WHAT I'M TRYING TO PROVIDE: A DIRECTOR'S THOUGHTS ON AUDITION SEASON, PART TWO by Craig Joseph
In an earlier post, I offered some considerations for actors during this season we're all in the middle of - when many theaters are having general auditions and casting for next year. But turnabout is fair play, so I wanted to offer some thoughts to those sitting on the other side of the table - casting directors, ADs, choreographers, music directors, and producers. There are some things we can do to make this time more pleasant and fruitful as well.
We are auditioning as well. I'm always amazed at how quickly people forget this truth. How we conduct an audition - from the clarity of the posted notice all the way to how we communicate that folks were or weren't cast - tells potential new collaborators who we are. If we're being poor stewards of folks' time, if we're forgetting their names, if the sides or "asks" aren't clear, etc, why would folks want to work with us? I think one of the best compliments a company can receive is when folks leave an audition less focused on if they'll get cast or not, and more excited about the fact that they had a good time and really want to work with the group.
Let the audition reflect the process. If we're auditioning as well, why not let the audition session mimic what the rehearsal process will feel like? There's sometimes a sense that auditions have to look a certain way - with people waiting in the hall to come in, one or two at a time, to read prescribed scenes, get some notes, and run it again. Headshots and audition forms are being passed around. The whole thing is decidedly unfun and not playful - which is exactly the opposite of what we want our rehearsal rooms to be. What if we throw all these sacred cows out and start from these two questions: what can we do to make folks feel comfortable and open, so that they bring us their best work? And what can we do to give people a sense of how we ACTUALLY work in the rehearsal room, so they can then decide if they want to opt in or out? At SotP, our auditions are always a little weird or atypical, but it ends up being a great gift that opens actors up and then allows them to say "yes, this is for me," or "no thanks, I'm looking for something a bit more traditional."
Be kind and be truthful. On some level, this is obvious. Don't be on your cell phone while people are auditioning. Avoid scowling. Give adjustments in ways that build upon positive things they're doing and suggest areas for growth. But I think there are some less obvious ways that we can be kind. For example, we all know there are MANY wonderful actors in Northeast Ohio, but how many of them should you realistically call back for one role? There's always a balance of wanting to give people a chance vs. calling back so many people that it's ultimately wasting some of their time. Similarly - and I may be a bit controversial here - if there's an actor that we KNOW we're not going to use because of a bad prior experience or a problematic reputation around town, why call them in (out of some sense of obligation) and waste their time? Better to just pass or - better yet - engage them in a conversation so they know what the concerns and issues are. On some level, I believe it's important to be developing people as artists and human beings - not just trying to cast plays - and maybe this conversation is the one that propels them in a new direction.
Let your word hold weight. If you say you're going to make decisions and contact people by a certain date, do that. If you say that all roles are available, don't have someone secretly precast. If you say that the content of an audition is going to be X, don't ask people to Y when they show up. Seems simple enough, but this doesn't always happen.
Perspective. Casting is important, but it's only part of the equation. If you're a good director, you know that there are many possible ways to make a show come off successfully and all of them will and should require some work on your part. So get as close as you can with whom you've got - and then figure out honestly what your work is going to have to be to get them all the way there. Also, it's hard to tell people no - especially when many of them are your friends and acquaintances - so cut yourself some slack and know that following the above suggestions can take some of the sting out of it for the other party. You're not ultimately responsible for giving folks what they want - just giving them a fair shot at it.
