Navigating Casting Drama: A Guide for Theatre Teachers
Plus, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed!
Welcome to The Scene, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed. In this week’s email:
BROADWAY BEAT- Some Like It Hot announces closing | The Wiz Sets 2024 Broadway Dates, Theatre; Get a 1st Look at the New Production | Taran Killam will be Sir Lancelot in Spamalot | Free babysitting on Broadway? This nonprofit helps parents get to the theater | André Bishop to step down as producing artistic director of Lincoln Center Theater
HOT TOPICS - Juilliard’s Top-Tier Graduate Acting Program Is Going Tuition-Free | Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phylicia Rashad, Senator Klobuchar to Brief Members of Congress on the State of American Nonprofit Theater | Anniversary Staged Reading of The Laramie Project Will be Presented in Laramie | Little-known Theater Jobs: Casting Director | TV and Movie Writers to Begin Returning to Work on Wednesday | Kelli O'Hara, Kristin Chenoweth, Adam Guettel, More to Take Part in NATS National Music Theatre Competition Gala Finals | Dramatists Guild Will Hold Free Writing Development Intensive
WEST END WATCH - Michael Gambon, Olivier winner and founding member of the National, dies at 82 | London's Patrick Vaill, Lauren Ward, More to Star in Stranger Things SKubrick's in London's West End | Steve Coogan to Star in World Premiere of Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove Let'se West End | Minority Report Stage Play to Make 2024 World Premiere in U.K. | Let's Get a Look at You: Check out the London Revival of Sunset Boulevard, Starring Nicole Scherzinger
THE SPOTLIGHT: Explore the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students!
FALL READERS SURVEY - We want to hear from you!
THE BIG IDEA – Navigating Casting Drama: A Guide for Theatre Teachers
The Broadway Beat
SOME LIKE IT HOT ANNOUNCES CLOSING by Broadway News - The most-Tony-nominated new musical took home four awards at the 2023 ceremony.
THE WIZ SETS 2024 BROADWAY DATES, THEATRE; GET A 1ST LOOK AT THE NEW PRODUCTION by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill - The revival launched a pre-Broadway tour in Baltimore on September 23.
TARAN KILLAM TO BE SIR LANCELOT IN SPAMALOT by Ruthie Fierberg, Broadway News - The “Hamilton” alum will open the revival before Alex Brightman takes over.
FREE BABYSITTING ON BROADWAY? THIS NONPROFIT HELPS PARENTS GET TO THE THEATER by Jennifer Vanasco, NPR – Meet the Arts nonprofit with a big goal: to bring occasional free babysitting to every arts institution in the country.
ANDRÉ BISHOP TO STEP DOWN AS PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF LINCOLN CENTER THEATER by Caitlin Hornik, Broadway News - Bishop will depart the organization at the end of the 2024-2025 season.
Hot Topics
JUILLIARD’S TOP-TIER GRADUATE ACTING PROGRAM IS GOING TUITION-FREE by Michael Paulson, The New York Times - Starting with the next academic year, the drama school will eliminate an “unrealistic burden” for graduate acting students.
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, PHYLICIA RASHAD, SENATOR KLOBUCHAR TO BRIEF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ON THE STATE OF AMERICAN NONPROFIT THEATER by Ruthie Fierberg, Broadway News - Presenters also plan to introduce a legislative proposal to increase nonprofit funding.
ANNIVERSARY STAGED READING OF THE LARAMIE PROJECT WILL BE PRESENTED IN LARAMIE by Linda Buchwald, Theatre Mania - The reading will feature original company members of the play that premiered in 2000.
LITTLE-KNOWN THEATER JOBS: CASTING DIRECTOR by Ruthie Fierberg, Broadway News - From “Rent” to “Hamilton,” Bethany Knox shares her typical day and what she’s looking for in auditions.
TV AND MOVIE WRITERS TO BEGIN RETURNING TO WORK ON WEDNESDAY by Brooks Barnes, The New York Times - The leadership of the Writers Guild of America voted to end a 148-day strike. Members will start voting on the deal’s ratification next week.
KELLI O'HARA, KRISTIN CHENOWETH, ADAM GUETTEL, MORE TO TAKE PART IN NATS NATIONAL MUSIC THEATRE COMPETITION GALA FINALS by Molly Higgins, Playbill - Seth Rudetsky will emcee the January 2024 event.
DRAMATISTS GUILD WILL HOLD FREE WRITING DEVELOPMENT INTENSIVE by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill - The complimentary workshop is free to anyone engaging with playwriting in a higher education program.
West End Watch
MICHAEL GAMBON, OLIVIER WINNER AND FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL, DIES AGED 82 by Gemma Nettle, The Stage - The actor became well-known for his role as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series from 2004 to 2011.
PATRICK VAILL, LAUREN WARD, MORE TO STAR IN STRANGER THINGS STAGE PLAY IN LONDON'S WEST END by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill – “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” begins performances at the Pheonix Theatre in November.
STEVE COOGAN TO STAR IN WORLD PREMIERE OF STANLEY KUBRICK’S DR. STRANGELOVE IN THE WEST END by Margaret Hall, Playbill - The seven-time BAFTA winner will lead the first theatrical adaptation of Kubrick's legendary film.
MINORITY REPORT STAGE PLAY TO MAKE 2024 WORLD PREMIERE IN U.K. by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill - David Haig has adapted the Philip J. Dick novella, with Max Webster directing.
LET'S GET A LOOK AT YOU: CHECK OUT THE LONDON REVIVAL OF SUNSET BOULEVARD, STARRING NICOLE SCHERZINGER by Andrew Gans, Playbill - The revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, directed by Jamie Lloyd, plays the Savoy.
