Stewart/Whitley, one of the most prominent casting companies in the Broadway space, has announced that it will officially close operations by May 1. Duncan Stewart and Benton Whitley cofounded the firm in 2011.
Stewart will lead the new, independent casting arm of RWS Entertainment Group, known as ARC. Binder casting, a subsidiary of RWS, will also dissolve.
ARC, which will be based in New York and London, will cast theater, film, television and commercial projects. Stewart — with casting directors and associates from the Stewart/Whitley and Binder teams — will continue to maintain casting needs for Broadway’s “Life of Pi,” “The Lion King” and “Chicago,” as well as for Radio City’s “Christmas Spectacular” and other productions.
Patrick Maravilla from Stewart/Whitley will join ARC as associate along with Mark Brandon, Kyle Coker, Anthony Pichette, Amber Snead and Jarrett Reiche.
“I always knew it would take something truly extraordinary to pull me from Stewart/Whitley and that is exactly what this new opportunity is,” said Stewart in a statement.
“Bringing Duncan Stewart onto the team to transition Binder Casting into ARC was a natural fit and will help spearhead the industry’s most exciting work,” added RWS founder and CEO Ryan Stana. “His reputation as having one of the most discerning eyes for talent in the industry will elevate our powerhouse team and accelerate discovering world-class talent. He also brings with him a firmly held commitment to treating everyone with whom he engages with respect.”
Founded in 2003, RWS provides ideation, design, technical, casting and operations services for live events, exhibits, branded attractions and more. In addition to the new ARC, RWS’ other subsidiaries include creative studio JRA and European entertainment experience company TED (The Experience Department).
