You Know It's Community Theatre When... — Page 3

When the program misspells not only your real name, but your character's name as well. And you're the lead.

When you walk into the the theatre ONLY to pick up your left-over stuff from the last show...and end up being cast in the next two shows, and also assistant directing the youth show.

To expand on what Michael Bennett said, you wear a dress in Annie Get Your Gun, and next thing you know, a chorus member of Hello, Dolly is wearing it.

Joseph's Dreamcoat was made the day of, by his mother.

I live for community theatre.

Updated On: 5/9/09 at 12:40 AM

I think anybody reading negativity into this thread is being way too sensative - I think its a great tribute - who here on this board - professional or simply a lover of theatre hasn't done an amateur production? This isn't about defending one's professionalism or condescending to people doing theatre in their garage. It's fun!

Were you offended by "Waiting for Guffman" DG?

Here's a sad story:
A friend of mine is in a production of Ragtime currently. They didn't have enough men so a woman is playing Booker T. Washington. The director apparently felt it necessary to change the character's name to "Brenda T. Washington".

That's hillarious! The woman we had recited the lines while waving a book around and I think we added a line about negroes reading his work, everything else was cut. But she never pretended to be him. It worked very well.

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Updated On: 10/27/06 at 01:00 AM

Haha, as much as I love Guffman it is always kinda painful to watch and realize that I can relate somewhat to these people. You ever watch the deleted scenes on the DVD? There's some great stuff in there to make you just a little self-conscious about past community productions!

fiyero: it's always kinda iffy when you have to do non-traditional casting for a role that is reliant on race. u do what u can i guess but that Booker T thing is taking it too far if u ask me, since he was a real historical figure. I did do a production of SIDE SHOW with a white Jake, and they would bring him out during the pre-show speech and basically tell the audience "OK this character is a black guy. Use your imagination."

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...When you are the only crew person on "Scrooge"

...When you actually turn on the fire sprinklers during "Singing in the Rain"

...When during "Scrooge" you, a small, skinny white High School Senior replace for the Act 1 Finale the Ghost of Christmas Present (Played by a large, heavyset African American woman) because she trips over the fog machine and splits open her forehead....with no rehearsal

...When you walk around the mall where the theatre is, and people recognize you as "That nice boy in that play about the Old People" (Or 70, Girls, 70)

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"Were you offended by "Waiting for Guffman" DG?"

GOD, NO! No, no, NO! It's one of my favorite movies.

Jesus, I hate my inadequacy in this format sometimes. Everything comes across so black and white because . . . well, because it's in black and white!

I just entered what I did into the discussion because it seemed to all approach from the negative side of things - and I have a serious appreciation and love for the time that I spent in those situations. I tried to say a few posts ago that I have experienced all of (or at least close to) these scenarios. I really don't think anyone is being overly critical or mean - and as Colleen just pointed out, every one of the situations could be describing a professional situation.

I'm just someone that reads the subject line and thinks happy thoughts - which might very well be what all of these are, but again, the format . . .

Mr. Bennett - To paraphrase Hugh Grant's character in Maurice, "I stand rebuked."

But I'm still not sorry I entered some supportive comments for Community Theatre into the thread

When they try to do GYPSY and the sets are too big for the theatre and they are falling down on tech crew.

God help us.

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wow, so many of these comments reflect my community theatre exactly! love it :)

um... basically, i have to second the everyone who auditions somehow gets a role in the show!!! and the whole thing about "shh, the audience can hear you from there!" :P i love community theatre

i cant think of too many funny things that havent been said already...

Our Alfred P. Dolittle proposed to our Stage Manager during My Fair Lady this summer. They're going to get married in the theatre.

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When the director's wife sells homemade snacks at intermission.

Here are a few from my experiences...

1) The theatre has to cancel plans to do Fiddler on the Roof or 1776 because not enough men auditioned.

2) During The Pajama Game you don't have the technical ability to have Sid's voice played back during "Hey There" so you have another actor singing the echo parts on an offstage mic.

3) Due to Issue #1, in Guys and Dolls Sarah Brown is watched over by the caring 'Abigail' Abernathy.

4) Due to a shortage of young, attractive female performers, all of the courtesans in Forum are played either by old or overweight women which give all of Pseudolus's lines a whole new meaning -- "a stage on which a hundred dramas could be played -- all at once!"

5) If you are a baritone you have to sing all of the first tenor notes because all of the other men either have a limited range or are second basses.

....and now some that are more positive:

6) In high school you are looked upon as a geek or an outsider, but at the local community theatre you find acceptance and make friends of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

7) Due to the theatre's welcoming (and need) of volunteers not only are you able to hone your acting ability, but you learn how to build sets, run the light and sound board, operate the box office, stage manage, and assistant direct -- and this education is FREE!

8. You meet people who share your love of showtunes -- which all of your other friends think are lame -- and they are genuinely excited to see all of your pictures from your latest New York trip (and they actually know who all the performers in your pictures are!)

9) Nothing beats the feeling the first time you get exit applause, steal a scene, nail your solo perfectly, or get mentioned favorably in a newspaper review (and even moreso when your picture is included).

10) Nothing beats doing a show with your parents and being able to share the experience with them. My first community show was The Sound of Music and my Mom was a nun, my Dad played Herr Zeller, and I was in the chorus. When I did Forum a year later I played Hero and my Dad was one of the Proteans. Finally, recently I was the music director for a production of Oklahoma! and my Mom played Aunt Eller. To this day both of them still serve on the theatre's board of directors.

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Updated On: 10/27/06 at 10:29 AM

...when the cast is excited that there are more peopl in the audience than in the cast...

I love community theater!

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