University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Department of Theatre and Dance
Departmental Casting Policies
Updated 2/23/2015
The primary goal of the Department is to provide an education in
theatre and dance for students enrolled at UHM. One of the ways
students learn to perform is by appearing in Department productions.
Public performances show to campus and community audiences the
results of these educational efforts. It is therefore the priority of the
Department to cast all roles in our Kennedy Theatre Mainstage and
Earle Ernst Lab Theatre productions from among currently enrolled
UHM students; other UH system students, faculty, and staff are also
welcome to audition from within the UH system. In order to carry out
this aim of education in performance:
• Auditions will be widely publicized, i.e., on campus by poster, by Ka
Leo notices, online on our website and through social media, or by
ads.
• Student organizations of the Department are encouraged to take an
active role promoting audition turnouts.
• All Department majors and students enrolled in performance
classes will be urged to audition.
• Directors and choreographers will make a strong effort to make
general rehearsal dates and commitments clear at auditions and will
post cast lists as soon as is possible.
• Students are expected to honor the commitments they make.
Unless an unanticipated circumstance arises that prevents
participation, by accepting a role the student agrees to participate in
the production.
Theatre-specific policies:
• Plays will be chosen that can be performed by student actors.
• Plays will be chosen that offer diverse roles that challenge and
stimulate growth in student actors.
• In general, roles will not be pre-cast, although in some instances,
the Director may pre-cast an invited Guest Artist in a particular role,
offering students an opportunity to perform with an older, experienced
artist.
• No roles will be pre-cast and casting for all plays will include
auditions open only to UH students.
• Directors may invite students to indicate on audition cards which
roles they are available for and will accept.
• To audition and be cast in any of the mainstage Asian Theatre
productions, students need to be enrolled in at least one of the
specific training classes for the production.
• Whenever possible, all undergraduate actors cast in productions
should be enrolled in THEA 200 or 400B during the semester of
the production, or in the subsequent semester. Graduate students
should consult with their advisors about credit for production
participation.
Occasionally, if the special nature of a production demands it (large
cast, unusual skills, etc.), auditions may be opened to those outside
the UH system. These cases will be decided by the Director as part of
the season play selection.
If an insufficient number of UH students attend auditions to enable
a play to be cast, the director may cast from those outside the
UH system. In all circumstances casting priority is given to UHM
students first, then to UH system students, faculty, and staff.
Theatre Casting priority Audition Notes:
Normally, plays are cast in order of their performance as reflected by
the season's schedule.
Plays will be cast when the preceding play has completed its
announced series of auditions and call-backs, which normally takes
up to a week en toto. When two (2) plays are opening within a week
or less of one another, or where the director feels he/she needs
additional rehearsal time than the norm and auditions might conflict,
directors will consult with one another to arrange auditions. As a
general rule, Mainstage and MFA productions take precedence in
casting, should there be an unresolvable conflict in establishing
audition schedules.
In the case of productions that are the culmination of semester- and
year-long training programs and guest artist residencies, casting
may occur on an earlier schedule; directors of relevant productions
will be consulted and students informed of potential conflicts prior
to auditions. In these instances, casting may occur on an earlier
schedule; directors of relevant productions will be consulted and
students informed of potential conflicts prior to auditions.
Joint auditions, when appropriate, are encouraged.
Size of production/numbers in the cast:
According to the Late Night Theatre Policy, cast size for Late Night
productions will have a maximum of 7 performers. Any exceptions
must be brought for a full-faculty vote before casting.
Rehearsal length:
It is generally assumed that most plays will require 6-7 weeks
rehearsal; musicals, Asian plays, and special events may require 2-3
months or more. This is not a hard and fast rule, but should be noted
in establishing audition schedules.
Dance-specific policies:
• Choreography and choreographers are chosen to best suit the
current UHM dance student population.
• UHM dance and theatre students are given priority in all casting
decisions.
• Though not the norm, non-UHM dancers may be cast in a dance
production if specific skills are required.
• No roles are pre-cast.
• It is recommended that performers cast in a dance production
be enrolled in a dance technique class during the rehearsal and
performance period of the production.
• Auditions for the annual Mainstage production are normally held
early in the fall semester. However, casting may be dependent on
guest artist residency periods.
• Cast membership may change as a developing choreographic work
necessitates casting changes, or in the case of injury.
• Selection of dancers for student-choreographed Footholds
productions are lead by the respective choreographers.