From Kat: Peter and I are lucky to both know Paul. Peter knows him as a Casting Director who gave him a very fulfilling ‘first’, a world premiere play. But that isn’t the reason Paul was a top choice to begin interviewing CDs. Sure, Paul, James, and Erica run one of the best casting offices in NYC. And, yes, Calleri is one of the accounts I work with through HCKR, so I work with him on a weekly basis. Paul won my heart, however, a day in last July, the week I started my new job at HCKR. He took the time to get on the phone, introduce himself, claimed our mutual connection from casting Peter, and say that he was excited to work together. It was probably not a memorable phone call for him, but for this ‘new girl on the block’- it meant so much. I suddenly felt more ‘in the know’, better connected, and at peace in my new desk. You know, I felt pretty cool getting a call from a casting director I already admired. And that’s just the person you’ll find on this blog. Kind, honest, thoughtful, funny, and just plain cool. Enough from me, we’ll let him take it from here…

Paul! We’re honored to have you launch the Casting Director portion of our blog. Would you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?: 

I grew up in San Diego and fell in love with theater as a child. My family had front row season tickets to the Starlight Civic Light Opera, run by Don and Bonnie Ward, which did a season of outdoor musicals in Balboa Park every summer.  My father hates driving in traffic, so we’d kill a lot of time after the show, and got to see the crew and actors come out after, and I was transfixed by it all. As a teenager I worked as a dresser there and after college performed in a season of shows.  Oh, I almost forgot, the theater is in the flight pattern of the San Diego Airport so, no joke, a member of the crew would alert the conductor about oncoming planes, and, in turn, he would, stop the orchestra (20+ times a night) and the actors on stage with FREEZE mid-song / scene. Then they’d resume when the green light came back on.  Stop and go theater! (Which I thought was the most normal thing in the world – to see a Von Trapp child freeze mid side down the banister, or Eva Peron stand motionless for 10-15 seconds on her balcony only to resume telling Argentineans to not cry after the plane passed). I also took classes and did shows at San Diego Junior Theater (whose alumni include NY professionals Brian Stokes Mitchell, Casey Nicholaw, Clarke Throell, Mylinda Hull, Jessica Sheridan and Brad Bradley – to name a few).  Shameless plug for SDJT, which taught young people to infuse their passion with a strong work ethic, and the now-defunct, but hopefully reinventing itself Starlight – see savestarlight.org).

You went to UC Irvine...and James Calleri (of Calleri Casting was your first teacher). Can you talk about how that school and meeting James impacted your career? 

I had no idea that my friendship with James would impact my career (I did, however know that I wasn’t a very good actor!).  I just knew that I liked and admired him and we became pen pals (way before e-mail!) while he was an Agent at Gersh and I was dancing for Princess Cruises.  There’s a quote from Taylor Mac that circulated Facebook a couple of years back about hanging out with the people you like and then the business side of things taking care of itself out of having made organic connections.  In my case with Calleri, that’s really true.

You studied Musical Theatre and, we think it’s a fun fact, you started your career as a dancer on cruise ships and at dinner theatres. How did you know acting wasn’t what you wanted to pursue? 

So, I sorta always knew I wasn’t especially competitive as a performer despite the joy it brought me. Not to diminish the jobs I did land (including my first job dancing and lip synching in a show at Sea World called City Streets). But after moving to NYC and having AEA Eligibility (something that no longer exists) and going to anxiety inducing dance calls and seeing the top drawer talent here, I slipped into a long-term temp gig and settled into the joy of taking class but not auditioning.  

What led you to becoming a Casting Director? What were the things you did in the first year to help you make that transition? 

I only vaguely knew about casting as a profession.  In school at UC Irvine, Jeff Greenberg, who cast CHEERS and had been an Anteater (yes, UCI’s mascot is an Anteater.) came to talk to the students.  And by the time I moved to NYC after working on the cruise ship, Calleri had segued from agent-ing to casting. My therapist (a former Broadway dancer) told me about Career Transitions for Dancers, and I went in for career counseling with them, got my first non-performing resume together, and started applying to any and all jobs (many of which came in from the fax machine at Playwrights Horizons where Calleri was casting).  I very luckily landed my first assistant job with Betsy Bernstein and Howie Cherpakov who were casting Chicago and the revival of Annie Get Your Gun for The Weislers. And the transition was moving from an office gig at a merchant banking firm to running dance calls so getting into casting felt more like a homecoming/reunion of sorts. It’s a world I love with people I love.

What’s the biggest difference between casting for TV and casting for Theatre? Do you prefer one over the other? 

