Free Casting Calls and Auditions

“Directed By Dorothy Arzner”: A Script Reading at the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.
Director / Writer – Chris J. Russo
Writer – Glenn Gaylord
Producer – Lydia Dean Pilcher
Casting Session – Thursday, October 23, 2008, TIME TBD
Rehearsal – Friday Evening, October 24, 2008 – MANDATORY, TIME TBD
Live Script Reading – Saturday, October 25, 2008
Location – Seattle, WA

CONTACT: Lindsay Martin, sglffscriptreading@gmail.com

*ACTORS NEEDED for live script reading of “Directed By Dorothy Arzner,” at
the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.* This is an excellent opportunity
for local Seattle actors to be seen in front of an audience, work with
established industry professionals, and learn about the early, but crucial,
process in making a film.

DIRECTED BY DOROTHY ARZNER is the story of Hollywood’s most accomplished,
groundbreaking, and forgotten female director. Arzner was a star-making
director of more studio features than any female in history and also
inventor of the boom microphone. Although she was discreet, there was no
mistaking Dorothy’s sexual orientation or the coded references to a world of
strong women in films starring Katharine Hepburn, Rosalind Russell, Lucille
Ball, Joan Crawford, and, in her first “talkie,” Clara Bow. Driven out of
Hollywood in the early 1940s by a changing studio regime, Dorothy and her
remarkable legacy went largely forgotten until now.

Written by Chris J. Russo and Glenn Gaylord, DIRECTED BY DOROTHY ARZNER was accepted into Film Independent’ s prestigious Screenwriters Lab and their Directors Lab.

Russo’s A WOMAN REPORTED screened at Sundance, and STRAIGHT DOWN THE AISLE: CONFESSIONS OF LESBIAN BRIDESMAIDS won Best Short Documentary at Outfest.
Gaylord’s short, BOYCHICK won an award at SIFF, LOST CAUSE played Slamdance;
LEZ BE FRIENDS screened at the 2007 Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, and he is currently directing EATING OUT 3.

Here is a link to the Festival Program description:
http://threedollarbillcinema.org/08/events/?c=filmmaking-focus

*CHARACTERS*

DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED IF YOU DO NOT FIT THE AGE, APPEARANCE, ETHNICITY OR SEXUALITY OF THE ROLES. THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTIONS ARE MERELY TO GIVE A SENSE OF EACH CHARACTER.

*[Narrator*] * *– Will read all descriptions in the script. Male or female,
must have excellent reading and speaking skills.**

*[Dorothy Arzner] *– 20s, Caucasian, short-haired brunette “Ellen Page”-type
actress with a feisty, tomboyish charm. Hollywood’s only “girl” director
during the golden era. Handsome soft-butch lesbian who looks sharp in her
fancy suits and ties.

*[Marion Morgan] *– late 30s-40s, Caucasian, blonde femme. Dorothy’s older
and wiser life partner and lover. Choreographer, dancer and world traveler,
she played the “wife” to Dorothy.**

*[Alla Nazimova, + other small roles]* – late 30s – 40s. The grand, highly
flamboyant Russian star of Hollywood silent films. Dorothy’s first lesbian
lover who taught her a thing or two about sex. A diva! (Must be able to do
a Russian accent.)

*[Louis Arzner + other small roles]* – late 40s – 50s. Dorothy’s loving
father and very patient husband to the troublesome Mabel.**

*[Louis B. Mayer + BP Schulberg]* – 40s-50s. Big brash force of nature
Hollywood Studio Heads and Dorothy’s main foes.

*[William Demille + other small roles] *– 30s. Stately studio executive who
gives Dorothy her first break in the entertainment business.

*[Nan Heron + other small roles]* – 20s-30s. “Rosie the Riveter” type film
editor who mentors Dorothy early in her career.

*[Lorraine + other small roles]* – 20s-30s. Feisty and bold Typing Pool
co-worker of Dorothy, who introduces her to the underground Hollywood
lesbian scene.

*[Katharine Hepburn / Joan Crawford / Clara Bow + other small roles]* – Must
be able to play screen legends with all of their accompanying quirks and
accents!

*[Utility Roles]* – We will also be casting two male actors for a variety of
smaller roles. If you feel you don’t fit any of the descriptions, please
come and read anyhow!