Casting Guidelines
January 2011 Update
These are determined by The Aerospace Players Board of Directors and are subject to change.

1. Casting Committee Responsibility

Responsibility for casting the production rests primarily with the Artistic Director. The Musical Director, Choreographer, Producer, and any Assistant Directors are responsible for advising the Artistic Director on casting implications for their respective areas of direction responsibility and on the casting decisions in general. The Artistic Director may also request other club members or associate members to participate in the casting decisions, at his or her discretion. The Board also designates a club officer or other Board Representative to participate on the casting committee, also advising the Artistic Director, with responsibility for ensuring that the factors described below are adequately considered. The Board Representative considers the draft cast list from the Artistic Director: if consistent with these Casting Guidelines, then the Board Representative releases the list to the cast; if not, the Board Representative first tries to work with the Artistic Director, then elevates any unresolved issues to the Board at large. The Board has final authority over casting decisions if unresolved issues are raised to the Board. Once casting is announced, the Artistic Director may make casting changes and substitutions as needed after consultation with the Musical Director and/or Choreographer for any roles requiring singing and/or dance, respectively.

2. Confidentiality

The casting process and discussions are confidential and must not be discussed beyond the casting-decision participants or the assembled Board of Directors by any casting participant. This shall not preclude the Artistic Director from including additional participants in the casting decision by consulting with them prior to making the initial casting decisions.

3. Primary Casting Objective

Casting should emphasize building the strongest overall cast within the guidelines outlined below. It is not constrained by individual performers' preferences or "fairness" toward giving the stronger auditioners the perceived "better" roles if a better overall cast is achieved with different casting.

4. Additional Casting Considerations

The following are not constraints, but just factors to consider along with the primary objective of achieving a strong overall cast:

1. Audition performance is the strongest overall factor in casting
2. Only current club members and children (under 16) of current club members should be cast in on-stage roles (includes any participants who enroll in the club at auditions, with the option to drop and not pay dues if they are not cast)
3. Aerospace employees and retirees are preferred over non employees
4. Air Force and other Aerospace Industry affiliates and immediate family are preferred over auditioners not associated with the Aerospace Industry
5. Behind-the-scene contributions in prior shows should be rewarded with casting preference
6. Rotation of capable actors in lead roles is preferred over repeated leads to the same individuals
7. Past performance in club shows should be considered to supplement audition performance
8. Ability to take direction during the audition and in past shows should be considered
9. Past attendance and promptness record in club shows should be considered
10. Past record of fulfilling assigned casting commitments should be considered
11. Providing unique opportunities for people to get involved in musical theater can be considered
12. Participants with outstanding financial obligations to the Club will not be allowed to participate in auditions without first reconciling those obligations

5. Overall Cast Balance

Preferences for Aerospace, AF, and industry affiliates should not be used to the point of excluding any categories from substantial participation. The ideal cast has a good balance of Aerospace, AF, industry, and local-community participation. In particular the Board is currently trying to build a base of industry affiliates.

6. Additional Auditions

The casting committee may, at their discretion and convenience, accommodate individual auditions outside of those posted. This should be completed prior to the posted auditions to allow the quick turnaround on the casting decisions. In extreme cases, the production staff may decide to cast a current member based solely on past performances (without an audition), but this should be the exception.

7. Self-casting

. The Artistic Director is discouraged from considering himself or herself for a leading role during the initial casting. Filling in for drop-outs or similar circumstances after initial casting is neither encouraged nor discouraged and generally at the discretion of the Artistic Director. In cases where other members of the casting committee (or their immediate family members) do want to be considered for leading roles, those members should not participate in the casting discussions for those roles. If self-casting is anticipated at any time, the Board should be notified as soon as possible and provided the opportunity to weigh in on that decision before the cast list is finalized.