[shadowdancer]

Hi. OK my friend asked me for advice on his callback next week and I don't know exactly what to tell him. Here is the situation:
He has a callback for the part of WILLIAM BARFEE in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Now the role is a great one. Dan Fogler one the Tony Award for the part and overall his performance and "look" are well remembered by anyone who knows the show. He made3 some very string choices and went with it. Now, if you have a callback for the role do you try to imitate the main choices that seems to be what people know or can you create something different. i mean clearly you always need to bring your own thing to whatever you do but for instance: Fogler had a distinct accent and a distinct style in his singing, should someone who has a callback try to emulate that in the callback? I guess overall, when you are called back for a role that has a certain performer already associated with it, how much you you mimic or bring to mind and how much can you do your own thing (of course if it makes sense). Now I know the easy and typical responses but SERIOUSLY what do you think. (If this will be a professional big production of Spelling Bee is the director/casting agent looking for Dan Fogler? PS No direction has been given as to what they are looking for

[Melindaisy]

While it is always a temptation to mimic a famous actor who is very much identified with a role, I think it is important to remember that the audition is to play the role and not the person who created the role, or their interpretation. A director can always turn things that way, but I would never audition as if I were, say, Julie Andrews playing Eliza Doolittle for "My Fair Lady".

Your friend was called back because the director liked something they saw in him. I wouldn't try to be different in an effort to second guess what they are looking for. I would present my interpretation of the character.

[kozafluitmusique]

The drama director at my school posted during "Blood Brothers" auditions or something like it:

if you have seen this show, do NOT imitate how you would saw it - act like how you would portray that character.

I think your friend should act how he would act the character...some roles you almost have to act a similar way, but unless the director specifically said "act like this person did", don't.