Casting Policy

Casting Committee Guidelines

1. Casting Committee Responsibility to the Membership

    • Responsibility for casting the production rests solely with the Casting Committee. The Casting Committee will include all members of the current Creative Team (Co-Directors, the Musical Director, the Choreographer, the Acting Director, the Administrative Coordinator, the Technical Director and the Stage/Performing Arts Center Manager), and may include previous Creative Team members.

    • An outside consultant, on invitation by the Co-Directors, may be asked to sit on the Casting Committee, per agreement by the majority of the Casting Committee and Creative Team.

    • If a Casting Committee member has a family member auditioning they must leave the room for this discussion. Aside from the director, casting committee members should not have input into the casting decisions of family members.

    • After the cast list is posted, the Director(s) may make casting changes as needed after consultation with the Creative Team.

    • The casting committee may encourage individuals to audition in general, but not for any specific role, which means no specific recruiting, pre-casting or giving someone the impression that they will receive a particular role.

    • All auditions may be videotaped to help with after-the-fact decisions and/or discrepancies. Tapes will be erased after casting is final.

    • The Director(s) will have the determining vote. If it is a tie among co-directors, a majority of the Creative Team prevails.

    • The casting committee will meet prior to the auditions, even if on the same day, to review details set forth in the audition packet, the roles, the evaluation criteria or score sheet, and the cast parameters, in particular, specifics regarding age, singing requirements. Any people involved in assisting with the audition process may need to be included in this, too, so they can answer questions from students on deck or on hold.

2. Confidentiality

The casting process and discussions are confidential and will be discussed only by those involved in making the casting decisions. Other show participants, or their parents, will not be privy to these discussions. Casting guidelines will be provided to students prior to auditions so everyone has a chance to review or policies.

Auditions are CLOSED to parents, teachers, siblings, other students, or any person not associated with the Casting Committee. Students may request a meeting after the cast list is posted to discuss with one or more of the directors how they might improve their audition the next time around. Score sheets and numerical totals will not be shared specifically, but individual comments and notes may be shared, at the discretion of the director.

3. Primary Casting Objective

Casting should emphasize building the strongest overall cast within the guidelines outlined below. It is not to be constrained by individual performer's preferences or "fairness" toward giving the stronger auditioners the perceived "better" roles if a different casting results in a better overall cast. The Casting Committee will cast the person with the most talent that also meets the criteria and vision for each role.

4. Additional Casting Considerations

The following are not constraints, but factors to consider along with the primary objective of achieving a strong overall cast:

    • Audition performance is the strongest overall factor in casting.

    • The director must always be present when a show is cast.

    • Ability to take direction during the audition and in past shows should be considered.

    • The director and producer may make a decision not to cast someone due to prior behavior problems, attendance or other difficulties with the theater program.

    • Past record of accepting assigned casting commitments may be considered.

    • Student seniority and experience, and cast member role preference may be considered to break a tie between two people who are equally qualified for the same role.

    • Providing unique opportunities to people to get involved in musical theater can be considered (specialty dancers, musicians, etc).

    • If the Casting Committee does not see the talent needed for a specific role, he/she has the right to post this role as a TBA and to continue recruiting – note that the only time recruiting is acceptable is to fill a role after the auditions are completed.

5. Additional Auditions

The Casting Committee may, at their discretion and convenience, accommodate individual auditions outside of those posted, if extenuating circumstances are known.

6. Recasting

If a role needs to be recast due to a cast member being unable to continue participation in the show, the Directors have the right to recast the role without further auditions.

*This policy was adapted from the guidelines used by the Community Theater of Howell http://www.cththeatre.org/casting-guidelines.pdf