Playing favorites
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Directing
Forum Discription: For questions about handling shows, actors, crew, board members, children ...or do we repeat ourselves?
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2641
Printed Date: 11/24/24 at 1:49am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Playing favorites
Posted By: Laff
Subject: Playing favorites
Date Posted: 9/04/07 at 11:57pm
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I am so sick of my theater director to the point that I want to hit something. He plays favorites so much that there is literally no point for anyone to tryout for his plays well at least if you want some type of good role. Now he's relatively new coming from a different school replacing our old director. For the past 3 years he has established what he thinks is his all star actors which make up about 4 or so people mostly guys. He pre casts every show to make sure that they can do that play and pretty well. The only way he would ever give someone else a lead would be either if someone in the top died or something else misfortunate happened or if someone absoultely wowed him and that doesn't happen. He sets the bar like we're about to perform for the Tony's. I was just wondering if anyone else had this problem. Thanks. ------------- break a leg! |
Replies:
Posted By: eveharrington
Date Posted: 9/05/07 at 3:41am
I don't want to minimize your feelings about this, because I can see you're relatively upset about the situation, and there ARE people out there that are for whatever reason, just jerks, BUT I would be interested in knowing more about what went into your opinion that this person is "playing favorites". Are these favorites you mentioned sub-par in the talent department? How many shows are you questioning the casting on and which shows? I can sympathize with the urge to call bullsh*t on someones choices, especially in school when there seems to be so much of it flying around, but my point is that unless you are 100% informed of the other actors histories and auditions, the play itself, and the directors particular vision for the script, then it's difficult to call them into question. It's all subjective and it's a big part of what we're doing here.  ------------- "If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights." |
Posted By: Kathy S
Date Posted: 9/05/07 at 11:28am
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To me it seems to be counterproductive for a high school director to be afraid to branch out and give others a shot at being on stage. This happens in many schools, I think. What will this director do when those few favorites graduate and he/she has to develop some new people? My daughter (who when in high school was very involved in our CT and to a lesser degree involved in her high school theatre) was asked to direct a short play for her high school. When the student directors and their sponsor (the faculty-director) were casting their shows and my daughter wanted to cast a new person in her play she was told by the faculty director not to cast the newbie actress because she "didn't have any stage experience"! This inexperienced actress later tried out for one of our CT plays, was cast in a meaty role and was wonderful! The other high school faculty director asked her, "where have you been? why haven't you been in any of our plays?" Go figure.
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Posted By: Laff
Date Posted: 9/05/07 at 4:00pm
I couldn't agree with you more. Well basically it all started three years ago when we got a brand new theater director. He has a degree in music so all of our shows are of course musicals cause that's what he knows I guess. It's basically who ever is sucking up to him the most. There are two particular kids in my class one guy and one girl who are like best friends and love theater to the max. Anyway right as the new director comes BOOM they're all over him telling him that they're going to tryout together. They're the best actors in the school and deserve the leads. They have been taking voice lessons and they can sing better than ever. Now he buys all this crap and in our first play he gives them the leads. He literally started givng parts away and asking people what he wanted cause he just handed them the leads. They didn't even audition or at least not with everyone else. Nobody else really auditioned though either cause basically if you wanted the part and you kind of looked and had the persona of the person in the play the part was basically yours. Now there are many other people in my drama class along with them that have tried out for community theater plays. There have been such shows as Inherit the Wind, Cabaret, and Little Shop of Horrors. They have never got casted in one of those not even a chorus part. I think they have gained some what of a reputation cause we haven't sold out with them being the leads ever. I dont really know. haha just keep giving me feed back I guess. ------------- break a leg! |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 9/05/07 at 6:49pm
| You're young and have your health and your whole future is ahead of you. Don't stress it. Just try to keep positive and learn as much as you can no matter how unfair the situation seems. You'll be out of that school before you know it. |
Posted By: Laff
Date Posted: 9/05/07 at 9:44pm
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Thanks Jay yeah Guys and Dolls is my last play before I graduate = [ ------------- break a leg! |
Posted By: Laff
Date Posted: 9/05/07 at 9:45pm
Thanks Jay yeah Guys and Dolls is my last play  ------------- break a leg! |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 9/05/07 at 11:57pm
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Laff this is great experiance & grounding, if you want to go on in
this game. This situation happens regularly in Pro & Ameathre all
the ime, so you will be well prepared to handle it. with G&D even if you are just in the chorus, shooting craps &/or bashing a tamborine. Your in 'IT' & it will pad out your CV anyway. as the old adage says, "if you want to make your way in this bizo. It takes 80% Attitude & the balance made up with Aptitude!" Lets face it at your age do you really want being fawned over & traeted like a toffee nosed moron? Be in the shows watch, absorb & learn from looking on even in the wings. Some of our best &/or better actors/performers are techies - just ask or listen to them at times - they will tell you why they are! So Laff do 'it with Toi Toi Toi [Heart & soul] & to you Chookas {May you always play to a full house!]  ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: biggertigger
Date Posted: 9/06/07 at 1:50pm
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This is high school, the best years of your life and if you let these two get you down, you may not survive in the "real" world. Not to be the voice of reality, but you will find that in many different areas (jobs, school, clubs, organizations, etc.) there will be the ones that seem to be "teacher's pet" and you may be one of them sometimes. Your choices are to let it bother you or make the best of the situation and do the best job you can.
In my high school days (many years ago) there were the favorites (which I was not apart of). Now years later I have had a successful career in theater and life for them have not gone as well. And most of that was because they went through life being put on a pedistal and with that attitude they found that the real world had not time for that and they lost out on many opportunities because of it.
Simply put, don't let it these little things bother you. when you do your best you'll get better recognition then the leads. ------------- The two greatest days in a theater persons life, the day you start a new show and the day the damn thing closes. |
Posted By: Laff
Date Posted: 9/06/07 at 3:52pm
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Hey guys thanks for all the encouragment and support! ------------- break a leg! |
Posted By: rtpgurl
Date Posted: 1/04/09 at 11:20pm
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My experience with this situation has been the woman who used to direct the children's productions for our community theatre. Because of her, the word Nepotism has permanently become a part of my vocabulary. Each production was just another way for her to showcase her daughter in whatever role she wanted to do. It's an unfortunate thing but it happens. We also have the folks who cast the same actors in every show they direct.
Oh, we also have those folks who love to Pre-cast their shows.
It's all a part of the theatre....
------------- *that just happened* www.roundtownplayers.com http://rtptreasureisland.blogspot.com |
Posted By: midgetking111
Date Posted: 1/17/09 at 10:39pm
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One thing that really bugs my older brother, is that his theatre teacher casts everybody who auditions for a show, just so they won't get their feelings hurt if they don't make it. After I did my school's production of Willy Wonka Junior, my drama teacher casted me as another old man for my classes' comedy skit show. In May my entire drama class will be doing James and the Giant Peach, so now I'm worried that I'll be casted as Mr. Grasshopper. ------------- Mystery of the Suffocated 7th Grader-Perry Paulson Willy Wonka Junior-Grandpa George Air Uganda-Swami Ramblenonada James and the Giant Peach-James Trotter Throughly Modern Millie-Bun Foo |