The Believer: Open Casting Call
THE BELIEVER is a paranormal audiodrama about ghosts, cryptids, cosmic entities, and the cynical fake psychic who doesn’t believe in any of them.
In season one, Lara Campbell’s ex-girlfriend Paige goes missing in the small town of Charity, Oregon. Despite her fraught relationship with Paige and her family, Lara comes to town to help find her. But things are not right in Charity: a mysterious presence in the woods spreads paranoia and disease. Is it Bigfoot? Aliens? Nothing at all, no seriously, stop asking? Maybe we’ll find out.
The Believer is currently casting for several open roles. Actors must be local to the Los Angeles area. To audition, please submit your information and an audio file containing up to three takes of the listed audition sides to the Google form at THIS LINK. Please do not send auditions directly via email.
Production Information
Genre: Horror/Drama
Project Length: 10 episodes, 20-30 minutes each
Union/Non-Union: Non-Union
Recording Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Recording Dates: January - March 2020 (unless otherwise noted)
Compensation: $20 per hour of recording time ($20 per episode minimum)
Contact: believerpod@gmail.com
Deadline for Auditions: December 7, 2019
Requirements: Actors must be local to Los Angeles and available to record in person on evenings/weekends. Recordings will mostly be in-studio, with possibility of on-location recording for a few characters/scenes. Breakdowns list the number of episodes each character appears in -- please anticipate at least one one-hour recording session per episode. Must be 18 years old or older.
Audition Procedure: Submit recordings using the Google Form at this link. Please do not send auditions via email. The email address is for questions or further information, if needed. Audio files should include up to 3 takes of the audition sides.
Character Breakdowns
Actors of any race or ethnicity are encouraged to audition. Genders listed represent the characters’ outward gender presentation.
PAIGE BOONE
Demographics: Female, age 25-34
Number of Episodes: 7, plus trailer
NOTE: Actor must be available in December for a short trailer recording (can be remote)
Paige is mysterious, sometimes ethereal, but quite stubborn in her beliefs. She has undiagnosed and improperly treated mental health issues that sometimes lead to erratic behavior and serious depressive episodes. Paige was Lara’s girlfriend and partnered with her in investigating paranormal events until Lara stopped believing in the paranormal. The two had a passionate, serious relationship and the breakup was contentious. Paige contacting Lara in any way is significant.
Possible triggers: Mental illness, religion, homophobia, death, gore, violence
[Audition Sides - Paige Boone]
REVEREND MITCHELL BOONE
Demographics: Male, age 50-65
Number of Episodes: 3, plus trailer
NOTE: Actor must be available in December for a short trailer recording (can be remote)
Once an intense, charismatic Christian preacher, now seriously ill with a mysterious respiratory disease. The leader of the major non-denominational church in town, over the last year or so he’s begun worshipping a much more...esoteric entity. Recordings will cover three major periods in Rev. Boone’s life: Christian preacher, cult zealot, and sick old man. In past recordings, the actor’s voice should have a booming, powerful quality.
This character has minimal in-person scenes, so may allow for a fairly flexible schedule or remote recording if the actor has a high-quality mic.
Possible triggers: cults, religions, occultism, illness, death
[Audition Sides - Mitchell Boone]
MAYOR TERRI BOONE
Demographics: Female, age 50-65
Number of Episodes: 5
Terri Boone is a formidable woman, outgoing and friendly but with an undergirding made of steel. She’s the mayor of Charity, and there’s no mistaking that it is her town. Depending on what suits her strategy at the moment, she can be charming and sweet or manipulative and hostile. She is in deep denial about her daughter Paige’s condition and refuses to admit that she’s even missing (there may be a supernatural element fueling her stubbornness on this point). Absolutely determined to keep things together, even as her husband’s health fails, her daughter’s mental state deteriorates, and the town she runs falls apart. She views Lara as a threat to everything she holds dear.
Possible triggers: Denial, homophobia, abusive/gaslighting behavior, violence, death
[Audition Sides - Terri Boone]
DR. PENELOPE SIMMONS
Demographics: Female, age 50-65
Number of Episodes: 4
An intensely serious, no-nonsense person, and the only General Practitioner in town. Dr. Simmons is used to being the smartest, most qualified person in the room, and she’s not shy about letting others fall in step behind that.
Possible triggers: Gore, violence, illness, mental health
[Audition Sides - Penelope Simmons]
KATHY PETERSEN / CINDY HARPER
Demographics: Female, age 40-65
Number of Episodes: 2
This actor will play two different parts, but the major character is Kathy Petersen. Kathy is an early client of Lara’s, a woman visited by a strange Victorian ghost. She is terrified and desperate for help.
Possible triggers: Ghosts, terror, death of a family member
[Audition Sides - Kathy Petersen]
SHERIFF TATE
Demographics: Male, 40+
Number of Episodes: 3
Charming, folksy, even avuncular. Sheriff Tate can be authoritative, but he doesn’t need to pull that card particularly often. He can generally maintain order through a combination of persuasion and fatherly concern. He is not interested in wild goose chases or anything outside the norm; Sheriff Tate will only deal with concrete concerns, and only if there’s not too much resistance. It’s not that he’s lazy so much as he doesn’t see the point of pushing past people’s concerns -- you say you’re fine? Okay, I guess you’re fine.
Possible triggers: Violence, chaos
[Audition Sides - Sheriff Tate]
Content Notes
While the horror in BELIEVER is mostly existential and paranormal in nature, it is still a horror podcast. Content may include descriptions of violence, injury, or death. In addition, season one deals with issues of mental health, perception of reality, and chronic physical illness. The LGBTQ+ characters experience some mild homophobia, though it is not a central focus of the series.
For more specific information about content or potential triggers, contact believerpod@gmail.com. You can also find Julie Saunders, series creator, on pretty much any social media under the handle @ohmissjulie.