Open Forum

Hello!

So the other day I had a discussion with a friend of mine that, like me, is studying theatre education. He believes that cast sizes for musicals, no matter how big your program is, should be Broadway style casting, AKA, small. I personally believe that, unless the show is meant to be smaller like Godspell or Into the Woods, they should be larger... 

My question is, when is it too much or too little for musical castings? I know every department is different but it is something that is worth thought regardless, in my opinion. 


Thanks in advanced!!


------------------------------
Brian Percival
Emporia KS
------------------------------

It depends on what your goals are for your students and/or your program. 

My personal aim was to get as many folks involved as possible; if you auditioned, then you had a part. If you came to me a few days after the audition, you could still be involved somehow. So as our theatre program progressed, our cast sizes just got larger and larger. Our last cast size for the musical Zorro was, I think, 64. 

Of course, some musicals like 'Title of Show' are made for only 4 folks. 'Drowsy Chaperone' has a limited cast (still about a dozen, mind...), but a lot of musicals potentially have 'roles' for everyone. 

If everybody is cast, does that impact the quality? Not necessarily. You shift students around to where they will grow the most and do the best job. Just because you've limited the cast on your musical doesn't necessarily mean it will be that much better than if everybody is in it. If you are intending to expose as many students as possible to the positive influence of the theatre experience, then I'd say no limits to cast size. The limit is what you can handle in terms of managing and herding all those cats. 

This is just my own opinion, but it's a great question and I'm looking forward to seeing other responses.

------------------------------
Phillip Goodchild
Theatre Arts Instructor

Etobicoke ON
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-06-2017 11:48
From: Brian Percival
Subject: What is a good max for cast sizes?

Hello!

So the other day I had a discussion with a friend of mine that, like me, is studying theatre education. He believes that cast sizes for musicals, no matter how big your program is, should be Broadway style casting, AKA, small. I personally believe that, unless the show is meant to be smaller like Godspell or Into the Woods, they should be larger...

My question is, when is it too much or too little for musical castings? I know every department is different but it is something that is worth thought regardless, in my opinion.


Thanks in advanced!!


------------------------------
Brian Percival
Emporia KS
------------------------------

I agree with Phillip. It depends on what you are looking to achieve in your department. My cast sizes vary according to the show; but I always have a high cut rate for my productions (in both the performance and tech aspects). There are simply too many students interested in participating and I don't have the facility space to accommodate an extremely large cast. I discovered that last year when we did Les Miserables. I ended up with 92 backstage (and I had cut over 50) between the cast and crew and I decided to NEVER have a group that large backstage again. It was extremely difficult to coordinate. 

I try to give more students opportunities is possible. Most of my shows have around 50-65 in the cast and crew. I have done some smaller shows where the total was around 25, but I don't do that often.

In my opinion it is really a personal choice based on your community, facility and general comfort in the size group you are working with.

------------------------------
Shira Schwartz
Chandler Unified School District
Chandler AZ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-06-2017 13:55
From: Phillip Goodchild
Subject: What is a good max for cast sizes?

It depends on what your goals are for your students and/or your program.

My personal aim was to get as many folks involved as possible; if you auditioned, then you had a part. If you came to me a few days after the audition, you could still be involved somehow. So as our theatre program progressed, our cast sizes just got larger and larger. Our last cast size for the musical Zorro was, I think, 64.

Of course, some musicals like 'Title of Show' are made for only 4 folks. 'Drowsy Chaperone' has a limited cast (still about a dozen, mind...), but a lot of musicals potentially have 'roles' for everyone.

If everybody is cast, does that impact the quality? Not necessarily. You shift students around to where they will grow the most and do the best job. Just because you've limited the cast on your musical doesn't necessarily mean it will be that much better than if everybody is in it. If you are intending to expose as many students as possible to the positive influence of the theatre experience, then I'd say no limits to cast size. The limit is what you can handle in terms of managing and herding all those cats.

This is just my own opinion, but it's a great question and I'm looking forward to seeing other responses.

------------------------------
Phillip Goodchild
Theatre Arts Instructor

Etobicoke ON

Original Message:
Sent: 11-06-2017 11:48
From: Brian Percival
Subject: What is a good max for cast sizes?

Hello!

So the other day I had a discussion with a friend of mine that, like me, is studying theatre education. He believes that cast sizes for musicals, no matter how big your program is, should be Broadway style casting, AKA, small. I personally believe that, unless the show is meant to be smaller like Godspell or Into the Woods, they should be larger...

My question is, when is it too much or too little for musical castings? I know every department is different but it is something that is worth thought regardless, in my opinion.


Thanks in advanced!!


------------------------------
Brian Percival
Emporia KS
------------------------------

I agree with Philip that it depends on the goals of your program.

I tend to work with casts that are on the smaller side (10-25). It's important to me that every student receives individualized attention because so many of them are planning on pursuing theatre as a career. I want to make sure that that they're getting the training that they'll need for their BFA auditions. That said, I know some pre-professional programs (like LaGuardia Arts and Kidz Theater) that double-cast all of their shows, opening up opportunities for 40-50 students, while still maintaining that small-cast environment.

However, I have also worked in programs where the focus has been increasing general love of theatre (as opposed to pre-professional training). We cast everyone in those productions! If we couldn't fit everyone on stage at one time, we split musical numbers in half and transitioned from one ensemble to another. There's always a way of making sure that all students get their moment in the spotlight! (Just make sure that you have LOTS of teacher and parent volunteers backstage for wrangling duty.)

If you're interested in huge-cast productions, I would recommend checking out Public Works at the Public Theater. Also: the LEARN Department at the National Theatre of Scotland. Lear deBessonet and Simon Sharkey are geniuses when it comes to creating artistically-rigorous work with strong community engagement.