The pace of casting for TV is much faster.  Shoot dates can’t change, and wardrobe needs to do fittings, so there isn’t time for an extended process – too many moving parts in the fast moving world of production.  So, rarely are there call backs. Sometimes a chemistry read or work session, but most often, it’s super swift (and rarely do actors get feedback, adjustments or 2nd takes).

Depending on the play/role, the casting process for theater can extend over many months with extensive searches and deep exploration of the material.

Honestly, I love that I get to work on everything from a TV show to a movie to a play or a musical.  And I love that we can cross-pollinate actor lists from different arenas. That’s the joy of working in New York City.

Can you talk about the commitment staying at one office for many years? What’s the best part about working with the same people for your career? 

In the past I had commitment issues working for ‘the man’ whereas being in a small business partnership with James Calleri and Erica Jensen just feels right (and has for many years). They are the best collaborators and consultants for all things professional and personal.

What’s the most important thing you’ve done in your career so far? What’s something you wish you had done or wish you had known earlier? Are you at the top of your mountain? 

I followed James Calleri’s advice (“New York’s bark is worse than it’s bite”) and moved here. When I auditioned for (and barely got) a scholarship at Steps, the coordinator there said she admired my “stick-to-it-ness,” So, I showed up in NYC and I’ve stuck to it. 

I wish I had started “showing up” earlier in life. I tend to run anxious / default to negative prediction, and it’s been a process to chip away at those obstacles.  Long ago I read a book, “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway” (the title pretty much says it all) and that helped.  And thankfully I’ve got a supportive community, life partner and gym (shameless plug for Mark Fisher Fitness).  I’m on the mountain trail and loving the hike!

RAPID FIRE!


Favorite Broadway show of all time: I’m a Libra, I can’t pick just one! I just can’t.  

TV show that you love:
 Just finished and loved PEN15 which is so lovely and funny.

Favorite music on your commute: I’m deaf in one ear and don’t do headphones, but I do like to eavesdrop with my good ear.

Any other obsessions?:
 Daily news podcasts (Up First, Start Here, The Daily), dogs, cats and wigs (our old office was next to Wigs and Plus, and let’s just say that the staff there knows me.  And baking. I like to bake.

Social media is ________: mostly great, but don’t forget to say ‘hi’ or introduced yourself to ‘friends’ when you see them in person!  

Religious or nah?:
 subtly spiritual

Actor-ism that frustrates you: There is no shame in not booking a job, sometime actors think that they did something wrong in the audition or call back when the truth is, we can only cast one person to cast. If you are getting out there you are doing it right, remember that.

Favorite part about teaching:
 It’s a mutual learning process for teacher and student.  I’ve taught for many years for The Tepper Semester and now am on year two at The New School and Brooklyn College.  I get to evolve my syllabus and hopefully become a better teacher in the process based on seeing how students learn.  

Hardest part about being a Casting Director:
 Only getting to cast one person in a part when you see so many great / exciting auditions.

I get inspired when _______:
 Good things happen to good people. 

Calleri Casting takes the BEST glamour shots; True or False: Perhaps not glamorous, but having office dogs certainly enhances our office photo shoots!

Anything you’d like to promote?: Dickinson on Apple TV, created by the sublimely talented Alena Smith.  (Lin-Manuel Miranda’s been tweeting about it and critics/audiences are loving it so I suppose I don’t really need to be doing any promoting, but I’m proud to work on the show, so give it a watch if you haven’t!)

Interview by Kat Hargrave

From Peter: Courtney is another one of the ones we’re lucky to know together. The first time I worked with Courtney (as a reader), she was a Casting Assistant at Eisenberg/Beans. She conducted the eight-hour session, prepped for the next day’s eight-hour session and then headed out the door to start her shift waiting tables.

It was, to me, a reminder that artists of all kinds are sacrificing to be a part of entertainment magic and was, honestly, the pristine embodiment of the artist hustle. It inspires me still.

Nowadays, Courtney has a full-time gig as the newest Casting Director at Wojcik|Seay. Her hustle isn’t the only thing we admire. She’s a great example following the winding road of the arts, having left a successful acting career a few years ago to explore the passion of ‘the puzzle’. She’s a great example of moving with confidence, with a unique understanding of how each job informs the next. And, most importantly, she’s a great example of kindness, humility, and fun. We’ve loved getting to know her over the past two years and think you’ll really enjoy her too. We’ll let her take it from here.

