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New Projects Casting - PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Closing - Fall Season - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

By Abigail Hardin, September 20, 2022

Happy Tuesday, UTD!

Fall is in the air! With the Fall season comes a new opportunity at a fresh start. Can you feel the energy shift?

There are so many big things in the works for the Up-To-Date Actor and for me personally (hello, first day of daycare! 👩‍👦). I can't wait to share more about what we're developing for the Up-To-Date Actor. The Summer was a swirl of activity and I find now even more so than normal, I am needing to create to do lists and set goals. Big plans require organization and thoughtful action.

Have you defined what you plan to achieve in this new entertainment season? What steps are you taking to reach that goal by the end of the year?

After taking off the past two months, Annie is back in the office and taking on new career consultation clients! Here's a note from Annie,

I so missed our collaborative work together while I was on my writer's break working on my "Building a Performance Career" book but the break has been very insightful for me personally. During this time I realized that I have more to say about creating a successful artist career than I thought. So, I am still writing but more than ever thrilled by the exploration of evolving creativity on a daily basis. I am now back offering one-on-one career consultations starting in October and would love to help you define what you want to achieve in this new entertainment season and create success during the remaining months of 2022.

For information on various options of working with Annie, Fall 2022 pricing and/or to set up an appointment, email Annie directly at annie@uptodatetheatricals.com

As we continue our Up-To-Date Actor research on the Fall Season projects, the opportunities are endless. So let's dive in with excited expectations for success!

Create a great week! ☮️

The Phantom of the Opera Closing 🌹

Ending 35-Year Broadway Run

Shockwaves were sent through the theatre world last week with the announcement that Broadway mainstay PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will play its last performance in February, just weeks after celebrating its 35th anniversary on the Great White Way. Reactions flowed in from across the globe, and it's no wonder why: the show has played to 145 million theatergoers in 41 countries since it first opened in 1988, with the Broadway show welcoming 19.8 million and grossing $1.3 billion during its run. It's a far-too familiar tale for scores of other shows, both on Broadway and beyond, in the world of COVID, though producer Cameron Macintosh said that beyond the effects that PHANTOM has felt in the last 2+ years, "the world has changed" in what audiences are looking for in a show, and production costs are affecting the bottom line in ways that the original creatives would have never envisioned in the 1980s.

As with all things theatre - the show must go on, even in a world where the Majestic Theater will no longer don the iconic Phantom mask come next spring. CHICAGO will officially inherit the title of longest running show still on Broadway, coming in at 10,114 shows as of last Sunday (compared to PHANTOM's 13,925 by the time it shutters in February). LION KING will follow as second-longest active show, with WICKED and BOOK OF MORMON moving up in the ranks as well. I think Mr. Macintosh put everything in perspective quite well: "There's an art to closing a show, as well as opening one."

Actors on Acting

Timothy Chalamet, Sally Field & More

Leonardo DiCaprio apparently had some short and sweet words of wisdom for Timothy Chalamet while shooting their 2021 apocalyptic comedy DON'T LOOK UP: "No hard drugs and no superhero movies." The advice seemed to have an impact on Timothy, who went on to say that finding such storied success so early in his career made him wish he had gotten his "adult feet under [himself] a little bit earlier than [he] did," but he remains incredibly thankful for how his career has turned out so far.

The debate over the world of Method acting continues to roll this week as Sally Field sat down with Deadline to talk about the 75th anniversary of The Actor's Studio, and how her experiences working with Lee Strasberg changed the course of her career. Field believes a lot of the technique to be misunderstood, addressing a recent comment by SUCCESSION'S Brian Cox that Method acting is "American sh*t" while noting that his approach to characters may very well share a few feathers with her own. "I think what Brian is talking about is people not knowing [the technique], they are either not knowing what the method is or not knowing how to use it, or not using it as the case may be."

If you haven't started ABBOTT ELEMENTARY, this is your weekly reminder that it is an absolute must watch. The writing, the characters - everything is 10/10. And now with a crop of Emmys under their belt, the budding cast is more excited than ever to share how they handled creating one of the year's best new comedies. One of the best parts for them? The response from teachers. "[S]o many teachers, oh my god, the way they've been responding to the character," Sheryl Lee Ralph said. "They say they feel seen. They feel respected." And on some of the best advice she got for playing her now Emmy-winning role? "Do nothing." That nerve-racking acting class note that we've all heard finally paying off!

