Casting Director Jason La Padura: Audition Advice & Tips – Part 3

Jason La Padura has been a Casting Director for 30 years and his long list of Television, Film & Theatre credits include casting all three films of High School Musical, Heros, and Touch to name a few. He also had the privilege and fun of being a judge for The Miss America Pageant. Jason started out casting theatre in New York and eventually moved to Los Angeles forming La Padura/Hart Casting.

I met Jason in New York when I had my first job as a Casting Director at an Off-Off Broadway Theatre Company called Manhattan Punch Line. Jason’s partner, Gary Murphy, was the PR person for MPL and we had cubicles next to each other. Jason was quickly establishing himself as a theatre Casting Director and with his casting partner, Stanley Soble, transitioned with ease into casting television. He eventually moved to Los Angeles and with Natalie Hart, formed La Padura/Hart Casting.

Jason came to speak to my students in one of my Audition Workshops at Holly Powell Studios, and we taped his visit for my Master Talent Teachers Video Series on “Auditioning”. He gave the students so much incredible advice that I have made it into a 3 Part Video Series for MTT.

Part 1

• The difference in casting for TV, Film and Theatre
• Chatting with the Casting Director before starting the audition
• Props or miming in an audition
• Is there ever a time when it is Ok for an actor to start the audition over?
• What’s your opinion about when an actor gets through the entire audition and asks if they can do it again?
• Stage directions
• What an actor should wear to the audition

Part 2

• What does a Casting Director expect from an actor in the “callback”?
• Memorization
• Non-Represented Actors
• Non-Union Actors
• Best way to keep in touch with a Casting Director

Part 3

• Testing at the Network
• Going on tape for Executives
• Do you have any questions?
• Self taping
• When do you advocate for an actor?
• Pet Peeves