I need some unbiased opinions...

[Sienner921]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 7:57pm

At my high school there is a girl and she's the most musical, most theatrical, all that jazz. Basically its all "by the book" training since she was three. I personally feel she has no emotion when she sings or acts. Her junior year she was Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and her senior year she was Dolly in Hello, Dolly! and her characters were the SAME people. Besides the fact that she's a soprano (they actually held callbacks just to see if she could manage as an alto...ya know, carol channing) the point of a HS show is to get kids involved in theater and to build up skills and stuff like that. I know so many kids who are so turned off by our theater dept. because they know that our director favors this girl and her two younger sisters who are just as talented, if not more, who have a monopoly over the whole system. Yeah theres a little jealously in there, but at the same time, is it really fair for her to have the lead two years in a row when there are other equally talented students to choose from?

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 8:05pm

and her characters were the SAME people.

At a high school in town that I don't go to there is a girl who has an incredible voice but can't act to save her life.

Her sophomore year she was Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress and was wonderful because the character was so much like her.

Then she was Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street the next year. I could have sworn it was Winnifred up on stage again. Exact same mannerisms, dialect, everything. It wasn't a character, it was just her playing herself. Very poorly.

Then this year she was Fanny in Funny Girl. She was the exact same again. And it was annoying seeing her sing in a very pretty tone, but in the same monotmous emotion she displayed the exact same way the previous three years.

[Sienner921]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 8:08pm

That's exactly way this girl I'm talking about is...and it's horrible. I feel bad "gossiping" but I just don't think its fair. I mean even outside of "talent"

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 8:10pm

I hate it when that happens! I've seen a lot of shows with that. The worst was a production of Pal Joey. The girl playing Vera had an amazing voice and she was Ariel in Footloose the year before. That character was exactly like her, but she couldn't act in Pal Joey. It was horrible.

[whateverrr]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 8:25pm

Do yourself a favor, do something nice for this girl. Lift the burden of jealousy off your back. It will only make you loose faith in the whole business. Hollywood, theater, it's all the same. People with no talent make it sometimes. It's about you not letting yourself get so jealous and angry that it holds you back. Even worse, turns you into a backstabbing, envious miser. Do you really want to be that? For what? Entertainment? A world of fairytales and lies? Keep it real. Be happy for her. in the meantime, work on your career by working on your inner self. If you put that light out with jealousy, you'll never shine. Be patient. And if it never happens for you, at least it never took your soul.

[lesserworm]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 8:39pm

I've seen it happen before, and it will probably keep happening untill the end of time. Rant all you want, but don't let it get to you. Try doing theater outside of school if you have that chance. That can be better than high school theater, and usually not quite as political. The tallent is generally better outside of school too.

[Dreamcatcher]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 8:47pm

yeah I see it happen alot. I go to an arts high school where EVERYONE who wants a shot at being in a musical play there has basically got to have professional training since they were babies. Not an official rule but thats they way it goes. They basically always give the main parts to the same two or three people because we all know they can sing up a storm. But all their characters are the same, no difference. I guess it doesnt bug me that much because I know other places where I can audition for stuff but I just thought I'd share since it seemed pertinent.

Posted: 1/16/05 at 8:49pm

My friend in acting classes is ALWAYS the same character. And the problem is that she has WAY too much emotion. Her characters are always crying and desperately tearing for attention. And it wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't totally over the top about it. She's uncontrolled, she's manic. And it does bug me.

This is a very strange idea, but if you want to do something about this (if the director is a person who could possibly understand and have humanity and not freak out)... But you could write an annonymous note saying politely that favoritism is not the way. You could nicely explain it to him (her) and let 'em know. Well, that's an idea. Sorry I can't help ya more!

[Derech2]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 9:34pm

That is probably my main annoyance when it comes to theater. Many people (audience and actors included) do not have the ability to differentiate between good acting and being expressive or dramatic. For me, acting is about knowing the character and playing that character with precision, decisiveness, and expression and drama according to the character. Good rhetoric just does not cut it for acting.

However, in regards to the "learning experience" -- I know how you feel. There's always that amazing someone who outdoes you and gets the good parts. No one gets a chance to "grow" because this person is always snatching the leads and never giving anyone else a chance.

In my opinion, the only fair philosophy to go by is if someone is the best, they deserve the part. Last summer I auditioned for the role of Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. One of my good friends (who is an amazing tenor, but falls in with what we were talking about above; he is expressive, but he can't act and make a difference in his roles) got the part. I was so close to getting Joseph but alas! Joseph is a singing role, acting is rather secondary and I'm a low baritone, so in this case I was not the best; my friend was. It would be completely unfair to my friend (being the best at auditions, and he does often get the good roles), for the directors to say "Oh yeah, he was definitely the best, but we need to give these not so good people a chance so this kid is out of the picture." It would not be fair to my friend and it would not be fair to the show.

Of course, it is annoying and unfair when one person keeps getting the leads over and over again because of a director's preferences (last year at my school, all the leads were given to either juniors or seniors because they were juniors and seniors, and the show suffered badly because of it), especially when they cannot act.

