Trivia

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.

He had plays published in The Best Short Plays Series, of which the 1979 edition includes his popular "Sailing.".

During the casting process he would bring in to audition for the play's director such new names as Elliott Gould, Barbra Streisand, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Bette Midler and Jerry Orbach.

Shurtleff wrote the play Call Me By My Rightful Name.

Shurtleff was the major casting director for producer David Merrick.

His New York theatrical debut was "Call Me by My Rightful Name," the story of a love triangle involving a white man, a black man and a white woman. The play was well reviewed and became a hit when it opened Off Broadway in 1961, starring Robert Duvall, Alvin Ailey and Joan Hackett.

He served as casting director on such films as The Graduate and The Sound of Music.

Shurtleff went on to form his own casting service, Casting Consultants, in 1962. Among the Broadway productions on which he acted as casting director were the original productions of 1776, The Apple Tree and Chicago.

In his later life, Shurtleff suffered from lung cancer and other illnesses.

He moved to Los Angeles in 1975 and became a highly sought-after acting teacher.

He moved to New York City after graduation and changed his first name to Michael.