Rejection stories- Page 2

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 7:25pm

I auditioned for the original "Oh, Calcutta!", (a really wretched show that enjoyed much more success than it should have) and, after enduring an endless call-back that included, among other things, dancing in the nude, I was rejected with "your face looks too young!" I was shocked that they had even looked at my face!

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 8:51pm

nude dancing...are you sure they weren't just messing with you for their own sick and twisted humor???

[XxVeGanChaPstickxX]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 9:35pm

Renthead, I totally understand that my ethnicity will most likely lose me some roles in the future,

but for a highschool show as "Harold Hill"? I was running under the impression that, that character was ethnically ambiguous...

However, our sister school is putting on "Ragtime" this year, and cast an asian american as "coalhouse" which I find insane.

You never know anymore, huh?

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 9:39pm

For Annie Get Your Gun, the director told me they would give me Charlie but didn't because "they didn't think I could emmorize the lines."
For Seussical I had an amazing audition but I got a midget part because I was "too conceited."

[Dreamcatcher]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 9:56pm

I was auditioning for Midsummer Night's Dream for the role of Titania and the director had me read like 2 lines then called NEXT. Didn't get the part, it was given to this other girl and I was given a TINY part instead. I went up and asked why just becuase I was curious and he gave me this up-down look and was like "Well, let me put it this way, Titania is supposed to be regal and queenly and men fall in love with her and I thought ____(name of other girl) was "better suited for that." I stared and finally I asked "what exactly do you mean by that?" And he looked all patronizing and exasperated and was like "Well look at her!" BTW this girl looked like a model (tall, thin etc) where as I am shorter and Asian who, at the time, wore glasses. Basically he told me that I wasnt pretty enough to play Titania even though the girl who was playing her was horrible and the people who came to see it actually complained about her performance. (no lie, I heard them.) So yeah, taht would be my worst rejection story. I still cant stand the fact that he chose her becuase she was hotter then me and not based on acting skills like it should have been. It turns out he turned down like 10 other girls for the same reason.

[XxVeGanChaPstickxX]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 10:20pm

Dreamcatcher,

I feel your pain.

Asian pride.

[renthead2005z]

Posted: 1/12/05 at 10:56pm

Ok so like I said previously, I don't think it is right for high school shows to determine based on looks, but in most cases that is how it happens, I am not saying there is one time where it doesn't go this way, but I just was making the statment to tell people that the road isn't going to be sugar coated. But we had a Black guy play a white guy in our school, but had it been broadway he wouldn't have been cast because it wouldn't be historically accurate.

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 12:50am

CatieElphie1, I suspect they had everybody dance in the nude, because a large part of the show was people dancing in the nude! When I saw it (it was horrible), everybody was WAY older than me.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 1:07am

MY TWO CENTS ABOUT TYPE-CASTING:

As they say in show business, "your face is your destiny." It's sad, but true. And by "face," they also mean the color of your skin and your body weight. I think that one of the hardest things for an actor to do is to see themselves objectively and accept that they are not going to be right for certain roles. Every actor has limitations, but unfortunately some have more than others. It's especially difficult for women and "minorities" (although that term is becoming less and less relevant as our population becomes more diverse). Women have a lot of pressure put on them to be thin and attractive, not only because show business is run mostly by men but because most plays are written by men and the female characters are therefore often written as thin and attractive. It's also a matter of trying to appeal to the human nature of an audience. If you're watching two people being romantic with each other, wouldn't you rather watch two attractive people than two "normal" people? Or if you are to be bought into the charisma of the play's hero, wouldn't it be easier for you to be charmed by someone who is good-looking? It's just the way things are, and unfortunately is makes it hard for people--both men and women--who are struggling with their weight or haven't been blessed with a beautiful face.

