Film School
CFC - TABLE READ - SHADOW
Details
Union:
Union or Non union
Area of media:
Film School
Network:
Paid?:
Yes
Rates:
An honorarium of $150.00 will be provided. Open to union and non-union performers
Deadline:
Aug 18, 2022
Shooting starts:
Aug 24, 2022 
Shooting locations:
The Canadian Film Center 2489 Bayview Ave, North York, ON M2L 1A8
Cities for response:
Toronto
Comments
Offers only, no auditions. This CFC table read will be conducted in person and will take place on Wednesday, August 24th at the CFC We are looking for actors who are also able to provide feedback on the script post read-through in a discussion forum with the writer.




Actors must double vaxxed and cannot have travelled outside of Canada 7 days prior to the reads and must be symptom free. Actors will be required to rapid test in advance.




BIO Mazin Elsadig has been writing and acting professionally for more than a decade in film, television and theatre. He’s been featured on productions such as Clement Virgo’s upcoming Brother, CBC’s Four in the Morning, and Degrassi: The Next Generation. He co-founded BAMN (By Any Means Necessary) Productions, where he wrote and produced several projects, including the comedy series, We Are Disorderly. Most recently, he worked as a Story Editor on CBC’s Pretty Hard Cases.
Storyline
A look at three defining chapters in the life of Shadow – a young black man with an identity crisis, who insidiously latches onto different alpha males. When Shadow meets Ambrose, he wants to be just like him: he wants to be popular, an entertainer, and travel out west to La La Land. Ten years later, their friendship has fizzled, but Shadow decides to follow Ambrose’s footsteps and shows up out west. When he arrives, he is seduced by petty crime, and decides to rob celebrities’ houses.
Roles
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
Principal (PP)NARRATORAll 20 - 40 Years old
Description
Any gender, any ethnicity. Required to read all stage directions, keep the pace. Must be an excellent reader.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
LeadLUK/SHADOWMale 28 - 35 Years old
Description
28-38, male, with African background. To play ages 10, 16, 29.

Luk was nicknamed Shadow in elementary school for his skin because he was darker than his other black classmates. But the nickname was emblematic of a darker truth... it reflected his otherness – having an African background. Shadow grew up in a household with Sudanese parents he was ashamed of. He didn’t want to end up like either of them. So, he was constantly in search of someone to model his life after. Which is a shame because he always had massive potential. He had the ability to get top grades, and even be valedictorian (in fact, he does both). Unfortunately, his identity crisis leads him down a destructive path. Through three different periods in Shadow’s life, we see a pattern of him targeting someone popular, latching onto them, and forever changing the course of their lives.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
LeadRODRICKMale 18 - 25 Years old
Description
18-25, male, Black. To play 10-19. When Rodrick shows up at Luk’s school, he is immediately the coolest kid. He senses an insecurity in Luk – a kid he can bully and use as his sidekick. But Rodrick has his own hang-ups. His parents are divorced. His mother barely pays attention to him, and his father’s idea of quality time is buying him the latest Jordan’s. Because of the way he was raised, he knows how to manipulate people and gain the upper hand. But ultimately, his demeanor leads to tragedy.




WILL ALSO BE READING THE ROLE OF

- JUNIOR' (19) - Fork’s son. Young and impressionable. Junior has always longed to make his father proud. He lives in the shadow of his father, who is known on the streets as a criminal legend who turned things around. Junior still doesn’t know what he wants to do with his life, and is looking for an identity of his own. Shadow sees this and pounces. Junior is manipulated by Shadow to partner with him and rob houses in La La Land.

- ARI HOLTZER (16) - Attends the same high school as Shadow. Idealistic and passionate. Ari is in the international baccalaureate (I.B.) program for high achievers, and likes to keep his schoolmates up on current events around the world. He becomes very interested in the problems going on in Sudan, and constantly approaches Shadow to discuss it.

- BLACK SON (10) - A kid who is super proud of his dark skin and his ancestry.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
LeadAMBROSE RICCIMale
Description
28-38, male, mixed race (Black/white). To play ages 16 and 29.

Ambrose is the coolest kid in high school. He’s an actor, he’s funny, and comfortable in his own skin. But he desperately wants to be a stand-up comedian and land a spot on a showcase in La La Land. He wants to make it big. When he meets Shadow, he commiserates with someone he thinks has the same passions and goals, and eventually realizes that Shadow is insincere. So, the two of them drift apart. Ten years later, he’s a huge success on a television show and living his life to the fullest.




WILL ALSO BE READING THE ROLE OF

- GARVIN (30s) - A mover and a shaker in the La La Land club district. It’s not always clear what Garvin does. But one thing we know for sure – he dabbles in the ‘fencing game’. Which means that he sells stolen celebrity goods on the black market, and gets a commission. Shadow becomes interested to work with him, and they join forces.

