R.I.P. Michael Shurtleff
R.I.P. Michael Shurtleff
professor
Stand-by Joined: 7/3/05
#1R.I.P. Michael Shurtleff
Posted: 2/13/07 at 4:31pm
I just read about the passing of Michael Shurtleff. In addition to being a legendary New York and Hollywood casting director, Shurtleff wrote "Audition," one of the best books ever written on the art of acting.
NY Times obit
"Inside every actor there is a Tiger, a Pig, an Ass, and a Nightingale. You never know which one is going to show up."
-John Michael Higgins in FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
Updated On: 2/13/07 at 04:31 PM
#2re: R.I.P Michael Shurtleff
Posted: 2/13/07 at 5:17pmabsolutely agree that Audition is one of the best, if not the best, books ever written on acting.
CompletlyNakedStatue
Stand-by Joined: 5/14/06
#2re: R.I.P Michael Shurtleff
Posted: 2/13/07 at 6:52pm"Audition" is a must-read. Brilliant book, brilliant guy.
#3re: R.I.P Michael Shurtleff
Posted: 2/13/07 at 7:01pmI love that book. What a loss. Best wishes to his family and friends.
colleen_lee
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/16/05
#4re: R.I.P Michael Shurtleff
Posted: 2/13/07 at 7:15pm
A legend.
May he rest in peace.
"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. "
--Sueleen Gay
daredevil
Featured Actor Joined: 8/17/05
#5re: R.I.P Michael Shurtleff
Posted: 2/13/07 at 9:02pmIn additon to his casting, Mr. Shurtleff wrote a play called "Call Me By My Rightful Name". It is a pretty intense piece about a white male and his relationship with his black roommate. A woman comes into the male's life, and .....It played off Broadway in 1961 with Robert Duvall, Joan Hackett and Alvin Ailey (that is right, the choreographer) I saw it late in its run, when Pete Masterson had replaced Mr. Duvall; there are still moments that I remember very vividly. You guys might want to look it up---there are some good scenes for student actors in it, in addition to its intensity.
BSoBW2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
#6re: R.I.P Michael Shurtleff
Posted: 2/13/07 at 9:43pmThis is very sad. That book is actually sitting above me on a shelf. It was a required book a few years back.
#7re: R.I.P Michael Shurtleff
Posted: 2/14/07 at 12:27amI'm usually not much of a reader, but I can say I finished that book in three days.
"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert
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