Double-casting a Show

My pal Angela wrote in and asked about the practice of "double-casting" a show. It's unusual for community theatre groups in our area, but it has been done locally.

The idea is that you cast (and rehearse) two separate groups of actors for the same show. Sometimes you just double-cast the lead actors, sometimes you double up the entire cast. It's usually done when you have a huge turnout for a show and want to give as many performers as possible the chance to play the lead roles. It's also done when you're doing a show with a small cast. Double-casting allows you to bring twice the number of performers into the mix.

There are other good reasons to double-cast. If something happens to one performer, his or her "double" from the other cast can fill in. Or if one performer isn't working out or has to leave the show, you have a backup ready to go.

But there are good reasons not to double-cast. For one thing, it makes the job of the director much more difficult, and it doubles the amount of time it takes to prepare. You can use the same set, but must come up with twice as many costumes. So the logistics can be a challenge. On show nights, they rotate the casts so each group performs on alternate nights.

I can think of three shows offhand where First Stage Theatre Company double-cast the show: Charlotte's Web (which actually had two directors, each one working with one cast), Schoolhouse Rock Live (which double-cast the five or six lead roles only and also had co-directors) and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (which had two casts - one made up of High School actors and the other with Middle School actors).

Those shows all worked out great, but it was a strain on the Directors, and I suspect that's why it's such a rare thing. I can't think of any other community theatre group that has used double-casting, so if anyone out there knows of more examples, feel free to pass them along.

But it's a rare practice for a good reason. Putting on a show is already a major challenge, and double-casting just makes it that much more difficult.