Celebrate the Theatre VCU Senior Showcase 2012

The Theatre VCU 2012 Graduating Performance Majors have just returned from their NYC Senior Showcase and NY and LA Actor’s Connection Workshops. This year’s Senior Capstone Experience was an amazing success.

The week in NYC began with 3 days of workshops with top Theatrical Casting Directors from The Roundabout Theatre (The Book of Morman, Anything Goes), Tara Rubin Casting (Ghost, How To Succeed In Business, Momma Mia, Phantom, Jersey Boys), Duncan Stewart Casting (Chicago, La Cage Aux Folles). Workshops were also held with Telsey & Co. (Smash, The Big C, Modern Love), Powers/Kaplen Casting (Tell Me I Love You, A Stranger in Paradise), Commercial Casting Director Ken Lazar and Voice Over Artist  Paul Liberti (Pokeman, Disney, Muppets, Nickolodeon).

The industry attendees to the 2 NYC Senior Showcases held at Actor’s Connection and at The Play Room Theatre was an overwhelming 40 important Casting Directors , Agents, Artistic Directors and Talent Managers.  Most of the cast of 25 were called into interviews and auditions, and 2 of the graduating seniors have already signed with top NY agents. Also in attendance were 25 Theatre VCU NYC Alumni who offered their support for our graduating senior class.

We have just returned from our LA Connection Workshops held at the Hilton Universal City in Hollywood. Over 9 days of workshops gave our Theatre VCU Seniors a chance to work with the casting directors for such TV shows as Glee, The Mentalist, Grey’s Anatomy, Fringe, Criminal Minds, as well as huge feature films such as Transformers, Water For Elephants, Pirates of the Caribbean, Brother’s Grimm Snow White, The Three Stooges, Rocket Science. We also worked with the important talent agents from Avalon, Talentworks, Bella Agency and Rogers Orion Talent.  Voice over talent, Chip Bolcik  (National Geographic, E, World’s Dumbest Videos) held a very informative workshop, and career coach Dallas Travers  (author of The TAO of Show Business – How to Pursue Your Dream Without Losing Your Mind) gave an amazing workshop on creative approaches to using social media in beginning our young actor’s careers. Most of our seniors were offered opportunities to begin working with these very important TV/Film/Commercial Casting Agents, Talent Managers and Talent Agents. The week was topped off by an amazing wrap party held at the Saddle Ranch at Universal City Walk. Many Theatre VCU LA Alumni were also in attendance to lend their support for the Class of 2012.

The final Theatre VCU 2012 Virginia Showcase will be held Thursday, May 4^th in The Shafer Street Playhouse. Artistic Directors attending will be from Theatre VI, Barter Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Cadance Theatre, Firehouse Theatre, Richmond Triangle Players and others.

The Theatre VCU student body, faculty, staff and alumni will also be in the audience supporting our seniors.

A special person has joined the Theatre VCU Showcase team. Tammy Motola, parent of senior Austin Seay, has generously donated and raised the money necessary to send most of our seniors to the NY and LA Connections. Without her support many in this class would have been denied these great opportunities to begin their professional acting careers. The class and Theatre VCU welcome Tammy to our team and greatly appreciate her amazing support and love.
THANK YOU TAMMY!!!!!