2011 NBC Universal 'Stand-Up for Diversity' comedy talent search

The dates and locations are now available for the 2011 NBC Universal “Stand-Up for Diversity” comedy search. Comedians of diverse backgrounds are welcome to attend the open auditions. Every year NBC Universal chooses several cities across the USA and holds both auditions and live showcases of the best diverse stand-up comedians in America. At the conclusion of the comedy talent search, a select group of comedians are flown to Los Angeles to perform for top industry players at NBC Universal and industry-wide.

The national search seeks to find the funniest comics of diverse backgrounds and will be holding open calls in four major U.S. markets. The most-promising stand-up comedians will be awarded a talent holding deal with NBC Universal, along with other opportunities to be announced later this year.

The highly anticipated talent search includes auditions in Seattle on August 7, Dallas August 21, and New York on September 18. The search will culminate in Los Angeles with a final industry showcase in early December. The promising event will present the entire industry with a first look at the nation’s freshest comedic talent as selected by NBC Universal.

Many of the comics from the NBC Universal Stand-Up for Diversity program have signed with top Hollywood agents, met with the entertainment industry's leading casting directors and executives, worked on NBC Universal TV shows and launched new career milestones.

A few of the NBC Universal Stand-Up for Diversity past participants include the following:

● Eric Andre - Recently cast in ABC's single-camera comedy pilot "Don't Trust the Bitch".

● Ian Edwards - Writing credits include "Saturday Night Live," "Chocolate News" and "The Boondocks".

● Brandon T. Jackson - Starred in hit films "Tropic Thunder" and "Percy Jackson & The Olympians". Recently cast as co-lead in CBS pilot "Film Fiend".

● Hannibal Buress - Currently a writer on NBC’s "30 Rock".

Open Auditions Details


Seattle, WA:

Seattle Comedy Underground at Swannies
109 S. Washington Street
Seattle, WA 98104
Click Here for directions.
comedyunderground.com

Auditions: Sunday August 7, 2011 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
Showcase: Monday August 8, 2011 - 8:00pm

Dallas, TX:

Addison Improv Comedy Club
4980 Beltline Road
Suite 250
Dallas, TX 75254
Click Here for directions.
www.symfonee.com

Auditions: Sunday August 21, 2011 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
Showcase: Monday August 22, 2011 - 8:0000pm

New York, NY:

Gotham Comedy Club
208 West 23rd Street
Between 7th and 8th Avenues
New York, NY 10011
Click Here for directions.
gothamcomedyclub.com

Auditions: Sunday September 18, 2011 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
Showcase: Monday September 19, 2011 - 8:00pm

The following applies to all open casting calls and live showcases:

Comics can be any age to audition for the Stand-Up for Diversity program, but be aware that most of the comedy clubs where the showcases take place are 21 and up only. You can contact the club for age restriction details. The first 100 comics will be seen so it is encouraged that to arrive early. Comics will have one minute at the initial audition. A handful will be invited back later that day to perform a longer set and the top comics will be selected to perform in the showcase the following evening. If selected to perform in the showcase, you must have five minutes of polished material.

Any questions regarding the program can be directed to the NBC Universal Stand-Up for Diversity program at: diversity@nbcuni.com

Steven Spielberg feature film 'Lincoln' open casting calls

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg is set to begin production on the highly anticipated major feature film 'Lincoln' late September, 2011 in Chicago and Virginia. The extras casting director is holding an open casting call in Richmond, VA seeking men above 20 years of age. There will also be another open casting call in August that includes women and children.

Spielberg will direct the film from a screenplay written by Academy Award nominated scribe Tony Kushner. The adapted screenplay is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's bestseller "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln," which follows Lincoln's leadership during the years of the American Civil War.

While consulting on a Steven Spielberg project in 1999, Kearns-Goodwin told Spielberg she was planning to write "Team of Rivals," and Spielberg immediately told her he wanted the film rights. DreamWorks finalized the deal way back in 2001 and the film has been in pre-production ever since.

The film will star Academy Award-winning actors Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln. Liam Neeson was attached to play the role of Abraham Lincoln from the start, but withdrew from the project in 2010, at which point Daniel Day-Lewis agreed to play the role.

Open Casting Call Details

Here is what the casting director is seeking:

• Males, 20 years of age and older with long hair and/or a beard.

• This is for paid extra work in the film.

• No guarantees of employment, final selection to be decided at later date.

Please bring a non-returnable recent snapshot, and be prepared to fill out a form with your physical stats, clothing sizes, and contact information.

Where:

Greater Richmond Convention Center
403 North Third Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Click Here for directions.

When:

Friday, July 22, 2011
10:00am – 5:00pm

Once parked, please enter the building through a main entrance at the corner of 3rd and Marshall Streets or 5th and Marshall Streets. Follow the facility sign posts directing you to meeting room E11C. This room is located on the first level, facing Marshall Street, at the bottom of the escalators and immediately adjacent to the Cyber Cafe (near the Atrium-style Registration Lobby).

