Here's a collection of tips to consider when casting for Christian dramas and skits.
Talent Discovery
Try to involve new cast though the year you've never tried before. This not only gets more people involved but also acts like a secret audition for when you have a larger more important role in the future - you can picture who is capable of such role, having seen them in action before.
Auditions
Auditions are probably a daunting thought for most church members but might be needed to know if someone is going to be able to bring the character to life as needed. Instead of asking for auditions or tryouts, cast the people you think might be good in a smaller skit earlier - and see how they perform without them knowing they are actually auditioning for a larger part in the future!
Pray
Pray for God's leading in selecting a cast. Ask him to 'close doors' if who you're casting is not the best option.
Understudies
Rarely is an understudy needed, but every now and then people have to pull out at the last minute. Of course, to have someone ready to be able to jump straight in to replace them is ideal, but that's not always very practical for eery production, for starters it's not fun for understudies who never get on stage.
If a production is a significant one, it's best to have an understudy plan. Most skits probably don't need one, for the production often isn't THAT important (not the main event of the gathering), or someone could step in fairly easily with the short lines.
Having the option to hid lines that someone can quickly step into a role and use the prompts is useful. See our line hiding ideas.
It's possible that the writer/director of the skit (yourself) often acts in the production too. That's a lazy way to cast and remove a bunch of effort in finding someone willing and organizing rehearsals with them etc. But if you get sick.... it's over. Best, if possible, to keep yourself as the understudy to jump into any role that can't be fulled at the last moment.
If you are running a skit multiple times, you could have two people who take turns each time. That woudl give you an understudy who can step in.
Perhaps you can have a stage hand involved in rehearsals, and THEY could step in in case of emergency.
So you could 'cast' your stage hands as capable actors as a secret understudy. On the flip side, stage hands (who triger sound effects or help move props) could be a way to have non-actors involved in a production. Like kids or partners or actors.
KNOCK-BACK STORY: I once was a lead role for a two act skit during a Christmas concert of
1000 audience - and got COVID 40 hours before performance. Looking for a replacement I got 15
knock-backs before a "tell me more..." reply. It as unprecedented to have so many knock-backs, and
the 'yes' was from someone outside my usual circle, as if it took all the 'no's to make me search wider. So.... Why this guy and not me? Because he could deliver the lines better? Maybe. Because someone knew him, and only he could reach them? Maybe. To grow him, or myself? Maybe. To lead him somewhere?
I need to ask God why that person was needed for that moment when we all get to Heaven.
Once I was fixated on a youth playing a role (fixated = writing the script while pictureing them playing the role). Only he said he couldn’t because he had other duties on that day. I asked the youth pastor for any ideas and (without prior knowledge of my asking) they immediately suggested the same guy, even though admitting not having seen him act. I thought God was after this 'kid' for the role, so got the Youth Pr to rearrange his duties so he could act, and he nailed it! Why him specifically. Not sure yet.