Cast Theatrical Roles
Casting roles in a show is like buying shoes: if they don't fit, you're in for some serious pain. The following suggestions may help you avoid an opening-night nightmare, and instead lead you and your cast to fame and fortune in both men's and women's eyes.
Steps
- Know the script as well as possible before auditions. You may want to check out professional or amateur productions on video, but be careful not to get locked into preconceived notions of what a character should or shouldn't look or sound like.
- Identify a talent pool before even selecting a show. Be sure you have the talent sufficient to play all the most crucial roles. Don't even think about producing "Fiddler on the Roof" unless you have some men who could carry the load of Tevye. You might get lucky when someone appears from nowhere singing "If I Were a Rich Man" in a beautiful baritone, but don't count on it.
- Look for smart people. Intelligence is one of the actor's most important qualities. When in doubt, it's better to pick a smart person.
- Acting is not reading. Do not base your casting on how well an auditioner can read aloud. Sometimes poor readers can act circles around good readers. Ask those who have difficulty reading to recite something from memory, even the alphabet, to get a sense of their emotive ability.
- Notice everything about the auditioner. From the moment someone walks in, you can tell if they are a contender. Notice their manner of speaking, their body language, their attitude.
- Note physical qualities when casting characters, especially those who work in pairs, or when casting a child role. For example, you probably don't want to cast someone who is 5'4" to play Romeo to a Juliet who is 6'2". Then again, don't assume that things might not work!
- Look at credits, especially ones with bigger roles! Quality of roles is better than quantity. It doesn't take much in some places to get an ensemble part, but large/leading roles show that the actor has ability.
- Take your time casting the show. Once you put someone in a role, he or she may become very attached to it. Better to delay the process with callbacks than to realize after a week of rehearsal that you've made a mistake.
- Delay casting if necessary. You may want to select a cast and begin read-throughs before assigning specific roles. That way you can do script analysis and build cast camaraderie in the first few days while determining who fits which part best.
- Get a schedule from each prospective actor. You need to know when he or she is available to rehearse. Also, make sure the actor will be in town during the run of the show!
- Have actors sign a contract. It should state what is expected of each cast member and include a tentative rehearsal schedule.
Tips
- Try not to cast by looks! Understand that there is a lot that makeup, wigs, dye, etc. can do. For example, if you're casting for Annie, don't just pick the first redhead girl at the audition when a brunette girl might have the perfect voice for the part.
- If it's really too hard to decide a part, try having an understudy. Double casting also works wonders for both you and the actors!
