped by to ask the bartender about it. The intrigue surrounding the bracelet expanded. I became a principal for three consecutive days."
"Guiding Light" stage manager Adam Riest points out, "There's always an eye peeled for new storylines. In a party scene, a background couple flirting, for instance, may show real chemistry and strike someone as a possible new romance for the show."
As with all "breaks" in show business, the odds of this happening are slim, but not impossible.
Tray and Craig say they receive hundreds of headshots and resumes a week. They try to look at them all, while conducting ongoing auditions, but are forever behind.
As to postcards, "I could paper the wall with a week's worth," says Tray. He does not think postcards tell him much about an actor he hasn't worked with. "A resume should be an actor's calling card," he believes. "I look for strong regional credits. Someone who may be new to New York may have done excellent theatre work."
He prefers receiving a repeat headshot and resume from actors he doesn't know—but at reasonably timed intervals. "If a given look strikes me as what we need, I'll read the resume. That tells me what I need to know," Tray says.
Punctuality and a spirit of cooperation are crucial to being called again. Almost everyone on these shows works together regularly as a well-honed ensemble. Everything is literally down to clockwork. Conversely, if background performers give the job less than their full attention, or, worse, don't show up without prior notice, that too will be remembered. If you don't want the job, don't take it. But if you take it, do it properly.
"My first job in daytime was a small part on 'The Bold and the Beautiful.' As a newcomer, I was terrified," laughs Rebecca Budig. "Everyone else knew what they were doing and moved super quickly." Nonetheless, her manager used the tape of her one-day stint "as someone's roommate" to get her an agent and auditions. She landed a contract role on "Guiding Light" and, when Budig left that show, "All My Children" casting director Judy Blye Wilson, for whom she had auditioned at an earlier point, sought her out.
The Job Itself
The enormous amount of memorization is something daytime performers seem to have a knack for. "You develop memory muscles," says Susan Pratt. Kristina Sisco says she writes out the lines she's learning. Several performers say that even though they get their scripts about a week in advance, they wait until shortly before taping to learn their lines, so as not to get confused. This also leaves them alert for changes. They often run lines with fellow actors while other scenes are being shot.
As in film, all of the scenes on a given set are shot in a block before the work moves on to another set. The "sequence" of scenes is edited into place later. But, unlike in film work, this may not mean acting out-of-sequence. A viewer sees the show jump from one set to another, but often the actors in that location are part of the same plot and so actually tape their scenes in sequence, making the emotional progression easier. Of course, a given character may turn up at another location within the show and, in that case, work out-of-sequence.
When Kristina Sisco was cast as Abigail Williams, she was still a teenaged minor, having done film, television, and commercial work in Washington, D.C. Her manager brought her to the attention of New York agent Jan Jarrett. "The directors worked with me intensively," says Sisco. "I learned to have a vision of each script, to know where my character is going."
Because time is at such a premium, Sisco explains, "Reactions are as important as actions and words. Your facial expression often telegraphs those emotional reactions." The "tags" at the end of a scene (those intense takes!) sum up for the viewer exactly where things stand for the character affected.
The time factor also means that if someone made too many mistakes, it would be a problem. But some flubs and certainly technical problems are inevitable. Sometimes, as on stage, another actor comes through with a quick "save" and the tape keeps rolling. Other times, taping stops, and the action picks up from exactly where it just left off.
Laurence Lau agrees that time is the key factor. "You can't do the character technique work you'd do in theatre or film. But working with the same people who've been playing the same characters, there's a strong 'ensemble vibe' and a high trust level. You can use a lot of intuition. You get your blocking quickly—'cross here' or 'sit down at this point.' A lot of the emotional work is conveyed through notes from the director during the 'dry rehearsal'—'be more seductive at that point' or 'try to seem more angry.' It's important to make the strongest choices you can and to be as honest as you can."
William Christian, who plays Detective Derek Frye on "All My Children," found an acting school exercise called "open the door" to be helpful. "You open an imaginary door, just walk in, and react to what you find there." Quick or not, "It's important," Lau believes, "to make the strongest choices you can and to be as honest as you can."
"Our job," agrees Rebecca Budig, "is to bring the script to life in a way that is truthful." She finds her theatrical training at the Cincinnati School for the Performing and Creative Arts and, currently, at the William Esper Studio, invaluable, "but I had to learn to take things down to the conversational level for the camera and to be aware of cameras off to the side." Another difference from theatre is, "You can't redo a performance the next day. You've got to let it go and move right on."
Several actors mentioned a class in acting for the camera is useful for the technical aspect of daytime work. Susan Pratt advises actors to be aware of "how you use your hands. Gesturing can be distracting on camera. Learn to keep them out of the way in whatever fashion you find comfortable."
All of these actors agreed that those who hope to break into daytime should seek every possible opportunity for "under-five" parts and that every role should be taken seriously. "I know an actor who was spotted as an 'under-five' and became a contract player," says Lau.
You never know what will happen in your life's next episode.
Back Stage is sponsoring a panel discussion "Working in Daytime Drama: Don't Be Kept in the Dark" on Wed. June 13 from 5:30-7:30 pm at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W. 46 St. For reservations, call (646) 654-5723.