BWW Blog: Both Sides of the Casting Table

I've been involved with theatre from a very young age, but mostly on the performance side. I didn't really become all that involved with the "behind the scenes" aspects of theatre until around half way through my high school theatre career, and even then I still mostly considered it a side thing for me. My main interest was performing, and I never really saw myself doing much else. I must admit that now I somewhat regret shutting myself within that "performer" box, even as I have recently broadened my horizons within theatre. I feel like I may have missed several cool learning experiences and opportunities by hyper-focusing on one main thing, and never really considering any other possibilities.

I fortunately do not hold too much regret in my heart, however, now that I have opened my mind a bit. The great thing is that once I did, it was like falling in love with the theatre all over again, getting to feel that rush of excitement from doing something for the first time. I especially fell in love with directing, something I never saw myself doing before. Even though I considered myself to be a very creative and driven person, directing seemed scary and foreign to me. How could I be both a performer and a director, both are so different, I thought. I've come to realize, however, that they're more similar than I think, and each art form helps expand my knowledge and understanding of the other.

I personally believe that every actor should direct a show if they get the chance, whether it be a small one act play or a large scale production. It may seem odd if you're someone who thinks of yourself as "only a performer" as I once did. The process and power dynamics may seem somewhat strange impossible to understand if you haven't had any experience or proper training in the field.

There are many lessons that performers can take from being on the other side of the casting table, however, lessons that have been essential to my growth and progress as an artist. One is the lesson of subjectivity. Before I became a director, I cannot tell you how many times I believed I had nailed an audition, only to never get a callback, and felt very dejected afterwards. As I mentioned in my last post, while I had gotten used to this feeling after a bit, it still stings once in a good while. Being behind the casting table the first couple of times was an interesting experience, because some auditioners walked in with amazing material that blew me away, but they just weren't right for my show. Both of these times were panel auditions, so I would consult with the other directors, and they would say the same thing. In the end, many of these fantastic auditioners would walk away empty handed.

I always knew that casting was subjective, and that sometimes it didn't matter how good you were or how much you practiced if you're still not right for the show. But it never truly hit me until then, and I firmly believe that it gave me more confidence in myself as a performer, and more confidence in the ability to "shake it off and move along." I also firmly believe that being the directed has helped me to be a better director. I feel like I can take many aspects from the styles of many different directors I have worked with and can create my own unique way of doing things. I can incorporate the good, leave out the bad, and make my show what I want it to be. I've even been told by some of my actors that it doesn't seem like I haven't had much directing experience. My point is, be brave and try something different in your art. It can take you to wonderful places.