Submissions Only is a comedic web series about casting and auditioning in New York City. The first season of 24 minute episodes premiered January of this year and ran for 6 episodes on YouTube. This might not seem like much, but the show was getting over 10,000 views per episode. That's huge for an Internet series. It was big enough that BroadwayWorld.com, one of the larger news/messageboard hybrid sites for professional theater, will be hosting the series for Season 2. Created, written, and directed by Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Kate Wetherhead, Submissions Only is a clever look at a side of live theater that isn't always looked at. There have been behind the scenes comedies before, but I can't think of another project where the focus is casting.
If you've never sat a casting table or been to an audition, this could be a pretty eye-opening experience. Submissions Only may exaggerate the familiar types you'll see in real life, but it is hitting at some pretty accurate things in its comedy. You see actors making horrible choices, directors who don't have an authentic bone in their bodies, and casting directors who clearly want to stand up and scream at everyone but can't for the sake of their careers. My favorite recurring gag is the scarily accurate fake enthusiasm at recognizing someone you know at an audition. It's the kind of thing you hope against all hope is an invention of the show. It's not. It's just as ridiculous in real life.
Think of Submissions Only as the kind of comedy show Glee could (and should) be, only with less music. It's equal parts dry wit and over the top comedy. The driving influence is a loyalty to the subject matter. It's consistently mocking everyone and everything with equal measure. It's the kind of show worth checking out if you're bored and need to kill some time.