Child Actors on cast recordings
Child Actors on cast recordings
winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#1Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/24/06 at 10:25pmI was just wondering. With shows that have children and have an alternating schedule. How do they decide which kid does the album?
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COOOOLkid
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/15/05
#2re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/24/06 at 10:44pm
For Tarzan, both Young Tarzans got to sing in the cast recording.
With Billy Elliot, only one Billy and one Michael got to sing in the whole show.
So it depends, really...
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sondhead
Broadway Star Joined: 10/25/06
#2re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/24/06 at 11:43pmIt's whoever slept with the director the most.
#3re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/24/06 at 11:44pmI just vomited. thanks sondhead.
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#4re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 12:29amLogan - so not fetch. I'm telling Cody.
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#5re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 12:34amIt really does depend. Sometimes they use both for no real reason, like "Secret Garden" OBC. Even though "Lift Me Up" is sung by the understudy.
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#6re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 12:48amBecause by then, the OBC Colin's voice had changed (and I believe he'd also left the show). They recorded the show relatively late in the run, by cast recording standards.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#7re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 10:31am
I'm actually wondering why these kids need to be double and triple-cast.
There was only one cast of kids in Annie (with understudies and swings)... only one Oliver and Dodger.
It's not like these kids are singing the roles of Eva Peron or Christine Daae in Phantom every show. They're not even the leads.
I don't get it.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
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sondhead
Broadway Star Joined: 10/25/06
#8re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 11:37am
Usually it's child labor laws and parents with minds for their children. You say the roles aren't hard but most 12-year-olds aren't used to 8 shows a week staying up till 11pm each night! 8 shows a week is difficult even if there's no singing involved.
As for Annie and Oliver, I can't think of any modern Annie or Oliver that didn't have double cast children. It may not be like Billy Elliott where they each go on equal amounts but even Tony Award Winning Daisy Eagan in The Secret Garden had someone go on for her every Thursday.
One of the beauties of Annie and Oliver is the built-in understudies in the orphans and gang of boys. That's one of the reasons the shows are written and cast that way.
Updated On: 12/28/06 at 11:37 AM
#9re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 11:37am
"I'm actually wondering why these kids need to be double and triple-cast."
Kids need to be at least double cast because, its an equity rule that young children can't go on 8 times a week. I remember Jason Tam from ACL saying he had to go on as young eponine in Les Mis because one child was out and they couldn't put one girl on eight times a week as young eponine.
Updated On: 12/25/06 at 11:37 AM
#10re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 11:43amGYPSY has never been double-cast, so it's not an Equity rule. LES MIZ seems to have started the trend, and sometimes girls went on for Gavroche as well as boys for Cosette and Eponine.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
#11re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 11:48amIt is a law in England, hence the double and sometimes triple casting of children in West End shows. I don't know why they are doing it here. Rath is right, they never double cast "Gypsy."
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
#12re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 12:04pm
sondhead - "You say the roles aren't hard but most 12-year-olds are used to 8 shows a week staying up till 11pm each night!"
...Then what is the problem if they are used to it?
-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
sondhead
Broadway Star Joined: 10/25/06
#13re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 12:08pm
Sorry.. that was supposed to be aren't. I fixed it.
It's not an equity rule. I said it was a labor law but I'm pretty sure that's only in the UK. Over here it's usually smart parents who don't want to work their children like horses. Children are not physically designed to do stuff like that 8 shows a week.
#14re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 12:11pmWell, if it did start in the West End, Les Mis did too, so that explains the possible start.
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
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#15re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 12:20pmIt's been a law in England for many decades - long before Les Miserables first opened.
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
#16re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 3:07pm
sondhead - i know..i was just being picky 
-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
#17re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 3:36pm
LES MIZ seems to have started the trend, and sometimes girls went on for Gavroche as well as boys for Cosette and Eponine.
Only girls tall enough. There is some kind of regulation because of the size of the barricade. OTOH, all Gavroches understudy Young Eponine.
If you think the laws here are crazy, a German friend of mine (who worked backstage at several megamusicals there and in the UK) told me once a kid has worked in a professional show, they're not allowed to do another for a year, and they have TONS of kids rotate during the run. I think she said at any given time there were more than 10 kids rotating as Young Cosette, Young Eponine, and Gavroche in the Duisburg production.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
Trina55
Stand-by Joined: 12/11/05
#18re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 4:21pmI believe that's the case in the UK too - kids are allowed to do a certain number fo performances per year. So either they use enough to rotate them year-round (Mary Poppins has five sets kids),or they use them for a while, send them off, and perhaps bring them back (such as Young Eponines who return in later years as Young Cosettes).
#19re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 4:26pmI think "Gypsy" isn't double cast because they're not on for the entire show, like Mary Lennox and Annie are. Why that means Little Eponine is, I don't know, but I remember that I've seen "Les Miz" done were Little Cosette and Little Eponine are played by the same girls on different nights.
Some people paint, some people sew, I meddle.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#20re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 4:27pmi think a lot of it simply has to do with that kids cant handle the physical and mental stress of doing 8 shows a week. they are still young and cant devote their whole childhood to doing as much as the adults who have grown to choose this career and who have accepted what it brings.
#21re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 4:28pm
Why that means Little Eponine is, I don't know, but I remember that I've seen "Les Miz" done were Little Cosette and Little Eponine are played by the same girls on different nights.
In the OBC, Donna Vivino did 6 shows a week as Young Cosette and Chrissie MacDonald did 2. Brandy Brown covered all three kid roles. Later on they just had three girls (more or less) equally rotate, and on tour they also equally rotated.
Unlike the UK and Australia, the US has rarely had a kid exclusively play Young Eponine.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#22re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 4:32pmIs Donna Vivino still in Legally Bonde? She is still listed under the IBDB page.
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#23re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 4:40pmIn her FAME BECOMES ME bio, as of yesterday, she had it listed, so I assume she is.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
BtMartin25
Featured Actor Joined: 1/4/06
#24re: Child Actors on cast recordings
Posted: 12/25/06 at 5:49pmwho are you favorite child actors?
bt
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