PRO Talk: Talent Casting for “Live Moments” with RWS
PRO Talks are CircusTalk’s live virtual events led by industry influencers and experts focused on career-building topics. Our virtual conversations feature talent seekers from different sectors within circus and the performing arts. PRO members will gain new insights, meet fellow professionals, and strengthen their career connections.
After a summer break, PRO Talk returned on the first Friday of September with an exciting conversation about casting multidisciplinary artists, and opportunities for circus-trained performers to find a job outside the classical circus domain. Stacy Clark’s guest was Ryan Saab, Senior Vice President, Talent Casting & Recruitment RWS Global. The conversation is now available for PRO members.
Ryan Saab has nearly two decades of experience as an entertainment production executive, responsible for product development, casting and strategic management. He currently oversees the casting and talent recruitment for RWS Global. Prior to his current role, he was a member of the Executive Producing Team at Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, where he served as Head of Casting Operations in the Entertainment division. Ryan oversaw the recruitment of all talent for the entire Royal Caribbean fleet, which includes 26+ cruise ships worldwide with over 100 award-winning, internally produced entertainment programs and shows, including five Broadway-licensed productions. Ryan’s previous work has received dozens of awards including being named Employee of the Year, in 2018, for the entire corporate division of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
Stacy and Ryan dived into everything you need to know about casting for productions that are not exclusively circus focused, and where circus is a novel or innovative performance element in a production.
Ryan Saab is an accomplished executive in the entertainment industry, with a proven track record in Talent Casting and Development for major live entertainment studios. Currently, Ryan holds the position of SVP, Talent Casting and Development for all live entertainment experiences within the RWS global portfolio. With over 10 years of experience in casting, he possesses a deep understanding of talent acquisition and has built extensive relationships with celebrity talent, managers, publicists, and agents.
In his role as SVP at RWS, Ryan has been responsible for overseeing the Global talent casting and development strategy for a diverse range of live event experiences, including production shows, Broadway shows, vignettes, installations, and pop-ups across 150 venues worldwide. He has successfully hired and managed a team of over 7,000 singers, dancers, actors, musicians, technicians, creative team members, producers, and designers for all projects within the RWS Group.
Prior to joining RWS, Ryan served as the Head of Casting for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, where he led all operational responsibilities and strategies for over 50 consultants and direct report employees. As a key member of the Executive Producing Team, he played a crucial role in overseeing the operaPons of existing production shows while also contributing significantly to the development and execution of new productions across the Royal Caribbean fleet of ships, including a Broadway portfolio of shows. Ryan’s dedication and exceptional contributions were recognized when he was awarded Royal Caribbean’s coveted ‘Employee of the Year’ award in 2018, a testament to his excellence in the industry.
Ryan has served as a consultant, producer, and casting strategist for renowned brands like NBC’s The Voice, Cirque Du Soleil, Universal Studios Japan, Universal Studios Hollywood, Sea World, Six Flags, MTV’s Americas Best Dance Crew, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, FOX’s The Glee Project, and more. He has collaborated with talent agencies, casting agencies, and independent producers and production companies, earning him a reputation as a respected figure within the entertainment community.
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