The University of Toledo

Tyria Allen Lands HBO Role & Agency Interest

The University of Toledo Department of Theatre & Film is proud to announce that one of its students, Theatre major, Tyria Allen, was cast in an episode of HBO's Hung, which was shot last week.  Tyria was selected from a pool of 70 people who auditioned for the role, which included professional actors, and students from MFA and conservatory programs.  

“It all happened so fast. I auditioned on Thursday (April 8) and they called me on Monday. That Thursday I was on set!” said Tyria of her experience. “When I got the phone call, it felt like I was nominated for an Oscar! This is the best moment of my life! It was very exciting.” 

Tyria added that everyone on the cast and crew that she met were outstanding people. “I met some very cool other actresses and we friended each other on Facebook. I also worked with Anne Heche and she was awesome. I also got to meet one of the directors and one of the writers—it was a great honor for me.” 

Initially, representatives of Pound & Mooney Casting, a nationally renowned casting company in the Michigan area, contacted UT Theatre professor, Cornel Gabara. They said they had heard about the impressive work of the UT Theatre Department and were interested in auditioning the department’s students for TV and film work that was being cast in the area.   

Tyria responded to that audition and was chosen for the role of a friend of one of the main characters (Darby) on Hung. Pound & Mooney was very pleased with Tyria and is planning to continue collaborating with the University, calling on UT Theatre & Film students and faculty in the future.  

This role is not Tyria’s first on camera experience. In addition to her coursework, she has also acted in a number of local TV commercials. Still, she was amazed at the difference in intensity. “I knew that when filming a show, the director will call for the scene to be shot from multiple angles. But they do many more than you would think they do.” While very excited about her first major acting job, Tyria is very tight-lipped about the nature of the episode and her role. She said she doesn’t want to spoil it for fans of the show. She will appear in episode #202, which is slated to air sometime in July, the summer ratings period. 

Whether her role becomes recurring or not, this opportunity marks a major turning point for Tyria’s career as an actress. A major national talent agency, The Talent Shop, learned of her role and sought her out to represent her. The Talent Shop has also expressed an interest in representing her in the future. As a result, she is now eligible to join the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) and has embarked upon her professional career while still a student—truly remarkable!

Irene Alby, a theatre lecturer who has taught Tyria and also directed her in several plays at the University, added, “This is a significant achievement for us and our students because it shows the versatility of our students.  Although our main focus is on classical acting, we have demonstrated that our actors are well trained enough to get cast in highly competitive jobs in both Theatre and TV/Film. Having a student land a role like this is very high profile for a small department like ours.  Many students leave for cities like NY and LA for similar opportunities. Detroit however, has been recently drawing a lot of film and TV work out of the more expensive cities, and fortunately for us, word of the professionalism of our program has been spreading.” 

It’s not the first time major opportunities have knocked on the doors of the department’s students. Just last summer, three UT Theatre & Film students netted major internships. Film major Meg Sciarini was accepted to the 2009 Creative Minds in Cannes Film Program and interned in Cannes, France; Film major Branden Cobb interned with MTV’s New York promotion department and appeared in an MTV online ad; and Theatre major Jason Santel interned with Samuel Goldwyn Films in Los Angeles, reviewing scripts and independent films.

For more information about The Talent Shop and Pound & Mooney Casting and the many movies and TV shows they've cast, check out these links:

http://www.thetalentshop.com/home.php

http://www.poundmooneycasting.com/