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Page:How a play is produced by Karel Čapek (1928).pdf/23

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Casting the Play

OF course, before the actual rehearsals begin there is the business of casting the play. The author now makes the valuable discovery that this is anything but easy. There are in the play, let us say, three ladies and five gentlemen. For the eight rôles, therefore, the author chooses eight or nine of the best players in the theatre ensemble, and declares that he has written the parts specially for them, and for them alone. It is a wonder that he does not call up Moshna, the famous Czech comedian, out of the grave to play a part—“It’s only a small one, but very important.” So far so good. He now hands his list to the producer, and the matter wanders, as they say, “higher up.”

Now, however, it turns out that:

1. Miss A. cannot take the principal rôle

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