Air Date: 11/23/2023
Turkey Day
I am not a huge fan of turkey-the bird I mean. I have it at Thanksgiving because it is there. But usually, the rest of the year, I skip having the foul. For actors, the word turkey can be synonymous with an inferior show or failure and started in 1927 as show business slang, probably from the bird's reputation for stupidity. I have had my share of experiences with acting in some turkeys and watching a fair amount of turkeys as I recall. So lets take a moment and reflect on some of our not-so-great experiences so we can see how far we’ve come! Turkey Day, on Casting Actors Cast.
National tour of Grease-story
Come Blow Your Horn-More cast than audience
A few Good Men on Broadway-Missed entrance
Potential turkey signs:
In rehearsal for a comedy and no one is laughing
The director is falling asleep during rehearsal
You wish for your cast mates to liked each other
The audience is shifting in their seats
Family members don’t know what to say after the performance
Use of the “YOU…YOU…” from your agent
The curtain-call applause is over before you are off stage
Silent dressing room
Thinking what you are going to eat after the show during the show
Reasons for thinking about the turkeys we’ve been in:
Keeps a perspective on how far we’ve come
We are humbled and humility is a powerful motivator for not repeating the experience
Is a right of passage for all actors-it is bound to happen at least once
When we can laugh at our past turkey experiences, we are gaining insight at the true nature of acting as art. Taking risks, failing, trying to make the best choices we can despite the reality that it just doesn’t work. These are all part of the profession we have signed up for. Take a moment and be grateful for the turkeys. They help us grow and we are less inclined to gobble up the scenery later on.
Jeffrey Dreisbach, Casting Partner, McCorkle Casting LTD-New York, NY