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See and Be Seen at Philly Alliance's Auditions
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia-based actors may want to circle April 3 on their calendars. That's the application deadline for the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia's annual open auditions, slated for June 5, 6, and 12 at the Independence Foundation Black Box at the Prince Music Theater. The event gives hundreds of local actors (those living within a 50-mile radius) the chance to perform for representatives of the organization's diverse 100-plus member theatres, all under one roof.
Companies casting their upcoming seasons will be looking to fill everything from major roles to understudy and apprentice positions. In addition to Philadelphia-area theatres, the event is typically attended by local agents and casting directors from as far away as Washington, D.C. (Ford's Theatre), and Trenton, N.J. (Passage Theatre Company). The auditions allow companies to get acquainted with the area's working professionals and serious students, if only for three minutes. Both Equity and non-Equity applicants will be screened and assigned a time slot on a first-come, first-served basis, and there is a $10 processing fee.
Launched in 1991, the auditions were designed to help local companies meet their Equity audition requirements, part of the alliance's mission to promote and strengthen the Philadelphia theatre community through collaborative projects. According to Karen DiLossi, the alliance's director of programs and services, the auditions quickly became an antidote to a scattershot casting system in which actors sent out headshots and tried to schedule individual auditions all over town. DiLossi says the focus on local actors not only nurtures Philadelphia's large talent base but also accommodates theatres that cannot afford to house out-of-town performers.
Mutual Benefits
Bill Felty, casting director for Philadelphia's renowned Wilma Theater and co-founder of the small, alternative Philadelphia Theatre Workshop, says the annual auditions "increase the pool of people you want to cast, help you see people you wouldn't otherwise see, and help actors be seen by people they wouldn't be seen by." He adds that they're "a way to keep our finger on the pulse of the arts community," noting that many actors are "making Philadelphia their home base. So each year the caliber gets better."
For actors, success at the auditions doesn't necessarily mean they'll be hired on the spot. More likely it will lead to callbacks at individual theatres. Actor Gregg Pica, 25, participated in the auditions for the first time last year. "It seemed like it was the best way to make connections in the area," he says. "It's a chance for them to get a sense of your abilities and the type of characters you might be able to play." Based on his audition, Pica was offered a role in Samuel Beckett's Endgame at the experimental Hunger Theatre and was cast in The Band of Mercy, a new play performed last year as part of the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe.
Get Involved
An application and instructions can be downloaded from the alliance's website, www.theatrealliance.org. Proof of residency is required. DiLossi cautions that there are always more applicants than slots, so promptness "could mean the difference between being number 50 in line versus number 500."
With an April deadline for the June auditions, the two-month lead-time allows the participating theatres to review the actors' materials and the actors to prepare thoroughly — either two contrasting monologues, a monologue and a song, or just a song. An audition workshop is also offered in May. Pica admits, "The most difficult thing is figuring out how to represent yourself.... You have to demonstrate as broad a range of your talents as possible given the time constraints." When selecting material, DiLossi advises, "Do what you know. This is not a time to try and challenge yourself with a breakout role." While there's a three-minute time limit, she says, "feel free to do just a minute and a half if it's really good."
More than anything else, DiLossi feels, the process is not a cold-hearted cattle call: "It's a very supportive environment with lots of handholding. We want you to do well."
While a definitive list of participating theatres is not yet available, DiLossi says that "80 or 90 percent" of the alliance's member companies — from the storied Walnut Street Theatre to new, up-and-coming groups — annually attend the auditions. A list of all the member theatres can be seen at www.theatrealliance.org/theatres/, with links to the companies' own websites.
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