- TMZ REPORTER (30s) - An enthusiastic reporter.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
LeadFORKMale 45 - 60 Years old
Description
45-60, male, Black. Bryan “Fork” Reed had a criminal past of committing violence and burglaries. And he did his time for it. When he was released, he became a new man. He worked as a bouncer and in security for many years, and worked his way up to run one of La La Land’s coolest nightclubs – The Catch. And although he has brushes with fame on the daily, he stays far from the “celebrataunts” – an unflattering term he coined to describe La La Land’s stars. His family is his pride and joy – he’s happily married with four children, including Junior who he hopes can find his way.




WILL ALSO BE READING THE ROLE OF

- EMAD (40) - Shadow’s father. An alcoholic, dealing with years of disappointment as a Sudanese refugee. He became exiled around the time Luk was born because he’s a human rights activist, and things haven’t been going well since. His marriage is falling apart, he’s on welfare, and feels unworthy as a father. He doesn’t typically talk all that much. But, every now and then, he’ll go off on one of his diatribes to impart wisdom to his son.

- Mr. YOUNG (50s) - Shadow’s home room teacher in elementary school.

- MR. KLONSKY (40s) - Shadow’s history teacher in high school.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
LeadMUNAFemale 40 - 50 Years old
Description
40-50, female, with an African background (ideally East or Northern African but open to all submissions). Shadow’s mother. Born in Sudan, she sought refugee status in the western world after her husband was exiled from back home. Now that she’s forced to live away from her family, she finds solace in giving her son an opportunity to have a promising future. She’s a bit quiet and passive, but picks her moments to tell Shadow to get his act together when she feels he’s going down the wrong path. She continues to practice her Islamic faith and doesn’t want to lose her culture, but it’s hard since she gets stares and feels judged. With Emad’s disillusionment and his alcoholism getting worse, her marriage is falling apart.




WILL ALSO BE READING THE ROLE OF

- PRINCIPAL HADDIE (50s) - A principal at Luk’s elementary school.

- RODRICK'S MOTHER (30s) - Rodrick’s mother. Gives Rodrick a long leash. Is busy on the phone all the time.

- CLUB GOER #1 & #2 (20s) - Young and hip. Regulars at The Catch Nightclub.

- GLORIA (50s) - Fork’s wife/Junior’s mother. A caring mother of four children. Loves her family, and has her hands full with three young daughters.

- BLACK MOTHER (40s) - A proud black mother.

- MEAGAN GOOD
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
LeadBARBARA RICCI 50 - 60 Years old
Description
50-60, female, white. Ambrose’s mother. Very warm, and loves to take care of people. She loves her family, her Italian roots, and is very comfortable in her skin. She’s hip, follows the current trends, and thinks of herself as the coolest mom in the neighbourhood. Although she took Ambrose to auditions at an early age, she is not a stage mom – it was something that he really wanted to do. Barbara becomes close with Shadow, and really cares for him.




WILL ALSO BE READING THE ROLE OF

- MS. LOADER (50s) - Shadow’s drama teacher in high school. She really believes in Shadow, and encourages him to participate in the Black History Month assembly and other programs.

- PAMELA (10) - A studious young girl in Shadow’s elementary school class. Shadow has an enormous crush on her.

- LUNCH LADY (60s) - Serves food in the cafeteria at Shadow’s high school.

- PRINCIPAL EAMEN (50s) - The principal at Shadow’s high school.

- SPANISH RECORDING (40s) - The kind of recording you might hear on Duolingo.

- YOUNGEST DAUGHTER (5) - Fork’s youngest daughter, very cute.

- OFFICER #1 (40s) - Police Officer in La La Land.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
PrincipalTEMESGENMale 30 - 40 Years old
Description
30-40, male, with an African background (ideally East or Northern African but open to all submissions) Rodrick’s father. Slick and charming. Had Rodrick at a young age. His Ethiopian parents were not happy about this, and even more so when they heard that Rodrick’s mother was Jamaican. Regardless, he doesn’t let much get him down. He lives his life to the fullest – has a nice ride, a good job, and flirts with women whenever he gets the chance. He loves his son, and thinks of himself and a good father.




WILL ALSO BE READING THE ROLE OF

- PARKING ATTENDANT (50s) - A parking attendant in La La Land. He often works The Strip (a few adjoining shops and restaurants in a bustling part of town). He has no mercy – he’s strictly by the book when it comes to giving out tickets. He typically runs into Uber Eats drivers who run in to pick up their orders. This is where he meets Shadow.

- AMBROSE'S FRIEND (16) - Always laughs at Ambrose’s jokes.

- EMCEE (30s) - A host at the local comedy club who introduces Ambrose on stage.

- SECURITY (30s) - Works as the bouncer at The Catch Nightclub.

- CHEF (40s) - Owner and cook at the Taco Shop on the strip.

- BLACK PRODUCER (40s) - An established Producer of films in La La Land.

- PRODUCE MANAGER (20s) - Works in the produce section at a grocery store.

- OFFICER #2 (40s) - Police Officer in La La Land.

- LANDSCAPER (50s) - Ambrose’s landscaper, who works at his house during the day.

- BLACK FATHER (40s) - A proud black father.

- MARTIN LAWRENCE

- JAMIE FOXX

- BOW WOW