Why is there so much precasting?

Dear Phil,This discussion on pre-casting is an interesting one for the potential hornet's nest it could stir up.By this I mean, yes I agree that there is an element of pre-casting in plays done for community theatre. There simply has to be. If there wasn't, good plays would not get a chance. However - I believe, if I am reading you right, that your beef is with *nepotism* more than it is with pre-casting for the 'right' reasons (which have been addressed by others on this thread).Having said this however, this brave director has at times gone in to bat for the side of complete impartiality and, unfortunately, lost. I have, in the past, actually tried to cast based simply on who turns up. A situation which had then to be recitified with at least 4 times the amount of effort. But I have *always* believed in 2 'laws' in casting which have stood me in good stead:1. Use the best actors you have access to.2. Choose the right 'dynamic mix'; in other words, I choose actors which I believe will complement one-another both on and off stage. This is because I am trying to serve the playwright first and foremost (something mostly forgotten by the worst kind of aspiring thespi-hams) and, secondly, because under the time pressures of productions these days, both pro and am, I simply don't have enough time to build ensembles as strong as I would like out of wholly 'unknown quantities'.These are, of course, very personal precepts that I have worked out for myself. But I think there is, at some level, conscious or un-, a desire to 'make plays' the best they can be and pre-casting can be an effective tool in achieving this aim. But it comes at a price; closing your mind to flexibilty in the casting process can rob you of the ability to build a stronger team and a stronger play. But please, don't confuse this with nepotism - a much different subject and a personal loathing of mine.RegardsJason