How We Cast A Show

Overview

The New Albany High School Theatre Department views all of its student auditionees and crew members as theatre artists and works hard to develop this mindset in them. As artists, nothing is more important than the work -- in this case, the production. No individual artist is bigger than the show itself. Our job is to be observant and complete storytellers of the piece, honoring the words of the playwright while infusing our interpretation of their words with creative choices.

Every artist's contribution is unique and invaluable, but no one contribution is larger than any other. The philosophy of this department is inspired by the Greek thinker Aristotle, who said, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." In order for the show to be successful, ALL students must perform their jobs to the best of their abilities, regardless of whether they are working backstage, on stage, or in the front of the house. If we do not work together, the production as a whole will suffer. Together we are stronger.

Our philosophy requires artists to put aside their egos and do what they can to help their team members be successful. This mindset, in turn, helps feed into the success of the show. Negative attitudes, unrealistic expectations, and abrasive behavior from student participants have no place on or off stage.

Ensemble Mentality

Because the directing team feels it is important to teach to the whole child, we assume an ensemble mentality. All students are encouraged to stretch themselves and grow not just in one area of the theatre, but in all aspects. Students who consider themselves performers are required to participate in set construction and work crew on shows in which they were not cast.

Ensemble members are expected to create backstories for their characters just like the actors in principal roles. Each person onstage is a part of the world we are working to create and plays an integral role in telling the story of the play.

Through this assimilation, the students are able to develop their critical thinking skills and gain confidence in their effectiveness and collaboration with others.

Each person's role on the production is essential, and the production would not be the same without them.

The Elements of Casting a Production

Very few things in life are as stressful as auditioning for a theatrical production. Though it may be surprising, the stress is just as real for the directors involved in casting a show. Casting is a careful and thoughtful process wherein each student's audition is examined and assessed.

At New Albany High School, our directing team is comprised of the director (musical and play), the vocal director (musical only), the technical director (musical and play), the choreographers (musical only), and one or two outside people who are well-versed in theatre.

Many factors are taken into consideration when casting a show. The directors want each and every student auditioning to succeed. In casting, the directors, first and foremost, MUST do what is in the best interest of the show. In auditions, the directing team often has 60+ potential cast members to assess.

Below is a list of elements, besides the audition itself, which could possibly affect how a role is cast.

• TYPE -- Each actor is a specific type. Generally, types fall either into "leading man / woman" or "character man / woman." Leading roles include characters like Ariel Moore and Ren McCormack in FOOTLOOSE, Janet van de Graaff and Robert Martin in THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, and Lilli Vanessi and Fred Graham in KISS ME, KATE. Character parts are frequently comic, off-beat, or villainous and include, Tevye in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Dolly in HELLO, DOLLY, Edna Turnblad in HAIRSPRAY, Gomez and Morticia Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY, A NEW MUSICAL, and KING CHARLEMAGNE in PIPPIN. It is crucial that an acting artist recognize and realize their type and for which roles they may be best suited in a production. It is also important to realize that, in most instances, there will not be an appropriate major role for every actor in every show. In casting a show, the directors work to create a realistic visual picture for the production in order for it to be artistically complete and believable.
• SKILLS -- During the audition, we examine various performance skills by asking the following questions: Whose audition is reinforcing the vision of the piece? Who is letting us see emotional depth with the character? Are the actor's physical and vocal choices reinforcing the character? Who has the right physical qualities that are required by the script? Who is creating honest and believable moments that allow the audience to engage in those moments? Believability relates to the active pursuit of objectives. Who is right, in a variety of ways, for which part? For example, would the actor be able to act, dance, and/or sing the role?
• VOCAL RANGE / ABILITY -- Does the student's voice establish the character being portrayed in the audition? Is the actor able to be understood or is articulation a problem? Are they able to project their voice? For musicals, is the student on pitch? Can they find the rhythms in the song? Does the student have the range to sing the high (low) notes in the piece? Is the actor just standing and singing the song or is the performer acting the song as well? Does the actor know what they are singing and more importantly, WHY?
• AGE / GENDER -- Is there a specific gender or age requirement for a specific character? Is a certain role age / gender neutral? Oftentimes, our licensing agreement specifies that the gender of certain roles cannot be changed.
• PREPARATION -- Is the actor mature in their abilities and exhibiting smart, clear choices on stage? Is the actor allowing their nerves to take over or is the actor channeling the nervousness so that it works for them? Has the actor adequately prepared for the audition (e.g. monologue / song rehearsed and memorized)? Does the actor work well with others, both on and off stage? If given notes in the audition, is the actor flexible and coachable? Does the actor have stage presence? Is this actor / technician ready to take on a leadership role in the program?
• GRADES / TARDIES / ABSENCES -- How is the actor doing in school and what is their attendance record? Basically, is the performer dependable and will they be able to be counted on when it comes time to put the show together? The attitude of, "They won't miss me, I'm just in the ensemble," is the wrong mindset to have and spells disaster for everyone. Every artist on crew or on the stage has an integral role to play in the production. Without each and every performer and technician fully participating, the show will not happen.
• SCHEDULES / CONFLICTS -- Is the performer's extracurricular or work schedule going to be an issue? Will there be outside commitments that cannot be negotiated? If they participated in a past production, did the actor have excessive absences / tardies? While some conflicts may be able to be worked out, please remember there are some which won't be able to be resolved. The performer needs to be up front with the directors about scheduling issues.
• OTHER CONSIDERATIONS -- The directors take into account the performer's commitment, past and present, to the theatre program. They also examine the actor's cooperation, mindset, and professionalism in the rehearsal and performance environments. Have they demonstrated an ability to collaborate with and support the other performers and backstage personnel? Being a team player is incredibly important, because our goal is to serve the show.

Final Thoughts

Casting a production is incredibly difficult. Though the directors strive to find an appropriate role for every student who auditions, they may not have a part for them on every production, because plays and musicals only have so many roles that can be cast. As described above, the directors consider so many factors when deciding who will play each part. Ultimately, they will choose the best person for each role, regardless of previous casting or hierarchy. Again, when making their final decisions, the directors must do what is in the best interest of the show. All casting decisions made by the directing team are final.

If you are not cast in a production, please consider auditioning again in the future. The directors are happy to offer feedback to the student concerning their audition and will highlight their strengths as well as opportunities for growth.