I can't be that terrible!
I can't be that terrible!
lachanteuse
Swing Joined: 9/6/06
#1I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 3:43am
Hi! I'm a junior in high school who transferred schools after sophomore year. One of the main reasons for my switch was the better theater department at my new school, but my (would-be) director has cut me from three (THREE!) shows in a row. I haven't been on stage since I came to the school, and it's driving me crazy! I am talented enough to have been accepted at a very competitive local cabaret group, but have been cut from all the shows my school has put on this year.
I know rejection is a normal part of theater, but as the girl who got leads at her old school, something seems odd about this (especially since I'm one of the few people being cut from these shows, which have fairly large casts/choruses).
Any advice, please? Explanations? Condolences?
katieface
Chorus Member Joined: 10/23/06
#1re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 3:53am
oh man i'm sorry! thats so lousy. I completely understand where you are coming from. My senior year at auditions I had my best audition i've ever had ( i was always pretty shy about singing infront of my music dept because it was FULL of divas ) so I was humble but proud of how i pulled it off. Everyone said i had nailed the lead.
yeah i didnt.
a girl with a moustache got it.
boo.
I hope they notice your talent soon then! Blow them away!
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#2re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 3:20pm
damn, that really sucks.
maybe it's your audition material? i know a lot of directors who will cut people just because of their songs/monologues. did you do wicked, or rent or something? i mean, that could be the reason!
#3re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 3:25pm
A girl in my grade (11) transferred back into our school last year after 2 years at the catholic high school, and was so cranky that "just because they didn't know her that well" She wound up being a 1-lined character in our Drama show last year, and went on about how at her old school she had gotten a lead role in a show.
Well, you're story is different dear, because you sound very talented.
She pretty much sucked, so I guess there isn't much talent in our local catholic hig school.
Shes a sweetheart though, don't get me wrong, but a bit of a partyhartyDiva streak in her.
I hope that they give you some recognition soon.
gumbo2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/21/05
#4re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 4:46pmSometimes there's a real heirarchy in high school drama programs, so maybe they just have picked favorites, or people who they know have been working hard since freshman year. I bet it does have something to do with that they just don't know you really. Or maybe you weren't right for the parts in the show? Anyway, good luck in the future.
#5re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 5:33pmTell me about it, they love me come play time, but when the musical comes around I feel like I'm drowning in their sea of favoritism.
#6re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 6:02pmwait, by cut do you mean you were already cast and they cut you from the show. in which case, maybe you weren't showing enough resposibility in memorizing your music, blocking, lines, etc., or do you mean you didn't get cast at all? if that's it well there could be many factors, what everyone above said, or they're saving lead roles for seniors which is a pain in the a**, but when you're a senior you'll behappy about it.
Perfectly Marvelous
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/16/06
#7re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 8:57pm
When I was a senior in HS, I wanted to be in the one act play. So I auditioned and even got a callback, so I thought "Wow, I must be pretty good." [considering I didn't get a call back for West Side Story, the school's spring musical]. The cast list gets posted, I don't bother to check because I'm late and have to get to my locker, and my teacher [who also directs the one acts and plays] happens to see me. He asks "Have you checked the cast list yet?" I reply "No." He says, "Don't bother because you're not on there."
And that really hurt my feelings -- so much so I was crying in my first period class.
Long story short: My friend, who got the role, dropped out (due to issues with the material of the play) and guess who my director asked to take over?
[It wasn't a small part, either, it was a pretty big role.]
My advice:
Don't give up. The worst thing you can do right now is throw the towel in and walk away. Sure, it's annoying, and I'm certain that you're frustrated beyond belief with the drama department. But you know what? As long as you stay persistent and don't back off, then they'll realize they have someone who truly dserves to be onstage.
"Yes, the brutalities of progress are called revolutions. When they are over, men recognize that the human race has been harshly treated but it has moved forward." - Les Miserables
#8re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 10:15pm
Or..... you can be like me!
I never got cast in a SINGLE straight play at my high school and was only ever one-liners in the musicals, including senior year where a FRESHMAN got Nicely-Nicely in Guys and Dolls while my friend and I got the other stupid guys in the Fugue, but now I'm the only one who's a working actor and the rest are doing nothing.... LOL
When I got to college, the directors actually were smart and didn't cast for stupid reasons.
Basically, everything will work out, you just can't let it get you down. High School theatre sucks anyway, go for Community theatre and Summerstock stuff, it'll be waaay more worthwhile as far as a learning experience.
#9re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 10:21pmI'm sorry, The same thing is happening to me. I mean can't they cast me in SOMETHING
#10re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 10:25pm
Too bad there's no Community Theatre around here,
and unless I go to college down in the city (which may happen, not sure yet.) Then Summer Stock is out.
Sigh, favoritism sucks.
Not only because I can't get cast in the musicals except in ensemble, but because I never know if I've got ptoential or not.
#11re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 11:52pm
do community theater! it'll bring your mood straight up. i'm a senior and a very established member of the drama club and have had leads all throughout high school, but all of a sudden when they're picking pieces for District competition and our yearly variety show, i'm not on either list. its funny because you can't think of any good reason for this crap to happen, right? you think it might be favoritism or seniority, but besides the fact that i'm actually a senior, ive been picked over seniors many times. you think it might be giving people a chance that don't usually get to, but two out the three solos picked for comp. took solos last year. one is even performing the same solo in our one-act. then you might think that you had a bad audition or sang the "wrong song" or something, but i sang an obscure piece (by y troupe's standards) and although it was J.R. Brown, about ten people sang a JRB song after me and a number of them got in.
you see there's always extenuating circumstances. its your job to be the much MUCH better person than some of these drama teachers and rise above it all and say "i know i'm awesome and i'll show you" and then go land a role in a community theater show. around my area, they practically harvest people who are amazing and dedicated and are sick and done with the stupidities of high school theater.
i know you'll go far... all of you. we all will. and when we're all on Broadway being awesome, we'll be like "hi! didn't i meet you on BWW? i see you've come far!"
#12re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/4/06 at 11:57pm
You know what,
I actually think about that everyday.
When I'm feeling down, I kind of suagr coat myself and say that I'll make it one day, and I'll see all you guys there with me, and the world will be good.
"Wait... Aren't you starstruck!?"
"((gasp)) comababy!?"
Hahaha, well that's the dream.
Right now I just want some community theatre around here...
NathanLaneStalker
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
#13re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/5/06 at 6:07am
Sorry to hear that! It's never happened to me but I haven't been IN a show since Feb....that bums me out!
#14re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/5/06 at 5:22pm
haha i can see it!
SpamalotDiva
Stand-by Joined: 2/10/06
#15re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/5/06 at 6:58pm
At my school it is favorites... and I was a least favorite lst year... So in Cinderella I got 1 line... this year I made sure I was perfect and our show was Peter Pan and I wanted to be Mrs.Darling... and I got the part so a little sucking up can go a long way!
Sammi
#16re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/10/06 at 11:12am
Uggh. I'm sorry! That stinks.
SpamalotDiva, yeah I know someone like that...but she goes to a different school and recently she's been doing plays at our comm. theatre. Ugh, I can't stand that brat!
#17re: I can't be that terrible!
Posted: 12/10/06 at 12:54pmBig fish in a small pond transfers to a better program with a more even spread of talent?
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