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  • 1.  Student Director Involvement in Casting

    Posted 03-22-2019 06:05
    Colleagues: What are your opinions and practices for involvement of student directors in final casting decisions ?

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    Charles Clute
    retired
    Chatham MA
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  • 2.  RE: Student Director Involvement in Casting

    Posted 03-22-2019 08:45
    Except for one co-director, all of my student directors have been seniors, which means I know and trust them.  I sit in on the auditions, but give them as much leeway as possible, since they are the ones working with the cast. If there are some decisions I don't understand, I will ask them justify them. Usually they are able to defend their decisions beyond just saying they like the person. I think there have only been two decisions which I overruled - one was a very accomplished student getting a very small role, and another was a student who showed no acting ability at the audition and was cast more because the directors knew her.  

    I think whatever approach you choose - you listen to their feedback but make the casting decisions yourself, or you advise but allow them the choice - just be clear with the directors what the process will be.

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    Ken Buswell
    Drama Teacher
    Peachtree City, GA
    http://mcintoshtheater.org/

    Theater kills ignorance
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Student Director Involvement in Casting

    Posted 03-22-2019 09:41
    Good useful thoughts, Kenneth. Thank you.



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Student Director Involvement in Casting

    Posted 03-22-2019 09:33
    Charles,

    Great Questions. If the works are being solely directed by the students, then yes, ​they cast their show. If I am directing the production, then no. I try to make sure that my phone doesn't ring the next day because a parent believes that student A doesn't like student B and therefore didn't cast them.

    I also video all auditions so that if I am ever called into question, I can use that as my leverage as to my decision.

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    Crit Fisher
    Lighting/Sound Designer
    New Albany High School
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Student Director Involvement in Casting

    Posted 03-23-2019 20:39
    Videoing auditions can be great for the students as well, as a review or self-assessment of how they actually performed.

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    Tina Miller
    Leeds AL
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Student Director Involvement in Casting

    Posted 03-26-2019 12:17
    While I allow my student directors to have a great deal of input in the casting of the shows they direct I am the one who always makes the decisions. It takes any potential "unfairness" because of student bias out of the picture and ensures that anyone who is angry at the casting is upset at the correct person - me. I give students 1 week after any casting decisions to come ask questions that led to their casting (or not) in any production. I provide specific examples for my reasoning on where they ended up and will not address anyone else's placement at all.

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    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ
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    Original Message


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