It's a similar story with "minorities," although the problem often has to do not with the racial prejudices (per se) of directors or audiences members, but of necessity. Although many characters are "raceless," many are not, especially if the play needs to adhere to the boundaries of a certain historical time period. For example, if you're doing "Death of a Salesman," you simply can't cast an African American as Willy's boss, because in the 1940s, this situation would be extremely unlikely to exist (unfortunately). Race also becomes an issue if two people are supposed to be related, or if you're playing someone who actually existed, like John Proctor, a character someone had mentioned earlier.

So what to do? First of all, no matter what gender or race you are, try to keep in shape. Although a woman is more likely to experience casting prejudice for being overweight than a man is, all actors should take care of their bodies, not only for their versitility as actors but for their health. Second, face facts. If you're not the "leading man" or "leading lady" type, learn to like yourself for who you are, and try to enjoy being a "character actor." Being someone who "swings both ways" in terms of type, having played both "leading men" and "character roles," I can tell you that the latter are much more fun.

And if you are an actor of a minority race, hang in there. Directors are becoming more and more color blind, and as the term "minority" becomes less relevant in our culture, so will it in the acting world.

[Gothrockboheme]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 1:18am

Last summer, I was auditioning for the Rent tour (which...I WILL be in one day soon, even if it's second swing from the left!) Ahem, anyway... we were in the type out line and were looked at one by one individually. A woman came up to me and with her finger, motioned me to turn in circles. "Hmmm...what were you planning on singing today?" "A Carole King song." "Do you know Take me or leave me?" "Yes." "What other songs do you know from the show?" "Oh, all of them!" "Thanks, you're not what we;re looking for today."

WHAT? Do they really want people from the actual streets who have never heard of the show before? I was like...huh??

But I did get to back a few months later and sing for Mimi :)

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 1:20am

I've played Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz a few times. And another opprotunity came up, but I was busy with Kiss Me Kate at the time. I would have only had a little over two weeks of rehearsals with Oz by the time KMK finished so I knew even auditioning was unrealistic. But I knew the directors and such, and decided it would at least be a fun night out.
I went.
They knew I was in Kiss Me Kate. They also knew they weren't using anyone commited to Kiss Me Kate.
They gave me a callback anyway.
Why would they do that if they knew they couldn't use me? It was irritating.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 1:40am

Well said, Baritone. And this is coming from an Asian who played Tituba in The Crucible in high school.

Gothrock - Ouch. I probably would have responded the same way as you, but I think the reason they said that was because they want people who aren't impacted by preconceived notions of what the show is about, plus they may have thought you were trying too hard. (Dumb, I know, because I totally would have been all, "Psh, which songs do I know?? C'mon now.") I mean, a few years ago when they were auditioning for the Canadian cast, they even specified not to wear vinyl pants of fishnets!

[Dreamcatcher]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 1:45am

renthead2005z, I completely agree that in the movie/stage business alot of things will be based off of looks. I've already accepted the fact that, as a person who looks extremely asian, it will be harder for me to get roles etc but I think there is a fine line between choosing people for the reality of the play or movie(ie: if it was a family of blonde people then I obviously wouldnt get cast as their sister :-P)and choosing someone because the directors got an extremly biased image of a character that he or she is refusing to alter a bit for someone who doesnt fit that profile. I completely understand if and when I get turned down because I dont look like I would fit the part for logical reasons. But I think its going too far when someone doesnt even give you a second look because you arent the stereotypical beauty and it is for a character that doesnt really require a certain look.

[allamarane]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 1:55am

I got cast as Luisa in The Fantasticks after what seemed like the longest set of callbacks ever. The same night, I turned down a smaller role at another theatre. Well, the next morning the director of The Fantasticks called to let me know they were releasing me from the show because (I kid you not) "Matt sings about how beautiful Luisa is and you just don't measure up." We were together for an entire day of callbacks-- she didn't have these thoughts then? Grrr....

[Dreamcatcher]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 1:59am

Woah allamarane, that sucks. Sometimes it makes me reconsider going into theatre with all these hotheaded, superficial types who base things on physicallity not talent. OK that was exaggerated, I know I'm gonna do something with theatre when I graduate but it still pisses me off when those hollywood types do that kind of biased pick and choosing based on something so shallow.

