When it comes to shoujo anime/manga, there is always an emphasis on characters. Even with acting as a theme/aesthetic, shoujo tend to deal with girl topics, such as when Ayako started to develop an eating disorder. Also, I haven't really seen a lot of anime that deal with acting. Besides two of Satoshi Kon's movies, Love Stage, and the incredibly average Act-Age manga, that's pretty much it.
That being said, this is miles better than Act-Age. The characters here feel memorable, and with flaws. Sarasa gets criticized for copying another character, and she actually has to learn to act her way. She's also lovable, which is important seeing she's one of the protagonists. And considering what Ai went through with her step father, she developed a fair bit by the end. I also thought Amalee did a good job dubbing Kaoru, seeing how Kaoru's sacrifices showed how serious she is with her goal to become an actress.
