Working with Actors (Schapiro)

You are not guaranteed space for auditions. You will need to submit a request through the standard Room Reservation Policy. 

The content of casting ads must be approved by the Production Manager before submission to any publication. Not receiving prior approval may result in the cancellation of the call.

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

Note: The Acting Faculty must approve any casting of 2nd or 3rd year Columbia Actors in Columbia Theatre Directing Projects before casting is finalized. Please submit the request to cast a specific Columbia Actor to James Calleri and Peter J. Fernandez.

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

  1. The producer will send the audition call and sides to the project’s Concentration Head, Acting Concentration Heads, and the Production Manager. Please give two weeks for the Concentration Heads to review your materials.

    • For 2nd Year Materials and Shakespeare, Anne Bogart and Brian Kulick would approve.

    • For 2nd Year Presentations, all Concentration Heads would approve.

  2. From here, the Concentration Heads/PM 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 the Assistant Director of Academic Administration and Student Office Manager 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/PM on that email.

All cast members must complete the Waiver/Photo Release online before the first rehearsals.

Every member of the production and creative team involved in a presentation which require the presence of a person under 18 years old, must complete the Columbia University Protection of Minors Training. The parent/guardian of the minor must all complete the Minor Release Form.

All members of the cast and creative team who are working on scenes containing nudity or sexual content must adhere to the Protocols for Rehearsing & Performing Materials Containing Sexual Content, sign the form attesting to this fact and submit the form to the PM before the first rehearsal with said content.

If there is any fighting staged, the production must have a certified fight choreographer. The use of all weapons, including prop weapons, requires the production to review the Safety Guide to Using Prop Weapons and submit the Prop Weapon Usage form.

If a Columbia student - who is also a member of the creative team - injures themselves during a rehearsal or performance, report the incident to the Production Manager and to the Dean of Student and Alumni Affairs as soon as possible. If a Columbia staff member or student - in the capacity of an employee of Columbia University (e.g., The Crew @ Schapiro Rep) injures themselves during a rehearsal or performance, a Departmental Accident Report Form must be completed and submitted to the Director of Production as soon as possible.