Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Fiyero13
Broadway Star Joined: 6/28/07
#1Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Posted: 4/10/09 at 11:23amI saw one for In the Heights, has anybody done this before, what is it like, how big of a role do you get? I prolly would never do it but I was wondering what role do u get
#2re: Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Posted: 4/10/09 at 11:27amIt's literally a walk-on role. As in, you walk on and then you walk off. RENT used to do this, and the winner would be on the platform during "Life Support" and I believe they got to say their name as part of the roll call ("Steve" "Gordon" "Ali" "Pam" etc.). I don't know what IN THE HEIGHTS does, but I can't imagine it would be anything more than that.
Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. ~ Wicked
Everything in life is only for now. ~ Avenue Q
There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. ~ Rent
"He's a tramp, but I love him."
Everything in life is only for now. ~ Avenue Q
There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. ~ Rent
#2re: Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Posted: 4/10/09 at 12:55pm
At the Broadway Cares flea market last year they had several walk-on role auctions:
($8,500) WICKED
($5,250) YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
($5,250) HAIRSPRAY
($4,250) JERSEY BOYS
($4,400) IN THE HEIGHTS
($4,000) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
($3,800) [title of show]
I wonder what they did for [tos]. I understand when there's a big ensemble like the other shows, but when there's only 5 people on stage for [tos], what did they do just have some random person come on?
#3re: Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Posted: 4/10/09 at 1:00pmThe today show did a whole series a few years back where a bunch of people got to live out a life long dream. For one Utah housewife is was to perform on Broadway. She got to walk across the stage in Wicked and take a picture during one short day, and even take a bow in the curtain call. Full costume, wig, etc. Pretty neat.
"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert
philly03
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/07
#4re: Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Posted: 4/10/09 at 1:30pm
Jekyll & HYDE did it once and since they have many of those ensemble-esque songs, I believe the person was allowed to sing one line in "Facade" and one in "Murder, Murder."
Sounds like other than that .. sometimes you just get to walk across the stage a few times. There is a website that the woman who won that wrote about her experiences...I don't know if I still have it, but from what I remember you sort of sit with the stage manager a lot of the time!
#5re: Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Posted: 4/10/09 at 2:35pmAnd I remember that girl from Deal or No Deal who got to be in LA's Wicked. I believe she got to be in a couple of scenes (and curtain call). And it wasn't just walking on and off. I think she got to learn the basic blocking of certain scenes (such as NOMTW, One Short Day, and the finale) and walk/stand/sing with the ensemble.
RyToast1
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/07
#6re: Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Posted: 4/10/09 at 2:46pm
at the Roundabout gala, they auctioned off walk-on roles in Bye Bye Birdie. Two each that went for $16,000 a piece.
Fully-costumed, one night only, with lines, kinda deal.
#7re: Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Posted: 4/10/09 at 7:08pm
The walk-on roles vary from show to show, but they are similar to being an "extra" in a movie or TV show. You appear as part of the "crowd" in a scene or two, and as such, you have a costume, etc as appropriate, but I don't think in general you get a microphone (although it sounds like it varies from show to show). So you sing along, but the production is protected if you can't sing. (and you can sing without worrying about sounding bad!) At the Flea Market, the descriptions of what the walk-ons entail are more detailed than the description on the current auction. I believe that for In the Heights, you appear in the dance club/blackout sequence. For Wicked, it's "One Short Day"; for Phantom, it's the "Hannibal" number; for Jersey Boys, you appear as a club patron, etc. During the rest of the show, you hang out backstage with the cast and crew. And you take a bow in the curtain call. Depending on how complex the show is, you may also have rehearsal, wardrobe meetings, etc. And in the scenes you are in, you do the blocking/crowd reaction/etc. I know a couple of people who have done it, and it has been an amazing experience for them; the cast and crew was really welcoming and supportive, and you truly are in the show, appearing live on Broadway!
For the Flea Market [title of show] auction, it wasn't a walk-on; I think that the winner was supposed to have a webisode built around him or her, which I don't believe ever happened.
"What was the name of that cheese that I like?"
"you can't run away forever...but there's nothing wrong with getting a good head start"
"well I hope and I pray, that maybe someday, you'll walk in the room with my heart"
Updated On: 4/10/09 at 07:08 PM
#8re: Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Posted: 4/11/09 at 2:11amSpring Awakening did one in January and it went for $7,800.20. The girl who won got to sit on stage and perform "The Guilty Ones" and "Totally F*CKed" with the cast.
"Anybody that goes to the theater, I think we’re all misfits, so we ended up on stage or in the audience.” --- Patti LuPone.
DefyGravity777
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/28/08
#9re: Auctions for Walk on roles to musicals
Posted: 4/11/09 at 4:20amFor Wicked you get to walk across the stage during the Train Station scene,be in the finale(plus sing in it with everyone) and curtain call.
Don't believe everything that you hear! Only the peeps involved know the truth!
Videos