That Tall Blonde at the Callback — The Callback Doesn’t Matter (as much as you think it does)

There is nothing like a callback. I adore them. It’s exciting and competitive, you get to meet amazing new people and find new insights on characters and roles, watch other talented actors at work, hear beautiful singing, show off your own stuff and a zillion other wonderful things. While often nerve-wracking, I literally love every minute of it. I actually dislike short ones — where you read and sing in the blink of an eye and are on your way. I know many complain about having their time wasted, and no one wants to sit around just waiting, but I’ll be happy as a clam if you keep me all evening and spend some time with me. I’m happy to read with multiple actors, and sing almost every note the character delivers! This is heaven! I want the chance to show you all I’ve got. Which brings me around to the theme of this post. Does it actually matter? Am I putting hours and hours into preparation for nothing?

As actors, we place so much focus on this one step in the process — “if I can just make it through that dance call, and out-sing/out-read these ladies I’ll be cast for sure!” So we rehearse in front of the mirror and memorize and scour YouTube for clips (God, I love YouTube). Certainly, preparation is important. You can rule yourself out with a bad callback. But I’ve been to callbacks where the front runner didn’t even bother to bring her music with her, bummed a copy from her well-prepared peers, and still got the part. I’ve heard awesome singers crack and seen dancers fall and still get the part. I’ve also been to callbacks where, based on what I saw from the other women in the room, I left the callback thinking “how can they NOT cast me?!” Often they do; but when they don’t, it’s a recipe for bitter disappointment.

I’ve come to the fairly recent realization that casting decisions are not made, only solidified at the callback. How you actually perform at the callback doesn’t always matter. In my own casting data, I attributed nearly 60% of my lost roles to the combo of a weaker resumé and/or not being personally known by the director/artistic staff. And we already talked about “look/type” in the last post. These things have literally nothing to do with how I performed at the audition or the callback.

It’s a cynical view, but I believe most directors cast the show in their head before a single actor even shows up to audition. Many chose a particular show based on the talent they know and work with regularly. They will reach out to their network to encourage these talented people to audition, and it’s a regular practice to invite some to come straight to the callback. There is always an incumbent, and just like political races, it is a big challenge to unseat an incumbent. Sure, it does happen that some wonderful unknown shows up and blows everyone away. But I’m betting it is rare for my particular gender/age/race combo.

For me, it is important to remind myself that the callback is not just about seeing if I can sing the notes well, or can do the accent, or can take direction well in a scene. Callbacks are really useful tools for putting together the combinations of actors, like a big puzzle, to get the best overall cast possible. I think most directors are thinking more about the latter, rather than “who sang best”. Sometimes a particular actor might not get the part he/she wants because they are needed to fill another role in the cast where the talent pool was thinner. Or the look or age was wrong with the other actors around them. I read a quote once, attributed to George Clooney, said that to get a part, you have to not just be good, but literally be the answer to the director’s problem. If you don’t get it, you weren’t bad, you just didn’t solve their particular problem.

And personal experience with the actor trumps all. A proof point is this common scenario: if the director doesn’t pull the talent he or she was looking for, or the chosen actor drops the show after initially accepting it? Most directors I know will reach out to their network and cast someone else entirely, who never even attends the callback. And I don’t begrudge directors for this practice AT ALL. They need an answer to their particular problem, and their goal is the best show possible, full of talented actors that are easy to work with, committed and reliable.

Knowing all this, I still am going to prep like crazy for my callbacks, but perhaps with the next show and the show after that in mind. I want you know me, and to think about me in advance when something great is coming up next season. Unfortunately, with my “one show a year” limit, it’s really hard to just let my good work speak for itself, because it is very infrequent work. But I can go to lots of auditions (targeted at very specific roles — I never audition if it something I can’t do/won’t take — that just wastes everyone’s time). And I am also trying to fit in smaller projects here and there (like South Bay Musical Theatre’s concert version of Chess last summer — only 6 rehearsals!)

If you have more time and flexibility than I, there is LOTS more you can do to be top of mind before you get to the callback. Audition frequently, take ensemble/any role and work your way up. If you are talented, it works. I did it in my 20s. Also, volunteer to help out with a show you aren’t in by joining the crew, ushering, working the lobby table or painting sets. Audition at several theatres rather than putting your eggs in just one basket. The more people who know who you are, the better. And when you are cast, be reliable, on time, learn your notes and lines, be easy to work with, avoid any extra drama and don’t drop a show without a REALLY good reason. Reputation follows you everywhere!

It will be a good thing if you know who I am when I walk in to the next audition or callback. And having done three recent callbacks, where I was proud of my work but didn’t land “the part”, I’m hoping those performances stick with those teams and put me in the “she impressed me” category next time. And at my NEXT audition, maybe someone will even say, “hey, you’re that tall blonde…!”