Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Youth- Same leads over and over?

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Theatermama
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Posted: 3/21/11 at 4:36pm

Does the freshman in question have any stage experience? My son was the Cat in the Hat in a mixed age youth theater up through age 16 at age 12 and he was phenominal in the role because it was the right one for him but he had been on stage since he was 5. I think you have to look at their stage history as well, I have worked with inexperienced adults that freeze from stage fright and 3 year olds that could do Broadway - no fear what so ever. I too like to give actors chances, I don't always pick the one people thought I would pick and I have never been sorry.

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MusicManD
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Posted: 3/21/11 at 5:53pm

I don't think he has had any stage experience, although I'm not really sure. We have a vibrant community theatre in our community, but I don't think their family has been involved. His older sister is one of my super talented juniors, though... strangely enough, I'm looking at her for JoJo. :)

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NDTENOR
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Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:24pm

If we are talking community theater or professional production I think we are talking one set of standards. But if we are talking "educational" like a high school or college production we are talking something else.

My personal feeling is that a community theater or professional production should always strive to cast the best person in the role. Period.

Colleges and high schools should strive to maximize the potential of students and I think sometimes that means getting the best opportunities available for each student to develop their best potential.

If I may use a sports analogy.... there are 11 players on a soccer field.... sometimes the "best" player does not play in his or her "favorite" position because of the "good" of the team. But they are on the field and playing ( if the Coach has half a brain ) . They are all " stars" and have a good time. And learn to work together.

In High School and College.... actors should be pretty much the same.

But .... to be clear.... I DON'T agree with this in community theater ot professional theater.

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Theatermama
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Posted: 3/24/11 at 8:16am

I definitely think a professional production needs to cast the best person for the role but with a community theater it depends on the mission of that theater. We have one community theater who believes in giving everyone that auditions a part and will even add roles to do so and though they try to organize them into best fit it does not always mean best person in any one position. The audience who sees this, is made aware of their purpose and accepts performances accordingly.

I am part of a community theater whose mission is to be a spring board for new thespians as well as a place for seasoned thespians to work. As a director, I try to find the best person for the role but if I can I like to give someone with potential a chance to shine. I often work with young people. With my last production, it would have been very easy to just have gone with the college actors only but I decided to double cast in high school actors and I chose an actor between 2 that usually doesn't get the chance. She doesn't sing quite as well but is a stronger actor. Generally the singing is so impressive from the other girl, this one loses out and I decided to reverse that and I totally wasn't sorry - she was wonderful.

Schools do need to give more students the chance to shine and I have been quite glad when my sons who usually always get cast in leads are given supporting roles - it has strengthened them as actors and they tend to remember those roles the most.

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NDTENOR
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Posted: 3/24/11 at 12:25pm

Theatermama:

I think that if a community theater has a CLEARLY STATED agenda of an educational component were the selection of roles are not entirely based upon talent and ability that is quite acceptable. But again, there should be a clear understanding of your biases by all that audition for your shows. Then persons can choose to audition or not audition at their own discretion.

Personally, if I became aware of this bias in a community theater group I was considering auditioning for it would be more likely that I would decide not to audition.

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Rorgg
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Posted: 3/25/11 at 12:37pm

Hey, it's community theatre. The objective should be assumed to be to promote the theatre arts in the community. That's a pretty wide objective, and it includes putting on excellent productions, encouraging participation, encouraging attendance, and education.

Most of your CT groups are going to be 501(c)3 orgs, so they'll have a stated purpose in their filings. It's public record, go look it up if it's really so important.

A group has to balance all those things. All of them will be promoted to some extent by putting on the best possible cast, straight up, but in the longterm, there are greater gains to be made on some front by putting in some effort to encourage participation by new faces. While I haven't had to deal with this directly as a director, I've been around when it came up for consideration, and they decided for the good of the company to put up a newer, lesser-known woman in a lead role than the woman who had been the lead in their previous two. It's important that from the audition they had confidence that the newer woman could handle the part, and in the longterm, it worked out well.

In fact, it doubly worked out in that the other actress was brought in as the AD and picked up some new skills that she would not have otherwise obtained.

I've actually given it some thought as an actor -- I actually turned down a CT leading role offered after a backout. One of my considerations was that I had been a lead and large principal in their two previous productions and very much wanted the lead in their following production, but wondered about the effect of prominent parts in 4 consecutive shows (ended up in a supporting role in the upcoming one -- good casting on their part).

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NDTENOR
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Posted: 3/26/11 at 3:03pm

So I guess the next time I see a CT audition notice which says : "All roles open " or " no roles have been pre-cast" I guess I need to go and look up their 501 (C) document to find out what they really mean by that.

