CASTING

[Derek2]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 1:35am

Im reading my Wicked playbill and it says under production staff "Casting by Bernard Telsey Casting". It also says that on many other playbills (different companies of course). What do these people do? Get in touch with the agents of the stars the producers want? Or do they actually CAST the show?? Like pick each person. I thought that was the producers job. Im confused. Can someone help, thanks :)

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 1:53am

I think the casting director does all the open calls and first auditions and picks a few people who they think are right for the role. They then bring the producers in to see the people they picked and then the producers cast the show. I might be wrong but that is what I have been told

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 9:34am

You are all forgetting the DIRECTOR.

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 10:18am

All they do is reccomend to the director/producers people who they believe may be good casting choices. The casting is hardly ever really theirs to decide. The producers and the director are usually the ones "in charge" so to say.

[lildogs]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 10:22am

yeah--it's the producers and the creative team who make the final decisions...alot of the casting director's job is just wading through the muck of auditions...

[Derek2]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 10:39am

That pretty much sums it up lol. Thanks guys :) I was just curious

[starlight2]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 11:20am

ddtruitt, thanks, that was SO informational, could you answer one more question? I know what an agent does, what does a manager do? and why would one need both? or do only famous people need both? thanks in advance!

[lildogs]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 11:25am

good info, ddtruitt, and of course, a great many people are cast because they know the choreographer, director, etc...connections...and that's what it's all about isn't it?

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 12:44pm

I just wanna add a couple quick things...

1) It was mentioned that agents take 10% and managers take 15%. While this is usually true, it is not always the case. I would say, though, if your agent and/or manager doesn't charge this...unless it is LESS, then I would not sign with them.

2) It was also mentioned that agents are franchised. Not all agents are franchised. STAY AWAY from non-franchised agents. To check if they are franchised, call the union they would correspond to and find out. If they are charging more than 10%, they are not franchised, and you don't even have to make a call.

Hope this helps some people.

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 1:08pm

potato potato. =)