Graham Keen...Got the Part

The actor's traditional good-luck phrase, "Break a leg," may have been taken too literally by 23-year-old dancer Graham Keen in March. He was who audition to participate the dance ensemble for NETworks' national touring manufacture of "Youthful Frankenstein" having seen the casting notice on BackStage.com."These were searching for tall ballroom dancers, and I am 6-feet-2," he states, "therefore it would be a good match for me personally.Inch Keen, an Actors' Equity membership candidate that has been dancing since age 7 and started his professional career attending college, confesses this particular audition "was a constant fight completely." Throughout the very first tap combination, his shoe began to break apart. Once this problem was solved, a level bigger one presented itself: In the finish of the ballet combination, Keen arrived the wrong manner, fracturing the 5th metatarsal in the left feet."I'm not sure just how it happened," he states, "but I've got a good reputation for falling at really inopportune moments. My primary response ended up being to wake up and try it again. I simply felt like this can be a show along with a job which i understood I possibly could get, and that i did not want anything to go into my way."Keen did not know the seriousness of his injuries at that time and proceeded using the vocal a part of the audition, guaranteeing everybody he was fine. "They requested me basically was okay after which explained to return on Thursday with my tap footwear," he states. "And That I considered to myself, 'Oh, my God,' because I possibly could barely walk on my small feet. Everybody would remember me because the kid that fell the very first day.InchNevertheless, casting director Bob Cline were built with a different impression after Keen's audition. "I do not even keep in mind that, to tell the truth,Inch Cline states. "I believe he was doing a fantastic job no matter that, and the like a great job that you simply notice immediately within the room. When you are watching 300 people each day, you do not remember that certain person. However I remember Graham, and that he did great." From about 450 ballroom dancers who auditioned, Keen arrived a place within the 12-person ensemble. Rehearsals for that tour come from September.Keen had made the decision to audition for "Youthful Frankenstein" during hiatus from NETworks' national tour of "The Background Music Guy," by which he was an ensemble dancer as well as an understudy for that barbershop quartet. He'd merely a extended break from that demonstrate, which together with the nation from The month of january to May."It had been my only opportunity to really audition for anything," Keen states. Fortunately for him, he made a decision to audition for any touring musical which was created and cast through the same personnel who had hired him for "The Background Music Guy." Cline saw Keen within the audition room before coupled with belief he would prosper on tour again."I cast him for 'The Music Guy,' and that i know the organization that did that sure loved him," the casting director states. "I'm able to continually be in the corner and speak highly of him, that is great within this business." Has Back Stage assisted you receive cast previously year? We'd like to inform your story. Maintain the weekly column by contacting casting@backstage.com for brand new You are able to or bswcasting@backstage.com for La with "I Acquired the Part" within the subject line.