I recently ran a casting for a new improv show I’m creating in the new year.

It was a wonderful, if exhausting, experience and I want to take a moment to reflect on what I learned doing it.

1. Why audition in the first place? Improv auditions take time and energy to arrange. In the past, I’ve been tempted to just pick a group of people I know will be brilliant and get going on rehearsals. I’ve come round to the idea of auditions quite recently. Auditions mean you don’t necessarily get the same faces over and over again. Done well, they promote diversity and a sense of inclusion. They say to the community that anyone can be part of our shows. That’s important. You don’t want a system where the lion’s share of stage time goes to a group of improvisers who simply get asked to perform time and time again. Auditions allow people to surprise you. Perhaps a student you haven’t seen in years has worked tirelessly on their improv in the intervening period? People deserve to show what they can do NOW, not be forever trapped in the amber of their skill level when you last encountered them.
2. Be prepared to be unpopular This is a live one for me. I had 80 people apply for the last show I directed. We invited 40 of them to audition in order to pick a cast of 8. You are going to make a lot more people sad than happy. That’s just maths. If you’re a recovering people-pleaser, like me, then that thought can be tough. I could have cast that show five times over with the level of talent in the room. But I had to make a decision based on my intuition of who would work well together. It might seem silly to say - but you have to cast the show based on what happens in the room. You can’t let friendships or prior knowledge of the person play too big a role in the decision. Of course, we can never be truly free of bias, but as far as you can, try to intentionally base your final cast list on the work done during the audition. Otherwise, you may as well have just pre-cast it.
3. Be efficient with your admin Being well-prepared in advance is (ironically) an absolute must in an improv audition. Be clear with room bookings, timings (particularly if you’re holding multiple sessions) and commitment levels. Put in the effort so that things have the best chance to run smoothly on the day. If you can, ask someone you trust to co-ordinate the administrative elements so you can concentrate on casting. Put together an audition panel in order to combat your own internal biases (and listen to them when making final decisions). Write out what you’re going to say as an introduction. I covered the following:
   1. What I was inspired by from the source material
   2. A talk about Boundaries and accommodations, especially relating to the source material
   3. The structure of the audition
   4. What we were looking for in cast members
4. Be the energy in the room It’s a hard job to actually run auditions on the day, don’t take it lightly. You have to be efficient and encouraging whilst also making sure everyone feels included and inspired by your ideas for the show. Also, if you’re doing multiple sessions, make sure you’re as engaged and observant in the final audition as you were in the first. Don’t improvise a new structure each time. Make sure every auditionee gets the same experience and opportunities to impress. If you’ve told them what you’re looking for in your introduction, pay attention to those things throughout. Don’t give feedback unless you’re prepared to give feedback to everyone. It’s probably best to set these expectations in advance.
5. Cast the team not the individual I’m looking for an improv team. I’m not looking for a cast of individual superstars. To that end, I’ll cast people who are supportive, thoughtful and actively trying to make their scene partners looks good (and that’s what I tell people I’m looking for in my introduction as well). Make actual physical notes, don’t try and keep it in your head. And if you don’t know many of the performers, write down a description of what they are wearing on the day to jog your memory. When it comes to making decisions - don’t just pick the absolute best people in isolation, keep an eye on the team you’re creating - does it seem balanced? Teams can be balanced in a tonne of different ways - gender, ethnicity, experience level, play style, emotional energy, familiarity with the show’s inspiration etc. Decide what’s important to you and make sure you cast a team across those spectrums.

<aside> 💡 Hey, my name’s Chris Mead. I write an article about improv almost every week. You can get the latest in your inbox by subscribing to my newsletter. Or check out the archive.

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