Patterson, Stage Directing
CASTING: The Ideal and the Real(Step Four)
OverviewThe director must know what qualities are basic for each role well before the casting session. Once you have made casting decisions, you have also made significant interpretative decisions about the outward appearance of the character as well as about the actor’s emotional availability to create the character you have envisioned. Casting can also have positive or negative effects on the ease and pleasure of the rehearsal process. The director must be prepared to efficiently manage the casting process and be considerate of the actors before, during and after auditions.
Objectives Prepare for casting by
summarizing character qualities and traits
Organize an audition
Plan and manage the audition process
Evaluate auditionees
Understand the audition process from the actor’s perspective
SUCCESSMost director’s agree that success depends on making good casting choices…
Vocal qualities
Visual qualities
Emotional qualities
“Can the actor act the part?”
Casting for look and sound.
The director is responsible for how the actors look and sound. This obligation includes orchestrating the actors’ interpretation of the characters they play; devising onstage movement with the actors’ help; and leading the actors to create those telling activities that reveal character and plot. Here in the actors in this scene from Catherine Butterfield’s play, BROWNSTONE, seem to have captured the personality and action traits of their characters. They are communicating and are in the moment.
Failure…the wrong actors can devastate the production.
Casting is an art
Professional directors usually leave casting to professional casting directors
The initial screening process allows the director of avoid the “cattle call”
Professional Head Shots
Pitfalls of the audition A difficult way to assess potential
Experience helps
“Experienced directors need fifteen seconds with an actor to know whether they are right or not.”
EssenceWhat the director is seeking…Directors envision physicality, but essence trumps physicality. Keeping an open mind can lead to astonishing and surprising choices.
SO…keep an open mind!
Identify your needs Age range
Physical requirements
Dialect skills required
Physical skills required
Personality and “essence”
Special requirements
For musicals: vocal range
Creating Casting Sheets
Develop a system for analyzing each candidate as they audition
Make sure your system is organized so you can review your notes
Casting Notices
CHECKLIST- Name of Play
- Writer and director
- Company name
- Location of production and rehearsals
- Location, date, time of auditions
- Materials required for auditions
- Roles and descriptions
- How to submit the audition
- Union or non-union; paid or not paid
- Type: open call? interview? agent
submission?
- Special requirements: nudity, smoking,
etc.
ExampleRed Apple Theatre Company announces auditions for all roles in M. Wainstein’s production, opening May 11, 2013 at the Red Apple Theatre. 104 East 42nd, New York City.
Roles available: Prior Walter (20s to early 30s)emaciated, emotionally vulnerable; Louis, his partner, late 20s, Mormon from Salt Lake City; etc.
Auditions at the Ansonia Hotel, 72nd and Broadway, Suite 1509; Thursday February 7. Submissions accepted by email only; no open calls; by appointment only. All roles paid, rehearsals and performances. Show runs May 11 for an open-ended run; performances Wednesday through Sundays. Emails to [email protected].
Advertise your notice
ONLINE
IN PRINT
Local outlets Hotlines Facebook Local newspaper Callboards
Types of Calls Equity Principal and Chorus Auditions (At AEA)
Agent Submissions (Large production companies)
Non-equity open calls (Cattle calls)
Large Unified Auditions (SETC, Straw Hat, etc.)
Non-equity auditions by appointment
Planning The Audition Arrange for the rehearsal room
Obtain chairs, tables, music stands as needed
Determine time and length of audition
Create an appointment grid
Hire or arrange a Hall Monitor
Hire or arrange for a Reader
Create a sign-in procedure
Hire a good accompanist, if needed
Prepare sides
Provide casting information in a single-sheet handout
Create an Audition form to note conflicts
AEA Audition Room
Chicago
AEA audition room NYC
Audition Formats Monologues
Cold Readings
Can actors take direction
What can be accomplished with preparation
Observe
Pay attention
Honor the process
Make necessary notes
Put notes directly on the resume/headshot
Warning Signs
Bad or indifferent attitude
Resists direction and unable to take direction
Ill-preparedness
Sloppily dressed
Talks about other offers
Sloppy resume
Rude to hall monitor
Overly patronizing
Late or full of excuses
Callbacks
Go over notes
Decide who to callback
Organize the callbacks
Casting Musicals The Vocal Audition
The Dance Audition
The Callback
Interview
Etiquette1. Greet each actor and thank him or her for
attending.
2. Meet each actor. Introduce yourself and others in the room
3. Prepare. Explain to the actors how the audition is going to be conducted and what is expected.
4. Attending. Make sure everyone in the room is focused on the autitionee.
5. Listening. Allow all actors to complete the process.
6. Thanking. Now matter how poorly or well it went.
Final Thoughts Don’t rush the process
Don’t waste time either
Imagine groupings…think of the ensemble
Chemistry is important
Trust your gut
For further reading…
Dean, Alexander and Lawrence Carra. FUNDAMENTALS OF PLAY DIRECTING, 5th edition. Wadsworth, 1989.
Patterson, Jim. STAGE DIRECTING, 2nd edition. Waveland Press, 2015.
Wainstein, Michael. STAGE DIRECTING, A Director’s Itinerary. Focus Publishing, 2012.
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