FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LITTLE NALU PICTURES LLC
Open Casting Call for Feature Length Documentary
Searching for Romeo & Juliet
Los Angeles / May 17, 2019: Little Nalu Pictures LLC (LNP) is proud to announce that they have begun an open search for Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Romeo and Juliets for their feature length documentary, Searching for Romeo and Juliet.
It started with an idea: What if we took the most iconic story in Western Civilization and made the characters Asian but still speak in the original language? Filmmaking partners Jeff Liu and Koji Steven Sakai began working on a feature length screenplay where they re-imagined the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet but as Asian Americans living in modern Los Angeles.
As they finished, they wondered if they could find actors to pull off this ambitious project. One of the challenges was that despite the fact that people claimed roles on stage (and screen) were open to all races for casting, the reality was far different. Asian Americans weren’t generally considered for many of Shakespeare’s iconic roles. In order to see if they could find anyone, they had workshops at the Japanese American National Museum. The team, Jeff, Ryun Yu, Koji, and Roxy Shih, was excited to see that not only could they do it, they were amazing. They knew they had to get the project made.
However, as they began to put the pieces together to make the movie together, they ran into a roadblock: No one else believed it was possible. Koji found that when he pitched the story to investors, production companies, and others they didn’t buy the fact that two Asian American actors could actually play Romeo and Juliet convincingly. They would often suggest making Romeo anyone other than an Asian American.
This was the beginning of the feature length documentary: Searching for Romeo and Juliet—to prove that an Asian American Romeo and Juliet could be found and highlight the struggles of Asian Americans in the entertainment industry.
Once Romeo(s) and Juliet(s) are found an intense two-week training will follow, culminating in a show case performance in front of a live audience.
Searching for Romeo and Juliet is being directed by Jeff Liu and Ryun Yu and produced by Koji Steven Sakai, Roxy Shih, and Scott Shima.
SUBMISSION INFORMATION:
Casting “Searching for Romeo and Juliet. We are looking for Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Romeos and Juliets for our documentary. We are out to prove that APIA’s can play Romeo and Juliet. Prove us right! Those cast will be included in two week long free Shakespeare acting workshop and then a showcase of selected scenes in front of a live audience.
What we are looking for: We are looking for a diverse set of APIA Romeos/Juliets. If you are transgender, of the “wrong” age or the “wrong” body – but if you have always felt that you had a Romeo or Juliet inside you, we want to see you.
1st auditions are 1 dramatic monologue to be chosen from a list of 4 from the play, to be sent via YouTube or Vimeo link with attached release form to SearchingRomeoJulietAsian@gmail.com** (please note, that when you are submitting your self-tape you are agreeing that we may use it in our documentary. Before we can look at your audition, we will need the release form completely filled out and signed)
Deadline to submit: May 17-June 1 at (11:59pm)
Call backs will be in person and will include an on-camera interview. Please note that the subsequent Shakespeare workshop and scene showcase will also be filmed.
Call Backs: June 10-11 – Los Angeles
Workshops: June 13-28 – LOS ANGELES
Showcase: June 30 – LOS ANGELES
Pay: $500
⬇️ MONOLOGUES AND RELEASE FORM BELOW! ⬇️
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hgcd5440mcj672h/AAASLG0ncAWaXojeC-DUZl2ja?dl=0
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For press inquiries or pre-screening request, email Scott Shima <scottmshima@gmail.com>.
Koji Steven Sakai 