Meet the Authors - Acting and Auditioning Backstage Guides

Meet the Authors - Acting and Auditioning uncovered

Date: 10th August

Time: 14:00

Location: National Theatre, Olivier Stalls Foyer, L2.

Hear from the authors of the National Theatre’s Backstage Guides to Acting, actor Lucian Msamati, and Auditioning, casting director Sam Stevenson, as they share their experiences and tips on working in the industry. You can also pick up a signed copy of their books.Whether you're an aspiring actor, a seasoned performer looking to refine your craft, or simply a passionate theatre enthusiast, this event promises to be an enlightening and inspiring experience.

Acting: A Backstage Guide

From one of the most celebrated actors of the stage and screen comes this book on the craft of acting.Lucian Msamati draws on his rich experience, particularly in the context of productions at the National Theatre - to delve into sets of challenges and possibilities that actors might face.He offers up his tips on getting started in the industry; navigating the various professional relationships and roles inside a rehearsal room; and offers insights into running your own company and generating your own work.Peppered with quoted interviews with other industry professionals and personal anecdotes, which are sure to resonate with any reader, this will be a cherished book on any actor's bookshelf.

Auditioning: A Backstage Guide

Auditions can often be the most feared aspect of being an actor and yet, as the author points out, casting directors are on the side of everyone who auditions for them. They want you to do well, feel confident about the audition and in turn give the director the confidence they need to choose you.The insights and reassurances throughout this book provide a little-seen glimpse into the world of casting, helping you to understand how casting directors and directors view the process and what purpose the audition serves.Casting director Sam Stevenson draws on her rich experience, from both her time as deputy head of casting at the National Theatre and her varied freelance career, to delve into the challenges and possibilities that you might face. She explores the intersecting, underlying principles of auditioning for stage and screen, whether you are meeting online, in-person or self-taping.This book helps bridge the gap between you and the people who are making the decisions, to help it feel like a less scary process.

About the Authors

Lucian Msamati is an actor, writer and director. Born in the UK and raised in Zimbabwe by his Tanzanian parents, Msamati founded Zimbabwe's Over the Edge Theatre Company. As an actor in TV and film, he has appeared in Ultimate Force, Spooks, Ashes to Ashes, Doctor Who, Death in Paradise, Luther, The Hollow Crown (Richard II), The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, The International, Game of Thrones, Gangs of London, Black Earth Rising, His Dark Materials and Taboo. On stage, he has appeared in a large number of productions at venues including the National Theatre, West End, RSC, Almeida, Kiln, Royal Court, Shakespeare's Globe and American Repertory Theater, and notably was the first Black actor to play Iago in Othello. In 2010 he was appointed Artistic Director of the acclaimed British-African theatre company Tiata Fahodzi. Msamati is also a writer and director.

Sam Stevenson is a freelance casting director, based in London, and working in theatre, television and film. Her diverse projects include productions for the BBC, Sky, Amazon, Warner Bros, National Theatre and RSC. For many years she worked in partnership with Gemma Hancock with whom she shares an Emmy nomination for their work on the BBC miniseries Emma.

Also check out other Arts events in London, Theatre events in London, Literary Art events in London.