Ants are genetic and behavioral clones of each other, people are not. It would be a very boring world indeed if we were all completely alike. Obviously, a playwright must imbue his characters with particular qualities if they are to engage our curiosity and interest. Therefore, good dramatic characters are those that contain an appropriate balance of both universal and particular human characteristics. They must be universal enough for all people to relate to them, but they must also be set in a particular time and place.
Dramatic authors strive to reveal the universal in the particular.
The Casting Profession Casting as the professional level, especially in film and television is done by a casting director. Since 1982 this profession has been represented by the Casting Society of America. You will see the initials C.S.A. after the name of the casting director in film credits. It is the job of this person to interface with agents and sift through the thousands of potential actors for each role and to select only those that will best fit the part, do the best job, and help sell the product. This can be a very creative process in that sometimes an unusual choice of actor can make an otherwise ordinary project sparkle, or can be a career breakthrough for a young or long forgotten actor.