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 10:04pm

Don't feel bad...at my high school, it is the exact same. one worthless (mean but true) girl gets all the parts and plays the exact same person and the rest of us are stuck with playing off this block of wood on stagee!! A quick tangent: There's a kid at my school who is just an AMAZING actor..but to put it kindly, he's not the most attractive person in the world! he ALWAYS gets stuck with small, character parts b/c the directors never want to cast a "unattractive" person in the lead...but he finally got cast by someone smart enough to see through all that...so I guess the moral of the story is to keep trying, b/c you'll get a part eventually.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 10:07pm

High School theatre can be the best because of the bonds you form with the people you're in plays with year after year; but it's also supremely frustrating in respect to casting. Whichever way the director goes, it sucks. He or she can either keep casting the same few people or try to give everyone a chance, and as a result cast people who suck. The only way to combat this is to pick a wide variety of shows that a lot of different people would be good in for the leads. Unfortunatly my director has yet to come up with this idea...I would suggest it, but damn...that woman is scary.

[Sienner921]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 10:48pm

haha well I'm glad to see so many people see where I'm coming from on this one. I'm not really a jealous person, I swear, it's just INCREDIBLY frustrating, as you all seem to agree. It would be a different story if she was an incredible actress. She did get into Tisch so I can't knock her so much, yeah she has talent. It's just, well, annoying.

And Derech: I like that philosophy, the best deserves the part, but I also have to say that in a high school show, seniority should also play a factor. A sophmore (let alone freshman) shouldn't have a lead in a hs show when they'll be there (or at another school, whatever) for another 2/3 years. It's just an opinion, but we're not talking about professional theater here, its HS, and if it means that much to the people getting those roles in 9th/10th grade, their ego's are already too big for the industry.

[etoile]

Posted: 1/16/05 at 11:33pm

So which is it"

" At my high school there is a girl and she's the most musical, most theatrical, all that jazz."...or "there are other equally talented students to choose from?"

Is she the MOST talented or are there others who are equal? It can't be both ways.

And perhaps there is a lack of objectivity here that doesn't rest solely at a director's feet.

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 12:55am

"I also have to say that in a high school show, seniority should also play a factor. A sophmore (let alone freshman) shouldn't have a lead in a hs show when they'll be there (or at another school, whatever) for another 2/3 years"

i don't usually do this, and no offense at all is meant here, but I have to disagree! I've seen way too many productions of shows ruined by stupid seniors who try out ONCE in their entire high school career because they know that sinceit's their senior year, they are going to get a part.
I figure: If there is a situation where a freshman is JUST as good as a senior, I would give it to the senior..but if the freshman was better, i would give it to the better actor, hands down.
And (once again, no offense) so what if a 9th or 10th grader gets a lead...why does that make "their ego too big for the industry."?? Because they have more talent they have big egos?? If it means alot to them to get a part, maybe it's becuase they are dedicated to drama and like to do well? Maybe they get tired of worthless seniors stealing their parts when they KNOW they could do twice as well?
I guess I don't see where you're coming from on this one...

[Derech2]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 2:19am

I have to say I disagree with you.

And maybe I misunderstood something, but do you simply like my philosophy of the best deserves the role, or do you agree with it? Because if you agree with it, the seniority privilege is down the drain (unless the senior is the best). It would be the senior's fault if he did not choose to audition for any show until his senior year. I agree with CatieElphie. How exactly do egos play into this? Are you saying it is impossible for a freshman to be cast in a lead and remain humble? And even if that freshman does have an over-sized ego, but can play the part spankin' well and better than anyone else, why not help the show out and cast the best one? Not to mention I do not really see any positive affects that would play in on one's ego when a director casts a horrible senior in the lead.

Perhaps I am rediculously biased. I'm a freshman. I cannot stand it when directors give priority in casting for reasons unrelated to the show (thankfully it only happens at my school, and not at the normal theater group I participate in). I hope this post did not sound vehement or anything; I don't mean it to be. But as CatieElphie stated, I guess I'm just having trouble seeing your side of things ...

Updated On: 1/17/05 at 02:19 AM

[Sienner921]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 9:53am

zno I get what you're saying. Where I'm coming from in my HS I just feel like we have SUCH a talented student body and there are people that could handle the leads from ALL grades and I feel like the upperclassmen should be looked at first. That just the way it is at my school.

Etoile: she is the "most musical..." because everyone (director) puts her up on a pedastool...A lot of people, myself included, are just as talented, but everyone see's her as this musical goddess because she's been doing it for longer, and thats just not so.

I guess I didn't clarify any of that, sorry!

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 10:48am

I have one question. Why is H.S Theatre so damn political? I can't take it. I would hope Broadway is a bit more fair.

In my H.S Our director over the summer told a few kids to start preparing for specific roles from the show we are doing. Guess who got those roles! Those kids!

Than recently, she told my friend.. "Start preparing, I'm going to pick a big musical with a big female lead for next year".


UUUGHH. H.S Theatre is corrupt...I need to do some regional productions.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 1:10pm

"is it really fair for her to have the lead two years in a row when there are other equally talented students to choose from?"

No, but that's not the real world. What you've described is pretty much the situation in high schools AND colleges throughout the country. And for that matter, community theatre, and regional theatre. Even Broadway loves to recycle stars whether or not thet are the best choice for the roles.

[Sienner921]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 5:29pm

Too bad we don't live in Oz, eh? lol

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 8:25pm

I agree...ALL high schools are prob'ly like that and there is nothing in the world we can do...
except maybe burn them............
J/k

[teth]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 8:34pm

That seems to be the case for HS drama programs I suppose. Back in HS, there was this girl that got all the leads too. But, she acted the same way for every single character she did. Even more annoying, there was an obvious favortism from the drama teacher towards the kids that were in her class (if I hadn't taken her in one semester, I don't think I would've even gotten my measely little part in Twelfth Night: First Officer).

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 8:36pm

That's like my HS...our director is the French Teacher, so he won't cast you if you take Spanish, most of the time, unless you're REALLY good....but I take French, so I don't mind :)