Casting Process
Auditions at Olathe South are competitive. We cast students that do the best on the day of the audition. Not every show has roles that fit every student. One of our former students who is a professional actor, did not get the lead in the musical their senior year. This student was clearly our best performer, but they were not right for the lead role in the musical. Several times, our best performer has gone from being considered for the lead to not making the show at all. This is hard to explain and even harder to deal with when it happens to you or your student. Putting together the team for each show is a complex puzzle. The Director’s job is to fit the pieces together in a way that allows all students to shine. Sometimes you get the lead, sometimes you are on production staff, sometimes you are in the ensemble, and sometimes you don't make the show. Learning how to endure rejection, continuing to work on your craft, and coming back to audition is the way to succeed in theatre.
Casting students is exciting, but cutting students is painful for everyone. It is the worst part of a theatre teacher’s job. Dealing with rejection is a part of theatre, as well as life. It can be difficult to understand for students and parents. If you want to be involved with Olathe South Theatre, you should be prepared to accept any role in the cast or production staff. If you are open to the possibilities, there are lots of ways to be successful in theatre.
Our Repertory Theatre classes read Audition by Michael Shurtleff. He was a legendary Broadway and Hollywood casting director. He wrote this book to help people learn about the audition process. The following are two short passages that deal with not being cast. We share these passages with students, but we think they are also important for parents to hear.
"WHY DIDN’T YOU GET THE ROLE?"
“Actors must not worry about why they don’t get a role; they should only concern themselves with doing the best … audition they know how to do. … Many times I have heard directors say about an actor: ‘That is the best audition we’ll ever see of that role. Too bad we can’t cast him.’ Their regret is genuine. But there has to be a balance in casting—the parts must fit like a jigsaw puzzle—and there are times when the best auditioners don’t ‘fit.’ An actor cannot concern himself with that; there lies madness. Just go ahead and audition well, cry a little when you don’t get the role you want, but never ask why. The why is usually a series of imponderables over which the actor has no control.”
"HOW DO I FIND OUT WHY I WASN'T ACCEPTED?"
“There is no value in finding out why you weren’t accepted; you’ll rarely learn the truth, anyhow. Since all the considerations in casting are relative, what good will it do for you to find out you’re too short for the leading lady or too tall for the leading man? The solution would be to go home and cut your leg off or put on a pair of stilts; neither will help you. Casting is a very subjective process for the auditors, naturally, no matter what objective criteria they use. Given readings of equal excellence, they are more likely to decide because “I like her.” There’s nothing you can do about that, so it’s better not to concern yourself with it. The reasons for not choosing you are likely to be myriad and complex, from the fact that you look too much like another actor already cast to their subjective reaction of not liking your looks or the timbre of your voice to the fact that you remind them of their first wife—reasons you can do nothing to control or alter.”
Just Keep Auditioning and Don’t Let Anyone Stop You From Achieving Your Dreams.
We hope that if you like theatre, you continue to audition. We announce auditions in the community through our Instagram and Facebook pages. If you are still looking for performance opportunities, you might check out The Barn Players, Olathe Civic Theatre, Leawood Stage Company, Music Theatre Kansas City, Culture House, Stage Right Performing Arts, The White Theatre, or Theatre in the Park. There are lots of ways to get on stage. Just keep auditioning and don't let anyone stop you from achieving your dreams.
Casting students is exciting, but cutting students is painful for everyone. It is the worst part of a theatre teacher’s job. Dealing with rejection is a part of theatre, as well as life. It can be difficult to understand for students and parents. If you want to be involved with Olathe South Theatre, you should be prepared to accept any role in the cast or production staff. If you are open to the possibilities, there are lots of ways to be successful in theatre.
Our Repertory Theatre classes read Audition by Michael Shurtleff. He was a legendary Broadway and Hollywood casting director. He wrote this book to help people learn about the audition process. The following are two short passages that deal with not being cast. We share these passages with students, but we think they are also important for parents to hear.
"WHY DIDN’T YOU GET THE ROLE?"
“Actors must not worry about why they don’t get a role; they should only concern themselves with doing the best … audition they know how to do. … Many times I have heard directors say about an actor: ‘That is the best audition we’ll ever see of that role. Too bad we can’t cast him.’ Their regret is genuine. But there has to be a balance in casting—the parts must fit like a jigsaw puzzle—and there are times when the best auditioners don’t ‘fit.’ An actor cannot concern himself with that; there lies madness. Just go ahead and audition well, cry a little when you don’t get the role you want, but never ask why. The why is usually a series of imponderables over which the actor has no control.”
