"You don't get to pick, so I'll probably be a [uniformed] soldier," said Mr. Rokasky of Squirrel Hill, one of nearly 50 men who turned out Saturday at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History for the Pittsburgh Opera's open casting call for spear carriers, soldiers, priests, slaves, boatmen and litter carriers. Appropriately, the auditions were held in front of the museum's Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt.
2 comments:
Open casting calls are always so unpredictable, but they're where a lot of the genuine passion is found. Because I am from New York, I know what its like to find a cattle call, not AEA or SAG, but open. It is very exciting just to be able to be seen, whether or not you fit the role is besides the point. It is interesting how many people were there for the experience, not the money, not the stardom, but just to go along on the journey. That is why open calls are important, because you find actors who love to be onstage. Whether it's in the spotlight singing, The Past is Another Land, or in the background holding a spear, you are happy to be apart of the production. That's what true passion is, and it's very refreshing in an industry such as this.
I never really thought about how you would go about casting 60 non-speaking roles for an opera.
I guess that really the best way to go is with "smart" open casting (the casting directors understood that they need to advertise their casting in places where their intended actors are likely to be found.
I find it quit touching that just normal people can find themselves participating in such an amazing and large opera production. I'm sure it is really quite an experience for theater and opera lovers to just for once take part in the art that they love so much.
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