Paul Russell - Director, Author & Casting Director

Paul Russell - Director, Author & Casting Director Paul Russell: a seasoned casting director, director, and author with an extensive career championing actors.

His popular book ACTING: Make It Your Business is now in its new, expanded 2nd edition.

06/07/2026

From Patti's iconic high note heard 'round the world to a golden statuette takeover by a vile, talentless amateur —Broadway’s still got the drama and a whole new diva in town! Don't blink or you'll miss The Jellicle Ball Cats kick the 'Trump Awards' out of Broadway! 2026 TONY Awards

05/06/2026

Actors are entering an industry that looks nothing like the one many training programs were originally built for.

Self-tapes.
Digital branding.
Virtual callbacks.
Professional communication.
Career strategy.

That’s today’s reality.

So hearing Dr. Nina LeNoir say that ACTING: Make It Your Business was the “clear winner” and “essential” among multiple business-of-acting books reviewed by her Chapman University seniors was deeply meaningful.

Because actors deserve practical preparation alongside artistic training.

That has always been the mission.

ActingMakeItYourBusiness.com

05/04/2026

Acting isn’t pretend. Acting is living a story with honesty.

Being the character.
Taking the journey.

Acting is living the adventure.

Acting: Make It Your Business

May the fourth be with you.

04/30/2026

What would you have done? Said?

​I found Arthur Laurents’ wallet at the St. James Theatre.

What happened next backstage involves Tyne Daly, Jule Styne, and choices that continue to influence my present day to day reality.

​"Dinner With Stephen Sondheim" is Part 1 of "Finding Arthur Laurents". A series about a twisting theatrical journey, the business of acting, the gut instinct we ignore, a love and betrayal, and the kind generosity of a legend.

Tell me, what would you have said and done. I really want to know.

03/27/2026

They thought they were walking into a theatre.

They were.

Just not the one they expected.

That’s the moment every actor—and every audience—remembers.

When the illusion drops… and the truth of the stage takes over.

Happy World Theatre Day.

🎭

Clip: Gypsy — Bette Midler

03/24/2026

14 years ago. Baton Rouge. Fear was a good thing.

1st post-Broadway production of John Guate's A FREE MAN OF COLOR.

1st day of auditions done.

I'm the director.

John Guare arriving the next morning.

I was scared sh*tless-- a good thing.

Tomorrow... I'll show you what happened next, and what John said.

Boy howdy!

03/22/2026

We remember.
But not in the same way.

Stephen Sondheim—
collectively, and individually.

We were fortunate to live in the lifetime of Stephen Sondheim.

Generations from now, he’ll be mythologized. It’s already begun—people claiming what he would have thought, what he would have rejected, what he would have stood for.

No one owns Stephen Sondheim.

Not collectively.
Not individually.

What we do hold—individually—is something quieter.

Those private encounters.
Moments where his words and music meet us exactly where we are.

A lyric we thought we knew suddenly lands differently.

The song hasn’t changed.
The story hasn’t changed.
We have.

And now something that once passed by… stays.

Or hits harder than it ever did before.

Collectively, we miss knowing he was here.

Individually, we miss him for reasons we don’t always put into words.

How fortunate we are—still—
to have been understood so precisely by someone we never really knew.

Actors: reality check moment for you. Do you have subtle behaviors that signal you're a joke to casting, directors, reps...
03/08/2026

Actors: reality check moment for you. Do you have subtle behaviors that signal you're a joke to casting, directors, reps., the entire entertainment industry, and friends? Do you have the unflattering, "Extra smell?"

Background work is essential to film & television, and an income / networking career source for actors. But there are stereotypes of being an Extra that have a basis in the avoidable behaviors of some actors. The behavior has a name, "The Extra Smell." A stench that isn't flattering.

This photo series breaks down 5 red flags in actor behavior of actors who have that Extra smell — the kind that quietly hurts an actor's reputation.

This Actor Red Flag series isn’t about shaming anyone. It's part of the ongoing support effort to champion actors provided by Paul Russell and ACTING Make It Your Business.

03/02/2026

ACTING delivered what’s been missing from our feeds for too long:

JOY
LOVE
STYLE

Thank you SAG-AFTRA, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter — and to all Show People who smiled when we were low.

Art endures.

03/01/2026

It's a career of possibilities. Always starting anew.

Every audition.
Every job.
Every performance.
Every month.
Every season.
Every year.

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit.

Here’s to March[-ing] forward.

Address

Cedar Grove, NJ

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