------------------------------
Victoria Chatfield
Executive Director
National Theatre for Student Artists
www.nationalstudenttheatre.org
vchatfield@nationalstudenttheatre.org
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-06-2017 11:48
From: Brian Percival
Subject: What is a good max for cast sizes?

Hello!

So the other day I had a discussion with a friend of mine that, like me, is studying theatre education. He believes that cast sizes for musicals, no matter how big your program is, should be Broadway style casting, AKA, small. I personally believe that, unless the show is meant to be smaller like Godspell or Into the Woods, they should be larger...

My question is, when is it too much or too little for musical castings? I know every department is different but it is something that is worth thought regardless, in my opinion.


Thanks in advanced!!


------------------------------
Brian Percival
Emporia KS
------------------------------

Original Message------

Hello!

So the other day I had a discussion with a friend of mine that, like me, is studying theatre education. He believes that cast sizes for musicals, no matter how big your program is, should be Broadway style casting, AKA, small. I personally believe that, unless the show is meant to be smaller like Godspell or Into the Woods, they should be larger... 

My question is, when is it too much or too little for musical castings? I know every department is different but it is something that is worth thought regardless, in my opinion. 


Thanks in advanced!!


------------------------------
Brian Percival
Emporia KS
------------------------------

​This year I hit my max at 37 kids.  And I swore the whole time that I would never do that to myself again.  I am pretty much on my own when it comes to crowd control.  However, I have always felt too that I want to provide an opportunity for as many students as possible, so I have found a way to work through the onstage and backstage and off stage chaos somehow.

But this year, the kids seemed different.  It was like the more I had involved, the less involved they were...if that makes sense.  Because there were so many of them, I guess they felt they would not be missed at practice. My rehearsal schedule was a joke, as the students I had cast were not dedicated at all. And those others who were there weren't strong enough to step in and take on the roles.   I think I ended up with a lot of "I want to do a little bit of everything offered at our school." The problem with doing a little bit of everything, is that you will never be great at anything. 

Next year I hope to shrink down and clean out these "extras", then maybe rebuild again.

------------------------------
Analiese Hamm
ECHS Drama Director
Statenville GA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-06-2017 11:48
From: Brian Percival
Subject: What is a good max for cast sizes?

Hello!

So the other day I had a discussion with a friend of mine that, like me, is studying theatre education. He believes that cast sizes for musicals, no matter how big your program is, should be Broadway style casting, AKA, small. I personally believe that, unless the show is meant to be smaller like Godspell or Into the Woods, they should be larger...

My question is, when is it too much or too little for musical castings? I know every department is different but it is something that is worth thought regardless, in my opinion.


Thanks in advanced!!


------------------------------
Brian Percival
Emporia KS
------------------------------

I like to keep my main stage shows super competitive. For our main stage musicals I cast right around whatever was the original cast size. Last year for Kiss Me Kate we had 30, this year for All Shook Up, I am looking to cast 24 or so.

We do 11-13 shows a year so kids have opportunity to do shows. For me, I believe that kids learn more from staying smaller. Bigger casts are great to get people involved, but start to lose the educational impact.

Just my two...



---------------------------------
Jeremy Riggs
Director of Theatre
Blue Valley North
bvntheatre.org
---------------------------------



Original Message:
Sent: 11/7/2017 9:11:42 AM
From: analiese.hamm@echols.k12.ga.us
Subject: RE: What is a good max for cast sizes?

​This year I hit my max at 37 kids.  And I swore the whole time that I would never do that to myself again.  I am pretty much on my own when it comes to crowd control.  However, I have always felt too that I want to provide an opportunity for as many students as possible, so I have found a way to work through the onstage and backstage and off stage chaos somehow.

But this year, the kids seemed different.  It was like the more I had involved, the less involved they were...if that makes sense.  Because there were so many of them, I guess they felt they would not be missed at practice. My rehearsal schedule was a joke, as the students I had cast were not dedicated at all. And those others who were there weren't strong enough to step in and take on the roles.   I think I ended up with a lot of "I want to do a little bit of everything offered at our school." The problem with doing a little bit of everything, is that you will never be great at anything. 

Next year I hope to shrink down and clean out these "extras", then maybe rebuild again.

------------------------------
Analiese Hamm
ECHS Drama Director
Statenville GA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-06-2017 11:48
From: Brian Percival
Subject: What is a good max for cast sizes?

Hello!

So the other day I had a discussion with a friend of mine that, like me, is studying theatre education. He believes that cast sizes for musicals, no matter how big your program is, should be Broadway style casting, AKA, small. I personally believe that, unless the show is meant to be smaller like Godspell or Into the Woods, they should be larger...

My question is, when is it too much or too little for musical castings? I know every department is different but it is something that is worth thought regardless, in my opinion.


Thanks in advanced!!


------------------------------
Brian Percival
Emporia KS
------------------------------

Because I rehearse in my classroom, I have capped my cast size at 30.  I tried a larger cast once before but the cramped confines of my classroom created issues and those who were not on stage at the time resorted to talking throughout making it challenging to accomplish anything.

------------------------------
Jerry Seeger
Director Of Drama
Plantation FL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-06-2017 11:48
From: Brian Percival
Subject: What is a good max for cast sizes?

Hello!

So the other day I had a discussion with a friend of mine that, like me, is studying theatre education. He believes that cast sizes for musicals, no matter how big your program is, should be Broadway style casting, AKA, small. I personally believe that, unless the show is meant to be smaller like Godspell or Into the Woods, they should be larger...

My question is, when is it too much or too little for musical castings? I know every department is different but it is something that is worth thought regardless, in my opinion.


Thanks in advanced!!


------------------------------
Brian Percival
Emporia KS
------------------------------