04.09.15 • BACKSTAGE.COM WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO SELECT THE BEST MONOLOGUES CHARLIE COX LOOKS FOR JUSTICE ON NETFLIX’S “DAREDEVIL” JON FLETCHER IS ONE OF THE CW’S “MESSENGERS” Chris Messina The “Mindy Project” standout takes on directing with indie film “Alex of Venice” 0409 COVER V04.indd 1 4/7/15 2:03 PM THEATRE OF ARTS ENROLLING NOW! www.toa.edu FILM+TV+THEATRE Theatre of Arts_1023_FP.indd 1 10/21/14 1:41 PM CONTENTS vol. 56, no. 15 | 04.09.15 NEWS 8 Backstage helps you select monologues! 9 Go pro with the Actors Pro Expo 10 The Super Serious Show gets seriously funny ADVICE 12 THEWORKINGACTOR Does dyeing your hair make a difference? 13 SECRETAGENTMAN The final word on getting great headshots 14 #IGOTCAST Alexa Doggett FEATURES 5 BA CKSTAGE5WITH… Charlie Cox 11 INSIDEJOB David Goldberg, Edge Studio Founder 13 SPOTLIGHT ON… Jon Fletcher 14 NOW STREAMING “Kittens in a Cage” 20 THE PERFECTFIT If it’s not tailor-made, the perfect monologue requires some trying on 21 SPEAK THESPEECHIPRAYYOU Three readers of plays weigh in on what makes a great monologue 22 MONOLOGUE MADAME Alisha Gaddis’ book series is filled with seriously hilarious monologues for your next audition 48 MEET THEMAKER COVER STORY Rob Askins and Moritz von Stuelpnagel, page 16 the writer and director of “Hand to God” CASTING THE 23 New York Tristate 35 California MESSINA 38 National/Regional Chris Messina photographed by Luc-Ricard Elie in L.A. PROJECT March 20. Grooming by Simone for Exclusive Artists With “Alex of Venice,” Chris Management using Billy Jealousy. Cover designed by Messina goes in a new Jessica Balaschak. direction behind the camera LUC-RICHARD ELIE LUC-RICHARD 04.09.15 backstage 1 0409 TOC V05.indd 1 4/7/15 3:20 PM Chief Executive Officer President & Chief Financial Officer Chief Technology Officer Corporate Controller Peter Rappaport Chief Operating Officer Michael Felman Mike Mepham Barrett Heacock Joshua Ellstein Vice President, Vice President of Director of Digital Engineering Graphic Designer Accounting Manager David Grossman James G. Reynolds Jeff lilley Scott Wilson EDIT oRIAl ART CASTInG CUSToMER SERvICE Editor-in-Chief Design Director Vice President & Customer Service Manager Mark Peikert Jessica Balaschak National Casting Editor Ron Kagan luke Crowe Digital Editor Art Director Customer Service Associates Rebecca Strassberg Margaret Ruling Managing Casting Editor lindsay Bytof, Melinda loewenstein Danny Camporeale Staff Editor PRoDUCTIon Briana Rodriguez Supervising Casting Editor Production Manager veronika Daddona ADvERTISInG SAlES Staff Writer Mark Stinson Director, Jack Smart Film & TV Casting Editors Integrated Marketing John Berkowitz, Kasey Howe Community Manager Alessandra Rizzotti Britney Fitzgerald Group Sales Director Theater & Performing Allen Buhl Copy Editor Arts Casting Editors Brandy Colbert Michael Coughlin, Senior Manager, Business Development (N.Y.) Contributing Editors Anna Paone Gerry Sankner Tim Grierson Casting Editor Marci liroff Elijah Cornell Account Executive (L.A.) Sean J. Miller lindsay Feinstein Regional Casting Editor Byron Karlevics MARKETInG Casting Specialist Marketing Associate Molly Matthews Ryan Remstad Research Editor & Director of Education Call Sheet Editor and Events Rebecca Welch Tom lapke Backstage was founded in 1960 by Ira Eaker and Allen Zwerdling EDIToRIAl oFFICES CASTInG DEPARTMEnT CUST oMER SERvICE PERMISSIon 45 Main St. N.Y.: (212) 493-4420 (646) 455-1645 For one-time use of our content, Brooklyn, NY 11201 L.A.: (323) 525-2358 [email protected] as a full article, excerpt, or [email protected] production prop, contact 5700 Wilshire Blvd. [email protected] Los Angeles, CA 90036 DISP lAY ADvERTISInG [email protected] [email protected] BACKSTAGE, vol. 56, no. 15 (ISSn#1930-5966 USPS#039-740) IS PUBlISHED WEEKlY (except the first week of July and the fourth week of December) by Backstage LLC, 45 Main St., Brooklyn, NY 11201, $3.99 per copy, $99 per year. Periodicals postage paid at GPO, NY, NY 10001 and additional mailing offices. Printed in USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Backstage, 340 S. Lemon Ave. #4234, Walnut, CA 91789. Publication Mail Agreement No. 40031729. ©2015 Backstage LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Backstage LLC: Peter Rappaport, Chief Executive Officer; Joshua Ellstein, President and Chief Operating Officer. 