Sunday, August 8, 2010

The Casting, the Characters, and Counting the Cents

How do you cast a comedy about anti-Semitism?

I'll have an answer to this question one of these days. For now, I'm content to simply let the question linger.

We're currently in the midst of a meticulous casting process, involving web-based auditions, as well as a thorough casting session through Baltimore's Betsy Royall Casting. I've seen some outstanding auditions, and if I had to decide on a cast now, I think the result would be a team of actors I'd be honored to work with.

That said, things aren't 'perfect' yet. On one hand, they'll never be perfect. There's no such thing. On the other hand, it might be worthwhile to cast a wider net.

Since there's still time, Mark (our Executive Producer) suggested we open up auditions to actors in New York. It'll be my first time tapping such a major production market for talent, so the idea is very exciting. Casting out-of-town actors has its price, of course, but I doubt we'll find ourselves filling every role with a New Yorker, especially considering how much I like some of the local guys. That said, the penny-pinching, money-conscious producer in me has some reservations.

Either way, we'll see how it goes. By this time next week, I imagine I'll have some very new perspectives on this stage of the process.

-Arnon Shorr

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