Networks’ Showcases Aim to Improve Diversity Effort

Scrambling to increase cultural diversity in the casts of current and upcoming network television series, ABC, Fox and NBC in the next few weeks will host several showcases for minority performers who will audition in front of major executives and casting agents.

The talent showcases, coming on the heels of a similar effort by CBS, are being coordinated almost a year after the four major networks were heavily criticized by a multiethnic coalition and other industry insiders for not moving fast enough in their promises to diversify prime-time lineups.

Leaders of the coalition, which includes the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Latino Media Council, American Indians in Film & Television and the Asian Pacific American Coalition, said at the time that the networks had not fully honored commitments reached in 1999 to increase diversity in front of and behind the cameras.

Karen Narasaki, head of the coalition, said last week the group has been working with the networks and their respective heads of diversity to develop the showcases, and that she is excited about what she calls a concerted effort by the networks to recruit more minorities to comedies and dramas.

“This is something I would have liked to have seen last year, but there seems to be a clear goal now,” Narasaki said. “And the timing is just right, because casting will soon take place on all the new fall shows.”

But she warned that she wants to see significant results from the showcases: “We expect to see real change in the new shows, or else we’re going to have a real problem. The new shows will be announced in May, and we see it as a make or break time for the networks.”

Some in the creative minority community are casting doubts over the effectiveness and timing of the showcases. They maintain that a large pool of veteran talented performers exists and is looking for opportunities, but will not be able to take advantage of the exposure offered by the invitation-only showcases.

Also, the showcases may potentially hurt minority actors and actresses who want to be judged on talent, not race, others say.

“I’m very torn by this,” said Rose Portillo, a veteran television screen and theater actress. “Of course there should be creative opportunities, and I think it’s terrific. On the other hand, they are still pigeonholing people. You must be really Native American or really Latino. And you’re still being judged by the dominant culture.”

Portillo added, “I have watched their flurries of enthusiasm come so many times. But there’s no walk to follow the talk.”

Holly Davis-Carter, an agent who has several minority clients, said the showcases overall are a “good idea. But it really depends on the overall goal of the network. Is this just for face value or is there a true effort to bring minority talent to the forefront? There can be tons of showcases, but at the end of the day, are performers just going to be back where they are?”

Davis-Carter added, “There is already a pool of talent that gets overlooked when there are showcases like this, who have been scraping and pounding the pavement waiting for opportunities. These showcases are not necessarily open to them. So it somewhat hurts those who have already been out there.”

The multiethnic coalition has also claimed that the networks have been slow in looking at the existing pool of talent. The group last year issued “report cards” that contained low marks for the four networks in terms of diversity. In overall grades, ABC landed at the bottom with a D-minus, CBS scored a D-plus, Fox earned a C-minus, and NBC received the highest grade, a C.

Other criticisms have been leveled at the networks. ABC was recriticized last week for its refusal to air a special commemorating the 25th anniversary of the network’s landmark miniseries “Roots.” The special aired on NBC. ABC’s newly named entertainment president Susan Lyne, who was formerly head of specials and movies, said she apologized for not developing a project that would have paid tribute to “Roots” in prime time.

Executives say more opportunities may be developing for minority performers next season. ABC has announced it is developing a comedy revolving around comedian George Lopez. And veteran producer Robert Halmi Sr. has also announced plans for a $30-million ABC miniseries, “Dreamkeeper,” with a cast that will be made up almost entirely of Native American actors and actresses. The crew for the project is also expected to be largely Native American.

The networks are sponsoring the talent showcases with established drama groups such as the East West Players and the Robey Theatre Company, which are helping to recruit participants. Although individual networks are sponsoring the showcases, all of the networks have been invited to attend their rivals’ events.

Some showcases have taken place. ABC held some late last year, and a couple of Asian American performers were cast in shows such as “The Practice.” CBS and the East West Players sponsored a talent showcase of Asian American actors earlier this month.

Peter Golden, CBS’ senior vice president of talent casting, said, “This will be an ongoing effort for us. We’re trying to get actors and actresses across the landscape. We’re really trying to cast colorblind.”

ABC will kick off the flurry of showcases Tuesday with a session in partnership with the Robey Theatre Company, which is co-founded by actor Danny Glover. The showcase will be followed by a table read Thursday.

The network will sponsor another showcase next Monday in association with Americans Indians in Film & Television, and Native Voices.

Carmen J. Smith, ABC’s vice president of talent development programs and community initiatives, said, “At our showcase last year for Asian Americans that we held with the East West Players, we had standing room only--700 people from the industry who came to see a very great and broad range of talent. With our ‘Dreamkeeper’ miniseries, we’re hoping to develop a pool of Native American talent that the producers can go to immediately.”

Twentieth Century Fox is hosting a diversity casting festival this week to look at African American, Latino and Native American performers. The festival will include a seminar Tuesday for 200 actors in which senior casting executives from the studio’s film, network and television studio divisions will answer questions. Talent showcases will take place Wednesday through Friday and next Monday.

“We wanted to take a more comprehensive approach toward this,” said Marcia Shulman, executive vice president of casting for the Fox network. “We want to have an educational process, then the showcase, then a feedback session where individuals can meet with a casting director. We felt it was more meaningful to do it in this fashion.”

Instead of focusing on more seasoned or trained performers, NBC, in conjunction with the Laugh Factory, will hold “open mike” auditions Jan. 29 and 30 for Latino and Asian comedians. Unlike the other workshops, aspirants who have no experience or agents will get a chance to perform in front of network executives.

Said Marc Hirschfield, NBC’s executive vice president of casting: “What’s different about what we’re doing is we’re giving opportunities to talent that has not had the chance to be seen before. We’re really trying to mine for new people.”