- Born
- Died
- Birth nameCharles Gordon Shurtleff
- Michael Shurtleff was born on July 3, 1920 in Oak Park, Illinois, USA. He was a casting director and writer, known for Call Me by My Rightful Name (1972), All the Way Home (1963) and I Heard the Mermaids Singing (2008). He died on January 28, 2007 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- A man of immense stature in the theatrical world, Michael Shurtleff was the casting director for many of David Merrick's Broadway productions; he also worked with Bob Fosse and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Shurtleff later established an independent casting service (Casting Consultants)and in 1978 published a book entitled "Audition", which was described as a practical guide to the tryout process for aspiring actors.
- In his book Audition, he addressed common problems for actors during the audition process, problems he had witnessed many times over in his casting sessions. The book has become somewhat of a "bible for aspiring actors.".
- Shurtleff attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and the Yale School of Drama, where he received his MFA in playwriting in 1952.
- Shurtleff worked with Bob Fosse on Pippin and Chicago, and Andrew Lloyd Webber on Jesus Christ Superstar.
- He also wrote numerous one-act and full-length plays.
- Creating relationship is the heart of acting. It is basic. It is essential.
- To go into acting is like asking for admission to an insane asylum. Anyone may apply, but only the certifiably insane are admitted.
- Forget about weak or strong, aggressive or passive. There are no passive characters, there are no weak ones. There is winning and there is losing, but every actor must fight for something he wants and needs. If you are concerned about getting what you need, then you will never let preconceived judgments get in your way.
- Conflict is what creates drama. The more conflict actors find, the more interesting the performance.
- Consistency is the death of good acting.
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