Chad Eric Murnane, CSA

Chad Eric Murnane, CSA is a New York-based Casting Director at Binder Casting. With a career in entertainment spanning a decade, he has worked in theatre, film, and television across the United States. Recent highlights include: Theatre — the Hollywood Bowl’s Into the Woods, Emojiland off-Broadway, national tours of Tootsie, Escape to Margaritaville, and the Tony-Award-winning revival of The Color Purple; Television/Film — Neil LaBute’s Full Circle (DirectTV), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (Paramount), and the reboot of Friday the 13th (Paramount), as well as a number of regional theatres. Before joining Binder in 2018, Chad spent three years working as a casting associate with Lisa Fields on film and television projects in Los Angeles. He has also worked with casting directors Marc Hirschfeld, Barbara Fiorentino, and April Webster, and as an independent casting director on both coasts. Chad is a member of the Casting Society of America and the Teamsters Union, and is a three-time Artios Award nominee for his work in theatre. He is also an advocate for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, serving annually as their casting consultant.

Chad’s casting philosophy — artists with fundamental talent, training, and stamina will be a  good actor in any medium — comes from a career auditioning multi-talented artists from the theatre, film, television, and music industries. Chad always strives to find humanity and humility in the audition process and create a sense of belonging for everyone involved. His warmth and approachability creates space for collaboration and creativity. Chad is also committed to investing in new and underrepresented artists, with an emphasis on moving the industry forward toward being fully inclusive.

He is a graduate of the CAP21 Musical Theatre Conservatory and an Interlochen Arts Academy alumnus. He is currently earning a degree in Media Studies: Entertainment Entrepreneurship at The New School. In addition to casting, Chad enjoys teaching masterclasses on auditioning at universities, colleges, and conservatories throughout the country to inspire the next generation of performers.

ARTIST STATEMENT: The arts influence minds, stimulate conversations, and confront us on our own biases. I want to use my artistry as a casting director to make it clear that the performing arts should be accessible to everybody, to transform how we see and understand each other, and to create artistic experiences that leave an indelible mark on our cultures and our communities.

Collaboration is at the heart of the work I do. By partnering with a team of artistic minds, together we can come up with innovative, and sometimes unexpected, solutions for every cast. My passion for collaboration extends throughout the entire audition process. I never settle when it comes to inclusion, authenticity, and making sure the artists being cast are the best fit for the role. Often creative teams shortsight the possibilities of what their cast could be, and part of my responsibility as a casting director is to push them out of what is comfortable. My casting philosophy that an artist with fundamental talent, training, and stamina will be a good actor in any medium, comes from a career auditioning multi-talented artists from the theatre, film, television, and music industries. Part of finding the right talent is fostering a welcoming audition environment where artists can feel like they belong in the room. When a performer auditions for me, they can count on respect, patience, and compassion.

Inclusive casting is at the forefront of my process. While the work is never done, I am committed  to breaking down barriers. When I worked on a regional theater production of Fun Home, the director and I emphasized finding LGBTQ+ artists whose struggles and experiences could inform the lives of their characters. I also prioritised inclusivity while working on a regional theater production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Along with the director, I advocated for casting a biracial, gay actor in the role of Brick. Even though the text was left unaltered, our casting decisions helped the stories take on new meanings. As a casting director, I feel it is my responsibility to work with creative teams to not only find the right storytellers, but to also demand that my work is inclusive and thought-provoking.

My permanent goal is to make the arts accessible to everyone and inclusive of artists from all backgrounds. As a casting director, I consider myself a creative matchmaker, bringing the right people together to form a successful partnership. Ultimately, I want to be a part of defining  the future of the arts by improving standards of practice, and by spotlighting the crucial role that casting serves in the creation of a project.