Courtney! We’re honored to have you contribute to our Casting Director portion of our blog. Would you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?: 

Of course and thanks for having me!  Aloha all! I’m originally from Los Angeles, CA, and come from a long family line of actors, musicians and talent agents.  I’m sure my parents would have loved if I had chosen to attend medical school, but they kind of set me up for failure there!  I grew up at Disneyworld.  For real. My mom worked as the talent buyer for “The Mouse” in Orlando, FL so most of my childhood was spent running around the most magical place on earth.  I attended Dr. Phillips High School’s Performing Arts High and then went on to earn my BFA at NYU Tisch School of the Arts CAP21 Studio. After several years living and working as an AEA actress with various jobs in between, I made the official switch to casting in 2017.  I started at Eisenberg/Beans as an Apprentice and quickly moved to Assistant and then Associate. In October 2018 I was hired at Wojcik|Seay as the Associate and I just celebrated my one-year anniversary with a promotion to Casting Director!

You went to NYU, Tisch School of the Arts….Can you tell us how you ended up there and how it impacted your career?

I applied to several colleges around the country, but New York was always the dream.  My grandparents lived here so as a child I was really lucky to visit and see Broadway shows and explore the Big Apple.  In high school I was a theatre kid through and through, Company Manager of my theatre troupe, President of Drama and super involved with the programming and shows.  I was also a bit of a scholastic Hermione type (yep, I’m a Harry Potter nerd) and so I craved a university experience that was equally academic as it was artistic. NYU was my number one choice so when I got in, all bets were off.  NYU was an incredible college experience, even if I will be paying off those loans for the rest of my days. Being immersed in the city and surrounded by theatre, art, museums, restaurants…it makes you grow up pretty quickly. NYC is a tough town so navigating my way at such a young age definitely prepared me for a career here.  A lot of my teachers were working actors so I felt immediately connected to the community I would eventually work with. 

You were very successful in your acting career. You toured internationally, worked regionally and led shows aboard cruise ships…. How did you know acting wasn’t what you wanted to pursue anymore? 

I love the rehearsal process, loved being in shows and I love the craft of theatre.  There is nothing like being in a company of like-minded artists. But if I’m being honest, I just wasn’t obsessed with it the way I could see that others were.  Looking down the pipeline at the trajectory of what I wanted out of life, it started to give me very real anxiety. The constant struggle of “Am I skinny enough? Blonde enough? Funny enough? Did I belt high enough?” just started to wear me down.  The inevitable and constant asking for validation as opposed to using my brain to create and problem solve isn’t what I wanted in a career anymore. Maybe that’s what happens in your 30’s. I SO admire the drive and tenacity of the talented and brave women that continue to pursue this career path.  I just realized it wasn’t the life I wanted.  

What led you to becoming a Casting Director? What were the things you did in the first year to help you make that transition? 

I knew that I wanted to be more involved in solving the “puzzle” of creating theatre.  I wanted to make the magic in a different way. I didn’t know what avenue to take so I emailed a Casting Director that I knew, Daryl Eisenberg, and asked if I could come learn from her. Try something new.  Why not? She graciously offered me an apprenticeship at Eisenberg/Beans Casting (I won’t say internship because I was a full-grown adult at this point) and invited me to learn and grow while I was still waiting tables full-time to survive.  I will always be grateful to her for that. Ally Beans and Daryl trusted me with their new office and together we worked our asses off to build something great. It was a hard and fulfilling and exhausting and transitional and gratifying 6 months. I was learning and growing in ways I wouldn’t realize until much later.  I still had my agent, was still singing and acting here and there, went through a big breakup and had basically no social life. If I wasn’t at the office or in session, I was at the restaurant working to pay my bills. I told myself that as long as I wasn’t getting paid to work in casting, then I could still have my toes dipped in the “acting pool” with no conflict. In November of 2017, Daryl and Ally cornered me at Ripley Grier studios one day after a session and officially offered me the Casting Assistant position.  Business cards and all. In my mind, to accept the position would mean I worked in casting “for real” and would have to say goodbye to my actress life. What surprised me is that I didn’t even hesitate – I said yes and then immediately started crying tears of joy. It was the easiest decision; I had no qualms and knew it’s what I wanted. I called my agent the next day to tell him and then dove into the work. For the following year that we worked together we had incredibly varied, exciting projects come across our desks and in August of 2018, we made our Broadway debut.  It was thrilling.

Did you ever feel overwhelmed or think you weren’t going to be able to be successful after making the switch?

I really didn’t.  It felt right. It was an immediate fit.  I think the main thing is that I didn’t doubt myself.  I took one day a time and embraced whatever project or challenge came my way.  Am I saying that I’m confident 100% of the time and never worry? Of course not.  I have doubts and fears and questions every day. I still don’t know exactly where I will wind up in this industry, but do I know that as long as I keep saying “yes” to good work and good people, it’s all going to land where it should.  And that is a very freeing feeling.

