Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

#1

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 2:01pm

I am currently working on a project for a class in which I have to "pitch" a new musical. Included as part of the assignment is a requirement to cast the musical. The musical I plan on doing takes place in a small town in Alabama. I cannot stand watching New York/LA actors playing Southerners, so would like my proposed cast to primarily consist of actors from the South. The characters are all WASPs living in 1960's-1970's Alabama in a small town. Any help?

#2

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 2:11pm

Yeah, those Elia Kazan-inspired Southern accents really are the worst.

Cherry Jones is from Paris Tennessee. She has mastered the Standard American English, but when you hear her in an interview, you can detect some of the Southern sneaking in.

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#3

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 2:31pm

Kyra Sedgewick?

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#4

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 2:39pm

Betty Buckley, Harry Connick, Jr., Linda Hopkins, Kelli O'Hara, Kristin Chenoweth, Rebecca Luker, Morgan Freeman, Parker Posey, James Earl Jones, Diane Ladd, Dean Jones......

#5

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 2:45pm

I don't believe places like Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska qualify as "the South."

#6

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 2:47pm

Sorry..they need to be white male actors. And yes..basically thinking of actors from states where the SEC has schools...plus North Carolina. They also need to be able to play 25-40. Harry Connick Jr. stands out of course.

Updated On: 7/23/14 at 02:47 PM

#7

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 3:17pm

Will Blum

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#8

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 3:27pm

Hunter Bell

#9

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 3:48pm

Fred Weller is from New Orleans and I believe Ben Walker is from Georgia.


Also how could I forget, Kyle Dean Massey. Don't know where he's from but he has an accent.

Updated On: 7/23/14 at 03:48 PM

#10

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 3:50pm

Reba, Diana Degarmo

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"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

#11

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 5:04pm

Out of curiosity, Wilmington, whom did I list from Nebraska (which indeed I would not consider the South)?

#12

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 5:14pm

Jim Newman, recently in Hands on a Hardbody and Murder Ballad, is straight out of Alabama.

#13

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 5:20pm

I am a southerner, born and raised in Atlanta Georgia. I don't think you should under estimate the work of a great actor. I'm sure there are some guys from other places that can do convincing southern accents. I am constantly amazed at British actors and actresses who can play American characters without any detection of their British Accents. And though Vivian Leigh's southern accent was not great, I thought for many years that she was an American Actress. I was surprised to find out that she was British.

#14

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 5:28pm

I don't believe places like Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska qualify as "the South."

Nebraska is Midwest, but Oklahoma is considered "American South" and Texas is DEFINITELY "South" (as opposed to the "Southwest"). Perhaps you're thinking of "Deep South" (of which East Texas is often included)?

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"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#15

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 5:33pm

Stark Sands and Jeremy Jordan!

#16

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 5:47pm

jiff, I'm sure you're right. But I wrote a musical set (coincidentally) in the same time and place and, trust me, auditions were painful!

#17

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 5:50pm

Aren't the Fosters from North Carolina? Or Georgia? But Hunter is mid-forties.

#18

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 7:48pm

Jim Newman is straight?

#19

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 8:22pm

Thanks everyone for your help...will be asking about casting the other tracks in a different thread.

Neon - Great suggestions! Didn't even think of them. Don't you think Ben Walker should play Patrick Bateman in American Psycho?

Gaveston - What show were you trying to cast?

Jiff - Notice how I didn't say I was tired of London actors playing Southerners. The Brits have a better grasp on the language because RP is closer to "Southern" than standard American.

Dtz - Of course, Jim Newman...I know him as we went to the same college in Birmingham, AL. Face palm.

Promises - Hunter was in a show similar to my concept, playing a gentleman from my hometown...poorly. So, no.

#20

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 8:26pm

Norbert Leo Butz -Bawn ' bred in St.Looee Missouri

#21

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 8:34pm

Norbert was the first to come to mind, given the fact he went to grad school at UA/ASF.

#22

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 8:43pm

Patina Miller is from South Carolina. My father attended her voice recital at her arts high school. I recently saw a production of Fences there and it was incredible!

#23

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/23/14 at 9:34pm

I guess "white WASPy males" mean sassy black women in certain circles.

#24

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/24/14 at 8:14pm

nydirector2, my show is an original musical. I may be getting ready to mount it again, so I'd rather not discuss here right now. Thanks for asking.

#25

Help!!! Good Actors from the South?

Posted: 7/24/14 at 9:58pm

Kyle Dean Massey