Staff Spotlight: Alli St. John, Casting Director

CTC: Tell us about your background, what did you do before CTC?

Alli: I am from Cleveland, Ohio, where I started performing at a young age. I studied theatre in college and started teaching theatre and directing right after graduating, so I have been working with young actors for over ten years now! I moved to Arizona to earn my MFA in Theater for Youth and Community, where I researched how to build cultures of consent in educational theatre spaces and developed new work for multi-generational audiences. When I moved to Minneapolis after graduation, I taught for TAT here at CTC, assistant directed Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and served as Education Program Manager at the Guthrie. I have been directing and intimacy directing around the Twin Cities, as well!

CTC: What does a casting director do?

Alli: A casting director works with the creative team to find the right actors for a production. I familiarize myself with the script and create a breakdown of characters or “tracks” (if an actor plays multiple roles), understudy assignments, and help with the casting budget, which impacts how many actors we can hire. I also assemble audition materials, coordinate the auditions, and sit in on auditions.

At CTC, the casting director also sends offers to actors and creates their contracts. I get to be involved with an actor’s journey from auditions all the way to the first day of rehearsal!

CTC: How did you get into casting?

Alli: I have been casting shows as a director for over a decade! I have learned a lot about how to run an audition room, how to select audition material, what to look for in an audition, and how to work with actors just by being in auditions many times a year. This is my first job exclusively in casting, and it’s been exciting to partner with the directors and other creative team members to help them find the right actors and the right combination of actors for the production.

CTC: What is your favorite thing about your job?

Alli: I love actors, so my favorite part of the job is interacting with actors and helping them feel prepared and confident for their audition. I care a lot about how we communicate CTC’s culture, and for many people, that starts in the audition room. I want actors to know that we are excited to meet them and hopefully work with them in the future. I also love reading plays, which is a big part of preparing for the audition process!

CTC: Can you tell us about a past production that you’ve casted that you’ve been most proud of?

Alli: I feel proud of all the productions I have cast! The most rewarding part of casting for me is when I can see the potential in an actor and they totally prove me right! When I work on a team of other directors, sometimes they don’t always see what I see in an audition. I will really advocate for someone I think will be wonderful and grow during the rehearsal process. Those have been the instances I am most proud of—when I see that actor on stage killing it like I knew they could.

CTC: What’s your biggest pet peeve during an audition?

Alli: I don’t know that it’s a pet peeve, but I do feel disappointed when an actor arrives unprepared and doesn’t know what they are auditioning for. It’s normal to be nervous in an audition, but if the actor didn’t prepare anything, or doesn’t know anything about the play they are auditioning for, that can be challenging.

CTC: Do you have any advice for actors on how to stand out in an audition?

Alli: Make choices! They may not be the same choices the director will want, but show the team behind the table that you understand the character and make specific and detailed choices that reflect that. Be friendly and try not to let your nerves take over—remember that the director wants you to be “the one”! We all want you to be awesome, so go in there and have fun!

CTC: What are a couple of your staple “dos and don’ts” of auditioning?

Alli:

• DO familiarize yourself with the play or source material. If you can read the whole play, do that! Audition for plays you are excited to be in.
• DON’T feel like you have to audition for things that aren’t a good fit for you—the content of the play might not be something you enjoy and that’s okay. You don’t have to audition for that one.
• DO pick monologues from real plays and read the whole thing if you can. Pick material you like and will enjoy sharing with the creative team.
• DO rehearse your audition material beforehand, and often. Have a friend watch you, practice saying the words aloud. Rehearse how you will enter the room and introduce yourself, and how you will use the space, and wear your audition outfit to practice in! The audition should not be the first time you say those words aloud in an untested outfit.
• DON’T try to learn a brand new monologue the day before the audition.
• DO be comfortable in your outfit choice. Can you move comfortably? What shoes are you going to wear? A bold outfit is okay, but not distracting.
• DON’T wear a costume to an audition. If you have longer hair or bangs, make sure it is not in your face.