Theatre Professors, Cast Your Theatre Majors First

by Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog Founder

Every fall, bright-eyed theatre majors walk into their first acting class—nervous, hopeful, ready to throw themselves into the work. They’ve declared this major because they believe in the power of live performance and the promise of what your program offers. They're not just earning credits—they're investing in an education. In an experience. And let’s be real—they’re paying for it.

This message is for BA theatre programs and schools where anyone on campus can audition. If your stage is open to every major, then your casting process should come with a pause and a purpose.

When it’s time to cast your season, are you casting your own theatre majors first?

This isn’t about creating an exclusive club. It’s about honoring the students who have chosen this path intentionally. If we agree that theatre is best learned by doing, then we have to protect the opportunity to do—to rehearse, to perform, to take risks on stage—for the students who have made theatre their primary academic pursuit.

Back in college, I remember watching this dynamic play out time and time again. As theatre majors who were showing up to every 8 a.m. voice class, pulling late nights in the scene shop, and building our class schedule around rehearsals—we often saw leading roles handed to students from other majors. Maybe they were talented. Maybe they were curious. But every time it happened, it chipped away at the core promise of the program: that choosing to major in theatre meant you were signing up for growth through performance. Not just through textbooks, but on the boards.

And let’s be clear—there is talent all across campus. We love collaboration. We value interdisciplinary curiosity. But when an education or biology major walks in and snags a lead, it’s often at the expense of a theatre major who needs that opportunity to learn and grow. That’s not just a missed role—it’s a missed lesson, a missed milestone, a missed moment.

Our theatre majors are doing the work. They’re studying the technique, building stamina, and learning how to be professionals. They’re the ones auditioning every quarter, adapting to feedback, and growing with every callback. And yes—they’re the ones paying to be here for this exact kind of training.

Does that mean we stop casting non-majors altogether? No. There’s value in staying open. But we need to balance that with a real commitment to the students we’re here to serve first. Theatre majors should be considered before opening the casting net wider. Not as a rule to limit, but as a standard to uphold.

Casting our majors first tells them: your hard work matters. Your tuition matters. Your time and energy and passion matter.

It builds continuity. It strengthens the ensemble. It fosters leadership and mentorship across class years. It turns our classrooms into communities—and our productions into true learning labs.

So the next time you sit down with that casting chart in front of you, ask yourself: Who are my students? Who have I committed to helping grow?

Start there.

They showed up for your program. Let’s show up for them.

Give them the stage. They came here for it. And they’ve earned it.