Broadway casting director Cesar A. Rocha has joined CBS Entertainment as Director, Casting. He will be a new addition to the network’s casting department, reporting to Peter Golden, EVP, Talent and Casting and head of the department.
Rocha, who comes from New York-based Telsey & Company, will work on CBS’ current series, as well as upcoming comedy and drama pilots and alternative projects.
CBS’ top executives faced tough questions about casting diversity on the network’s series at TCA in August where a critic raised the issue that the network’s casting department consisted entirely of white executives.
“They have been together for long time in that department but we are cognizant of the issue,” CBS EVP Thom Sherman said at the time. “We hear you and are looking to expand the casting department.”
During his tenure at Telsey & Company, Miami native Rocha was responsible for casting live shows such as Lerner and Lowe’s My Fair Lady, Frozen: The Broadway Musical, Cirque Du Soleil Paramour, Jerry Springer: The Opera (off-Broadway), Sweeney Todd (off-Broadway), Something Rotten (National Tour) and The Bridges of Madison County (National Tour). He also worked on the film Into the Woods, with Meryl Streep, and NBC’s Broadway-themed drama series Smash and stage production Hairspray! Live. Rocha served on the New York board of the Casting Society of America as an associate member from 2013-2017.