That isn't saying that actors are everything. There are, of course, many different aspects to making a play great. There's the story, the voice of the characters, the poetry of the language, and the creativity of the direction. Nevertheless, an actor's performance is the first thing many people remember, and it can hence make or break the play.
I have to admit, I was not expecting a wide selection pool. I'm still having trouble with the realization that other people will (hopefully) see 22 stories that have no relation to me whatsoever. It's a great feeling, yet I still suspected that I would have to cast my friends in this show. We already cast Rachel Murdy for the adult roles that way (she's also a phenomenal actor). Besides, that's what my theatrical experience was used to. People hire the ones they are most comfortable with.
So imagine my surprise when I learn that 108 people in total signed up to audition - and I still got quite a few walk-ins.
The first round of auditions was an absolute blur in my mind. To be on the other end of the audition table for once was nothing short of surreal. There were all kinds of people, with all kinds of personalities for the same role. People auditioned for Nicole wearing lace dresses and pretty jewelery, as well as converse and orange fingernails. The whole experience felt like a giant whirlwind of people. (Note: If you are having general auditions, take notes on EVERYONE. Without notes, you will not remember a single name, even of the actors that blow you away.) I am so lucky to have the amazing Anna Foss Wilson (pictured) as the director - she is on top of absolutely everything. The callbacks were much calmer. There were considerably fewer people to look at, and there was often a large time gap between auditions. (Some of the lines from the play are now permanently etched into my brain.) All the actors we called back were extremely talented, so I thought narrowing down the actors to one person would be an arduous task. Surprisingly, the decision was a pretty collective one. This is largely due to my big realization about casting:
Physicality is important when choosing a role. I always found it extremely superficial to cast a role based on an actor's appearance, but it carries much more legitimate weight than I thought. After all, I am casting twins. They have to look somewhat alike, or at least be the same height. If that doesn't happen, then the play turns out pretty unrealistic. Moreover, there are many other factors to consider when constructing an ensemble, like diversity and chemistry. Factors that I never thought about when seeing theater, but now become so much more apparent now that I'm finally on the other side of a script.
Note to the cast: you were all chosen for your excellent acting. You fit so well into each role that you almost don't even need to act. The read-through today was proof of that. I'm so excited for the upcoming rehearsals, and then the performances! (Which will remain a secret for how... hehehe)
