by Kayte Zhang. @KayteZhang.
You’re an ambitious actor with the talent and drive to make your Broadway dreams come true. But while you’re waiting for Broadway to call, you’re paying your dues and hitting those auditions. You’re browsing Actors Access like you do several times a day, and you see a role you would love to play. All the characters in this show are Asian, including the role you want.
Take our quiz below to find out if you should attend this audition!
1. Are you Asian?
A. Yes
B. No, but I'm really talented
C. No, but there are so few casting calls right now
D. No, but I've been told I look ethnically ambiguous
E. No, but my Asian accent is very good
F. No, but I want to attend as many auditions as I can for practice
G. No, but believe it or not, this is my dream role
H. No, but I'm friends with, like, the whole artistic team
I. No, but acting is about transforming, and theater is about suspension of disbelief
J. No, but I love this playwright, but don’t make me say their name, I can’t pronounce it
K. No, but that’s the makeup artist’s job
L. No, but I want the casting director to consider me for an upcoming show they’re casting next week, but I can’t audition next week because I will be vacationing in Mexico
M. No, but I can belt a high A. I know this is a play with no singing but I wanted you to know that
N. No, but you look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn’t cast Daniel Day Lewis if he wanted this role. How am I any different?
O. No, but stop making everything about race, every role should go to the best performer, I don’t even see color and you’re making me really uncomfortable
P. No, but I was in The Mikado at my college in rural Pennsylvania in 2010 and the one Asian guy in the show told us we were all honorary Asians
Q. No, but I have a Japanese tattoo that, I’m pretty sure, says “defy gravity”
R. No, but when I was four, my parents left me in a Chinese restaurant for six hours and I had no idea because I felt so at home there
S. No, but I met this Asian person last week and immediately fell in love. They didn’t give me any contact info and said that if we meet again, it will be serendipity. So now I have to go to every place in the city where an Asian person might go
If you answered A: You should probably* attend this casting call.
If you answered B-S: Do NOT attend this casting call! Do not try to steal roles from Asian and Asian American actors, who are some of the least represented people in the industry. Stay in your lane and don't be a jerk.
*Not all Asians are the same, not all experiences are shared. If the show is about identity or culture and it's not yours, maybe reconsider.