When I first started out, I had this feeling of being ‘late to the party’. After acting for so many years, did you ever fight any of those feelings? Or did you feel like your journey into casting aligned nicely in your timeline? I for sure wondered if it was insane to make the switch.  To accept a glorified internship at 31 years old is NOT where I thought my path was headed, but as soon as a I started, those feelings went away.  I, generally speaking, try to be as receptive as possible in my life to new situations. I’m not someone that is afraid of change. When I started in casting I was like a sponge.  I wanted to learn everything I could. A few months in, I realized that I actually already possessed much of the skillset required for this line of work. Because of my acting career, I actually knew (or at least knew of) a lot of the people we were working with and I of course understood the world of auditioning well.  I felt the pressure actors felt and I also started to understand what creative teams were looking for. Waiting tables taught me to time manage, work under high pressure, juggle different personalities and to let things go at the end of the day. Working in Event Management gave me more administrative skills than I even knew I had!  So, though casting was “new” and I suppose I could feel late to the party, a lot of what the job actually entailed were all aspects I was very comfortable and confident in. In regard to my timeline, I think the only reason I am where I am now is because it all happened when it did.

What’s the most important thing you’ve done in your career so far?

Important?  Oh, wow this is a tough one.  I’ve worked on some really exciting projects and all of them have truly important to me.  Right now, I think the most IMPORTANT thing I get to do is teach. I’ve had some really lovely opportunities to work with both working professionals and younger students on their audition technique and it has been so incredibly fulfilling.  I love teaching. I love engaging with actors and helping them. I love the “aha” moment where they realize what’s been missing. I love sharing what I’ve learned thus far and know that my knowledge base is only going to expand. I think it’s important to empower the next generation of artists and remind them that their uniqueness is what is going to set them apart in this industry.

At the onset of your career, what was the definition of success you were aspiring to achieve? Now, where you are now, how do you describe your success?

Don’t we all dream of Broadway?  Of course, as a young musical theater actress that’s what I thought I wanted.  As I continued acting however, that began to shift. I had lots of wonderfully talented friends on Broadway and though they were (are) so grateful for their success, they still had bad days.  Complaints about their jobs. Frustrations with their career. The shine started to wear off for me and it became less important to “make it” as it was to sustain my lifestyle by working. Regionally, touring, cruise ships…it truly didn’t matter as long as I was happy doing what I was doing.  What’s funny is that when I decided to switch my career path, I wound up making my casting Broadway debut less than a year later. All I could think was, “good one universe”. Now I am casting for regional houses I used to dream of working in, tours I would have loved to be a part of, and I know that I am far happier on this side of the table. It brings me the most joy to support an actor I adore, push for them and then hopefully see wonderful things happen for them.  It’s a far better feeling than any applause I may have received for myself. So how do I describe my success? As long as what I’m doing brings me the most joy, I feel pretty damn successful.  

What’s something you wish you had done or wish you had known earlier? 

That there is no “one way”.  I think as a kid and young actress I wanted to do everything “correctly” and “perfectly”.  But the truth is, that doesn’t actually exist. There are no guarantees and there is no formula to follow.  Everyone’s journey is different and there is no straight line to where you are headed. Truly. It’s a pretty windy road actually…and isn’t that more fun to drive anyway?

Are you at the top of your mountain? No way. I just started climbing.  

RAPID FIRE!

Favorite Broadway show of all time: Currently, it’s Come From Away.  All time? Lippa’s Wild Party. Ok ok ok it’s technically Off-Broadway…but it’s my all-time fave.

TV show that you love: Friday Night Lights

On my commute, I’m listening to: Usually Marco Polos from my friends.

Any other obsessions?: Does wine count?

Social media is: Time consuming.

Religious, Spiritual, or nah?: Namaste.

Actor-ism that frustrates you: Apologizing.  STOP APOLOGIZING.  You are a talent and a gift and are unique and we are lucky to share an audition room with you.  Oh….and be nice to the monitor. And the accompanist. And me. Just be nice.

Biggest beef with the business: From my side of the table?  When actors aren’t prepared for their appointment after I’ve spent HOURS making sure they have exactly what they need.

Favorite part about working at Wojcik/Seay Casting?  The team.  They are dedicated, hard-working, intelligent and KIND.  Truly some of the kindest people I’ve ever worked with and it is refreshing.

Favorite part of being on the other side of the table? Being a part of the creative process and being a champion for actors I adore.

I get inspired when: I hear a new song, see a reading of a new play or experience an actor doing a rendition of a classic that makes it unique.  

Anything you’d like to promote?: Audition season is coming up. But y’all already know that.

Interview by: Peter Hargrave