Fantasy Casting for A Musical Affair
To celebrate the release of my latest novel, A Musical Affair, I worked with Eric Woodall, artistic director of the NC Theatre, who is also a New York casting director, in order to offer my readers a chance to choose the actors you believe would best portray the characters in my book!
My goal, of course, is to get one of these actors interested in playing the part in a movie version of my book. I don’t have a movie contract (yet!!!) but I’d love to have one. Play along and dream with me!
Following a brief bio of each character is a list of three actors whose names are hyperlinked to their work. The three actors offered for each character were curated by Eric…with my help.
Here’s how Eric approaches casting: "I start with the clues of what a writer has provided in the text, then I begin to imagine every possible scenario, which leads me to compile an extensive, creative list of actors’ names. I’m looking for both who could play this part, as well as how the actors would work together to reflect the underlying message of the book/screenplay. By a process of calculated deduction, I begin to hone in on the most plausible solutions, even if they are unexpected and surprising."
So, read the book, then play casting director! Send me your choices in an email: cjknowles@earthlink.net and win a chance to get autographed copies of all nine of my books!
Once we have your choices, we will write to the various actors and send them a book. Cross your fingers that your casting expertise has created a winning scenario…and a movie contract.
CELESTE is a 40 something, recently divorced, ex-society lady looking for a job and a way to pull her life together. Our choices to play Celeste are:
MILLIE is 70 something and the eccentric mother of Celeste. She lives on the wrong side of town, prefers to use high-powered binoculars instead of glasses and believes in takeout rather than cooking. Our choices to play Millie are:
DAVID, 40 something, is CELESTE’S ex-husband and a top real estate broker (who has a flair for cheating on his ex-wife). Our choices to play David are:
CHARLES is a 40 something scumbag of a lawyer. He is Chairman of the Board of the Chamber Society and cheats on his wife, Lou Anne, by sleeping with his secretary Jessica. Our choices to play Charles are:
LOU ANNE is a good-looking 40 something who has kept her college figure, comes from money, hates housework and all that PTA stuff, and prefers being a socialite. The only downside? She is constantly suspicious her husband Charles is cheating on her ...again.
JESSICA, an early 30-something, is Charles's secretary and knows that she's far from the first of his affairs. But don't let the title of her day job fool you. Jessica is smarter than she appears, and she has a plan.
BINKY, a 40 something, “that” girl you knew in college, a little bigger than life, a little loud, way smart, knows something about everyone in town, THAD’s ex-wife, EMILY’s mother.
THAD, 40 something, ex-football star at UNC, comes from money, bankroller of anything conservative, Republican, ex-husband of BINKY, father of EMILY.
EMILY, 17, angry teenager, works hard at being “that bad girl”, gets kicked out of St. Mary’s High School, becomes CELESTE’s unpaid festival intern.
FRANCO, mid-late 40s, cellist, Founder and Director of Tuscan Chamber Orchestra, married to DANIELLE, sleeping with GABRIELLA.
DANIELLE, mid-late 40s, married to FRANCO, concertmaster of Tuscan Chamber Orchestra, wants a baby, is suspicious FRANCO is cheating on her…again.
GABRIELLA, early 40s, cellist/stand partner with FRANCO, sleeping with FRANCO and she’s happy with the arrangement.
ROGER, 40 something, aging frat boy, divorced (wife left him for a woman) comes from money and likes it that way, has always been in love with LOU ANNE, wants her to leave CHARLES and marry him.
