How were the child actors cast?
Child actors were not scheduled for an audition until their parents had read the script. Approximately thirty child actors ages 5-13 were auditioned. During the first audition, director Anna D. Shapiro and Steppenwolf Casting Director Erica Daniels met with each child actor and made sure they truly wanted to spend their summer acting in a play with adults. After the children expressed genuine interest, their parents were brought in to confirm the nature of the play and its requirements and commitment. Daniels and Shapiro also solicited and responded to any questions about the adult themes in the play, and how this material would be handled. They once more confirmed that the parents had read the script. Shapiro and Daniels held a callback session in which child actors were ‘directed’ and given tasks to perform. Any questions or concerns were again solicited from the parents. Daniels is a professional casting director with over ten years of experience. She has ensured that Steppenwolf Th
