Shanghai is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world, with over 20 million people in its extended metropolitan area. Located on China's central eastern coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality with province-level status. Originally a fishing and textiles town, Shanghai grew to importance in the 19th century due to its favourable port location and as one of the cities opened to foreign trade by the 1842 Treaty of Nanking. The city flourished as a center of commerce between east and west, and became a multinational hub of finance and business by the 1930s. However, Shanghai's prosperity ended after the 1949 Communist takeover and the subsequent cessation of foreign investment. Economic reforms in 1990 have resulted in intense development and financing, and in 2005 Shanghai became the world's largest cargo port. The city is an emerging tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and Xintiandi, its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower, and its new reputation as a center of culture and design. Today, Shanghai is mainland China's center for commerce and finance, and has been described as the "showpiece" of the world's fastest-growing economy.

Audition sides

Occasionally audition sides are made available to actors days before an audition. When any actor has the advantage of getting audition sides in advance, it is always wise to study them; going into an audition prepared can make a big difference in the quality of an audition. Audition sides are one of many tools available to actors. To learn more about sides and how to get the most out of them for auditions, go to audition sides. Auditions sides are designated pages of text from a play or scene/s that actors are given to perform at an audition.

The process of auditioning for a role in a performance, as in a demonstration of acting, dancing, singing ability. Auditions are used in the casting process to demonstrate the level and range of a performer's talent, and functions as a job interview for the performing arts. For actors, the audition piece is typically not from the show being considered. Some auditions involve cold reading, or performing a script that the actor is not familiar with. Likewise, musicians may be asked to sight-read music at various levels of difficulty. This is similar to many dance auditions, rather than showcasing prepared work. To learn more information about the audition process, go to auditions.

Actor

Learn more about what an actor is, visit actor for all the information you'll need. The term "actor" commonly refers to someone working in movies, television live theatre or radio, and can occasionally denote a street entertainer. A female actor may be known as an actress, although some prefer the term "actor", using it as a gender-neutral term. An actor is a person who acts, or plays a role, in an artistic production.

Go to acting agencies to find an agency that is perfect for your acting needs. Without the right agency, any actor is at a disadvantage. The main goal of any acting agency is to consistently find work for its clients. Generally, agencies will represent actors for specific areas within the entertainment industry: film, television or commercials. Many acting agencies will also represent writers and directors. It is a big advantage for any agency to have clients who are capable of acting, writing and directing.