The Spotlight
Explore the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students!
Looking for a new way to unearth the hidden brilliance within the high school students in your life? Explore the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students!
What is the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge?
From the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge is an opportunity for high school students all across the country to develop and showcase songs that could be part of a musical theater production. Read more to find out how to get your students involved!
The Process
The Songwriting Challenge has an interactive submission process. All Draft 1 submissions will receive feedback from industry professionals. Then, students may revise their submission for the Draft 2 competitive round—from which a cohort will be chosen and invited to a transformative Winners’ Weekend in NYC! Throughout the application period, ALL students will be able to participate in webinars and coaching sessions with professional songwriters and have access to online educational materials.
Draft 1 is OPEN until DECEMBER 4, 2023. Please note: students need to submit to Draft 1 in order to be eligible for Draft 2! That means December 4 is their deadline for participation this year! Learn more about requirements here.
Who can Participate?
High School Students from all 50 States, Washington D.C., and U.S. territories are eligible.
How to Spread the Word
Find digital and press assets in our Outreach Kit that you can post on social media, share with your communities of fellow educators, and tack up in your libraries and classrooms. Share the link namt.org/challenge directly with your students!
Upcoming Events for Students
Do you have kids who are interested but aren’t quite sure where to begin? Send them to our upcoming events!
Songwriting 101: Words & Lyrics with Kalani Queypo – October 6 from 5-6 PM ET
Submission Clinic – October 13 from 3-6 PM ET
Songwriting 201: The Music with Anna K Jacobs – November 3 from 5-6 PM ET
If they’re excited to see the Info Sessions but can’t make them live, no problem: recorded versions will be available on the NAMT website afterwards.
Any thoughts?
Email NAMT’s New Works Director Frankie Dailey (frankie@namt.org)! We look forward to hearing from you. We’re so appreciative of the educators in our community who will help high school students everywhere know they can Let Their Story Sing!
Fall Readers Survey
We want to hear from you, and our Fall Readers Survey is just 4 Questions, so don’t wait; follow this link to take our Fall Readers Survey.
The Big Idea
Navigating Casting Drama: A Guide for Theatre Teachers
The theatre world is a place of creativity, collaboration, and personal growth. However, casting decisions can sometimes lead to drama, upset students, and concerned parents. As a theatre teacher, navigating these situations is essential to ensuring a positive and enriching experience for everyone involved. To guarantee a smooth sailing audition process from start to finish, explore the following strategies to help you make casting decisions, best practices to address upset students (and their parents), and ways to foster a supportive theatrical environment.
Casting Decisions
Balancing Artistic Vision and Fairness: Casting a production is a complex process that requires the consideration of numerous factors, including talent, suitability for roles, chemistry among actors, and artistic vision. To navigate casting drama, follow these steps:
Transparency: Clearly communicate your casting criteria to students and parents before auditions. This will manage expectations and minimize misunderstandings later. Unsure where to start? We recommend checking out this guide to help you survive and thrive in this creative and dynamic role.
Audition Process: Conduct auditions in a fair and objective manner. Use a standardized rubric to evaluate students’ performances, focusing on skills and suitability for roles rather than personal biases.
Open-Mindedness: Remain open to unexpected choices. Sometimes, an actor might bring a unique interpretation to a character, enhancing the production.
Callbacks: Use callback auditions to narrow choices and consider actors in different roles. This provides a chance to explore different dynamics among potential cast members.
Feedback: Offer constructive feedback to students who did not receive the roles they desired. Encourage them to continue developing their skills and auditioning for future productions.
Addressing Upset Students
It is natural for some students to feel disappointed if they do not get the role they want. Here is how you can handle upset students:
Private Conversations: If a student is visibly upset, arrange a private conversation to discuss their feelings. Allow them to express their emotions and concerns openly.
Empathy: Show empathy and understanding. Acknowledge their disappointment and remind them that casting decisions do not reflect their worth or talent.
Highlight Strengths: Emphasize their strengths and areas of improvement. Encourage them to view the experience as a chance to grow further and develop their skills.
Alternative Opportunities: Suggest other ways they can contribute to the production, such as assisting with backstage tasks, set design, understudying roles, or being in the ensemble.
Handling Concerned Parents
Parental concerns are another aspect that requires careful navigation. Consider these tips on how you can address them:
Open Communication: Maintain an open line of communication with parents from the beginning. Share information about the audition process, casting choices, and the importance of fostering a positive environment.
Explain the Process: If parents express concern about casting decisions, explain the audition and casting process in detail. Emphasize that decisions are made based on the needs of the production.
Focus on Growth: Assure parents that their child’s growth and learning are paramount. Share specific examples of how their child can benefit from the experience, regardless of the role they received.
Encourage Support: Encourage parents to support their child’s involvement and passion for theatre, regardless of the role. Remind them that every role contributes to the overall success of the production.
Fostering a Supportive Theatrical Environment
To minimize casting drama and promote a positive atmosphere, consider these practices:
Team Building: Organize team-building activities at the start of rehearsals. This helps cast members bond, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment.
Clear Expectations: Set clear expectations for behavior and professionalism. Emphasize the importance of mutual respect among cast members.
Positive Reinforcement: Recognize and celebrate all cast members' hard work and accomplishments throughout the rehearsal process.
Inclusive Approach: Consider rotating roles or double casting for certain productions. This approach can provide more students with opportunities to shine.
As a theatre teacher, navigating casting drama and addressing upset students and parents is a vital skill. By approaching casting decisions with transparency, empathy, and professionalism, you can create an environment where students feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow as performers. Remember, every role contributes to the magic of the production, and your guidance plays a crucial role in shaping the positive experiences of your students.
