Guest directors give future performers a leg up

When it comes to landing roles in musicals, the odds are discouraging, to say the least. The process is often described as cutthroat, stressful, intense and exceptionally competitive. In fact, those who perform on Broadway make up the top 1% of professional actors nationwide.

At the Town Hall Center in Littleton, the odds are a little better: around 16% or 1 in 6 of those who auditioned for “Monty Python’s Spamalot” are working on the production, said Robert Michael Sanders, executive director and director for the play, which opened Jan. 23 and runs through Feb. 22.

“It’s not out of line to see 100 people audition for 16 roles in a show like this,” Sanders said. “So, it’s super competitive. There was a lot of really good talent, and I could have gone a bunch of different ways.”

Anything actors can do to give them a boost can prove extremely valuable. For Chrisnel Akele, who graduated with a BFA in Music Theatre from Metropolitan State University of Denver in December, working with Sanders as a student made all the difference.

Akele plays one of the Knights of the Roundtable in “Spamalot,” Sir Galahad, a lead role, as well as the Black Knight and Herbert’s father. It’s his first major role outside of college, he said.

“I was so excited when I got the role,” Akele said. “I definitely think working on other shows with (Sanders) played a big part of him trusting me with the role and him knowing that I could do it.”

As a student, Akele worked with Sanders as a guest director on the Theatre Department’s productions of “Xanadu” and “The Addams Family.” In these productions, and in “Ragtime,” Sanders watched Akele transform from a capable ensemble character to a leader on and off the stage.

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Sanders admitted that while Akele’s audition for “Spamalot” wasn’t the strongest, he knew things about Akele that were more important, such as his attitude, ability to take notes, capacity for growth and what he’d bring to the rest of the cast.

“When you get to know somebody, you know what they’re capable of,” Sanders said. “So their career isn’t hinging on one audition. It’s so much more valuable to know what they can do. Chrisnel is a hard worker, takes direction better than most, and is really also just great to work with.”

Sanders had a similar experience with “Spamalot” stage manager Sierra Corbin, who graduated from MSU Denver in spring 2025 with a degree in Applied Theatre Technology and Design. Sanders hand-selected Corbin for the position based on his experiences working with her.

Sanders called Corbin a problem-solver and said she contributed to a “zero stress” environment because he could trust her ability to handle challenges.

Akele had also worked with Corbin on student productions of “Xanadu” and “The Addams Family.”

“We’ve had so many shows together, and she knows me so well at this point,” Akele said. “For example, if she knows I’m not eating before a show, there’s a good chance I’m not going to have a good show … so if she knows that, she’ll have a snack for me.”

Corbin and Akele are in good company. Other MSU Denver folks working on “Spamalot” include alumna Sherean Samimi, who plays Lady of the Lake and others, and current student Grant Kinzie, who’s a swing for the male ensemble (a swing learns multiple roles and can fill in for cast members who need to miss performances). Kinzie is also playing Claude, a lead role in MSU Denver’s upcoming production of “Hair,” guest directed by Piper Lindsay Arpan.

Attend a show!

Catch MSU Denver’s production of the musical “Hair,” guest directed by Piper Lindsay Arpan, from Feb. 26 to March 8 at the King Center on the Auraria Campus. Purchase tickets.  

Working with a range of guest directors has another benefit: adaptability. Every theatre does things very differently, Sanders said. “Every director has a unique process, technique, style and communication method. Students who work with guest directors learn to be very adaptable.”

On top of that, because the theatre scene in Denver is relatively small, the directors all talk to each other.

“If we see somebody that we’re interested in (during an audition), but we don’t know anything about them, we actually do pick up the phone and call the director who worked with the actor and say, ‘Hey, you’ve worked with this person, can you tell me anything? What’s the scoop?’” Sanders said.

For this reason, Sanders recommends listing directors on aspiring actors’ resumes. His other tips: Get a good headshot and be prepared for the audition. Ultimately, it comes down to being a good person to work with.

“My personal theory is attitude over ability,” Sanders said. “I’d rather have the right people that want to work hard than the most talented person who’s going to be a pain.”