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STAGE DOOR CONSERVATORY
Offers four popular summer camp programs in musical theater and the performing arts to children in the 3rd through graduating 12th grade. Based in Berkeley, our programs are in close proximity to Albany, Richmond, Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda and other East Bay and Contra Costa communities. Acclaimed artistically, our day camps provide an enriched, supportive and often profoundly memorable experience for children interested in developing and expressing themselves as young actors and theater artists.
ABOUT THE CASTING PROCESS
In our casting process, we attempt to identify a role for each child
that is attuned to his or her stage of development as an actor and
as a person, and that will provide him or her with the opportunity
to contribute meaningfully to our production.
In considering the topic of casting, we always seek to meet our goals:
- To provide opportunities for the personal development and growth of our participants as performers and as people
- To present exemplary shows that everyone can enjoy and be proud of
These two goals must be pursued in tandem with one another. To accomplish
this, we offer pre-audition “workshops” which allow each
of our participants to develop the skills and confidence they need
to audition prior to formal casting. The in-house “auditions”
are conducted in as supportive an atmosphere as possible and consist
of material that everyone has learned together.
Traditional auditions tend to reveal the most polished and “talented”
performers in the group -- the actors we would cast if we were simply
seeking to produce the most polished production possible, without
consideration of other factors. Rather than relying upon the most
accomplished, vocal and confident students to assume the leading roles
in every production, we also try and identify opportunities that will
inspire other members of our ensemble to develop their capacities
as performers.
Since many children return to our program year after year, we are
often aware of their particular skills and talents. In some cases,
actors that have flourished in one or more leading roles in the past
may benefit from an ensemble experience. In other cases, we may feel
that a particular child would benefit from the challenge of a more
substantial role than he or she has been accustomed to performing.
Even a child who is participating in our program for the first time
may be featured in a leading role if their experience and enthusiasm
indicate a desire, willingness and readiness for such a responsibility.
As part of the casting process, we consider:
- A child’s general aptitude and skill as a performer.
- A child’s ability to focus on his or her role.
- A child’s enthusiasm for performing.
- A child’s developmental needs, as assessed through observation and careful review of his or her performing experience.
- A child’s availability to attend all/most necessary rehearsals.
- The need to create a balanced and successful cast.
Finally, here are the remaining “house“ policies regarding
casting:
- No roles are pre-cast.
- All roles are open to all members of our ensemble (and we traditionally invite each child to let us know which roles they are especially interested in).
- Participants are expected to accept whichever roles they are assigned.
- Where possible and sensible, we strive to be flexible and progressive in casting as far as gender, race and “type,” are concerned.
- Once casting has been announced, it is final. The only time casting may be adjusted is if an actor withdraws from the cast or if circumstances (like absence or misbehavior) lead us to change his or her role assignment(s).
- If we are asked, we will offer constructive feedback to a child on his or her audition.
If you ask, many actors once had a mentor, who encouraged and supported
them as performers. Someone believed in them and dared to give them
a chance. At Stage Door, we strive to provide that opportunity to
as many children as we reasonably can, while also ensuring that we
cast a sufficient number of demonstrably accomplished and competent
actors to keep the overall quality at the kind of high level that
is educationally rewarding in itself.
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