(April 6, 2017) Going on auditions, according to actor Michael O’Leary, is a lot like the movie “La La Land.” It’s not uncommon to be in the middle of a scene when a casting director looks down at the phone, or seems more focused on what’s for lunch than the performer on stage.
O’Leary, who played Rick Bauer on “Guiding Light” between 1983 and 2009, will host a workshop for young actors at Salt Water Media in Berlin later this month.
He shared a few words of advice ahead of his appearance, should you find yourself mired in a particularly awkward audition.
“As they’re looking at their phone, you just say, unabashedly, ‘do you want to take that phone call? It’s OK. Go ahead and take the call,’” O’Leary said. “Let them take the phone call and when they’re done say, ‘let’s start this from the top, shall we?’ You take charge. You have every right to ask for that.”
If a casting director is diving face-first into a chicken salad sandwich, O’Leary said, “you can go off script and say, ‘man, that looks really good. I’m hungry too. That looks delicious!’” Then, without blinking, return to the exact sentence where you left off.
“I instill a sense of power and empowerment, so they walk in and they are prepared for anything that happens in that casting office,” he said. “Often things happen that are just totally unexpected, and in some ways demeaning and demoralizing to actors. I prepare them so, no matter what happens, they’re going to be prepared for it and it’s not going to throw them off their game.”
Distractions and interruptions are the nature of the beast, O’Leary said. The trick is to remain focused and, perhaps most importantly, try and make a unique impression.
“Most [casting directors] are going to be seeing people doing the same thing. Even if your choice is completely wrong, you want them to see something they’re not going to see from 50 other actors,” he said. “You want to be sort of eccentric and different and take chances. Even if it’s wrong, they’re going to remember you. In fact, they’ll probably say, ‘you know, that was really interesting, could you try it this way?’”
While acting talent is obviously important, O’Leary said patience and persistence are just as vital to young thespians.
“A lot of actors just give up and they become very despondent that things aren’t happening right away. That, unfortunately, is the nature of the beast,” he said. “I try to instill in them this idea of perseverance. I think perseverance trumps talent in many respects.
“Also, a lot of actors that leave college aren’t prepared for the business aspect of being an actor,” O’Leary continued. “They get the good training and everything, but they’re not prepared for what the realities of being an actor are like. I try to prepare them to have a business plan that goes beyond just being a actor, but also branding yourself, and [finding] the kinds of jobs you can have – beyond being a waiter – that can give you the flexibility of going out for auditions.
“What my goal is, is to save [young actors] 10 years of their life running around in circles, doing the wrong thing,” O’Leary said.
O’Leary is currently working on his award-winning comedy series “Steamboat,” with Scott Bryce from “As the World Turns,” shopping the concept to streaming services like Hulu and Amazon Prime.
He also penned the play “Breathing Under Dirt,” which is being directed by Larry Moss.
“We got an awesome response from the theater community in New York,” O’Leary said. “I’m not at liberty to say what’s going on, but it’s pretty exciting.”
The acting workshop is scheduled for Saturday, April 29 from 1-5 p.m. at Salt Water Media in Berlin, on 29 Broad Street, Suite 104. The cost is $50 for students, community players and members of the Lower Shore Performing Arts Company, or $70 for nonmember adults. A light lunch is included in the cost.
To register, visit www.lowershorepac.org or email wkwredden@gmail.com.
O’Leary, who played Rick Bauer on “Guiding Light” between 1983 and 2009, will host a workshop for young actors at Salt Water Media in Berlin later this month.
He shared a few words of advice ahead of his appearance, should you find yourself mired in a particularly awkward audition.
“As they’re looking at their phone, you just say, unabashedly, ‘do you want to take that phone call? It’s OK. Go ahead and take the call,’” O’Leary said. “Let them take the phone call and when they’re done say, ‘let’s start this from the top, shall we?’ You take charge. You have every right to ask for that.”
If a casting director is diving face-first into a chicken salad sandwich, O’Leary said, “you can go off script and say, ‘man, that looks really good. I’m hungry too. That looks delicious!’” Then, without blinking, return to the exact sentence where you left off.
“I instill a sense of power and empowerment, so they walk in and they are prepared for anything that happens in that casting office,” he said. “Often things happen that are just totally unexpected, and in some ways demeaning and demoralizing to actors. I prepare them so, no matter what happens, they’re going to be prepared for it and it’s not going to throw them off their game.”
Distractions and interruptions are the nature of the beast, O’Leary said. The trick is to remain focused and, perhaps most importantly, try and make a unique impression.
“Most [casting directors] are going to be seeing people doing the same thing. Even if your choice is completely wrong, you want them to see something they’re not going to see from 50 other actors,” he said. “You want to be sort of eccentric and different and take chances. Even if it’s wrong, they’re going to remember you. In fact, they’ll probably say, ‘you know, that was really interesting, could you try it this way?’”
While acting talent is obviously important, O’Leary said patience and persistence are just as vital to young thespians.
“A lot of actors just give up and they become very despondent that things aren’t happening right away. That, unfortunately, is the nature of the beast,” he said. “I try to instill in them this idea of perseverance. I think perseverance trumps talent in many respects.
“Also, a lot of actors that leave college aren’t prepared for the business aspect of being an actor,” O’Leary continued. “They get the good training and everything, but they’re not prepared for what the realities of being an actor are like. I try to prepare them to have a business plan that goes beyond just being a actor, but also branding yourself, and [finding] the kinds of jobs you can have – beyond being a waiter – that can give you the flexibility of going out for auditions.
“What my goal is, is to save [young actors] 10 years of their life running around in circles, doing the wrong thing,” O’Leary said.
O’Leary is currently working on his award-winning comedy series “Steamboat,” with Scott Bryce from “As the World Turns,” shopping the concept to streaming services like Hulu and Amazon Prime.
He also penned the play “Breathing Under Dirt,” which is being directed by Larry Moss.
“We got an awesome response from the theater community in New York,” O’Leary said. “I’m not at liberty to say what’s going on, but it’s pretty exciting.”
The acting workshop is scheduled for Saturday, April 29 from 1-5 p.m. at Salt Water Media in Berlin, on 29 Broad Street, Suite 104. The cost is $50 for students, community players and members of the Lower Shore Performing Arts Company, or $70 for nonmember adults. A light lunch is included in the cost.
To register, visit www.lowershorepac.org or email wkwredden@gmail.com.