HELP!! Type casting

[aces25]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 7:50pm

I was cast in a role in my high school show that is a type of role i've played a million times!! What should I do? I feel unchallenged and this is a not just an extra-cirricular thing but a class too. Thanks!

[gumbo2]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 7:58pm

Sorry. I think you've just got to try to approach the role differently than all the other ones, try to maybe get deeper into the character, analyze more, keep yourself interested. In my opinion you can always go further. What role is it? What roles have you had in the past? Good luck.

[Pippin]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 7:59pm

Sorry, about that. but you need to know that if you are going to pursue this as a career, this is what is going to happen typecasting happens all the time, so the best thing to do is figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are asap and know who you are both as a person and as a character.

[rose&lark]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 7:59pm

Talk to your director, explain to them your feelings on this issue. Realize that they probably cast you in that role because they've seen you have success in similar roles, and feel that you are an asset to them in that particular way. If you are not able to change things, try providing a challenge for yourself by adding new depths to the role. If the role itself doesn't challenge you, think about your character in a different way, and that might provide the challenge you're looking for.

[aces25]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 8:01pm

I just am really trying to flex my acting muscles and this is a limiting experience.
Updated On: 10/28/05 at 08:01 PM

[my2cents]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 8:07pm

ANd i bet there are people who didn't get cast. It sucks to be type casting but acting is all about approaching each role differently. Hell you may even play the same role 3 or 4 times. Until you are making 20mil a movie and can choose scripts, take each oppertunity and make the most out of it.

[aces25]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 8:20pm

Anyone else experience type casting

[JayKid]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 9:14pm

Sorry to hear that, but it happens... deal with it. More people are type casted than not type casted.

I'd suggest you just learn to get better and better at the roles that are similar to yourself, if anything, it will make you a better actor anyway.

Another thing you must understand, when you are ANY character, the way you must play this character is to relate off YOUR EXPERIENCES and YOURSELF to play that character believably. So whether you are like the character or not, you should always be doing the same thing... analyzing the character, and relating your own experiences to the character and uses that in each scene, each objective, everything you do.

There is always SOMETHING to be learn, no matter what the character, even if you are type casted. I highly doubt you've even gone deep enough into analyzing the play itself, it's theme(s), the character, exactly all the way they relate to you, what makes him/her do everything he/she does, how it relates to the theme, relationships with each character, and how they know themsevles... all which you should try to find connections to yourself (evne if loose connections), to pretend as if you were the character better and more believably each time.

There is ALWAYS something to learn and get better at... you can ALWAYS challenge yourself, regardless of the role (type casted or not). So make the best of it, especially because it happens a lot and is normal...

Just my advice to you, don't complain, embrace it.

[Horton]

Posted: 10/29/05 at 6:05pm

What's the role and what ones have you played in the past, for perhaps we can assist you in how you play it differently (next time could you please post this on the student board, I ask nicely )

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/29/05 at 6:48pm

As I like to say, "It's better to be type-cast than not cast at all."

That said, just give it some time. Age can make a big difference on how people perceive you.


EDIT: Also, remember that there are many variations within a type. For example, I often get cast as an authority figure of some kind. I recently played Father in "Ragtime," and will soon be playing The Warden in "Kiss of the Spider Woman." Both are bigoted, but there are still some differences there. For example, Father is basically a nice guy with a narrow-mind, whereas The Warden is just plain evil. And whereas the worst thing that Father does in the play is say the "n-word," The Warden shoots his rival in the head onstage. So, you know, there's some variation there Updated On: 10/29/05 at 06:48 PM

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 10/29/05 at 7:28pm

I can definite;y sympathize. I am always playing the Seymour Krelbourne/Motel/Mark Cohen roles, but the truth is it is sort of a compliment that they trust you to be able to pull off a certain role, and that you are repeatedly good at it.

My advice to you is to make it different. Take the role in a different direction that it has previously been done and redifine it so it doesn't quite fall into your "type". If you gave specifics I'm sure many people here could help you with finding a new approach.

Break a leg and keep us posted.

Akiva

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/29/05 at 9:13pm

What's the role and what ones have you played in the past, for perhaps we can assist you in how you play it differently (next time could you please post this on the student board, I ask nicely )

Why should it be on the student board? Their question is not dependent on the fact that it's a class. It's about type casting. And about how to act, not about being a student.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 12:49am

What type of roles are you getting cast in? I'd just like to know what your getting type cast as.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/30/05 at 1:05am

I don't see Nathan Lane complaining.

So don't you start.