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Jeff Greenberg has enjoyed a stellar career as an Emmy Award-winning casting director in both movies and television. His credits include Modern Family, Frasier, News Radio, Wings, Cheers, Night at the Roxbury, Look Who’s Talking, and Father of the Bride 2. He recorded a 'Wabash on My Mind' podcast while on campus.

He’s won nine Artios Awards, which the Casting Society of America bestows as its highest honor, and has been nominated for the award 32 times.

Greenberg (left) shares a laugh with A.J. Clark '15 prior to his Q&A session with students in Korb Classroom.

Said Greenberg: '‘Modern Family’ is this incredible experience for me and pretty much everyone involved. It’s sort of a career high for everyone in front of and behind the camera. Whoever is there loves it every day. There is a great deal of pride having to do the show on a whole other level than I’ve ever experienced. The viewing public has embraced the show in a way that is about love, affection and family. We’ve been impacted by other people’s experiences.'

'In casting decisions, they always want to see choices so they have a sense of comparison. You always have your favorite going in, but you want someone else to come in that is very good, too, because that makes your choice look even better. You aren’t allowed to bring one choice, you always have to bring someone else.'

Clark (right) introduces Greenberg to the assembled audience.

'My Job stays fresh because I have different challenges in every episode. I had to find little girls who did sleight of hand tricks. Sometimes it’s a needle-in-a-haystack kind of thing. The specific challenges keeps it really fresh for me. The quest is to always make it as good as you can find.'

'There is no degree for a casting director. A lot of actors fall into it, but if I were to create a program, I would have them do acting classes, directing classes, learn about text, and some business. You have to have a great memory for faces and names. You have to love actors and be a big TV, theater, movie watcher and goer. You have to be really organized.'

'The casting always elevates a project. It defines the characters. It’s about the writing and the casting, it really always is, and hopefully, the marriage of the both is what makes it all come together. '

'Television is much faster, all of it. Your deadline is just days away. I’ve done a few movies over the years and I don’t know how to work slower. Theater has a slower pace as well. That process is fun because I started in theater. It’s nice to have that touchstone every once in a while.'

'It’s all of it (training vs. a look). It has to be both of those things. They have to have the right look and sound and vibe, and they have to have the skill, the craft, the comedy. There is a long list of things that all have to be there.'

Cast members of 'The Beaux' Stratagem' attended Greenberg's talk. Greenberg attended the Thursday night performance.

'When I do a producer’s session for each episode, I’m there with the writer, producer, and the director. I bring in five choices for every part. I have to cast every part five times. Each of those choices has to be good enough to get the part, but I don’t want each one to be exactly the same. It’s fun for me because that’s where I get to be creative. Sometimes the person who is just the funniest in the room gets the part. I’m pretty confident that everyone would be good, but you just have to see who brings that part to life the most. Quite often, it’s is a comedy, it’s just who is the funniest to us.'

'All of my years as an actor were training me to be a good casting director because when I first got into it, I somehow knew how to do it. It’s because I knew how to break down the text. I knew how to talk to actors and directors. I knew how to give direction and notes. I somehow knew from everything I had been doing. All my experience on stage translated to being able to relate and identify with any actor coming in. I’d walked in their shoes.'

'I like to stay on top of who’s out there, so I can keep my vocabulary fresh always. I do watch all the urban comedies, which Modern Family is, but I’m a big TV fanatic, so I watch a ton of shows and am always aware of the casting. I appreciate when someone pops as being special or different, or ‘that choice is so interesting.’ I make note of those people. I have a good memory for it, but I write them down, too. I’m always looking for fresh.'

'It’s so hard, especially when you are a new actor, every audition is so monumental because you don’t get to audition enough that it gets comfortable. The audition process is different from acting. To learn to audition well is a whole other thing.'

'There have been several shows over the long history of television that have had to recast key members, whether it’s Darrin on ‘Bewitched’ or the Beckys on ‘Rosanne.’ It’s happened, so you just deal.'

'I love the theater. I was just in New York for 11 days and saw 15 shows, and it’s a great season in New York. I see a lot of theater.'

'My casting director filter is always there. I’m aware of the quality of acting and whether that is a good fit. It’s a hat that is always at a jaunty angle. I’m always a casting director. I’m just very aware in anything.'

Cody Buresch '15 (center) talked with Greenberg (right) and assistant football coach Don Morel.