The Green Room - Will You Accept Any Role?

Reply #10 - Feb 6^th, 2008 at 11:57am

Tshep Offline
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Quote:

Tshep wrote on Feb 6^th, 2008 at 10:33am:

This, by the way, is a MUCH greater sin than specifying that you'd only consider a particular role.

CanNOT believe I'm saying this

I completey agree with you.

Hehe.... that's twice today......

They say, best men are moulded out of faults; &&And, for the most, become much more the better &&For being a little bad.

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Reply #11 - Feb 6^th, 2008 at 12:52pm

The Dark Knight Ex Member
www.maniccity.tv

Tshep wrote on Feb 6^th, 2008 at 10:33am:

I've used the question often and continue to do so.... and it isn't a trick or a test at all. Reinforcing what DK has said, to use this question as some kind of test is a mark of an immature and untrustworthy director (hell, just the preposition is duplicitous and passive-aggressive.... knowing that this is the way this person operates, why would anyone willingly work with him?).

The question IS useful as a time saver and focuser. I want to know what to consider you for... and don't want to waste time and energy slotting different casting options that the bottom will eventually fall out of when an actor declines a role offer.... This, by the way, is a MUCH greater sin than specifying that you'd only consider a particular role.

Tes, we completely agree.

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Reply #12 - Feb 6^th, 2008 at 12:55pm

The Dark Knight Ex Member
www.maniccity.tv

shimmer wrote on Feb 6^th, 2008 at 11:12am:

�BUT - I am very aware of my type. �I am not going to pretend I'm perfect for a role when I'm not, even if I would love the challenge.

Knowing your type is HUGE.

P.

While I have issues with the whole "type" thing, I agreee completely that you have to be realisticc about where you fit. If I go in saying I will only accpet the romantic lead, 9 times out of 10 I will be wasting my time and theirs..

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"The power is not in the mask. It's in whether we chose to wear it."
-Peter Blustrinsky

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Reply #13 - Feb 6^th, 2008 at 1:22pm

Cheeky Monkey Offline
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Quote:

shimmer wrote on Feb 6^th, 2008 at 11:12am:

BUT - I am very aware of my type. I am not going to pretend I'm perfect for a role when I'm not, even if I would love the challenge.

Knowing your type is HUGE.

P.

While I have issues with the whole "type" thing, I agreee completely that you have to be realisticc about where you fit. If I go in saying I will only accpet the romantic lead, 9 times out of 10 I will be wasting my time and theirs..

Exactly. I remember this one guy going into a "Joseph.." audition insisting he would only take Joseph and none of the brothers. First of all, he looked, like, twelve. Secondly, his callback was terrible! We're talking early American Idol episodes terrible. Then when the director dismissed him during the callbacks, he stormed off in a huge huff.

How deluded can you BE?

"Depends. Did you feel anything for the pumpkin? The midgets?" -Wildcard&&&&If Mary Matalin and James Carville can make it work, ANYONE can. The end.

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Reply #14 - Feb 6^th, 2008 at 1:42pm

The Dark Knight Ex Member
www.maniccity.tv

Cheeky Monkey wrote on Feb 6^th, 2008 at 1:22pm:

Quote:

shimmer wrote on Feb 6^th, 2008 at 11:12am:

BUT - I am very aware of my type. �I am not going to pretend I'm perfect for a role when I'm not, even if I would love the challenge.

Knowing your type is HUGE.

P.

While I have issues with the whole "type" thing, I agreee completely that you have to be realisticc about where you fit. If I go in saying I will only accpet the romantic lead, 9 times out of 10 I will be wasting my time and theirs..

Exactly. �I remember this one guy going into a "Joseph.." audition insisting he would only take Joseph and none of the brothers. �First of all, he looked, like, twelve. �Secondly, his callback was terrible! �We're talking early American Idol episodes terrible. �Then when the director dismissed him during the callbacks, he stormed off in a huge huff.

How deluded can you BE?

Exactly.

Like Shimmer, I've done my share of "chorus" type roles over the years. I only audition for roles I'll accept. More often than not, I go in with two choices: the part I want, and the back up. The back up is where I end up if I'm cast.

At this point, though, I'm starting to go for the "back up" parts outright.

http://www.maniccity.tv/

"The power is not in the mask. It's in whether we chose to wear it."
-Peter Blustrinsky

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Reply #15 - Feb 6^th, 2008 at 1:50pm

QueenMorgaus Offline
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My current director admitted he uses the question as a test, and if you mark 'No', he probably won't cast you.

