Just Be a Still Life and Win the Role

Lights. Camera. Eh, inaction.

For most productions, casting calls can be nerve-racking experiences: several hours waiting for a few seconds before the director, then it’s leave your name, photograph and telephone number.

At Sunday’s casting call for the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach, things ran a little differently.

When casting director Nancy Shirkani says, “Let’s see what you got,” it’s not your acting chops. She wants to know how well you can stand, motionless.

“You can blink your eyes and breathe,” Shirkani said. “But you have to stand still for 90 seconds.”

Beyond that, it isn’t skill that gets you in. “It’s your height and size,” said pageant director Diane Challis Davy.

The Pageant of the Masters, which has been produced for 70 summers, has become a cultural institution in Orange County, reenacting in minute detail classic works of art and sculpture using props and costumed models.

Even pouring rain couldn’t keep more than 750 people away, who signed up during an open casting call over two days. The pageant has about 155 roles to fill.

Cast members are unpaid volunteers. Some are as young as 4 1/2 . Others are in their 80s. They get to stand as trees, famous figures and, for this year’s theme of “On the Road,” probably a hood ornament.

Norma Hardgrove, 56, of Irvine came in hoping to reprise her role as one of the male disciples in Leonardo’s “The Last Supper,” a work featured annually no matter the theme.

Hardgrove’s role was initiated by another woman about two decades ago when a former director wanted a “softer face” for John the Beloved.

“I’m to Jesus’ right,” Hardgrove said proudly.

Though the pageant is internationally known, in many ways it is simply community theater, with casting calls drawing entire families.

Matt Fitzgerald, 23, of Lake Forest, who has helped on and off stage since he was 16, arrived at the casting call with his girlfriend, Molly Yarchin, 21, who has been both an usher and a cast member. Fitzgerald’s mother, Pat, has worked backstage for almost 10 years.

“I love saying hello to familiar faces. The pageant has become like a family,” she said.

Hargrove’s husband, Steve, hopes to again be James the Greater in “The Last Supper.”

The next generation of volunteers is represented by the dozens of youngsters who were brought.

Marie Brown, 14, of San Clemente was part of the pageant two years ago but didn’t make the cut last year. She wants to try again, simply because it’s fun.

This year, she was joined by her brother Ryan, 6, who like his sister had his picture taken, sleeve length measured and shoe size recorded for a possible role.

“He really wanted to come this year,” said Ryan’s mom, Karen Brown. “His sister got him interested. He’s been practicing standing still.”