Auditions and Casting

The following process should happen before audition calls get sent to our students or are sent to the public via Backstage, social media, etc.

  1. The Producer will send the audition call and sides to the project’s Concentration Head, Acting Concentration Heads, and Production Manager for approval. Please give two weeks for the Concentration Heads to review your materials.
  2. From here, the Concentration Heads/staff can approve the audition call, or if they have any questions or reservations, they will send it to the relevant committee (either Intimacy Committee or EDIA Committee).
  3. Once approved, the Producer can email the audition call/sides to [email protected] for distribution to the MFA Theatre Community. In this email, the Producer should affirm that it has been approved by the Concentration Heads, staff and relevant committees and cc the Concentration Heads/staff on that email.
  4. If the show wishes to publish a casting call on a 3rd party website after the audition call has been approved, such as Backstage or Playbill, the show is responsible for creating an account to make the posting. Any cost for this posting would come from the show's budget. This is a cost that can be reimbursed using the Reimbursement Request Form

Note: Use of AEA members (Actors and Stage Managers) is NOT permitted.

Note: 1st year Columbia Actors are not eligible for casting in Theatre Program productions

Your Casting Call Must Include:

  • CU SOA Logo on top
  • Correct dates/times of performances with approximate run time
  • Playwright and Title of piece
  • Playwright name should be 75%, Translator 50%, Director 49% size of Show Title.
  • Specific roles available with descriptions of characters
  • Specific instructions for actor's audition materials and how to submit 
  • If any character will have any moments of intimacy or nudity

This year ('24-'25), we will be allowing requests for audition and callbacks with the following stipulations:

  • You must request the space at the same time of normal EMS scheduling. No early reservations.
  • In the priority of booking, they will be placed below all curricular rehearsals.
  • There is no guarantee of space.

In order to have children under the age of 18 appear in a show at Columbia the following requirements must be met:

  • A parent or guardian must be present for all rehearsals and performances in which the minor(s) appears.
  • The minor(s) cannot miss school or education to attend rehearsals or performances.
  • A signed Minor Release Form must be submitted for each minor in the show prior to their joining rehearsals.
  • All Columbia affiliates (students, staff, and faculty) who will be interacting with the minor(s) must complete a Protection of Minors Training through the university before the minor(s) joins any rehearsals or performances. Please coordinate with Production Management to arrange this training.
  • A dressing room must be provided for any minors that is separate from any adult dressing room.
  • Minors may not appear in any productions that include nudity, even if the minors are off stage when the nudity occurs.

Live animals may not appear in productions at Schapiro.