Casting Policy
All Ithaca College students are eligible for casting in Ithaca College Theatre productions. The Department of Theatre Arts is committed to diverse, inclusive casting for every role, while honoring a playwright’s expressed intentions and adherence to licensing agreements. See Audition Information.
The Department of Theatre Arts adheres to a policy of open casting; that is, directors cast the students with the talents and qualities appropriate for a given role regardless of that student’s major, year in school, age, ethnicity, or gender. Pedagogical goals are considered in an attempt to provide each B.F.A. acting and musical theatre student with stage experience before graduation, but there is no guarantee that this will be the case for every student. There is no correlation between class (freshman, senior, etc.) and casting experience.
Occasionally, a guest artist may be engaged for a role in a play that might not be chosen otherwise and which will provide other challenging roles for students. The use of guest artists gives students the experience of working with gifted professionals.
All B.F.A. performance majors (acting and musical theatre) are required to audition for all departmental productions, directing projects, and ensembles each semester, with the exception of the opera or when they are studying abroad B.F.A. performance students failing to audition will be placed on probation. Students must perform as cast. All first semester acting and musical theatre majors must participate in monologue, vocal, and dance auditions, but may opt out of callbacks or casting, which should be indicated on the audition form in the fall semester.
In any other semester of their training, an individual student in the B.F.A. performance degrees may request an exemption from callbacks and casting in order to focus on academics, or due to other circumstances such as injury or doctor's recommendation regarding vocal rest. This request, in the form of a detailed rationale, should be submitted electronically to the area coordinator, department chair, stage management supervisor, and director of artistic programming no later than two weeks prior to the beginning of classes. The student should proceed with all audition requirements for the semester (unless the exemption is due to a medical condition). The performance area faculty will review the request and the student shall be informed of the approval of their request prior to the beginning of that semester's auditions.
“PLEASE NOTE: Exemptions from callbacks and casting are only granted in rare instances, and usually because a performance student is struggling academically, for health reasons, or to pursue another professional performance opportunity. This process is not an “opt-out,” and should not be used as an early exit from the training process. Production opportunities and experiences are an important part of the training over four years.
An exemption request must clearly state the rationale i.e., to focus on academics/studio courses, health reasons, or to be available for another performance opportunity, etc. If a student is requesting for an exemption from casting entirely (i.e., not wanting to be cast in a show) and it is approved, it means that NO permission to participate will be granted for other productions (of any kind) during the semester of the exemption.
Applying for an exemption does not imply that it will be approved.
Having a professional commitment or extenuating circumstance that conflicts with the required auditions or the start of classes falls under the
If you have questions, please contact the Area Coordinator for your degree program.”
Revised 16-DEC-2016