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I see that not as a test but... �well, suppose the director simply visions someone else in the role? �Cast the actor in something else anyway and hope they're bluffing?

�

If the director visions someone else, no prob! �It sounded like my director meant that if you marked no, you might as well not even audition (whether or not he thought you'd be good for the role you're aiming for). �

Quote:

Otherwise, if I were a director and thinking of the long-term, and in walks this act(or/ress) who once told me they'd accept "any role," but walked away when they got the Nurse instead of Juliet (or got Rosencrantz when they wanted "The Player"), I'd be a bit leary about casting them again.

I agree. �

Quote:

Well, I am curious as to what you'd learn from one role that you wouldn't from another in the same play (besides "Chorus," of course, yes, I do understand THAT), and how or why some other role wouldn't be "worth the time commitment." �I'm genuinely curious. �Honest.

It was kinda the chorus thing I was thinking of (even though I'd rather be chorus in some shows). �The time commitment comment stems from those characters that pop into scenes for a second or two then disappear for lenghts of time, meaning you have to sit through three hours of rehearsal every day doing nothing, go on for your two second entrance, then sit and wait again. � �

Quote:

I do see your point, although conventional wisdom (and some experience with other performers) suggests... �eh... �there might be a touch of ego involved, �here.

That's very true. �But in this case, it was a matter of "wow, I've always wanted to be this role but don't know if I can take the time off of work. �So I'll only audition for that role, and if he thinks I'm good enough, bonus! �If not, no harm done."

Quote:

When in doubt, just answer the question honestly. �As I mentioned before, it is probably better you let the director know up front that you won't take any other role than to back out after you agree to do a role you didn't specifically want.

I completely, 100% agree, which is why I thought it odd that my director would use it as a test instead of a tool. �
That answer your questions? �

"I don't need to compromise my principles, because they don't have the slightest bearing on what happens to me anyway." - Calvin and Hobbes

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Reply #16 - Feb 6^th, 2008 at 3:39pm

Jack Bauer Ex Member

As an actor AND director, I have definite feelings about this. There is nothing wrong with audtioning for a specific role- real actorsusually have a specific role in mind.The people that don't are those who just are doing theatre as a hobby/lark. Those are the ones I don't want to cast. Directors should not just assume it means the actor has a big head.

When I direct, I admit that I do like to read "yes" to the question, but I don't use it as a test. But as an actor, I am always afraid to answer"no,"becuase so many people do that. I used to just leave it blank,but that came back to bite me when I got cast in a role I didn't want in "Much Ado About Nothing" at Stage Right, and I left a bad impression when I declined, whichI still bad about. I should have just written "no."

Basically, I both the"test"mentality and not being honest on your form are wrong. There was nothing wrong with me only wanting to play specific roles in"Much Ado"- but I was dumb about how I handled it, and I wouldn't blame them if they didn't want to cast me again.

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Reply #17 - Feb 6^th, 2008 at 3:54pm

JingleBeq Offline
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The people that don't are those who just are doing theatre as a hobby/lark. Those are the ones I don't want to cast.

Right. I shall make a note never to bother auditioning for you.

I make pretty things.

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Reply #18 - Feb 6^th, 2008 at 3:57pm

The Professor Offline
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There was nothing wrong with me only wanting to play specific roles in"Much Ado"- but I was dumb about how I handled it, and I wouldn't blame them if they didn't want to cast me again.

I think enough water has passed under the bridge that you'd be fine auditioning at StageRight again. Just let them know what parts you're interested in.

My skills are as varied as they are impractical.

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Reply #19 - Feb 6^th, 2008 at 4:03pm

The Dark Knight Ex Member
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JingleBeq wrote on Feb 6^th, 2008 at 3:54pm:

Quote:

The people that don't are those who just are doing theatre as a hobby/lark. Those are the ones I don't want to cast.

Right. �I shall make a note never to bother auditioning for you. �

Do you take the productions seriously and try to make the best you can? Because if you do, you'd have no problem. He doesn't mean he wants obsession, or even necessarily aspirations toward doing this for a living. He means not having a strong commitment to the quality of the show is bad for the show. �Do you really disagree with that?

However, ceratinly there are those who, for various reasons, would mark "yes" and have commitment to the show. What Jack Bauer is saying is a general obervation. I suspect he meant "many" or "most" who don't.

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"The power is not in the mask. It's in whether we chose to wear it."
-Peter Blustrinsky

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