<< All Blogs

New Projects Casting - New Film Tax Credits - B'way Closings - Broadcast Schedules

By Abigail Hardin, July 12, 2022

Happy Tuesday, UTD!

As the Summer is in full swing new beginnings and endings have been unfolding in the past few weeks. On the TV front, several veteran mainstays are back in production including the FBI franchise, L&O: SVU, YOUNG SHELDON, and many more. Make sure to add projects like these to your Up-To-Date Actor targets list to be notified of status changes, casting info, and more!

Broadway has seen shows continue to announce Sumer closing dates making way for the new fleet of Fall productions. PARADISE SQUARE announced suddenly they will be closing at the end of this week, while FUNNY GIRL is trying to breathe new life into an otherwise floundering production by issuing a major casting change (read more below).

As I frequently mention, I constantly enjoy observing the industry's cycle of the year. This is another example of how even in the lazy dog days of Summer, the industry never sleeps.

To help you ride the wave, check out our two most recent blogs on how to submit to Film & TV projects and how to get ahead of the theatre audition notice and directly submit.

At the core of both principles is the art of writing a great cover letter or submission note. Annie and I will be discussing this in further detail at our next free workshop, so these blogs are a great primer. Make sure to RSVP and please note the new date and time.

• July 27, 2022 @ 3:00 PM EST — COVER LETTERS AND FOLLOW UP NOTES TO AGENTS AND CASTING DIRECTORS: THE POWER IN YOUR WORDS with Actors Connection

Create a great week! ✌️

Beanie Feldstein Exits FUNNY GIRL Early, Makes Way for Lea Michelle in September

The theatre world has been abuzz over the last 48 hours after the dual announcements that FUNNY GIRL's Beanie Feldstein would leave the production on July 31st, rather than the originally announced September 25th date. The show dropped an additional surprise yesterday afternoon in announcing Lea Michele as Feldstein's replacement starting September 6th, confirming weeks of internet rumors and lighting up social media feeds with every take imaginable. Standby Julie Benko will take on performances as Fanny from August 2-September 4th.

Aside from the changeover from Feldstein to Michele, the show also announced that Tovah Feldshuh would take the place of Jane Lynch as Mrs. Brice starting on September 6th as well. No Broadway reunion for GLEE fans this time around!

Political Update: Arizona Tax Credit Boost, Predatory Ticketing Practices Targeted

In a surprising move, Arizona governor Doug Ducey permitted a new resolution that will allow for hundreds of millions in film/TV tax incentives to take place over the next few years. The Arizona Motion Picture Production Program will open up $75 million, $100 million, and $125 million between 2023 and 2025 for productions to take advantage of, positioning the state as a major player in the ever-shifting studio landscape around the US. Plenty of desert landscapes, coming up 🏜

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a new bill into law at the end of June that will take aim at many of those ticketing fees we all hold near and dear 🙄 An update to the state's Ticketing Law bans hidden fees, delivery fees on electronic tickets and the sale of free tickets. "Live entertainment has long been a critical sector in our economy, and as consumers and the industry recover from the pandemic, it is important that we make the ticket-buying experience easier and more transparent," Governor Hochul said in a statement.

Movie Theaters & Streaming

A staple of the Los Angeles movie theater scene may be gearing up for a return to film screenings, albeit in a much different landscape than when it ceased operations in 2020. The Arclight Hollywood theater, which includes the iconic Cinerama Dome in downtown LA, was approved for a liquor license last week, seemingly giving the company the green light to begin welcoming audiences back to its 14 screens. The road ahead seems to still prove long and winding, an all-too-familiar story for both movie and staged performance theaters alike, all of which continue to grapple with rising overhead costs, waning audience interest, and lingering COVID concerns.

Not all has been sunshine and roses in the streaming world, however. Netflix announced further lay-offs of 300 staff members late last month, as they continue to feel the ripple effects of a declining subscriber base. With their grip loosening on restrictions for ad-supported plans, Netflix brass is hoping that trimming their numbers and expanding service tiers for customers will right the ship to compete with Disney+ and Hulu, but other members of the industry are taking notice of these changes as well. THE POWER OF THE DOG director Jane Campion spoke candidly about the financial turmoil that Netflix has found itself in, positing that the streamer may find itself being more "picky" about the projects it greenlights moving forward.

SAG-AFTRA reached an agreement with Netflix to extend their current agreement to allow talks through the end of the month, in the hopes of establishing an updated version of their 2019 joint contract. A media blackout will continue during the discussions until both parties are able to agree on new terms of pay rates, schedules, and more.

Broadcast Schedules: Fall 2022 Coming Into View

With the fall season slowly coming into focus, networks are beginning to lock in their programming for the latter half of 2022. As we've seen during up-front season over the last few years, it's clear that companies are continuing to explore non-traditional/non-linear release schedules for shows, which means new premieres and cancellations are happening nearly year round. What the future holds for traditional network TV is anyone's guess, but one thing is certain - whether it be cable or streaming, the opportunities for actors are only continuing to grow!

