Casting an entire season of theatre is a complex, thoughtful process that begins long before opening night.
From nationwide video submissions to local auditions, callback sessions, and creative team collaboration, each role is carefully considered to bring together the right ensemble for every production.
With the recent announcement of our 2025/26 season, we thought it would be a great chance to pull back the curtain and take a look at the casting process.
So we sat down with Chelsea Anderson, Casting Director for The Phoenix Theatre Company, to learn more about how the casting process works. From the initial timeline to the behind-the-scenes decisions most audiences never see.
Whether you’re an actor gearing up for auditions or just curious about what goes into building a season, Anderson offers a fascinating glimpse into the art and strategy of casting.
TPTC: What does the casting timeline typically look like for a season? Auditions are happening soon, what happens after that?
Anderson: Each spring, we host general auditions for the upcoming season, welcoming in-person auditions from local performers and video submissions from across the country. It’s not unusual for us to receive thousands of submissions. My job as Casting Director is to sort through all of them and identify the artists who best fit the needs of each production, presenting those options to our creative teams throughout the season.
After generals, we hold callbacks for specific productions. A callback is just what it sounds like—we invite actors to return and read or sing for particular roles, often using material from the show. Directors may use this time to explore how an actor takes direction or fits into their interpretation of the character. Sometimes we have multiple rounds of callbacks to narrow it down.
Once callbacks begin, it typically takes about 6–10 weeks to finalize a cast. We aim to have each production fully cast around six months ahead of opening night. That advance planning helps our creative and production teams build around the actual people in the show and it also gives actors clarity about their schedules. When we plan ahead, it’s easier to assemble the strongest possible team. Our production teams can plan and design around the actual cast and actors know what work they have coming up.
TPTC: What are some of the biggest challenges in casting a season, and how do you overcome them?
Anderson: I am fortunate that I get to work closely with our fantastic creative teams to overcome any challenges in the process. Even though my title is Casting Director, I am not solely responsible for putting actors on stage. Our creative teams have the most influence in who ends up in the final cast. I cull through our thousands of submissions to select a small pool of actors best suited to the creative team’s interests and present those artists to the team.
Then, as the creative team determine who they like in each role, I shepherd the process along— advocating for artists, creative teams, production teams, and the theatre—and contract artists once they are cast. It certainly keeps me busy throughout the year!
Any number of challenges may crop up depending on the production. Sometimes we need a specific type who may be hard to find. Other times, we have way too many wonderful artists and must narrow down the list based on the tiniest differences between them. Theatre is a subjective art form, and different teams can have varying aesthetics when it comes to casting. Actors who may be talented and the right type for a role may not book it simply because a director, music director, or choreographer prefers a slightly different approach. It is a tricky puzzle to get a full cast together.
TPTC: What advice do you have for actors who want to stand out in auditions?
Anderson: This is such a valuable question that I think all actors should ask at many points in their careers. We can never stop learning as artists. Especially in the musical theatre world, artists tend to focus their training on singing and dancing—two very valuable skills, to be sure! But so often, they neglect really great acting practices. It’s not enough to be a strong singer and great dancer; I see tons of good singers and dancers on social media reels alone. Actors should tell great stories above all else. The music and choreography aid and support that storytelling (and the best directors, music directors, and choreographers use the story intentionally to make the most of their work). Without strong acting technique, pretty voices and lovely dances are just a spectacle. Never forget to focus on the acting!
In a broader sense, the industry is always evolving—styles, trends, and audience expectations shift every few years—so actors need to keep adapting. I always say: be a student of the world. What’s happening socially, politically, and culturally can deeply inform your storytelling and character choices. Versatility in voice, acting, and dance is key. Even if you can’t take regular classes, find a trusted group of peers for feedback, pay attention to notes you receive in auditions, and go see as much theatre as you can. Study what works and why. Ultimately, never stop learning and trying!
TPTC: What’s one thing about casting that audiences might not know or realize?
Anderson: Like any business, we work within specific parameters. Cast size and composition are shaped by many factors—budget, union rules, space, and show needs. We partner with Actors’ Equity, which dictates how many union contracts we use per production. These contracts come with different pay structures and benefits, all of which affect our overall budget. I work closely with agents and artists to offer fair compensation while staying within those limits.
We’re also limited by logistics—like how many dressing rooms we have or how many out-of-town artists we can house. If a local actor books another show, we may need to find a new performer quickly, sometimes even from outside the area. On top of that, each production has specific casting needs—maybe more women, or actor-musicians, or ballet-trained dancers. There are so many moving parts before we even start auditions, and I always remind actors: much of the process is out of their control.
The most important thing artists can do is showcase their talents to the best of their ability and forget the rest. If they are not cast for some reason, it is usually not a reflection of their talent; it almost always has something to do with the rest of the puzzle.
TPTC: What’s one of the most rewarding aspects of your job?
Anderson: As corny as it may be, I truly love when I get to tell an actor they get to play their dream role—and we will pay them to do it! Even through email, I can sense their excitement when I get a response littered with exclamation points.
Artists work incredibly hard, and the industry can be really challenging. Seeing that work pay off when they book a great role is pure joy. It balances out all the times I have to say no to actors, many of whom have worked equally hard but didn’t fit the production for whatever reason. Most artists continue to do the work because they simply love it. They aren’t happy without theatre. As an artist who shares that feeling, I absolutely get it. We all work in this industry because doing anything else would be a disappointment.
Seeing audiences fall in love with a performer’s talent on opening night is a continuation of that joy I experience in offering the actor the role. We do this hard thing so that we can share great stories with audiences. For me, there is no greater joy than producing a spectacular performance.
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