Category Archives: Community Theater

Houston area actors with dreams of Hollywood stardom can get an edge on the competition at the Hollywood Advantage at NRG Center October 17 and 18, a seminar and workshop on casting and entertainment presented by industry professionals.

The Nationwide Talent Academy will teach current proven techniques in vital areas such as auditioning and improvisation while providing valuable insight from the experts’ point of view. What casting directors are looking for and what actors need to know about talent agents, managers, casting directors, resumes, pictures, and more will be covered in a complete intense seminar on Saturday. An additional seminar on Sunday will provide material tools to use in pursuing a career including headshot, valuable contact lists, an audition tape, and more. Aspiring actors can take one or both seminars. This is a rare opportunity to learn the proper steps to seriously pursuing a career in acting from top professionals in their field.

The Nationwide Talent Academy brings in four experts with long experience in stage, film, and television.

Jeff Gitlin has been an LA talent agent and manager and has worked with ICM, 3 Arts, and Abrams Artists. He has produced the wildly popular interactive hit play “Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding” in NYC, Las Vegas, Maui, and Bermuda.

Barbara Lauren is a leading Los Angeles and Las Vegas casting director with over 4,000 projects cast. She is a recipient of the CLIO Award for Commercial Casting.

Larry Pellegrini is the co-creator and original director of the Off-Broadway cult hit “Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding” who helped make it a national phenomenon. He has had an overall development deal with Castle Rock Entertainment.

Randi Siegel specializes in finding, developing & producing talent, projects, and in overall career strategy. She has worked closely with the career development of clients such as David Spade, Adam Sandler, Bob Saget, Rob Schneider, and Andy Dick, and launched and developed the careers of many talents, most notably Jimmy Fallon. 

The Hollywood Advantage is an educational industry seminar open to all ages. It is not an audition or guarantee of work. It is a workshop to give actors tools to better pursue career opportunities. The seminar will be held at NRG Center, One NRG Park, Houston, Texas 77054. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Registration information is available at http://www.nationwidetalentacademy.com

“Everyone has the Hollywood dream. Get the Hollywood Advantage.”

Check back soon for a drawing for free tickets ($300 value)!