WHY I CAST THAT ACTOR MELISSA MAXWELL On casting Judi Jackson in Slashes of Light at Kitchen Theatre

Casting is a fascinating and exciting process, conductor, an El Train conductor, and a British We posted casting calls and received close and perhaps one of my favorite parts of the Rail conductor who spoke some German. to 60 video submissions. We narrowed those creative journey. It’s like Christmastime: sure, Robert had read the role in previous iterations down to a dozen or so candidates whom we you make a wish list, but you’re never certain of the play and done a masterful job. auditioned in City. We started the of what you will ultimately end up with until day with a silent prayer to the casting gods the last offer has been accepted. And that old That left the three kids: Sunny (the lead); her (I’m not the least bit religious, but I find this adage is true: casting is 90 percent of the job. best friend, Kaleb; and her crush, Steven. It always helps). Again, lots of lovely young So, it’s crucial. However, even when you have wasn’t feasible to cast teenaged actors. So the women, but none were right…until Judi actors in mind—with whom you’ve worked plan was to hire young adults who read much Jackson walked in. Tall and gangly, adorably or whose work you admire or who absolutely younger; the hope was to find them locally. awkward, fresh-faced with an infectious smile, look the part—sometimes they’ll come in to We were lucky enough to find Kaleb (Jelani and complete with a guitar, she was everything read and end up not being the right fit. And Pitcher) and Steven (Ryan Hope Travis) among we were looking for and more. She had an often is the case where you’ll see three or four Ithaca’s talent pool. However, Sunny eluded innate understanding of the material like no candidates who could potentially do a decent us. We saw a lot of lovely young women, but one we’d seen. And the few adjustments I job with the role but fall short of wowing you; none were right. As the character description gave her she incorporated seamlessly and until finally (as they say in The Full Monty) dictates, Sunny is “effervescent, curious, impeccably. glimmer walks in. musical (plays the guitar), book-smart, but very naïve.” While the first four qualities may But wait—there’s more. Turns out, Judi was a Rewind to the spring of 2014: I was directing be easy enough, in today’s modern world it’s friend of one of the actresses on my original the world premiere of four-time Emmy Award hard to find that kind of never-been-kissed, “Sunny Wish List”: Susan Heyward. Susan winner Judy Tate’s Slashes of Light, a co- pre-MTV, pre-Madonna, pre-internet porn hadn’t auditioned because she was already production between Civic Ensemble and the naïvety that rings true of 1966. All of the in a show that conflicted with our dates. Kitchen Theatre (Ithaca, NY). Set in Chicago’s young women we saw brought a womanliness However, the character description reminded South Side in 1966, Slashes of Light is a and sexuality that only comes with a certain her of Judi, so Susan called Judi and urged coming-of-age story about a young girl in an knowledge, and, let’s face it, once that genie her to audition. But wait—still there’s more. all-black parochial school whose world turns is out of the bottle, it’s hard to put back in. We discovered that Judi was just finishing upside down when the first white teacher So immediately it became clear that we were her junior year at the University of Mary arrives and her first crush breaks her heart. going to need to cast a wider net. Washington and had traveled six hours from Civic Ensemble member Sarah K. Chalmers was Virginia to audition for us. Her acting teacher already on board to play the teacher. And had driven her because Judi didn’t have a we were jobbing in Robert McKay license. And that’s why I cast Judi Jackson: for from to play her dedication, drive, commitment, passion, “The Conductors,” a track and laser-beam focus. Choosing her for the that required one versatile role went beyond her look and her talent. Judi actor to play Sunny’s Jackson has “it,” that indefinable yet palpably father, an Art Institute recognizable star quality, which she proved guide, a Brotherhood every night as she stole the audiences’ hearts of Sleeping Car with delicious aplomb. Porters And that’s why I love the casting process: though you never know from where it’s going to come, it is undeniable when glimmer walks into the room.

Jelani Pitcher + Judi Jackson in Slashes of Light by Judy Tate at Kitchen Theatre Company PHOTO Dave Burbank

8 SDC JOURNAL | WINTER 2016