[Capdist-auditions] Please post NY State

[Leigh Strimbeck]

NY State Defenders Basic Trial Skills seeking actors to play:
Construction Workers, Detectives, Client Bobby Jones

Actor Information About the Basic Trial Skills Program (BTSP)

The program takes place Saturday, June 7 through Friday, June 13, 2025 at
Skidmore College in Saratoga, NY.

More specific time/place and roles available, located below.

The Basic Trial Skills Program is a week-long training for Public
Defenders. It is a short but intense boot camp to prepare defenders, who
are already practicing attorneys working in Public Defender offices, for
trial practice.

 The BTSP is run by the New York State Defenders Association (NYSDA), the
Backup Center for New York’s public defense bar. NYSDA has many projects
but one mission: to advance criminal defense for poor clients. Advocating
for poor clients is not simply a win-lose legal proposition. NYSDA believes
in Client-centered Representation as part of its dedication to social
justice.

 The Basic Trial Skills Program is designed to help attorneys with little
or no trial experience become skilled in jury persuasion and to promote
caring, humane representation. The program promotes long-term commitments
to the representation of poor and marginalized people.



The BTSP Actors

 Actors are integral to the program. In six role-play exercises, actors
impersonate the client and other witnesses. During the exercises, the
defenders-in-training will practice communication skills. The actors will
improvise based on the facts of the case, a character profile and the
teaching goals of the exercise. While the actors will be improvising within
specified givens, the attorneys will practice as they have been instructed
in the program. This design creates an interesting dynamic in which the
actor is playing a role while the attorneys are functioning as themselves.
Since its inception in 1989, the BTSP has earned national recognition for
the realism of its actors in courtroom simulations. This realism allows the
lawyers to practice their skills intensely, but without fear of their
client going to jail.

 Actors in the BTSP are paid a modest stipend for training and performance.
They work as non-union independent contractors. Numerous Equity, SAG and
AFTRA members have acted in the BTSP throughout the years.

 The parts available are listed below. We will be casting multiple actors
to play these roles, because exercises occur in seven small groups
simultaneously.



Roles

 The Client Bobby Jones:

Bobby Jones, defendant, 26 years old, male.  We will consider actors
between 20 and 35 depending on apparent age. We seek actors who are Black,
Latino, Native American or White.

Bobby’s childhood was impoverished both materially and emotionally. He has
difficulty managing his anger and his temper has caused him trouble with
the law. Bobby has a history of domestic violence. He is accused of
attempting to murder his live-in girlfriend. Actors playing Bobby must be
able to understand and portray a man in trouble, with a troubled past,
desperately clinging to his dignity.

Witnesses:

Male construction workers, age 25-40. Hard working, hard drinking. Powerful
physique a plus. Must be able to realistically portray blue collar
individuals without stereotyping.

Detective:  age 35-50. Hard-nosed Crimes Against Persons investigator. Can
be male or female, any race or ethnicity.

 The Audition Process

 Auditions will be scheduled at a time that works for both the actor and
the casting director. The auditions are individual and usually take thirty
to forty-five minutes. They are held at 40 Beaver Street, Albany, NY.  Live
auditions via Zoom will be considered depending on timing and circumstance.

Audition Preparation: The actor is given facts from the case to study. In
the audition, the actor will then improvise with the casting director.
During your audition, you will be asked to engage in several improvisatory
role-playing scenarios during which you speak with either a prosecutor or
defense attorney. Expect that you will be given some adjustments along the
way.

Along with believable acting and the ability to improvise, knowing the
facts of the case is essential for success. Also vital is the actor’s
ability to understand exercise goals and fulfill them while improvising.

Acting in the BTSP is challenging but exciting work. Performers from a
variety of backgrounds have succeeded: stage actors, camera actors, poets,
performance artists and even people with no performance background.

If cast, memorization of the case details is essential to the success of
the work. For Bobbys, memorization of case details as well as his personal
history is essential to the success of the Basic Trial Skills Program.

 Being a Teacher

 The actor’s ultimate purpose as a role-player is to teach. We are seeking
people who want to create vivid experiences for our learners. NYSDA is
teaching public defenders in order to further social justice. We seek
actors who have a bit of the Client and Defender in them.

 Time and Place Info

 The Basic Trial Skills Program will be held at Skidmore College in
Saratoga. Please audition even if you don’t have ready transportation to
Skidmore. The program will do its best to work to solve that problem if
necessary.

 The dates/days of work at Skidmore are:



For Detective Derek:

Saturday, June 7, 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Training

Thursday, June 12, 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Perform in Exercise w/Defenders

 There will also be one 3.5 hours training session held in Albany. This
will be scheduled in late April-early June at times that work for the
actors and trainer.

 Stipend TBA

 For the Construction Workers:

Saturday, June 7,  9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Training

Thursday, June 12, 9:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Perform in Exercise w/Defenders

 There will also be one 3.5 to 4 hours training session held in Albany at
the NY State Defenders Institute Offices Suite 500, 194 Washington Ave
This will be scheduled sometime between late April-early June at times that
work for the actors and trainer. Stipend TBA

For Bobby Jones:

Saturday, June 7, 10:30-noon

Sunday, June 8, 8AM—11AM. Perform in Exercise with Defenders

Monday, June 9 8AM-12:40PM.Perform in Exercise with Defender

Tuesday, June 10, Noon - 3:30PM Perform in Exercise with Defender

 Friday, June 13 8AM-1:15PM. Perform in Exercise with Defender

The above dates, between June 7-13 are not flexible and you must be
available for all of them.

In addition to the above, actors cast as Bobby Jones understudies will also
work:

Saturday, June 7, afternoon, time TBA.

Sunday, June 18, afternoon, time TBA.

Thursday, June 12, afternoon, time TBA.

There will also be one full day training session to be  held in Albany at
the NY State Defenders Institute Offices  40 Beaver Street, Albany, NY. To
be scheduled between mid-April and May at times that work for the actors
and trainer.

Stipend TBA

If interested in auditioning, please send resume and headshot via email.
Please know that a professionally done head shot is not necessary; a
current photo that looks like you will do. If you have a reel posted on the
web, please send the link.

Email your materials to: leigh.strimbeck at gmail.com

Thank you for your interest!

Sincerely,



Leigh Strimbeck
Casting Director
New York State Defenders Association
Basic Trial Skills Program


-- 
Leighstrimbeck.com
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