The audition process is terrifying enough without comments on your audition appearing online- possibly even when you are in the room.
An EPA audition is horrible enough-getting up at the crack of dawn, being so tired you don’t want to speak much less sing, and having to be personable, talented, and brilliant within the space of about three minutes. As an actor, you’re already plagued with thoughts about whether or not you wore the right thing, or are singing the right song, will the tickle in your throat effect your performance, will you get a call back, etc etc etc. Now there’s another thought to add to the mix: what kind of snarky thing is the casting director thinking about me?
At the news that casting direction Daryl Eisenberg “tweeted” her way through a day of auditions has understandably set the theatre world on fire. While seeing into the thought process of a casting director is a useful tool for actors, I don’t think these thoughts are very useful to anyone:
“He. Is. So. Cute.”
“If we wanted to hear it a different way, don’t worry, we’ll ask.”
“Your skirt makes me think you’re Wiccan…”
“Who is that person in your headshot? it is def not the person standing in front of me.”
“If you are going to sing about getting on your knees, might as well do it and crawl towards us…right?”
How are any of these comments useful to actors walking into an audition room EXCEPT to make them more nervous? I know that if I ever walked into a room and Daryl Eisenberg was the casting director, I would be terrified every second at what judgements she was making about me.
Now I know that not all casting directors are thinking these things, or would find it appropriate to post these thoughts in public, even if they are in their heads. But suddenly it seems as though the audition process has been taken to an entirely new level. Suddenly I have to worry about whether my audition feedback is going to appear on any number of blogs or social networking sites?
Granted, the actors weren’t identified, but if you were one of the actors she wrote about, I’m sure you would figure it out. Humiliating. And unfair. I have enough to worry about when I’m auditioning. There is enough stigma going on in my head, I’m already wondering what the casting director is thinking. With the release of these statements, I feel like now I’m going to be wondering what bitchy sentiment the casting director is thinking in their head.
I’m all for blogs and such from casting directors explaining about the process, noting what actors do wrong and good solutions for how to fix them. But not while you’re working. Not while actors are trying to do their work. And trying to cover it up by explaining that you were writing about these actors “after they left the room” doesn’t help. As an actor, I know there is little to no time between auditioners: once one actor leaves, the next walks in. So when do you have the time to log on to Twitter?
To be honest, I hope that she loses her job over this. It is offensive to performers, and unprofessional behavior. It shows no respect for the work that actors do every day. The audition process is not easy. And I feel like this situation has just made it a little harder.
