Smallest role you've played?

[Sluggy]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 9:02am

...and did you think it was worth the rehearsal time?

I know, no small roles, but I'm just wondering.....

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 9:15am

In 1964 I played a tree (yup a TREE!) in the Enchanted Forest sequence of CAMELOT. This is a scene that is regularly cut.

In 1974 I was in another production of CAMELOT and once again found myself cast as a tree in the same scene. I began to wonder if I was becoming a "wooden" actor!

[OtherDaryl]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 9:18am

The back end of the dancing cow in Gypsy.

Moo-Moo Moo-Moo

And then there's Bordon in Plaza Suite, "Cool it, Mims."

[ashley0139]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 10:25am

I played a friend of Abigail in the Crucible. Not even a part in the regular show, but our director added some because she didn't want people to be left out. We were only in the courtroom scene and didn't have any lines. Unless you count when Abigail passed out and had a seizure on stage and we all had to cover, but that's a different story... I don't think it was worth the rehearsal time. Why? Because we didn't actually do anything. We sat there.

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 10:51am

I've played many bit roles...and at the time, they were great training experiences.

I wouldn't do them again unless I was being paid Equity scale.

[MouseInfo]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 11:00am

A Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz. It was a vey small role.

[BroadwayNick]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 2:00pm

I walked on for "So Long, Farewell!" in The Sound of Music and walked out. That was it. A good way to waste 3 hours of your life.

Posted: 7/13/05 at 2:03pm

I was a Native American in Annie Get Your Gun... absolute waste of my time. They added me into a scene just because they had to. I still had to be there for all of rehearsals, and I barely sang anything.

I was in Les Mis, I guess my role wasn't that bad... my one friend was a nun for the show. Anyway, because we did the musical... I now extremely hate the show because my stupid director messed everything up.

[Parks]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 2:04pm

In the first show I was in (Oliver), I was a workhouse boy...one song.

This last year, I was given the role of "Ticket Seller" in Funny Girl. That sucked. 2 lines...no songs...I was like...c'mon.

This year though-I'm getting an upgrade in our musical! I thought it was going to be just another 2 line role-but I have 8 lines! YES! My drama teacher DOESN'T hate me!

[WickedOne2]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 2:05pm

I was a fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream. My first theater production and I was afraid to audition for any big parts.

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 2:29pm

Apple Tree #3 in The Wizard Of Oz. Yes, another tree. But I had a tree head with apples velcroed to it and I got to throw them at my friends who were Dorothy and the Scarecrow. I pegged them in the head all 3 nights. It was fun.

Yeah, it was worth the rehearsal time, because it was my first show .. and it was soo fun.

[nychick9876]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 2:31pm

in my first highschool musical i was a bunny in snow white and the seven dwarfs, however i was in 5th grade. at the same school i was a no-name orphan(the only one) in annie and one of the blind girls in the miracle worker. but all of these were when i was in middle school and they were all high school plays

[EdmundOG]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 3:03pm

Lots of background or ensemble roles, here, but I bet I have the smallest featured role with Dog Hamma in Tennessee Williams's Orpheus Descending. My lines:

"Musta had indigestion."

"And th' pinball machine."

"He never looked good... Now he looks worse."

"What you smilin' for, boy?"

Other than that, it was just stand around, follow Sherrif's orders, and look stupid, threatening, or both.

It was worth it, though. I got to rough up a beatnik, and my wife was hot.
Updated On: 7/13/05 at 03:03 PM

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 3:05pm

In Little Shop, Dentist Patient #1, here! (I was also in the ensemble - in Skid Row and the Finale, appearing (but not singing in) in Renovations adn Callback in the Morning. It was a really fun show to be in the chorus of!!!

Oh, and SO worth the rehearsal time! It was an HS show, and my first one, at that. Thus introducing me to some of my closeset friends and fake-siblinhs. Plus, I was an underclassmen wiht a not-great singing voice, so I didn't really deserve a bigger role. (I WANTED the Customer, but htat went to an amazing singer).

Updated On: 7/13/05 at 03:05 PM

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 3:08pm

My smallest role was Seyton in MacBeth. I was put in a lot of scenes but I think I only had like 4 or 5 lines. God, that was a million years ago! But it was worth every second of my time. Shakespeare is always educational.

Updated On: 7/13/05 at 03:08 PM

[teh_pretty]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 3:23pm

A pilot in a one act play called Terminal Terror. I walked on, stood for about fifteen seconds, then walked off.

Literally.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 3:24pm

My smallest part was a foreign tourist in "ground zero club" and I had no line but stood at the edge of the stage staring through a viewfinder for the entire show until I hit by a bomb. I loved the show and had a fabulous time working with the rest cast so there is no way I would have given that up. And I got to be killed on stage by a nuclear warhead pretty cool!

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 3:27pm

Now, now everyone...those roles may seem like a waste of your time, but hey. You got onstage! At least you got a part. Remember...there are no small parts. Just small actors!

Posted: 7/13/05 at 3:40pm

My first paying theatre job was for a very small dinner theatre. They were doing "Barefoot in the Park." I was asked to audition and had no idea what I was being considered for. The part was that of the Delivery Man, no lines. In Act I, Corey is getting the apartment ready and a delivery man brings her a package. The apartment is supposedly a 6th floor walk-up so that when the delivery man comes in, he's too out of breath to talk with her.

So I'd enter, panting & gasping, she'd sign for the package, I'd start to leave and she'd call me back. She'd give me a tip (A quarter) and I'd shoot her a dirty look and leave, still gasping for breath. At the first performance, I brought down the house roars of laughter and a huge round of applause. I didn't have much experience and was so startled I didn't know what to do! The next day, the director added a second entrance for me at the start of the second act, where I made an identical entrance, she'd sign for the package and then, call me back to say that it's for the building next door. Another dirty look & exit.

I killed from then on. I always got applause on both exits and often, upon my entrance in Act II. The leads were openly bitter that I got a MUCH bigger hand at curtain call than both of them combined.

Needless to say it taught me that the old Cliche was absolutely true! There are NO small parts!

[ally_kay_on_broadway]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 3:47pm

i was 'camerawoman' in HONK. My duties:

Run on in once scene holding camera, take picture, run off

TA-DA! :P well...my parents were DAMN proud of me!

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 3:52pm

I can't remember playing any truly small roles - everything I've done, from ensemble or chorus to leads - they were all fun and worth every moment of rehearsal time.

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 3:53pm

In Annie I was Dog catcher#1, it was a 1 person part, split into two... this was when I was in 6th grade.

[Candleshoe2]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 3:56pm

I was a stick thrower in Annie Get Your Gun. I threw a stick and went home.

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 4:03pm

Efrem Levi, HELLO, DOLLY!

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 4:18pm

The Gay Man, in Victor Victoria....... i was thrown a wig put it on my head and ran otu the door..... thank god i was also dance captin