Hofstra University Department of Drama & Dance

Responsibilities of the Cast Deputy

Introduction
The purpose of this packet is to outline the duties and responsibilities of
the Cast Deputy. Please keep in mind that the duties of the Cast Deputy
at Hofstra University differ from the duties of an Actor’s Equity
Association Cast Deputy, but this packet will use information from the
AEA stage management packet to help define the role of the cast
deputy. If there are further concerns about the role of the Cast Deputy,
they should be directed to Rych Curtiss or the Chair of the Department
of Drama & Dance.

Definition: The Cast Deputy will serve as the spokesperson and act as an
advocate for the cast and crew during the production process including read-
throughs, rehearsals, tech rehearsals, dress rehearsals, performances, and any
outside events such as publicity events, photo calls, or additional
performances.

The Cast Deputy will bring cast or crew concerns to the stage manager or
the director. If the stage manager or director is unable to address the
concerns in an appropriate manner or is part of the issue being reported, the
Cast Deputy should speak with the Chair of the department so that the
proper action can be taken.

The Cast Deputy should be someone who the cast members trust to look
after their best interests. They should be someone who is comfortable
speaking with the stage manager, director, and faculty members when
necessary. The Cast Deputy must be willing to pay attention to the rules and
be ready to report any violations.

Election Process: A Cast Deputy shall be elected by the majority of the cast
at the first rehearsal of every production. The stage manager should conduct
this election by secret ballot and the director and assistant stage managers
should not be present. The stage manager or their assistants cannot be

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chosen to be the Cast Deputy. Once the stage manager has read and counted
all of the votes and the Deputy has been decided upon, the assistant stage
managers and director should be notified.

Should the person elected by the majority of the cast be unwilling to perform
the duties of the Cast Deputy, they should make it known to the stage
manager immediately so that an additional vote can take place to choose a
new Cast Deputy. The same reelection process will take place should the
Deputy be removed from the cast.

Reporting Concerns: The Cast Deputy must deal with a number of

concerns and will report them to the necessary parties. Some of the things
the Cast Deputy should pay attention to are as follows:

 The Cast Deputy should make sure that breaks are happening
appropriately. The AEA and Hofstra University Department of Drama
& Dance break rules are a 5 minute break for every 55 minutes of
work OR a 10 minute break for every 80 minutes of work. These rules
are allowed to be broken ONLY in the case of a run, but the cast is
entitled to a break during intermission and after the run, before notes.

 The Cast Deputy should be aware if the rehearsals are going longer
than scheduled. Everyone, crew included, should be released by the
director at or before the time outlined in the daily call.

 The Cast Deputy should report any instances of unprofessional

behavior shown by any members of the company, including the
director, stage manager, designers, or other cast members. This can
include anything from inappropriate comments, discrimination, or any
form of sexual assault. The Cast Deputy should be familiar with the
Hofstra University Title IX Policy, which can be found here:
https://www.hofstra.edu/studentaffairs/title-ix/index.html.

The Cast Deputy has a responsibility to report any issues brought to them,
regardless of their opinion on the matter in a diplomatic and responsible
manner. They should report violations of the Department of Drama & Dance
rules as soon as they occur rather than waiting for further violations. The
Deputy may be asked to deal with sensitive issues and if the person

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reporting to them requests to remain anonymous, they should respect those

wishes.

The Cast Deputy should report to the stage manager, the director, or the
Chair of the Department of Drama & Dance, and should use their best
judgment to decide to whom they should report. The stage manager and
director should always be the first people the concern is brought to unless
the issue is something sensitive that should go directly to the Chair. If it is
necessary to report something and the Cast Deputy is uncomfortable
speaking directly to the Chair of the department, the Deputy may also
contact the Student Faculty Advisory Board (S.F.A.B.) either in person or
using their anonymous comment box, which can be found at
https://hudramadance.wordpress.com/contact/. The Deputy should remember
that meetings with the Chair are completely anonymous.

Conclusion

The Cast Deputy is a crucial member of the process for all shows, as
they are responsible for upholding the rights of the cast and making
sure the rules of the Hofstra University of Drama & Dance are being
followed properly. The Cast Deputy must take all concerns seriously
and report them immediately to the appropriate parties. We hope this
packet can help address many questions and concerns that may arise
during the process, but should there be any problems that come up that
are left unaddressed in this packet, please schedule a meeting with
Rych Curtiss, the stage management advisor.

Best of luck!

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Created by Maggie Latham

12/22/2017