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Rorgg
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Posted: 3/29/11 at 11:40am

If you're really that concerned that they may have goals that influence their casting decision beyond 100% artistic merit that will preclude you from working with them?

Yes.

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sguti39
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Posted: 3/29/11 at 2:56pm

I was one of those girls in high school who always got cast as the lead. After many compliants our director allowed the drama class to cast the show for Cinderella Wore Combat Boots. I was cast as one the 3 fairy godmothers which in this version of Cinderella was not a large role. So being the actress that I was, I got together with my other "mothers", and we created show stopping characters and stole the show. After the show when we went to mingle with the crowd, they all wanted to meet the fairy god-mothers...not cinderella, the prince or the stepsisters.

This was a hard lessons for my peers that it is not the size of the role that counts, but how you build your character.

Some of my favorites performances have been people who have NO...NADA lines. I saw a production of Urinetown, where one of the ensemble portrayed a blind character. She had the glasses, the walking stick, and danced in different directions from the other ensemble members. They would go and get her when she strayed from the group-she was hilarious. Another was the perennial angry stage hand who didn't cast (at least that is what his T-shirt said). He won a regional award for his role in INTO the WOODs.

I say take this as an opportunity to work with those individuals on their character development.

S.G.

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Theatermama
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Posted: 3/29/11 at 4:53pm

squi - some of my favorite actors are never cast in the lead but they do very memorable roles. I added a dancing Woodstock to You're a Good Man Charlie Brown who never spoke a word but had a very big part and lots of stage time and was called a "poignant mime" by the reviewer.

ND - what you do is look at the show being cast and ask yourself these things: Do you like the show they are doing and are interested in auditioning? Do you think there is a role you are even likely to get based on the parts being cast? Does your schedule work with the rehearsal schedule? Do you have a history with this director and you like how they direct? (if not skip it or listen to other's experience if you want) If all of these questions are answered satisfactorily then sign up to audition and hope they think you are as good as you think you are.

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Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Directing

Topic: Youth- Same leads over and over?
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Author	Message
Theatermama Star Joined: 7/23/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 60	Posted: 3/21/11 at 4:36pm
	Does the freshman in question have any stage experience? My son was the Cat in the Hat in a mixed age youth theater up through age 16 at age 12 and he was phenominal in the role because it was the right one for him but he had been on stage since he was 5. I think you have to look at their stage history as well, I have worked with inexperienced adults that freeze from stage fright and 3 year olds that could do Broadway - no fear what so ever. I too like to give actors chances, I don't always pick the one people thought I would pick and I have never been sorry.
	IP Logged

MusicManD Star Joined: 3/21/11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 91	Posted: 3/21/11 at 5:53pm
	I don't think he has had any stage experience, although I'm not really sure. We have a vibrant community theatre in our community, but I don't think their family has been involved. His older sister is one of my super talented juniors, though... strangely enough, I'm looking at her for JoJo. :)
	IP Logged

NDTENOR Star Joined: 1/18/11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 49	Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:24pm
	If we are talking community theater or professional production I think we are talking one set of standards. But if we are talking "educational" like a high school or college production we are talking something else. My personal feeling is that a community theater or professional production should always strive to cast the best person in the role. Period. Colleges and high schools should strive to maximize the potential of students and I think sometimes that means getting the best opportunities available for each student to develop their best potential. If I may use a sports analogy.... there are 11 players on a soccer field.... sometimes the "best" player does not play in his or her "favorite" position because of the "good" of the team. But they are on the field and playing ( if the Coach has half a brain ) . They are all " stars" and have a good time. And learn to work together. In High School and College.... actors should be pretty much the same. But .... to be clear.... I DON'T agree with this in community theater ot professional theater.
	IP Logged

Theatermama Star Joined: 7/23/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 60	Posted: 3/24/11 at 8:16am
	I definitely think a professional production needs to cast the best person for the role but with a community theater it depends on the mission of that theater. We have one community theater who believes in giving everyone that auditions a part and will even add roles to do so and though they try to organize them into best fit it does not always mean best person in any one position. The audience who sees this, is made aware of their purpose and accepts performances accordingly. I am part of a community theater whose mission is to be a spring board for new thespians as well as a place for seasoned thespians to work. As a director, I try to find the best person for the role but if I can I like to give someone with potential a chance to shine. I often work with young people. With my last production, it would have been very easy to just have gone with the college actors only but I decided to double cast in high school actors and I chose an actor between 2 that usually doesn't get the chance. She doesn't sing quite as well but is a stronger actor. Generally the singing is so impressive from the other girl, this one loses out and I decided to reverse that and I totally wasn't sorry - she was wonderful. Schools do need to give more students the chance to shine and I have been quite glad when my sons who usually always get cast in leads are given supporting roles - it has strengthened them as actors and they tend to remember those roles the most.
	IP Logged

