Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette Casting director Katie Shenot, 25, of Green Tree, takes measurements for Cody Lebo, 19, of Polish Hill, at Nancy Mosser Casting, Downtown, during an open casting call yesterday for the filming of "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh," based on the best-selling novel by Michael Chabon.

Melissa Moraes was born one year after Michael Chabon's first novel, "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh," was released in 1988, but at yesterday's casting call for the movie, she had the '80s nailed.

Think Madonna -- but 17, dark-haired and tan, with the little skirt over the leggings, the arm bangles, the loppy hair and an ingenious use of a pair of cutoff pink-and-black striped tights.

"I cut out the feet," she said, wiggling her fingers from the holes and grinning. "I call it an arm warmer."

Throughout the day, dozens and dozens of girls and women eager to be in the movie's punk club scene waited in cutoff jeans over fishnet tights under scrunch socks and Converse All-Stars, or leg warmers and scrunch socks and heels, layers of little tops, long gloves with the fingers cut out, plastic bracelets, blue eye shadow, sinister eye liner and teased and towering hair.

Earlier this week, Nancy Mosser Casting, Downtown, put out a call for extras for "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh," which will be filmed here from Sept. 5 to Oct. 20.

Set here in 1983, the story -- without giving too much away -- takes us through a summer in the life of a college student who falls into a love triangle with a man and a woman.

One hour into the daylong collecting of photos, measurements and bios, Ms. Mosser's assistant, Katie Shenot, said, "It's 11 o'clock and we're 52 people in already. Lots of hours left."

About that time, Ellen Harlow and Frank Colaizzi waltzed in, effortlessly affecting the look of two people you might see at a party of museum patrons -- the scene they were aiming for. Before having her photo shot, she jammed her sunglasses into a mass of lush, silver-blond hair and smiled like a pro.

Asked if they have been in show business before, Mr. Colaizzi said, "I never have, she has."

"I've been in amateur productions," she said.

They read the casting call and thought, "Why not?" she said.

"Something to do," he said.

Renata McCormish and her daughters, Heather, 13, and Emma, 9, showed up to be extras. Ms. McCormish is a commercial model whose agent alerted her to the opportunity.

	Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette Kasie Fiano, 21, of Mount Pleasant, has her picture taken at Nancy Mosser Casting during yesterday's open casting call for filming of "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh." Click photo for larger image.

"I asked them if they'd like to try it," she said, nodding at the girls, who, like their mother, wore colorful halter-top dresses with glittery designs.

Ms. Mosser took two pictures of each person. Those who didn't know their measurements stood like Frankenstein to be tape measured, then went on their way with the promise, "We'll be in touch."

"We probably will use almost everybody," said Ms. Mosser. "We need 700 [extras]."

The same extras need to appear three days in a row for the continuity of one scene, she said. That's a demand that makes casting people antsy. "A huge part of our job is hoping people will roll out of bed and show up," she said, explaining, "It's minimum wage."

The real payoff, of course, will come next year -- sitting in the theater with their friends when their scene comes on.

"He could be our minister," said Ms. Shenot, shooting a look at a stately, bearded man who appeared in the doorway. He wore an elegant black jacket over a pearl-colored silk shirt with a tab-free collar. A retired fireman, John Agnole, roared when she repeated the suggestion to him. He said he has "always" had acting aspirations and worked as an extra in "Striking Distance," a 1993 movie that was filmed locally starring Bruce Willis and Sarah Jessica Parker.

It was easy to tell the veterans of casting calls. They popped in confidently, calling Ms. Mosser by name, and knew where to stand and had their measurements on the form. They had their poses practiced, too. One tall blonde slumped one shoulder, hooked her thumb at her hip and pursed her lips like a fish.

Walt Myal walked in with his hair sticking up in a mohawk. "Hi, Walt," Ms. Shenot said brightly to the young man who served as her assistant on a public TV docudrama. He has been in advertisements and worked as an extra before.

"You know the Kennywood billboards?" he asked, waiting a moment for effect. "I'm the 'Night Rider.'"

With his hair-raising experience, he recommends molding wax for mohawks. "It's the best product I've tried."

The "Mysteries" costume department is advising extras to "remember" that in 1983, "everything was worn tighter," so no baggy jeans, loose T-shirts, pants or skirts on hips and no bulky tennis shoes. It also eschews "huge shoulder pads" for those playing the rich people.

Like many who turned out yesterday, Ms. Moraes wasn't born in time to remember the 1980s or have any '80s clothing. She achieved the look of a material girl with help from the Web and her own ingenuity. "Plus my favorite movie of all time is 'The Wedding Singer,'" a 1998 movie set in 1985.

Several little girls came in with their mothers looking like miniature "Flashdance" understudies -- in big off-the-shoulder sweaters cinched with wide belts.

Ms. Mosser said few children will be needed. "There's a bookstore scene where we need some little kids. There's a pickup soccer game where college-age boys join in with little kids."

That's about it for kids. But some needs remain: "We need to find a real string quartet," she said, "and we're looking for a man with a missing leg."