\u201cWe never get to see stories like ours,\u201d especially stories \u201cset in places like this and accurate to the American Southwest,\u201d said local actor Taylor Trujillo, who auditioned at the Mancos Community Center.<\/p>\n
Alcal\u00e1 emphasized the television show would film exclusively in Montezuma County.<\/p>\n
Kaldurion Pinnecoose and Vansan Viceuti, members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, went to the casting call to become involved in the production as a writer and a camera operator.<\/p>\n
Pinnecoose said he hoped the show would \u201cbring to light the lifestyle we live that you don\u2019t see on television, and the relationship between the different communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
If the show is picked up, Greaves said they want to bring a Native writer into the writers room to help develop the show.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope they get as many perspectives as possible for an accurate representation of the ethnic cultures that live here,\u201d Pinnecoose said.<\/p>\n
Damon Davidson stood in the long line wrapping from Grand Avenue around North Main Street with a group of friends hoping to get roles.<\/p>\n \u201cEven if we don\u2019t get parts, it will bring income to the town,\u201d Davidson said, as well as tell a story that represents Native American life in Southwest Colorado.<\/p>\n By noon Tuesday, Alaska Native Kirsten Langmade was waiting with 100 others for a chance to audition in front of the writer and the director. She said the television show was exciting because it is a \u201cway for Native people to get their voice heard\u201d and a way to \u201cbring awareness to reservations in the Southwest.\u201d<\/p>\n Her mother\u2019s village didn\u2019t have running water until 2010, so a story about environmental issues on reservations \u201cstruck home for me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Lyndell Chee, who auditioned with his son, Micah Chee, grew up in Western Colorado near Egnar, and his father was a uranium miner. His parents died of cancer from being near the mines, so the idea for the show \u201cBadwater\u201d resonated with him.<\/p>\n As an actor, he\u2019s seen the film industry in the area explode, particularly in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. With COVID-19, the film industry is \u201ctrying to stay away from major cities,\u201d and Southwest Colorado is \u201cbeautiful and isolated.\u201d<\/p>\n The two lines down Grand Avenue separated actors with resumes and headshots on one side and people new to acting or production on the other. Both lines were longer than Greaves and Alcal\u00e1 anticipated. One man played his banjo for about a half-hour to entertain people as they waited.<\/p>\n Hopeful actors and community members entered the community center lobby one by one to have their picture taken and read a brief dialogue from the pilot episode in front of Greaves and Alcal\u00e1.<\/p>\n Many children auditioned as well. While there are not yet roles for young children in the show, Alcal\u00e1 said it was possible they would have roles in the other episodes.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are collecting a bank of information, which is critical for us,\u201d Alcal\u00e1 said, particularly for later episodes. People with and without acting experience were asked to read the same dialogue.<\/p>\n The community members that auditioned ranged from a police officer to an archaeologist to Durango City Councilor Barbara Noseworthy.<\/p>\n The casting call was scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, but by midday Alcal\u00e1 guessed they would have to stay longer to see the remaining people still waiting under the hot sun.<\/p>\n Joanie Leonard of Four Corners Film helped Alcal\u00e1 coordinate auditions and handed out water bottles to people waiting in line.<\/p>\n Some residents were excited for the chance to be extras. Others hoped for speaking roles.<\/p>\n Durango resident Mason Harvey said he\u2019s always wanted to be an actor, and he\u2019s been involved in theater productions. The opportunity to work with Alcal\u00e1, who directed episodes of the television show \u201cBreaking Bad,\u201d is what drew him to the project.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be huge to get to know him,\u201d Harvey said.<\/p>\n Actor Angelica Kemmish traveled from Omaha, Nebraska, to audition for a role. The project is not only \u201cvery timely,\u201d but it will also \u201cincrease the economy of a small town and put a spotlight on this beautiful area,\u201d Kemmish said.<\/p>\n For Cortez resident Tara Walker, the community will be in the show no matter what, because it is filmed \u201cin our home.\u201d<\/p>\n Callback auditions will be held in October, shortly before filming starts. Material will be sent to those chosen in advance so they have time to review it before the audition.<\/p>\n