NBC was among the first major network to release its fall line-up; for a more zoomed-out view, Variety is currently keeping tabs on the big-picture fall 2022 broadcast TV schedule - take a look and see which shows you want to tune into as the leaves start to change 🍂

At the Office

The agency world experienced a massive shake-up last month with the completion of the CAA-ICM merger, consolidating what was once the Big Four talent groups (UTA, WME, CAA & ICM) into three. Reactions have varied widely, but many believe the merger will ultimately benefit both agents and their talent, with agencies smaller than the Big Three doubling down on their commitments to offering personalized services to their clients, while the top contenders are able to offer continuously expanding networks of opportunities for their talent.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has promoted Jeanell English to EVP, Impact and Inclusion, with a focus on codifying AMPAS' representation and sustainability initiatives. The main objective of the position will be to further the Academy's mission of expanding roles for underrepresented communities among both its ranks, as well as the industry at large.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Cherokee Nation reached a watershed moment late last month with the premiere of LAND OF GOLD, the first film to be shot at the nation's studio and soundstage in Oklahoma. The film debuted at the Tribeca Festival in NYC, after receiving the 2021 AT&T Presents: Untold Stories grant of $1 million, aimed at providing filmmakers from underrepresented communities the opportunities to get their projects off the ground.

Playbill sat down with several members of the Broadway community to discuss their experiences playing iconic queer characters on the Great White Way - from A STRANGE LOOP to FUN HOME to RENT, it's a history lesson all its own!

FRIENDS co-creator Marta Kauffman has taken the spotlight over the last few weeks to discuss the decisions she made during production for the show in the '90s, and how she would go about changing writing and casting decisions to foster a more inclusive environment. Kauffman pledged $4 million to Brandeis University to create an endowed professorship in the African and African American Studies Department in June, saying that she was working to undo her own internalized systemic racism and pledged to make a conscious effort to hire writers from underrepresented communities in her future projects.

Please take a few minutes to read this wonderfully well-written piece from NYT's Maya Phillips about the current state of Black storytelling and representation on and Off-Broadway over the last year. Her observations and critiques of the stories currently showing around NYC are incredibly compelling and make me hopeful that future Black voices on Broadway and beyond continue to be heard.

International DEI - Canada Directors Guild Representation Lacking, BIFA Awards Adopt Gender Neutral Categories

A new report from the Directors Guild of Canada uncovered the shockingly low rates of underrepresented communities among the Guild's ranks, with people of color accounting for only 18.3% of the nearly 3,000 surveyed parties. A deeper dive into the numbers established a further disappointing picture: Women accounted for 42.4% of members, while only 2.5% were Black, 2.9% were indigenous and 8.6% were of Asian descent. DGC President Warren Sonoda remained hopeful that this new benchmark will continually take the group to task on diversifying its ranks: "Our guild and our industry have a long way to go to ensure we represent the diversity of stories and audiences across this country, but the road towards this goal has to start with declaring who we are and acknowledging our numbers."

In honor of its 25th anniversary, the British Independent Film Awards have elected to do away with gendered acting categories this year, while adding several new awards for performances, debut directors, and more. Acting awards will now be split into five Best Performance categories: Lead, Supporting, Joint Lead, Ensemble, and Breakthrough. The nominee pools will also expand to up to 10 per category, with Joint Lead and Ensemble accepting up to five nominees each 🏆

📣 Calling All Screenwriters

APPLICATION: Screenwriters looking to develop their newest scripts are invited to submit to Stowe Story Labs' Feature Campus and Writers Room virtual programs for its 2022-2023 cycle. The initiative is aimed at helping up-and-coming writers develop their storylines, dive deeper into character arcs, and collaborate with other scribes in making their works a success. Submissions are accepted through August 12th!

Actors on Acting: Benicio del Toro, Christian Bale, The Hemsworths & More

We have some more behind-the-scenes scoops and stories from actors this week - we always encourage you to take the time to hear how A-listers approach their craft, handle critics, and prepare for their roles with each new project. You might be surprised to hear how similar they are to your own prep work

The ongoing Method Acting debate continued this past week with Benicio del Toro sharing his affinity for the training, while STRANGER THINGS' David Harbour found himself moving away from it early in his career, calling it "silly stuff" and "nonsense." 🎭

Apparently, we almost had an alternate dimension where Liam Hemsworth took up Thor's hammer in the MCU, rather than older brother Chris after casting personnel took a liking to Liam in the audition room. A true multiverse situation indeed 🔨

Fellow THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER star Christian Bale reflected recently on early feedback he received after being announced as a "serious" Batman in Christopher Nolan's DARK KNIGHT trilogy, noting that people told him "that's just not going to work at all." As a forever fan of that series, I'm all too grateful they put the haters on the backburner and went for it 🦇

SHAMELESS star Jeremy Allen White spoke candidly about wrapping the hit Showtime series after 10 years, remarking that he found himself being lost in the ether between actor and character: "It was an upsetting head space to be in. When it was going to end, I was questioning: maybe I do just exist on this show. What else is there? Am I an actor?" Luckily, White has found himself in the new FX show THE BEAR - a great reminder that we never know what's around the next corner 🌄

Around Town: NYC

Broadway maven Tom Kitt is set to revisit Feinstein's/54 Below this month for several encore performances of REFLECTIONS, a solo revue of the music of Kitt's best-known works. NEXT TO NORMAL, IF/THEN, as well as songs from his new musical ALMOST FAMOUS will be featured, along with some "surprises" 👀 get your tickets now!

Theatre history buffs are invited to peruse the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' newest exhibition - "Focus Center Stage: 50 Years of the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive." Opening this Thursday through February 2023, the presentation will showcase 50 years of some of the most iconic works of the stage and screen, from Tennessee Williams to Sondheim to Lynn Nottage and more. Who's going with me? 🎭