Patterson, Stage Directing
CASTING: The Ideal and the Real
(Step Four)
Overview
The 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
SUCCESS
Most 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.”
Essence
What 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.
Example
Red 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 openended run; performances Wednesday through Sundays. Emails
to angels@mac.com.
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
Etiquette
1.
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.