Mark Stern, Executive Vice President of Original Programming, Syfy and Co-Head of Content for Universal Cable Productions announced that Syfy has given a series commitment to “Alphas”. The network has ordered 11 episodes along with the already completed 90 minute pilot episode that was filmed this past summer in Toronto. Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein of Bermanbraun Television will executive produce.
The series was originally titled “Section 8” when it was pitched to NBC in 2007. After being rejected, ABC picked up the series as a possible companion to “Lost” and committed to six episodes before the WGA strike derailed those plans. After ABC dropped the project, it was then pitched to Syfy, which, after some reworking, ordered the pilot in summer 2009.
David Strathaim will star in the series, which features ordinary citizens with extraordinary superpowers who team up together to take out threats that the CIA, FBI and even the Pentagon either ignore or can’t handle. Strathaim’s character is the sometimes manipulative leader of the team, with Ryan Cartwright as a man struck with Asperger’s syndrome who can “read” wireless transmissions in thin air. Azita Ghanizada plays Rachel who, from an early age, has been able to “hyper-intensify” her senses, one at a time—vision, hearing, taste, and smell. Warren Christie, Malik Yoba, and Laura Mennell also co-star in the series.
Casting for guest stars, day players, extras and stand-ins will be ongoing throughout the show’s debut season. Audition will take place in Los Angeles and Toronto, and all extras and stand-ins will be cast in Toronto where the series will be filmed.
Principal Actor Casting
See the post titled Headshot and Resume Information regarding how to submit for acting roles.
Please submit photos and resumes by mail only.
No phone calls or personal drop-offs.
Los Angeles:
Jeanie Bacharach
Gillian O’Neill
Alphas Casting
800 S. Main Street
2nd Floor
Burbank, CA 91520
Toronto:
Robin D. Cook
Alphas Casting
1004 Bathurst Street
Toronto ON M5R3G7
Extras Casting
Toronto:
Roisin McGilly
PO Box 154
Toronto ON M9A 4X2
Production Companies:
Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies (they will most likely end up in the trash can), they do not cast the films. They hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.
Universal Cable Productions
330 Bob Hope Drive
Burbank, CA 91523
Zac Penn’s Company
6260 W. Third Street
Suite 432
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Bermanbraun
2900 W. Olympic Blvd.
3rd Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Producers:
Jack Bender
Gail Berman
Lloyd Braun
Zak Penn
Michael Karnow
Director:
Jack Bender
Starring:
Warren Christie
Azita Ghanizada
Malik Yoba
Laura Mennell
Ryan Cartwright
Story:
When a witness is inexplicably murdered in a locked room at a federal courthouse, Section 8 (under the auspices of the National Security Agency) is put on the case. Lead by Dr. Leigh Rosen, the team has but one mandate – locate and assess the threats posed by “alphas,” human beings with enhanced abilities due to differences in their brain structure. Joining Rosen in his quest are four such alphas – Gary Bell, a highly functioning autistic with an ability to process information that rivals most computers; Bill Harken, a former FBI agent who can amp up his “fight or flight” reflex, giving him extraordinary strength for a brief period of time; Nina Theroux, a beautiful woman who can reprogram other people’s minds to do as she bids; and Rachel Myers, an orthodox Jew who can shatter glass with but a whisper. However with said powers comes a price – for Gary, autism which makes him a child for all intents and purposes; for Harken, severe anger issues that cost him his job and family; for Rachel, living life as a near mute and being forced to wear an electronic device against her larynx; and Nina, never really knowing how those close to her actually feel. In any case, they’ve all come together for the common good with Rosen as their mentor, teaching them to further control their abilities with each passing day. As for the courthouse murder, it’s not long before the team uncovers that one of their own kind was responsible – Christian Hicks, a former Marine sharpshooter with supernatural balance and aim (he guided the bullet through a ventilation duct). After bringing him in though, they realize someone even more powerful was pulling the strings… someone with a new technology that can be used to mimic one of the team’s gifts.
