Way Off Broadway

Episode 1

What Am I Doing Here?

44 mins

After advertising and networking, Sarina, who conducted personal interviews with all who applied, brings together the twenty-one amateur musical theater thespians who will be her cast for a community theater production of "The Wizard of Oz". The show will be staged in eight weeks from their first group get together, with two rehearsals per week. Beyond one who does have a community theater background, most of her cast members are novices as adults who have a variety of reasons for wanting to do the show. Sarina wants the group to feel comfortable working with each other in a creative environment, but she also realizes that she has to make decisions on who will be cast in what role by the start of the next rehearsal. The process is unconventional in that no one auditions for specific roles, but rather Sarina puts them all through a series of exercises so that she can gage their overall personalities on and off the stage. Regardless, some, through the way they go through the exercises, are obviously gearing for specific roles. One does have doubts and contemplates quitting before even starting. After the rehearsal, Sarina and Sheila sit down to discuss casting, their decisions which may not always be to choose the best person for the part.