[carolinamoon]

OK, so here's the deal.....

My high school is going to be doing Beauty and the Beast this coming Spring. We have a new (AMAZINGLY legendary in our area) director this year, who has finally replaced our former director, who was rather awful, but whose musicals I have been in for 5 years. My freind and I are the two main contenders for Belle. We get a long pretty well outside of competition for parts, but when it's audtition time... we steer clear of each other. We're both sopranos, and we're both seniors.

Her advantages/ disadvanges:
She has an AMAZING VOICE. Like, the best in our entire area.
She's done some work with the best regional theatre in our state, but has only been cast in very small chorus roles.
She's a brunette.
She had the lead as Marian in the Music Man this past year (very bitter competetion over that role, as I had the lead the year before last, and the director cast MY younger brother as winthrop while I played zaneeta).
However.... she really can't act. Like, she can portray one emotion, with slight variations on stage, and that's it. Once she's in it, she can't switch to anything else, for the whole show.
She has the proper figure for someone who would make a great Mrs.Potts.

My advantages/ dis:
I'm blonde. Very blonde.
My voice is about 75% as good as hers. I'm a strong soprano, especially when it comes to some more mezzo notes. When it comes to stage preformaces, i'm 3/4 of her voice, but in our all-state chorus autions last year, i scored higher for vocal quality than she did.
Last fall I toured our state as part of a professional musical cast, with solos, etc.
I played Kim in ByeBye birdie two years ago, the other girl quit when I got it and she didn't. (but the new director may not know this)
I'm a pretty decent actor, I've gotten awards for my acting at our regional drama festival. I'm best at comedy and improvisation, and I absolutely love Belle's sense of dry humor.
My figure is right for belle.
I've been in the musical at our school two years longer than she has.

I don't want this to seem like a brag fest, I'm just really desperate to get an outside opinion on this situation. I desperately want to be belle, not just because she's always been my favorite princess, but because This will be my 5th and final year at my school, and I feel like i've really paid my dues, and deserve the lead. She would make a fantastic Mrs.Potts, and honestly, her voice is the only one that could do the title song proper justice....

Help?

[IwantheGoldenTicket]

If you know the director maybe you should let them know how excited you are for the show and that you will be going out for Belle. At least they'll know you have the heart.

Then, all I can say really is to blow them away at auditions. It's truly up to the director, but if you have a great song and do your absolute best then I'm sure you could get the part.

Do you have an audition song already chosen? Because if so, you could even tell the director that you've been working on your audition song. It'll show them that you are dedicated to that show and part.

[Blonde Twin]

I really hope you get it then, I'd rather there be a great singer and amazing actress at Belle then one who can't to the part justice (im sure we all would). I also don't see why you can't dye (or wig) yr hair for the part. Sometimes I wish there would be a blond Belle, but you can't deny the awsomeness of hair dye lol Thats some of the fun of acting!

[BroadwayBaby0202]

I honestly think that for any production, the director looks more for better acting than singing. Also, the hair situation doesn't sound like a problem at all. A blonde Belle is fine and if the director doesn't think so, you could always wear a wig.

It's hard to give my two cents just because I've never heard you sing or seen you act, but from what you've said, I don't think you should have anything to be worried about. I agree that since you've been a part of the shows longer than the other girl has, it's about time you get to shine.

I hope you get the part! Keep us updated!!

[jimbothecrab]

I hate competing against friends! I have a friend that has competed with me for two years now for the same parts, I usually lose out because i'm shorter and a "character actor". The first competition almost broke our friendship and I didn't talk to him for a long time. Now, we're back to beign friends and we have another two shows coming up!

I think that you have a good chance, if you could drop anything about how your hair can change color or how you're not really liking blonde right now, that might help. I'm auditioning for Peter Pan this year and since i'm a bit old for the role i'm going to put for age "quite young". Something like that might help.

[Mimi Marquez]

I think it sounds like you have a really good shot. Just blow the director away at auditions. It definitely sounds like you have the ability to do that, so just sell it sista!!!!!!

[christinadaae]

Belle has really strong emotion that need to come across.
Home is a very emotional song.
If the director knows that you can act better, she would be in her right mind to cast you.

Let us know how it goes!
Good luck!

[MademoiselleMusicals]

I agree. Act as well as sing. Belle has an emotional journey so it's important to establish this via facial expression etc whilst singing.

Good luck! I really hope you get it or a role because you are researching the role and have thought carefully about it. I know it's horrible audiitoning against friends but thats life!

Please update us.

[carolinamoon]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all of the encouragement.... our audition workshop is the 17th , and auditions are the 22nd (EEK!).

Good news update- wigs have been ordered...
Bad news- I'm worried if I don't get Belle I'll be typecast as a Silly Girl...

BUT- I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes!

[broadwaybelle22]

I can't wait to hear how it goes! I'm sure you'll do great, and you seem to fit the part perfectly. Just put it all out there and be prepared for anything.

[ConverseSneaker]

[Mimi Marquez]

Being a silly girl is so much fun b/c in addition to being in all the great chorus numbers, they get to have a little featured part which, if done the right way, can be hilarious and scene stealing! Plus, I mean, who doesn't LOVE running around the stage giggling?

[carolinamoon]

Oh, I know how fun it is to be the silly ones- my last two roles have been Kim in BBB and Zaneeta in TMM. I'd just really like to do something a bit less, well, blonde.

[MademoiselleMusicals]

[me-shellmybelle]

Be nice to that silly girl part its got a special place in my heart lol. (just remember the yellow one is the best!) anyway the silly girl part is crazy fun and you can do the girliest, craziest actions and usually you get a huge response from the audience. It might not be Belle but sometimes the best parts of a show are the times you have backstage. This advice comes from a girl whose largest role her entire life was a Silly Girl who wanted Belle more then anything but i love being in the theater in general.

[Sweeney Hyde]

What song are you planning on auditioning with?

[carolinamoon]

They're having everyone audition using the same pieces (Me, Title Song, and Be Our Guest), which doesn't make much sense to me, but oh well. If I have to do a call back, I'll probably use something like God Help the Outcasts, or An English Teacher.

[carolinamoon]

Hey everyone....

Just got home from AUDITIONS....

Bad news was: I've been coughing and sneezing all weekend, and today had a wicked case of laringitis, my voice has been cracking all over the place and sounds quite comical.

Good news: I think it went well. I apologized for my voice 9choral director was quite understanding and forgiving, which i hope is a good sign) and the director said he didn't notice anything wrong (i wonder: is he deaf? or does he just think i suck?) The director said I sounded good. They had the other girl sing for potts and the wardrobe, which I HOPE is a good sign. Now however, I'm worried some dark horse came out of no where and stole the role......

Results should be out in the next day or so, I'll keep you posted! (ha ha no pun intended)