Need actors!
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=3019
Printed Date: 10/31/25 at 6:42am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Need actors!
Posted By: smvaz
Subject: Need actors!
Date Posted: 3/05/08 at 8:55am
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Oh dear, I really need some help. I have spent the last year beginning a new community theater group. We have a board of officers, members, rehearsal space for free and a performance space for very little. Sound good? I thought so until last night when, at auditions for our first play, I did not get enough people to cast the play. It was in the local papers more than once, flyers around town, the people in the group so supportive and BAM; the play is not fully cast. What do I do? |
Replies:
Posted By: Nanette
Date Posted: 3/05/08 at 10:13am
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Get on the phone and call every person you (and your board members know) and ask them to call their friends, etc. and invite them to another audition. I've done this more than once to fill out a cast. People often don't think they'll get a part, but end up do because we're short people. You should also look at your script and see if some of the parts can't be doubled. ------------- In a world of margarine, be butter! |
Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 3/05/08 at 10:20am
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What Nanette said. Do that. Even well established community theaters have to get on the phone sometimes.
Linda
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Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 3/05/08 at 4:30pm
| Just out of curiousity, how big is the cast for the show you're doing? Is it primarily men you need? |
Posted By: stgdirector4
Date Posted: 3/05/08 at 4:38pm
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Exactly what Nanette and Linda S said! Here in NJ the situation is a little different, but the remedy is the same. There are so many theatres producing at the same time that many shows are cast by "who can email or phone the best actors first."
Are there any colleges nearby that have drama departments? They may know of available actors. |
Posted By: smvaz
Date Posted: 3/13/08 at 12:08pm
| Thank you all soooo much for your help. I did exactly what you said and cast the show! That's the good news. Bad news, a couple of characters are not too great. Do you fire them for being lousy? Switch roles? When is it too late? We are in the 1st week of rehearsal. Thanks. |
Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 3/13/08 at 2:02pm
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If they are working hard and want to be part of the show, I would keep them. Look for their strengths and and spend extra time with them. Everyone can get better. Keep it all positive and you'll be surprised how far they can come.
Linda
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Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 3/13/08 at 6:10pm
| You can't fire someone for just for being lousy. That's opening a huge can of worms not just for this show but the future of your theater group as well. |
Posted By: TonyDi
Date Posted: 3/14/08 at 8:02am
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SMVAZ,
As Linda S said, don't fire someone just because they're lousy. Well they MAY be lousy NOW.....but I've always said that (in most cases) the actors are only as good as the director or at least as good as the director can make them or nurture them to be for the intended purpose. Means the onus is on YOU as director to get them to the point where they need to be by the time the show opens. That might mean extra work for you as director, but then oh, well!! I once cast a girl in Steel Magnolias for the role of Annelle. She had NEVER EVER set foot on a stage, never did a show, had ZERO experience, and just actually tried out on a chance for a first shot. During auditions - and GOD was THAT a near nightmare - we had 95 women audition in two days.....I spoke to her about what I wanted her to try just to see what she could do with it, and I was pleasantly surprised to see her respond VERY well to my instruction. I CAST HER. 6 weeks later she was one of the best elements of the show - keeping her own VERY VERY well with the more seasoned actresses.
So it CAN be done. Means more work, more time investment to help them BE BETTER than they are, and using techniques to get them to where they need to be. Just don't make up YOUR mind about them until YOU have given them the benefit of what YOU as director can do to help them get what they need to be the best they can possibly be FOR YOU and the show. Good luck. Let us know how it all turns out - it would be interesting to hear of the success and positive improvement of someone who while they might not be great, can certainly be helped to be good and even reasonably better than lousy.
TonyDi ------------- "Almost famous" |
Posted By: smvaz
Date Posted: 3/14/08 at 9:36am
| Thank you all so much for your help. We will just try harder. I did use the term "lousy" poorly though. Our lead (a talented and seasoned actor) has an extremely bad back, which I was unaware of, and spent the first night of blocking groaning and lying on the floor, leaving early. He since had a shot and has improved some. The role requires some energy and movement. Our cast ranges from 15 to 80 years of age, and the 80 year old is a bit off balance and confused. However, your posts have helped and we will find a way to do this! Thank you so much. |
Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 3/14/08 at 10:31am
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It does sound like you have a very eclectic cast. What show are doing? Linda |
Posted By: whitebat
Date Posted: 3/14/08 at 3:14pm
| I feel for you, smvaz. We always have a problem getting enough actors to audition. I think mostly we're dealing with it by trying to choose smaller cast shows. It doesn't really help to have 2 or 3 more nights of auditions, since not many more actors turn out, and if they can't make it to an audition they won't make it to rehearsal either. Sometimes the show makes a difference, as some people just want to act, and others just want to be in their favorite show/a show they've heard of. |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 3/14/08 at 5:20pm
Yeah--off balance and confused, groaning on the floor and leaving early is something different than being "lousy."  I'm assuming you're set with insurance in case the elderly actor falls. Do you have understudies for these two?
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Posted By: smvaz
Date Posted: 3/17/08 at 3:20pm
| No understudies, but I am not giving up and in a pinch the asst. director could take a part. Do have a couple of people in the wings if this week isn't better! Thanks for your help all. |
Posted By: gaftpres
Date Posted: 3/21/08 at 5:35pm
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Welcome to the wonderful world of Community Theatre! Everyone has those problems and you learn from each you experience.
Community theatre is: Starring onstage one minute and taking out the trash the next. Gotta Love it. ------------- Old volunteers never die, they just get recycled! |