2 backstage 04.09.15 BACKSTAGE.COM 0409 TOC V05.indd 2 4/7/15 3:20 PM ATLANTIC ACTING SCHOOL AUDITIONING FOR FALL 2015 PROFESSIONAL CONSERVATORY Application Deadline: MAY 15 76 Ninth Avenue, Suite 537, New York, NY 10011 • [email protected] • atlanticactingschool.org Photo Credit: Joanne Bouknight Untitled-5 1 4/6/15 4:46 PM Mary STEENBURGEN Stephanie COURTNEY THURS. APRIL 16TH @ 6:30PM [email protected] I 212-688-3770 Gabriel MANN Jeff GOLDBLUM Allison JANNEY Connie BRITTON Dylan McDERMOTT Robert DUVALL HOME OF THE MEISNER TECHNIQUE Mackenzie DAVIS Sherie Rene SCOTT Two Year Certificate Program Six Week Summer Intensive (Adults 18+) Three Week Summer Teen Studio (Grades 9-12) Gregory PECK Brian GERAGHTY Untitled-2 1 3/24/15 10:58 AM BACKSTAGE 5 WITH... Charlie Cox By Briana Rodriguez From a supporting role in “The Theory of Everything” to leading man on Netflix and Marvel’s “Daredevil,” English actor Charlie Cox talks about his acting crush, what he’s most afraid of, and the challenge of conveying emotion without the use of his eyes. Tell us about your latest project. Marvel and Netflix have teamed up to do a series of shows, the first of which is called “Daredevil.” I play Matt Murdock, who is a lawyer by day and a masked vigilante by night. What have you learned about your acting on “Daredevil”? Matt Murdock is blind, although his senses have been so heightened that he’s able to operate almost better than a seeing person. But he still doesn’t have the use of his eyes, so during the scenes when I didn’t have a mask on, I had to act blind. There had to be a deadness and I couldn’t focus on anything. What I realized is how much you use your eyes just in the subtlest ways to convey meaning to something; as an actor they’re so useful. You can say one thing but mean something completely differ- ent and say it with your eyes. It’s the one tool you think you’ll always have, and in this case I don’t. If you want to get to an emotional place, you’d look in the eyes of the other actor and it would help build that emotion and that fire you’re looking for, but I didn’t have that luxury. Who do you have an acting crush on? At the moment I’m so impressed with Oscar Isaac. I was watching “Ex Machina” the other night and I think he’s just brilliant. What do you wish you’d known before you started acting? Sometimes you think about the job that we, as actors, do. I take it very seriously and I care very much about it, but I’m paid to make believe. When you’re a kid, you go to your friend’s house and it’s, “Let’s pretend we’re both cowboys!” Without belittling it, that’s basically what I do—I tell stories. The only downside to being “WHEN YOU given that opportunity as a young man—I started when I was 19—is that you’re plagued with the fear for a long KNOW WHAT IT’S time that people might not let you do it anymore. I wish I would’ve known how daunting that feeling is. LIKE WHEN THE What was your worst survival job? WORK DRIES UP, I worked in between jobs when I first started. I was a photographer’s assistant briefly and then had a waiter- IT’S HARD TO BE ing job. There was a time I was out in Los Angeles and I couldn’t get [acting] work and I was running out of UNGRATEFUL money; I couldn’t buy lunch. I would’ve done anything, WHEN YOU but the visa I was on didn’t allow me to work in a place like Starbucks. I thought I would have to move back to London DO WORK.” for a regular job, but luckily I got some work and have managed to survive ever since. I’m grateful I know what it’s like to be unemployed for long periods of time. • Photographed by Mathieu Young BACKSTAGE.COM 04.09.15 backstage 5 0409 Backstage5 V04.indd 5 4/7/15 2:32 PM STELLAADLER.COM | 212-689-0087 | 31 W 27TH ST, FL 3, NEW YORK, NY 10001 The Stella Adler Studio of Acting/Art of Acting Studio is a 501(c)3 not-for-prot organization and is accredited with the National Association of Schools of Theatre ADVANCED-LEVEL SUMMER INTENSIVES ACTIVATE YOUR MIND SHAKESPEARE INTENSIVE ENGAGE YOUR 5 Weeks, June 1 - July 3 Study with legendary head-of-acting SPIRIT James Tripp. EXPLORE YOUR CHEKHOV INTENSIVE HUMANITY 5 Weeks, July 6 - August 7 Work with Master Teacher Sam Schacht, former dean of the Actors Studio. ACTOR WARRIOR INTENSIVE - NEW! 5 Weeks, June 1 - July 3 Creating theater and art YOU are passionate about, lead by director John Gould-Rubin. PHYSICAL THEATRE INTENSIVE 5 Weeks, July 6 - August 7 The most rigorus program to explore devising theatre through physical art. Call Today for More Info! 212-689-0087 Untitled-6 1 4/7/15 1:38 PM STELLAADLER.COM | 212-689-0087 | 31 W 27TH ST, FL 3, NEW YORK, NY 10001 The Stella Adler Studio of Acting/Art of Acting Studio is a 501(c)3 not-for-prot organization and is accredited with the National Association of Schools of Theatre THIS SUMMER TAKE YOUR TRAINING TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH A WORLD-CLASS FACULTY THE SUMMER CONSERVATORY 10 Weeks, June 1 - August 7 Building a Solid Foundation in the Nation’s Most Popular Summer Actor Training Program! Advanced-Level Professional Work MUSICAL THEATRE INTENSIVE 5 Weeks, June 1 - July 3 GROWTH AS AN ACTOR Also Auditioning Full-time Programs..