Overview

Every April, OCSA produces an Actors Industry Showcase, which features 12 to 18 of our talented students ranging from grades 7 through 12. Held at the Garry Marshall Theater in Los Angeles, these students perform for an invited audience of Los Angeles talent agents, casting directors and managers.

Nearly 80 to 100 high-level industry professionals attend annually, including representatives from CBS, NBC, Sony Pictures, CW Television, Warner Bros, Disney, Abrams Artists Agency, Osbrink, and several other boutique agencies. The intent is to connect the students with industry professionals who can help facilitate the next step in their careers.

The cast will be selected by casting director and OCSA alumnus, Rick Messina (MT, ‘95), and the show will be directed by Actor and Guest Artist Michael Baker. Auditions typically take place in mid/late October. The final cast list is posted by early/mid November. Rehearsals begin in January on Saturdays (two per month). The showcase takes place during the last week of April.

Actors Showcase 2021-2022 Schedule

Virtual Information Session

Rick Messina and Michael Baker will host a virtual info session on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. to give an overview of this opportunity, which includes the casting process, rehearsal schedule, and ActorsRick Messina and Mike Baker will be hosting a virtual info session on Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. Showcase event. We encourage anyone interested in learning more about this opportunity to RSVP and join the conversation.

RSVP Today!

In-Person Audition Sign Up

Sign up to audition in person. The deadline to sign up is Thursday, Oct. 7 at 11:59 p.m.

Sign up

Actors auditioning for Actors Showcase should prepare a 1- minute contemporary monologue and should include a brief actor introduction with the following info:

Full Name
Age
Conservatory
A little bit about yourself. What makes you, you?
Besides performing, what do you like to do?
What interesting information would you like us to know about you?
If you could cast yourself in a show, what would it be and which character are you?

This opportunity is open to ALL OCSA STUDENTS - all conservatories, all grade levels. If you believe that your child is ready and willing to take the next step professionally, please encourage them to complete this Google form to submit their audition material by clicking the button below. Audition materials include:

Acting Resume
Headshot or school picture

Monologue Tips Actor Resume Template

Callbacks

Notifications for Callbacks will be sent out by Monday, Oct. 18. In-Person Callbacks will take place on Saturday, Oct. 23 The cast will be selected by Rick Messina. Tuesday, Nov. 2 Actors Showcase 2022 Cast will be announced. Rehearsals will take place from January to April on most Saturdays during those months (except holiday weekends). The showcase performance itself will be filmed by a professional crew in April, packaged, and shared with industry representatives in May.

Please keep in mind: This is a high-quality virtual experience with the potential of shifting to be an in-person experience should the environment allow it.

If you have any questions about this opportunity or about the audition itself, please email, Brian Stevens, at brian.stevens@ocsarts.net

Rick Messina

Rick Messina currently works with Rachel Tenner as a casting director on the Amazon series Upload Season 1 & 2 created by Greg Daniels and the upcoming Netflix limited series True Story starring Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes. He also works as an associate casting director on the upcoming Netflix feature Red Notice starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot, the upcoming Amazon feature The Tender Bar starring Ben Affleck, directed by George Clooney, the upcoming Netflix limited series Painkiller starring Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick and directed by Peter Berg, the upcoming Apple + series Severance directed by Ben Stiller, the upcoming MGM feature The Boys in the Boat, directed by George Clooney and the upcoming WB/Netflix series Maid directed by John Wells.

Mr. Messina is also the casting director on the MGM/VUDU series Mr. Mom and the Snapchat series Total Badass Wrestling produced by Scott Aukerman. He cast the Netflix special Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentines Day Special, the Viceland series What Would Diplo Do? starring James Van Der Beek, the audience network series Hit The Road starring Jason Alexander, seasons three and four of the Seeso/Comedy Bang! Bang! series Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, the STARZ! series Blunt Talk starring Patrick Stewart, the Netflix documentary They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead directed by Academy Award-winner Morgan Neville and the independent movie After The Reality starring Matthew Morrison and Sarah Chalke.

Mr. Messina served as the associate casting director for the Sony feature Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle staring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black, the Universal feature Blockers, the New Line Cinema feature Keanu starring Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key and Tiffany Haddish; the Disney feature Tomorrowland starring George Clooney, CBS films' Middle School, The Worst Years Of My Life, the FOX series The Grinder starring Robe Lowe and Fred Savage, the EPIX series Perpetual Grace, LTD starring Ben Kingsley; the Hulu limited series Catch-22 directed by George Clooney, the Netflix Series Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, season three of the EPIX series Get Shorty and three seasons of the hit Comedy Central series, Workaholics starring Adam Devine, Anders Holm, and Blake Anderson.

While in New York, Mr. Messina assisted on several Broadway shows, including Nine to Five, Wicked, Cry Baby, and Legally Blonde with the renowned casting director, Bernie Telsey. He graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a bachelor of arts in theatre arts/film with a minor in business, and is also an Orange County School of the Arts alumnus.

MICHAEL BAKER

Michael Baker has been proud member of SAG/AFTRA for over 10 years. His TV/Film credits include The Perfect Guy (Sony Pictures), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), S.W.A.T (CBS), On The Verge (Netflix), The Fugitive (QUIBI), Mayans MC (FX), Big Little Lies (HBO), Sharp Objects (HBO), Pearson (USA Network), Vida (STARZ), How To Get Away With Murder (ABC), Good Girls (NBC), Ratched (Netflix), and 90210 (CBS).

For over eight years, Michael has been a cast member at The Disneyland Resort, and was a part of the original cast of Frozen: Live at the Hyperion in 2016. He has been a member of Actors Equity Association for almost twenty years and has performed in several theaters around the Southern California area including The Groundlings Theater and School, The Hollywood Bowl, Pasadena Playhouse, and Five Star Theatrical. He has also performed with The Berkshire Theatre Festival, Ogunquit Playhouse, and New World Stages in New York City.

Michael currently serves on the committee for the American Guild of Variety Artists, and has taught workshop classes for Pepperdine, UCLA, and Disney Performing Arts. He received his bachelor's degree in theater arts from California State University, Fullerton, as well as his master's degree in acting from Temple University.