"HOW DO I FIND OUT WHY I WASN'T ACCEPTED?"
“There is no value in finding out why you weren’t accepted; you’ll rarely learn the truth, anyhow. Since all the considerations in casting are relative, what good will it do for you to find out you’re too short for the leading lady or too tall for the leading man? The solution would be to go home and cut your leg off or put on a pair of stilts; neither will help you. Casting is a very subjective process for the auditors, naturally, no matter what objective criteria they use. Given readings of equal excellence, they are more likely to decide because “I like her.” There’s nothing you can do about that, so it’s better not to concern yourself with it. The reasons for not choosing you are likely to be myriad and complex, from the fact that you look too much like another actor already cast to their subjective reaction of not liking your looks or the timbre of your voice to the fact that you remind them of their first wife—reasons you can do nothing to control or alter.”
Just Keep Auditioning and Don’t Let Anyone Stop You From Achieving Your Dreams.
We hope that if you like theatre, you continue to audition. We announce auditions in the community through our Instagram and Facebook pages. If you are still looking for performance opportunities, you might check out The Barn Players, Olathe Civic Theatre, Leawood Stage Company, Music Theatre Kansas City, Culture House, Stage Right Performing Arts, The White Theatre, or Theatre in the Park. There are lots of ways to get on stage. Just keep auditioning and don't let anyone stop you from achieving your dreams.
Production Staff FOR Our town
Assistant Director - Caleb Mitchell
Stage Manager - Corwin Magee Bower
Assistant Stage Managers - Gaby Moya & Audrey Belden
Lights & Soundboard Operator - Connor Magee Bower
House Manager - Emeline Dahl
House Manager - Aly Arenholz
Costume Assistant - Adah Reid
Stage Manager - Corwin Magee Bower
Assistant Stage Managers - Gaby Moya & Audrey Belden
Lights & Soundboard Operator - Connor Magee Bower
House Manager - Emeline Dahl
House Manager - Aly Arenholz
Costume Assistant - Adah Reid
CAST LIST FOR OUR TOWN
(in alphabetical order)
Isaiah Bagby as Joe Stoddard
Julianna Bowles as Emily Webb
Chiron Crabb as Wally Webb
Madison Dumas as Mrs. Gibbs
Easton Echols as Professor Willard
Gunnar Galloway as Joe Crowell Jr
Noah Hastings as George Gibbs
Luke Hooker as Si Crowell
Alex Howell as Simon Stimson
Josef Kuehnen as Mr. Webb
Josh McCall as Constable Warren
Caleb Mitchell as the Stage Manager
Addie Posch as Mrs. Soames
Aiden Silva as Sam Craig
Alicen Silva as Rebecca Gibbs
Lake Sowles as Mrs. Webb
Bryan Swilor as Doc Gibbs
Justin Sun as Howie Newsome
Choir, Wedding Guests, Dead Townspeople
Mikayla Arias, Jaychelle Jones, Lucas MacNider
Hana Obaideen, Cole Witt
Baseball Players
Hunter Miller, Braeden Mitchell
Isaiah Bagby as Joe Stoddard
Julianna Bowles as Emily Webb
Chiron Crabb as Wally Webb
Madison Dumas as Mrs. Gibbs
Easton Echols as Professor Willard
Gunnar Galloway as Joe Crowell Jr
Noah Hastings as George Gibbs
Luke Hooker as Si Crowell
Alex Howell as Simon Stimson
Josef Kuehnen as Mr. Webb
Josh McCall as Constable Warren
Caleb Mitchell as the Stage Manager
Addie Posch as Mrs. Soames
Aiden Silva as Sam Craig
Alicen Silva as Rebecca Gibbs
Lake Sowles as Mrs. Webb
Bryan Swilor as Doc Gibbs
Justin Sun as Howie Newsome
Choir, Wedding Guests, Dead Townspeople
Mikayla Arias, Jaychelle Jones, Lucas MacNider
Hana Obaideen, Cole Witt
Baseball Players
Hunter Miller, Braeden Mitchell
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