Principal Actor Casting

See the post titled Headshot and Resume Information regarding how to submit for acting roles.

Please submit photos and resumes by mail only.
No phone calls or personal drop-offs.

New York:

Avy Kaufman
"Lincoln" Casting
180 Varick Street
16th Floor
New York, NY 10014

Richmond, VA:

Erica Arvold, CSA
PO Box 5165
Charlottesville, VA 22905
ericaarvoldcasting@gmail.com

Production Companies:

Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies, as they will most likely end up being thrown away. They do not cast the films, rather they hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.

DreamWorks SKG
100 Universal City Plaza
Building 10
Universal City, CA 91608

Amblin Entertainment
100 Universal Plaza
Building 477
Universal City, CA 91608

Touchstone Pictures
500 S Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Imagine Entertainment
9465 Wilshire Blvd.
7th Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Parkes/MacDonald Productions
1663 Euclid Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404

The Kennedy/Marshall Company
619 Arizona Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90401

The Weinstein Company
375 Greenwich Street
3rd Floor
New York, NY 10013

"Lincoln" Production Office
Office Seekers Productions, LLC
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608

Producers:

Frank Marshall
Kathleen Kennedy
Laurie MacDonald
Walter Parkes

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Starring:

Daniel Day-Lewis
Sally Field
Tommy Lee Jones
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Hal Holbrook
James Spader
John Hawkes
Tim Blake Nelson
Bruce McGill
Joseph Cross
David Costabile
Byron Jennings
Dakin Matthews
Boris McGiver
Gloria Reuben
Jeremy Strong
David Warshofsky
David Strathairn
Walton Goggins

Story:

The film will focus on the political collision of Abraham Lincoln and the powerful men of his cabinet on the road to abolition and the end of the Civil War. Day Lewis cast the bearded 16th president of the United States and Field as his wife Mary Todd. Jones will play Thaddeus Stevens, a Republican leader and congressman from Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives. Stevens was a staunch supporter of abolishing slavery and was critical to writing the legislation that funded the American Civil War.

World Famous Ringling Bros. Clown Alley Open Casting Calls

Click the above banner to download the official flyer and spread the news!

This is a once-in-a–lifetime opportunity to audition to become part of The World Famous Ringling Bros. Clown Alley. Do you have an overactive funny bone and a heart the size of Texas? If so, casting directors for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College want to see your improvisational ability, sense of timing, and sincere desire to be a clown with The Greatest Show On Earth!

Please come to one of the open casting calls prepared to show, in a 3-5 minute routine, your ability to display exaggerated facial expressions and body language, your athleticism, or any unique physical skills, an understanding of comedy, as well as a sense of your personality and why you want to become a performer with Ringling Bros. Previous clowning experience is not required. Performers selected to travel with the Greatest Show on Earth must be 18 years of age or older, however younger auditioners are welcome to attend.

When candidates are selected at an audition to continue being evaluated, they will have an opportunity to see a performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, and a more detailed application will be filled out. From there, potentially, another meeting and an intensive training session will be held. The entire process will be reviewed to determine if there’s a mutual fit, and if so, a one year contract could be offered.

Open Casting Call Details

You MUST go to the following website and pre-register for the open casting call that you wish to attend:

www.buzzecc.com/auditions

Auditionees should not wear any clown makeup and should not wear any costumes. Loose, comfortable clothing should be worn. It is preferred, but not required, that you bring a headshot and a resume to your audition.

Anaheim, CA

Tuesday, August 2, 2011
10:00am - 1:00pm
Honda Center
2695 E. Katella Avenue
Anaheim, CA 92806
Click Here for directions.
Please check in at the Northeast Concierge Entrance.

Dallas, TX

Friday, August 5, 2011
10:00am - 1:00pm
American Airlines Center
2500 Victory Avenue
Dallas, TX 75219
Click Here for directions.

Portland, OR

Wednesday, September 14, 2011
10:00am - 1:00pm
The Rose Garden
One Center Court
Portland, OR 97227
Click Here for directions.

World Famous Ringling Bros. Clown style

The particular "Ringling Style" of clowning taught at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College is rooted in the "American" type of clown performance, with an accent towards broad and slapstick type humor, as opposed to the "European" approach which is typically more stylized and elegant. Because of the "three ring" configuration of the Ringling Bros. show, and the bigger arenas that are needed to present such an attraction, audiences are larger and many patrons sit in balconies or upper decks, far above the action. In order to reach the people in every area of these larger arenas, clowns on the Ringling show must design their make up to be seen at a distance, and use their props and clear physical movements to show the audience what is happening during a gag, no matter where in the house they are seated. The training given at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College is tailor made for the Ringling show, but could be transferred to other circus styles.