Once Casting is Announced…
We’ve seen it in every theatre movie and TV show - the moment when the cast list is posted and everyone flocks to see who they will be playing. Although we don’t have a traditional cast list like the movies, we do know how much excitement and anxiety can come with casting announcements. We know that this can be overwhelming to process so here are a few ways to navigate the intense emotions that come with the cast list.
YOU’RE SUPER HAPPY AND EXCITED ABOUT YOUR ROLE
Congratulations! That’s awesome! You deserve to celebrate and feel proud of yourself, however,remember that other people may not be as happy as you, so please be sensitive to others' feelings.
Avoid bragging. You should be proud of yourself, but consider how you express your excitement and pride.
Encourage your friends by:
Celebrating equally for friends in every role (not just the leading roles)
Pointing out the positive things about your friends' parts (if you don’t know what those things are, ask positive questions!)
Hold space for your friends by:
Allowing them to be discouraged and validating their disappointment
Giving them time to feel their emotions: not trying to convince them to feel differently, or amping them up if they’re not ready for that
Being supportive without having to talk poorly about their role, the casting team, or the other actors cast in the role your friend wanted.
This can be difficult but using the script “I know you’re upset right now,, and I want to hear how you’re feeling, but I don’t think (blaming/being upset with/talking negatively about….) is going to help.”
Setting Boundaries
Setting boundaries with your friends can be really tough, and some people might not understand how to respect them. However, it is important to set boundaries so you can show up for others without compromising caring for yourself, and that can be important as you hold space for your role and excitement in the show while being there for a friend.
Using the script “I really care about you, but I won’t talk poorly about (the casting team / our cast mate / your role). Let me know if there are other ways I can show up for you.”
Letting them know that you are there for them and that they can reopen the conversation another day if needed
YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR ROLe
We’re sorry you’re feeling disappointed, and we know that can be really hard to process, especially when there’s someone else who got the role you were hoping for. Know that our team cares about you, and we want to be there to support you. Here are some quick tips about processing your feelings of disappointment so that you can get back to doing what you love:
What to do when you’re disappointed:
Be honest with how you’re feeling
Prioritize self care and kindness
Reach out to your support system
Ask for feedback (see below)
Try to ind things that excite you about your role
Show up with a good attitude
What not to do when you’re disappointed
Ignore how you’re feeling
Make snap decisions based on how you’re feeling: dropping out of the program, talking poorly about the show and others
Take casting personally by making assumptions that the role you were cast in says something about you as a person or reflects how the creative team feels about you
Blame the casting team or other students for your disappointment
Create an unsupportive rehearsal environment for others
HOW TO ASK FOR FEEDBACK
Oftentimes, students want feedback immediately after hearing their casting results. However, when you’re feeling down or super emotional, it’s not necessarily the best time to dive into discussing your areas of improvement. If after taking a few days to process casting announcements, you’re still feeling extremely discouraged, feel free to reach out to us. Sometimes students and their families need some help with strategies to process casting disappointment together. If this is the case, you’re welcome to book a meeting with us, during which we can breakdown the casting process together and discuss the nuance of your role in the show. We want to hold space for your feelings and support you in getting excited about your role however we can.
If you would like feedback on your performance last season, your audition, roles that would suit you in the future, or how to set goals for yourself going forward, , we recommend booking a consultation with us in the Spring or early Summer. Discussing goals and dream roles a few weeks before casting doesn’t typically give you time to develop the skills needed to achieve those goals. We recommend setting goals for yourself that involve long term achievable growth, not ones that are motivated by short term desires to land certain roles.
Casting can be a highly emotional process for everyone. Those who are cast in their desired roles might experience anxiety around the responsibility of playing a lead. Those who are happy with their casting often experience the challenge of supporting disappointed friends. No matter what happens during casting, we find that more often than not, students find joy in their character’s journey and see why they were cast in their roles once they start rehearsing and hit the stage.. The short term frustration dissipates with the fulfillment that comes with putting on a successful show, building a beautiful community, and all of the hard work finally paying off at the end of a great season.
We wish you all the best this year and hope that these blog posts give you some helpful tools to navigate the casting season with confidence, curiosity, and joy.