NDTENOR Star Joined: 1/18/11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 49	Posted: 3/24/11 at 12:25pm
	Theatermama: I think that if a community theater has a CLEARLY STATED agenda of an educational component were the selection of roles are not entirely based upon talent and ability that is quite acceptable. But again, there should be a clear understanding of your biases by all that audition for your shows. Then persons can choose to audition or not audition at their own discretion. Personally, if I became aware of this bias in a community theater group I was considering auditioning for it would be more likely that I would decide not to audition.
	IP Logged

Rorgg Celebrity Joined: 2/10/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 151	Posted: 3/25/11 at 12:37pm
	Hey, it's community theatre. The objective should be assumed to be to promote the theatre arts in the community. That's a pretty wide objective, and it includes putting on excellent productions, encouraging participation, encouraging attendance, and education. Most of your CT groups are going to be 501(c)3 orgs, so they'll have a stated purpose in their filings. It's public record, go look it up if it's really so important. A group has to balance all those things. All of them will be promoted to some extent by putting on the best possible cast, straight up, but in the longterm, there are greater gains to be made on some front by putting in some effort to encourage participation by new faces. While I haven't had to deal with this directly as a director, I've been around when it came up for consideration, and they decided for the good of the company to put up a newer, lesser-known woman in a lead role than the woman who had been the lead in their previous two. It's important that from the audition they had confidence that the newer woman could handle the part, and in the longterm, it worked out well. In fact, it doubly worked out in that the other actress was brought in as the AD and picked up some new skills that she would not have otherwise obtained. I've actually given it some thought as an actor -- I actually turned down a CT leading role offered after a backout. One of my considerations was that I had been a lead and large principal in their two previous productions and very much wanted the lead in their following production, but wondered about the effect of prominent parts in 4 consecutive shows (ended up in a supporting role in the upcoming one -- good casting on their part).
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NDTENOR Star Joined: 1/18/11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 49	Posted: 3/26/11 at 3:03pm
	So I guess the next time I see a CT audition notice which says : "All roles open " or " no roles have been pre-cast" I guess I need to go and look up their 501 (C) document to find out what they really mean by that.
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Rorgg Celebrity Joined: 2/10/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 151	Posted: 3/29/11 at 11:40am
	If you're really that concerned that they may have goals that influence their casting decision beyond 100% artistic merit that will preclude you from working with them? Yes.
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sguti39 Player Joined: 8/02/09 Online Status: Offline Posts: 24	Posted: 3/29/11 at 2:56pm
	I was one of those girls in high school who always got cast as the lead. After many compliants our director allowed the drama class to cast the show for Cinderella Wore Combat Boots. I was cast as one the 3 fairy godmothers which in this version of Cinderella was not a large role. So being the actress that I was, I got together with my other "mothers", and we created show stopping characters and stole the show. After the show when we went to mingle with the crowd, they all wanted to meet the fairy god-mothers...not cinderella, the prince or the stepsisters. This was a hard lessons for my peers that it is not the size of the role that counts, but how you build your character. Some of my favorites performances have been people who have NO...NADA lines. I saw a production of Urinetown, where one of the ensemble portrayed a blind character. She had the glasses, the walking stick, and danced in different directions from the other ensemble members. They would go and get her when she strayed from the group-she was hilarious. Another was the perennial angry stage hand who didn't cast (at least that is what his T-shirt said). He won a regional award for his role in INTO the WOODs. I say take this as an opportunity to work with those individuals on their character development.
	S.G.
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Theatermama Star Joined: 7/23/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 60	Posted: 3/29/11 at 4:53pm
	squi - some of my favorite actors are never cast in the lead but they do very memorable roles. I added a dancing Woodstock to You're a Good Man Charlie Brown who never spoke a word but had a very big part and lots of stage time and was called a "poignant mime" by the reviewer. ND - what you do is look at the show being cast and ask yourself these things: Do you like the show they are doing and are interested in auditioning? Do you think there is a role you are even likely to get based on the parts being cast? Does your schedule work with the rehearsal schedule? Do you have a history with this director and you like how they direct? (if not skip it or listen to other's experience if you want) If all of these questions are answered satisfactorily then sign up to audition and hope they think you are as good as you think you are.
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