[DivaMommy]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 4:20am

I auditioned for a multi-racial production of Once On This Island and was told I was too white. So any ethnicity but white was ok?

I later got the role when an actress bowed out, and they asked me to fake-n-bake. It sure helped a lot. Right.

[Switz78]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 9:50am

"a skinny person couldn't play TRacy"

sorry to tell you this but, they pad people for that role, so yes a skinny person (i.e. Shoshanna) can play Tracy
Shoshanna is not a size 2 but she's not fat
I'm just saying.

[ticenewyorkcity]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 10:01am

rejection rejection rejection....
I am never one to get my hopes up but after countless and i mean countless call backs for a replacement spot on the Kiss Me Kate tour I wanted to quite. I had never been so dissapointed. I didn't fit the costumes of the actor who was currently playing the role. And the funny this is his name is Dan too and we went to school together. I had never felt so FAT in my life.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 10:55am

allamarane--that is the worst thing I've ever heard. It's completely unprofessional to give someone a role and then take it away. Who does that? That's just awful.

[ForTheLoveOfLea]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 12:18pm

I didn't get cast in any of my high school shows. Yet I still get community theatre work. . .

[iLiVeOnAvEnUeQ]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 7:01pm

Freshmen year i auditioned for Cinderella and i auditioned second out of about 150. I was surprised that i didn't make it, only because a lot of the people really arent into theatre, and i found out later that most of them never came to practice, didnt "feel like working" etc. Anyway, the next summer i auditioned for Footloose at school again, and i did a kick ass auditioned. the director was like "why didnt you audition for Cinderella" and i was like "i did- and you cut me" well ive been in every show since then :)

Also, with the whole ethnicity deal, we're about to start doing Aida, and well, to be frank, theres one black girl involved in our theatre program, and shes not very strong as a singer. I havent seen Aida, but from what I've heard, its a lot of black people. Maybe I'm wrong and i sound terribly racist, but i dont know how we can pull this off. (by the way i am not racist at all, im just wondering if this can work)

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 7:08pm

No, there's nothing racist about that. Aida is supposed to be black! I don't know what they're planning to do if they aren't going to use the girl you're talking about...

[gertiecummings]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 7:12pm

Updated On: 1/13/05 at 07:12 PM

[FOCI]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 7:58pm

I hear everyone's pain about not getting the part based on the way you look but I have been on the other end of that and let me tell you, it sucks too. I auditioned for a play, along with one of the best actresses I have ever seen. I knew I just didn't measure up to her standards, and don't get me wrong-acting is my thing but she was just so much better for this role (she was also the appropriate age-I was 5 years too young) and yet they told me that I was going to get the part. I caught up with the actress as she was walking out of the building and asked her why the hell they were giving me this part when it was obvious it was hers. Apparently, the told her they wanted someone hotter and younger. She just shrugged and was so professional and nice about it. But I could not take that part, so I told them I wasn't going to take it and they should cast her. Of course they didn't, but what are you going to do???
REJECTION STORY: I have been to at least 3 auditions where I KNOW I could play the part really well, and do audition to prove it. Apparently, they always see so much potential in me but I'm just not right for the show!!!! ERGHHH how the f*ck do you prove you are right for the show!!! dammit!

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 11:31pm

Wow you guys...I seriously thought that like, 4 people would read this...now I feel so special....
But I guess i should add my newest one (from Rehersal for Murder Callbacks on Wednesday of this week)
--Discussing roles we would want while the director was out of the room..he comes back in and hears me say that I would like a big part this year. Jokingly, (but still rude beyond all comprehension) he says...well anypart YOU play would be big....
I replyed 'Why is that"?
and he stammeres something about my stage presence. JERK!! He was making fun of my butt. I am a larger person, but it's not like I am the fat lady in the circus or anything. UGH!!! How rude. .