Paramount Eyeing Increased Theatrical Presence

While many studio heads are looking to ride the wave of hybrid streaming and theatrical release models, Paramount CEO Brian Robbins is hedging his bets on a healthy dose of Paramount content in viewing houses in the years ahead. Speaking at a Bank of America conference last week, Robbins conceded that theatrical windows are not necessarily "a growth business", but that in-person viewing is "here to stay" and "quality matters" in keeping the art form chugging ahead. Robbins wishes to up the studio's annual theatrical releases to 12 to 15 films by 2024, believing "the path to monetization" for films will continue to tick up as audiences become more comfortable in theaters again. We hope so, Brian! 🤞

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Opportunities for Up-and-Coming Creatives

The newest iteration of Storytellers, the episodic script writing competition sponsored by Janelle Monáe's production house Wondaland Pictures, has officially kicked off for its ninth season of entries. Focusing on female-driven plotlines, the program is seeking out poignant, "disruptive" stories to bring to the forefront of media in 2023, particularly those that highlight Black and Queer narratives. "Storytelling is at the center of who I am, and Wondaland Pictures and I are devoted to expanding the database of writers and talent who receive funding so the next generation of storytellers can be representative of the audiences that consume them," Monáe said in a statement. Applications close on November 3rd!

In a similar vein, executives with NBCUniversal have launched a new Creative Impact Lab, which will seek out and uplift non-profit stories from diverse and underrepresented communities that have not received the opportunity to be viewed by audiences. Marketing, mentorship, development, and growth are all the name of the game for the Impact Lab, which will partner with non-profits across the country to identify creatives in these communities to receive grants from NBCU for their projects. "The Creative Impact Lab has given our apprentices a truly meaningful assignment - to work under the guidance of NBCUniversal experts and have the opportunity to tell compelling stories about non-profit organizations that are making a positive difference," non-profit Reel Works' founder John Williams said.

GLAAD Names New CCM Director

GLAAD has brought on Julian J. Walker as the new associate director for Communities of Color & Media whose first major project will be the launch of GLAAD's "Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative". The initiative will focus on highlighting the work of Black LGBTQ+ artists over the next year, giving them access to professional resources and support on their creative projects. Congrats Julian!

Sony Update on Social Justice Fund

Sony offered a glimpse at the progress of their Social Justice Fund yesterday, a $100 million commitment to identifying and combating social and racial injustice across the globe. The company reported that 71% of the dedicated funds have been dispersed to over 400 groups both domestic and international, with almost half of them specifically focused on causes within the Black community, and another fourth within the Latinx community.

Spotlighting Work of Intimacy Coordinators

One of the best additions to rehearsal rooms over the last 10 years has been intimacy coordinators. They take on the incredibly personal task of making actors feel comfortable with any sexualized content or other forms of intimacy, and ensuring that everyone feels respected and empowered to safely express their art. HOUSE OF THE DRAGON intimacy coordinator Miriam Lucia broke down her approach to tackling some of today's complex series for intimacy, working alongside productions with HBO, Amazon, and more. "You make sure that you're checking in with [the actors], and that you're spending time with them," Lucia said. "I think my work as an acting coach helps in terms of me understanding how a particular actor works, and how they're processing information, and how they're then putting that information into their physical action, and whether it makes sense."

Quick Bites

HEATHERS Streaming, UTA Ads to Ranks, Broadway Flea Market Returns, Hollywood Sign Facelift

Greetings & Salutations, HEATHERS fans! The London production of the edgy musical was released on The Roku Channel last Friday for your viewing pleasure. To the Candy Store we goooo! 🍭

UTA expanded its agent roster last month with the addition of three new reps: James Murray, Maximilian Ulanoff, and Garrett Smith, all of whom will service the talent giant's Voiceover and Endorsements area. Looking to up your VO game this fall with some new representation? Sounds like you need to head over to the UTA page on Up-To-Date Actor and add these new faces to your Targets list!

Mark your calendars, New Yorkers! The annual Broadway Flea Market will officially take place this Sunday from 10 AM to 7 PM, in Shubert Alley just off Times Square. The Flea Market has a little bit of, well, everything. Old Playbills, signed posters, old Broadway dance shoes, and a whole lot more! This year's event will also feature a virtual auction that will include signed Hirschfelds and virtual meet-ups with Broadway stars. Come on, come all!

The iconic Hollywood is about to receive some much needed TLC at the hands of the Hollywood Sign Trust and 400 hundred gallons of Sherwin-Williams white paint. With an upcoming 100th birthday celebration slated for next year, organizers are excited to give the landmark a facelift before the 2023 Oscars ceremony next spring 🌠

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